Stop back by tomorrow for a list of over 100 bloggers who share other great budget-friendly ideas for their parts of the country.
Here are several kid-friendly things to do in Nashville: ?(All activities are free, unless otherwise noted.)
Walk through the Observatory, Delta, and Cascade promenades at Opryland Hotel.? The beautiful indoor gardens are an amazing sight any time of year, and the boat ride is fun for kids of all ages.? Park at Opry Mills Mall, and then walk in the back entrance to avoid the $15 on-site parking fee.
Talk about Greek history with the Parthenon.? Not only is Centennial Park unique with its center attraction being the Parthenon, but also has a caboose, amphitheater, and reflecting pool.? Venture inside the Parthenon to get a up-close look at its golden goddess, Athena and to read about how Nashville?s Parthenon was built to replicate all of the original?s features.? Entrance to see Athena is only $6 for adults and $4 for children ages 4-17.
No trip to Nashville is complete without visiting the Frist Art Center.? Not only does it boast great exhibits, but it also has an amazing kids program on the second floor, where kids can explore several different types of fine arts ? from stop-motion animation to artist studies to printmaking.? Tickets cost $10 for adults, but all children under 18 are free!
Head over to the Downtown Nashville Public Library.? Every Tuesday and Wednesday, join the staff as they ?sing, dance, and juggle? their way through books.? Times: 9:30, 10:30, and 11:30, with a baby and toddler time at 10:30.? Likewise, each Friday and Saturday, gather in the Children?s Theatre for a puppet show at 10:30 and 11:30.? Check their complete schedule for all additional activities, including book clubs, game day, movies, and crafts.? If you park in the Library parking garage, make sure you get your ticket stamped, so your parking fee is reduced.
Love Puppets?? Then make sure you and the kids are around for the Puppet Parade on 6/22 and The Puppet Festival 6/21-6/23 on Church Street, in front of the library.
Pack a GPS and go geocaching.? Several hundred geocaches can be found throughout Nashville.
Go letterboxing.? Letterboxing is similar to geocaching, except instead of the GPS coordinates, you have directions and clues to help you find each letterbox.? Twenty-nine letterboxes can be found throughout the Nashville area, with 211 being found in Middle Tennessee. Make a stamp with the kids, grab a stamp pad and the directions to a letterbox, and head out!? Finding these hidden treasure boxes is always fun!
Take a walk around downtown Nashville.? Our favorite sites are:
Enjoy the great outdoors: 
Drive down the Natchez Trace.? This is one of our favorite things to do each summer.? There are lots of places to stop and enjoy the beauty of the Trace as well as to explore historically.
City parks are often overlooked as a playground-only location, but often have many other great aspects.? These city parks also have nature centers to explore:
State Parks within a short drive of downtown Nashville:
Bicentennial Mall ? in downtown Nashville
Free park tour every Wednesday at 2pm, as well as at 10, 1, and 3pm on the first Monday of every month.? While you are there, make sure you check out the zero mile marker (where all state highways are zeroed from this point), Tennessee Map Plaza, the historical versions of the Tennessee State flag, and the WWII memorial.? Kids will thoroughly enjoy the Rivers of Tennessee fountains, found out front.? While you are there, make sure you venture through the Farmers Market ? a treat in itself!
Long Hunger State Park ? 18 miles east of downtown Nashville
Activities include boating, camping, fishing, and biking and? 25 miles of hiking trains, including a wheelchair accessible, paved, 2-mile trail.? Twice a month on Mondays at 10am, ?The Nature Circle? meets to explore a nature topic with preschool and lower elementary kids. All preschool programs are free, but reservations are required by the week prior. Before you go, make sure you download the Couchville Trail Tree Guide, which will help you and your kids to identify trees in the area.? Long Hunter also hosts the annual NAIA Pow-Wow each year, in October.
Radnor Lake ? 10 miles south of downtown Nashville
I consider this park to be one of the most beautiful in the Nashville area.? Radnor Lake is a day-use only park, with 6 miles of hiking trails.? Biking and jogging are strictly prohibited.? Make a stop in at the visitor?s center, to learn about the history and formation of Radnor Lake, where you can also find rent ?all-terrain? wheelchairs for the mulched and paved paths.? Before you go, learn about the reptile and amphibian wildlife you can find there.? Various programs are led by the rangers throughout the year, so call ahead to find out when the next program is being offered.
Cedars of Lebanon? -- 33 miles east of downtown Nashville in Lebanon, TN
This park is one of our all-time favorite places to visit! A little known fact is that you can find wildflowers in this park that cannot be found anywhere else in the world!? The park boasts flat cedar glades that are directly upon the bedrock.? Included are campsites, 8 miles of hiking trails, nature center (with a lovely butterfly garden in the back), a swimming pool, and horseback riding.
Bledsoe Creek State Park ? 35 miles north-east of downtown Nashville in Gallatin, TN
This is one of the smaller parks in the state at 164 acres, but it does have it?s own unique offerings: boating, camping, fishing, and 5 miles of hiking trails, around an inlet of the Old Hickory Lake. Kids will enjoy the dragonfly and damselfly checklist (in addition to a field guide to help you identify them), found on their site.
Montgomery Bell State Park ? 35 miles west of downtown Nashville
Located in Burns, TN, Montgomery Bell State Park offers a wide variety of activities:? boating, fishing, camping, golfing, swimming, 20 miles of dirt bike trails, and 15 miles of hiking trails.? Contact the park about seasonal programs and ranger-led hikes.
Harpeth River State Park ? 14 miles south-west of downtown Nashville
Winding along the river lies 9 access points that are designated as the State Park.? This park boasts not only leisure canoe rides down the river, but also swimming, fishing, and 2.5 miles of hiking trails.? In addition, you can also check out one of the oldest man-made tunnels in existence today as well as Mound Bottom, a Mississippean Period Indian Mound; Newsom?s Mill, one of the oldest remaining grist mills in Davidson County; and a museum of artifacts.? Guided hikes are frequently on the schedule, so call for an updated list.
Seller?s Farm Archaeological Site ? 35 miles east of Nashville in Lebanon, TN
Open daily 8am ? dusk every day, this archeological site is run by Long Hunter State Park.?? A 1.4 mile trail encircles the mounds, which were a thriving Native American community in the Mississippean Period.? A brochure can be found at the information kiosk, explaining the different aspects of the site.? Kids love to play in the creek right behind the mounds. It is a self-guided park, unless you contact Long Hunter to find out when they are offering their next ranger-led tour of the park.
So, where are you headed for your Staycation this summer?
Source: http://www.montessoritidbits.com/2013/05/things-to-do-in-Nashville.html
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