Things to Do Near McMinnville, Tenn.
McMinnville's central location makes it an ideal base for exploring beautiful Middle Tennessee.
To discover additional things to see and do in McMinnville and the surrounding area, check out some of the attraction links below, see visitmcminnvilletn.com, or browse the online version of the Tennessee Vacation Guide.
Tour the 1896 Victorian mansion where history is fun, then stay a while to explore its beautiful gardens. Open Wednesday thru Sunday 9-5. Lunch in the Victorian Tea Room and shopping for 1800s treasures in the Victorian Gift Shop are available 11-2 Wednesday thru Sunday with or without a tour.
Tennessee’s largest show cave, open daily year round. 15 minutes southeast of downtown.
- Warren County Heritage Center
- Southern Museum & Galleries of Photography, History & Culture. 210 E. Main Street, 931-507-8102.
Open Wed., Fri. & Sat., 11 am-1:30 pm. - Black History Museum
- Explore Main Street McMinnville for downtown shops, eateries, events and more.
OUTDOOR FUN
- Rock Island State Park, Rock Island, 1/4 hour (Twin Falls pictured above)
- Fall Creek Falls State Park, Spencer, 3/4 hour
- South Cumberland State Park, 1 hour southwest
- Old Stone Fort State Archeological Park, Manchester, 1/2 hour
- Barren Fork Greenway and City Parks, downtown McMinnville
- Smooth Rapids Outfitters, downtown McMinnville
- Cotten’s Marina, Rock Island
- Willowbrook Golf Course, Manchester, 20 minutes east
live music and performances
- Park Theater, restored downtown McMinnville theater with live performances
- Cumberland Caverns Live, concert series at Cumberland Caverns
- Main Street Live, Friday evenings June and July downtown
- Bluegrass Underground, one hour away in Pelham, TN
- Cumberland County Playhouse, one hour away in Crossville
ISHA USA
Isha Institute of Inner Sciences, world-renowned mountain retreat to learn classical yoga, 30 minutes southeast
landscaping nurseries
McMinnville has been known for years as the “nursery capital of the world.” There are a multitude of nurseries in this area, but you can start with some of these nurseries open to the public.
civil war History and homes
Historic sites and homes within an hour or two of McMinnville. As history lovers – and old house lovers – we have a long list of places we like.
- Stones River Battlefield, Murfreesboro, 1 hour
- Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Ft. Oglethorpe, GA, 1-3/4 hours
- Oaklands Mansion, Murfreesboro
- Sam Davis Home and Plantation, Smyrna, 1-1/4 hours
- Carnton, Franklin, 1-1/2 hours
- Carter House, Franklin, 1-1/2 hours
- Lotz House, Franklin, 1-1/2 hours
- The Hermitage, Home of President Andrew Jackson, Hermitage, 1-1/2 hours
- Belle Meade Plantation, Nashville, 1-1/2 hours
- Belmont Mansion, Nashville, 1-1/2 hours
- Travellers Rest Plantation, Nashville, 1-1/2 hours
- Rippavilla Plantation, Spring Hill, 2 hours
- Elm Springs, Columbia, 2 hours
- Historic Rugby, 2 hours
- Short Mountain Distillery, Woodbury, 1/2 hour
- Beans Creek Winery, Manchester, 1/2 hour
- Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Lynchburg, 1 hour
- George Dickel Distillery, Tullahoma, 1 hour
- Tennessee Backroads, 1-2 hours
- Upper Cumberland Tourism Association, fourteen surrounding counties
- Murfreesboro/Rutherford County, 1 hour
- Nashville, 1-1/2 hours
- Chattanooga, 1-1/2 hours
- Pigeon Forge, 3 hours
- Gatlinburg, 3-1/2 hours
Falcon Rest Mansion – the ideal tour stop or day trip between Nashville and Chattanooga
