Tennessee, you will always be home sweet home to me! For those of you that don’t know, I was born & raised in Memphis, Tennessee. Spending almost a quarter of a century in The Volunteer State, I had thought I’d seen it all. Oh my goodness was I wrong! I recently had the opportunity to visit Clarksville, Tennessee for the first time, the fifth largest city in the state, and was just blown away by its rich history and overflowing Southern charm. At just an hour outside of Nashville, I kept asking myself over & over during our trip: How on Earth have I never paid this adorable town a visit before!?
After spending a few days in Clarksville, I immediately group texted all of my Tennessee friends back home – telling them “Y’all have to plan a weekend trip up in Clarksville stat, this town is just adorable!” And now I’m telling you all why Clarksville, Tennessee needs to be added to your travel list with 12 reasons to visit this charming Southern town below!
12 Reasons to Visit Clarksville, Tennessee:
1. The Historic Buildings & Amazing Architecture
As soon as we arrived, we set out on foot to explore Clarksville’s charming downtown. The downtown area is very walkable, with stunning sights to see on every corner. If you’re up for more of a fast-paced visit, you can also grab a BCycle bike from the Public Square and see the sights on two wheels.
Sitting on the edge of the Cumberland River, this middle Tennessee city was settled in the late 1700s. It’s historic homes and architecture are some of the most beautiful you’ll find in The South. From gorgeous 19th-century churches with steeples touching the sky to the stunning Second Empire style architecture of the Montgomery County Courthouse, history and architectural enthusiasts alike will enjoy the abundance of historic buildings scattered throughout the city. (Visit this blog post of mine for a more detailed look.)
Check out this link to find a great guide for a historic downtown walking tour of Clarksville, Tennessee. The map is interactive and shares in-depth details on all of the notable sights.
2. Live Entertainment at the Roxy
In the heart of downtown, on Franklin Street, you’ll find the historic Roxy Regional Theater. This beautiful art deco theater looks like something you’d see the characters visit in your favorite period movie. (Doesn’t it look just like the theater Noah and Allie went to in The Notebook!?) The Roxy has been delighting guests with its performances and films for over a hundred years. During our visit, The Rocky Horror Picture Show was on stage – appropriately right before Halloween! Upcoming performances include The Jazz Project Old Time Radio Show and Miracle on 34th Street.
3. A City Park with an Epic Playground and River View Too
I visited Clarksville, Tennessee with my mom and toddler daughter, Annie. When traveling with a small child, I like to make a point to visit as many parks and playgrounds as we can. It makes everyone happier! Liberty Park sits along the Cumberland River, just a few minutes from downtown Clarksville. The park boasts many different activities to delight its guests but its community-built playground is what blew us away the most. This massive castle-like wonderland delights children of all ages. But what really impressed us was that there was a corner of it sectioned off just for toddlers. It was one of the first times I felt really comfortable letting my almost-two-year-old run free and explore on an outdoor playground. She had a blast and even after hours of play was still devasted when it was time to leave for dinner!
Liberty Park also makes for a fabulous spot to sit back and soak in the sunset over the Cumberland River. It’s not very often during my busy day-to-day life that I stop and admire the sunrise or set. But I always try to find the time to do so when traveling. The sunsets over the river here in Clarksville are definitely worth arranging your schedule to see!
4. Boutiques Boasting One-of-a-Kind Goodies
You’ll find several local boutiques along Franklin Street in downtown Clarksville. We spent an afternoon popping in and out of each one. Bink’s Outfitters will lure in the outdoor enthusiasts while fashionistas will love Copper Petal and Couture Crush. My favorite was definitely Journey’s Eye Studio.
I’ve never been in a boutique before we I thought to myself … “Okay, I could spend HOURS in here!” This one-of-a-kind shop is part antique shop, part gift shop, and part kid-friendly live music entertainment spot. Sounds crazy right? A kid-friendly antique shop!? The team at Journey’s Eye Studio offered Annie a little bowl of goldfish and a tiny stuffed animal toy from their treat bucket as soon as we arrived. I was blown away! We stopped by on a Wednesday afternoon and live music was even playing in the corner. You definitely don’t want to miss this eclectic shop on your next Clarksville trip!
5. Wine Tastings at a Quaint Vineyard
Spend happy hour (or an entire afternoon) at Beachaven Vineyards and Winery, not far from the heart of town. This critically acclaimed Tennessee winery serves up a variety of blends to choose from. If you can’t decide, their $5 tastings will certainly help you to do so. (Tasting fees are waived if you end up buying a bottle of your favorite red, white or sparkling.) The vineyard boasts jazz on Saturdays and beautiful views of the grapes growing in the orchard out back every day of the week.
6. Southern Food so Good You’ll Slap Your Mama
Alright, I would never “slap my mama” lol but that expression just deserves to be here! One of the things I was most excited about when planning our trip to Clarksville was eating ALL the good Southern food! Texas may still be considered part of “The South” but there is just nothing like some good ol’ Tennessee cooking!
When rolling into town, make sure to stop at The Choppin’ Block for a sandwich. We loved the Steak Sandwich and the Reuben. Annie adored the Pimento Cheese Sandwich too. There are also oodles of sides and desserts, all made in-house, to choose from. I can’t say enough good things about their tasty potato salad!
The Catfish House makes for a great dinner spot with the most delicious Southern-style dishes. Nestled in the middle of the woods and across the river, this family-style eatery sits inside what looks like a large log cabin – complete with a covered front porch and rocking chairs. Fried Okra arrives at your table soon after you sit down, which was such a tasty surprise to see! We opted for the restaurant’s namesake, fried catfish, and finished our meal off with key lime pie.
The Looking Glass (you know I had to visit this spot) is a great place to grab a sweet or savory breakfast, lunch or even dinner. Don’t leave without a tasty treat from their bakery. I wish you all the best of luck in resisting a slice of strawberry cake too! Isn’t the icing (pictured above) almost too pretty to eat?!
7. Step Back in Time in an Antebellum Mansion
If you’ve followed Lone Star Looking Glass for a while now, you might have noticed that historic home tours are just about my favorite thing to do when traveling. I was thrilled to check out Smith-Trahern Mansion during our Clarksville visit. This impressive antebellum home sits on a bluff overlooking the Cumberland River. Built in the 1850s, it’s original owner was a wealthy tobacconist who had the home built in a Greek Revival and Italianate style that was very popular at the time. Visitors can tour the mansion for just a small $2 donation on Mondays through Fridays.
Shop Our Look:
8. Artisan Coffee at Plumb Line Coffee
I’m a “several cups of coffee a day” type of person. After my first cup, which usually happens moments after I open my eyes, I like to head out and grab a cup somewhere for number two. Plumb Line Coffee’s lattes and home brews are so good, if you’re like me you’ll find yourself wanting a cup number three! We had plans to stop in for a quick drink and bite to end but ended up staying for several hours. There’s an area in the back of the shop that provides kid-friendly entertainment and comfortable seating evoking the feel of your living room at home. Knowing Annie was happy as a clam playing with the coffee shop’s toys made my morning latte taste all the sweeter!
9. A Museum for the Entire Family
Customs House Museum and Cultural Center sits inside the Clarksville’s original custom’s house and post office. This magnificent building was originally designed to handle the high volume of mail generated by Clarksville’s tobacco industry. Today, this 19th-century building boasts Tennessee’s second-largest general museum and is a must visit spot on your next Clarksville trip. We were so impressed by the museum’s many different exhibits, most of which educated guests on the city’s rich history in the arts, economy, and agriculture.
But I’ll tell you what really blew me away – the children’s Explorer Gallery space downstairs! This corner of the museum housed a miniature grocery store, kitchen, puppet theater and endless different activities for children and families. Annie was just thrilled to spend time down there after we toted her past the art and exhibits upstairs.
10. Multiple Local Breweries
Clarksville, Tennessee is home to multiple breweries making it a great getaway for any beer enthusiast. We visited both Blackhorse Pub & Brewery and Strawberry Alley Ale Works during our visit and both had their own distinct taste and style. Blackhorse Pub sits on Franklin Street and delivers a traditional pub-style experience – dark wood finishing, a large and inviting bar with pub dishes such as hearty sandwiches, pizzas, and even a and beer cheese style queso dip (that’s so good you’ll want to lick the bowl clean … or maybe that’s just me!?)
Strawberry Alley Ale Works lies just a block away and is newer to the scene. This restaurant includes a tap room and a large dining space that boasts a crowd each and every night. Beers are brewed in-house and the restaurant offers craft cocktails and wine too. Don’t miss their Fried Green Tomato appetizer – topped with pimento cheese and it melts in your mouth!
11. You Don’t Have to Go Far to Get “Lost” in Nature
Dunbar Cave State Park is less than two miles from downtown Clarksville and boasts a cave so large that it once held square dances, big band era concerts, radio shows and more. The cave still hosts various events today. I don’t know about you, but I would just love to experience a big band concert inside a cave. Doesn’t that sounds amazing!? Park visitors can hike the trails, boat across the lake, horseback ride and even rock climb among many other activities.
12. Treasure Hunting at Miss Lucille’s Market Place
Everything you didn’t know you needed and then some can be found at Miss Lucille’s Market Place. Aisles upon aisles of colorful local vendor’s booths line this one-stop-shopping destination. Stroll the aisles for sweet-smelling candles, antique furniture, quirky vintage finds and even a stylish sundress or two. Booths boast goodies that are both new, old, handmade and everything in-between. We visited Miss Lucille’s on our way out of town and stopped at the precious in-house cafe afterward for lunch. The menu features traditional Southern dishes similar to those you would find at a good friend’s afternoon tea party.
Paris, London and New York may be some of the most popular places to visit in the entire world. But from someone who has traveled to all three, I’m here to tell you that a stay in a smaller town can be just as enjoyable and inspiring as the big city. (Especiallyyyyy if it’s a Southern one!) Our visit to Clarksville gave us an opportunity to connect with the locals and see what made them so passionate about the place that they called home. It’s a charming city that I can’t wait to return to again … and very soon!
—
Big thank you to Visit Clarksville for inviting me up to experience a beautiful fall weekend and sponsoring this post! I had such fun rounding up the activities that made our trip stand out for you all. As always, all opinions are my own. Thanks to you all for supporting the brands that make Lone Star Looking Glass possible.
—
xo, alice
Loving this Clarksville, Tennessee feature? Take a look here for more of my travel favorites!
