Parks

Middle Tennessee Parks

Featured Park

Conservation & Parks

Parks & Places

Parks

There many wonderful parks in middle Tennessee. You can play ball, frisbee golf, ride a bike, go for a walk, a jog, a run, have a picnic, climb on the monkey bars, relax in a swing, feed the ducks, sit with friends or family under a shade tree discussing life's challenges or just lay in the grass & eye the sky. Either way, a few hours at a park is good for your soul, you'll live longer. As we get going with this site, we will be visiting & reviewing as many parks as we can.

Centennial Park is located just west of downtown Nashville on West End Ave. It is about 132 acres and home to the Parthenon, Lake Watauga, Sunken Gardens, Playgrounds and Band Shell. This is a great place to take a lunch break for those that work close to the park. Perfect for bike rides, jogging, picnics, photography or going for a walk. There are several popular events that take place here, like Craft Fairs & Festivals. Centennial Park has quite a history. The park was originally farmland which was turned into the state fairgrounds after the Civil War . From 1884 to 1895, the site served as a racetrack and was known as West Side Park. In 1897, it was the site of the Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition and was renamed Centennial Park. After the exposition ended, most of the building and exhibits (with the exception of a full-scale model of the Athenian Parthenon were dismantled, leaving in its place a landscaped open area with a small artificial lake (named "Lake Watauga" after the region in western North Carolina where many of Nashville's early settlers moved from). This is your park Tennessee, get outdoors and enjoy it!

Parks are great for the environment! Especially those full of trees. With "growth" on a constant rise in Tennessee, land is being cleared for new homes & business at an alarming rate. It is very important that we preserve as much land as we can. Parks are one way to keep space for open fields, trees and urban wildlife habitats. Support your local parks and demand new park opportunities every chance you get. Remember, these are your parks, built and maintained with your tax dollars. Get out to a park near you today!

The Parthenon at Centenial Park in Nashville

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There is a map below of many middle Tennessee parks. For more information on parks & places in middle Tennessee, click here. What did you do at the park? We want to know, so sign in to our Forum & post your park adventures!