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Cheekwood Estate and Gardens Offer a Relaxing Escape into Nature

Cheekwood Estate and Gardens Offer a Relaxing Escape into Nature

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One of our favorite ways to pass a few hours on a pretty day is to pay a visit to the Huntsville Botanical Garden. So when we visited Nashville a few months back, we decided to stop by Cheekwood Estate and Gardens. The Cheekwood gardens are massive and sprawl across a whopping 55 acres. It’s an absolutely gorgeous estate and somewhere you can easily get lost spending hours out in nature.

The sculpture trail is full of art installations.

What to Expect at Cheekwood Estate and Gardens

As members of the Huntsville Botanical Garden, we actually got into the gardens for free at Cheekwood – just another great perk of being a Garden member. Even without that though, we spent hours touring the grounds and it would have been well worth the cost of admission.

When we arrived at Cheekwood, we parked a pretty decent distance away. This was only the beginning of our walking for the day, so I would definitely recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes. We opted to take our son in a running stroller that’s pretty good on all terrains and that was definitely the right choice, though next time I would possibly just consider a baby carrier since there were a few areas that were not easily accessible.

The gardens at Cheekwood offer a tranquil place to reflect.

The Children’s Garden

We actually initially walked past this area and had to come back later, but I am so glad we didn’t miss it. If you have a little train lover, they’ll be in their happy place here. The garden features a toy train structure for play as well as an absolutely stunning model train that circles over the play area.

The Children’s Garden at Cheekwood Estate and Garden also includes things perfect for the little visitors including storybook quotes and scenes, an obstacle course through the garden, a duck pond, and more. The garden was teeming with kids playing and exploring, and could easily be a place that toddlers and younger kids could spend a great deal of time.

The model train in the children’s garden will entertain the kids and the adults.

The Gardens at Cheekwood Estates and Gardens

The Gardens at Cheekwood are so tranquil and beautiful, but still a place that will hold the younger visitors interest as well. As we went through the Gardens we saw several people stopping to write or read surrounded by nature and there’s several art installations to take in as well.

This portion of the Garden was where we met the most obstacles with the stroller. Although it was possible to get through most of it, there were a few places that had stairs that we had to bypass. It was also incredibly hilly, so I would definitely recommend grabbing a stroller that does well on uneven terrains.

We especially enjoyed the Ann & Monroe Carell Jr. Family Sculpture Trail at Cheekwood Estate and Gardens. The trail winds through the woods on either a gravel path or wooden boardwalk, and has the feel of an easy hike with different art sculptures to enjoy along the way. The glass bridge halfway through was incredible to see.

The Gardens are positively massive, so I definitely recommend taking a picture of the map before venturing out. We were not able to explore every part due to a baby needing a nap and the stroller, but you could easily spend the better part of a day exploring.

A wide variety of art mediums are represented in the sculpture trail.

Cheekwood Estate

The historic mansion and museum is located almost at the heart of the estates and is a gorgeous and meticulously maintained museum for guests to visit. We paid $5 to add on the mansion visit, and if you choose to tour the mansion you’ll need to select the tickets that include it.

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We enjoyed walking through the rooms of the mansion and taking in the art and history of the estate. This portion of Cheekwood Estate and Gardens would be better suited for older kids and teenagers though. Strollers are not permitted in the mansion and carriers/bags can only be worn on the front. The mansion is fairly quiet and there’s quite a few breakable items, so we’d probably skip the tour if we went again with younger kids/toddlers.

The mansion is open to both self-guided and docent-led tours.

Plan Your Visit to Cheekwood Estate and Gardens

Address: 1200 Forrest Park Drive, Nashville, TN 37205 (Map)
Phone: 615-356-8000
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Hours:
Tuesday – Sunday 9AM – 5PM
Thursday Night Out 5PM – 9PM
Cheekwood is closed on Mondays, June 4th, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, & New Years Day.

Admission:
Garden Only Tickets:
Adults – $20
Seniors (65+) – $18
College – $16
Youth (6-17) – $13
Child (5 & Under) – FREE

Garden & Estate Tickets:
Adults – $25
Seniors (65+) – $23
College – $21
Youth (6-17) – $18
Child (5 & Under) – FREE

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