The Open Road Travel

Best Places To Stop On A Road Trip From Memphis To Nashville

A Memphis to Nashville drive may not be the longest road trip you will ever take, but if you really want to enjoy everything that the journey has to offer, you may still want to break it up into multiple parts. As the biggest city between Memphis and Nashville and a destination located roughly halfway between the two, there simply isn’t a better place to do just that and make an extended stop on your trip than Jackson, Tennessee.



Jackson, Tennessee

Jackson, Tennessee offers a fantastic blend of musical heritage, historical sites, and outdoor attractions, making it an appealing destination for all tourists.​ The city is most famous for being Recognized as the birthplace of Rockabilly music, a fusion of country and rock. Jackson's musical legacy also includes connections to artists like Carl Perkins and Tina Turner, and visitors can explore this rich history through local museums and music venues.

The Ned R. McWherter West Tennessee Cultural Arts Center, also known simply as "The Ned," hosts performances, art exhibits, and cultural events that contribute to Jackson's vibrant arts scene, while the Carl Perkins Civic Center is named after a rockabilly legend and hosts concerts and community gatherings.​

The Casey Jones Home & Railroad Museum is another of the top attractions in Jackson and honors legendary railroad engineer Casey Jones and features his restored home and a collection of railroad memorabilia. You then also have the Carnegie Center for Arts and History, which is housed in the historic Jackson Free Library building and offers exhibits on local history and serves as a venue for arts and cultural events.

For those who like being outside, the Cypress Grove Nature Park covers 165 acres and features a boardwalk through a cypress forest that is ideal for birdwatching and nature walks, while The Ballpark at Jackson regularly hosts minor league baseball games and community events.

Even if you just want to kick back and relax, Downtown Jackson features a variety of shops and boutiques, offering local crafts, antiques, unique finds, and even events and markets that showcase the community's culture and creativity, ensuring that there truly is something for everyone in Jackson.

Best Hotel To Stay At In Jackson – SpringHill Suites By Marriott Jackson

SpringHill Suites by Marriott Jackson is a modern, 3-star, all-suite hotel that is ideal for both leisure and business travelers and offers contemporary accommodations and convenient amenities.​ Perfectly situated near attractions such as the West Tennessee Healthcare Sportsplex, Union University, and the Ballpark at Jackson, the hotel offers easy access to many local points of interest.​

Each suite is clean and well-designed, and features separate living and sleeping areas, plush furnishings and linens, spa-like bathrooms, free Wi-Fi, and ample workspace and USB ports. The hotel provides a complimentary hot breakfast buffet with a variety of options to suit all different tastes, and additional amenities including an outdoor pool, fitness center, and a 24-hour market for snacks and essentials are all available at the property.​

The Best Things To See On A Memphis To Nashville Drive

Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge

Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge encompasses over 11,500 acres of diverse habitats along 23 miles of the Hatchie River. Founded in 1964, the refuge serves as a sanctuary for migratory birds and supports a rich variety of wildlife, including over 250 bird species, 100 fish species, and 35 mussel species.

The refuge is a designated Important Bird Area, making it ideal for observing migratory waterfowl and other wildlife, so is a particularly good stop for birdwatchers, photographers, and wildlife enthusiasts.​ Educational programs are even offered throughout the year for those who want to learn more about where they are and what they are seeing.

The refuge's many trails and scenic drives offer some great opportunities for hiking and motor exploration. This includes routes like the extremely popular ones around Oneal Lake, which also offers plenty of opportunities for activities like motorized and non-motorized boating, as well as fishing and swimming in designated areas.​

Brownsville, Tennessee

​Brownsville, Tennessee, offers a rich blend of music history, cultural landmarks, and natural beauty, making it a worthwhile stop for travelers.​

As the birthplace of music icon Tina Turner and blues pioneer Sleepy John Estes, Brownsville celebrates its musical legacy through various attractions and events, like The Delta Heritage Center, the Tina Turner Museum, her childhood schoolhouse, the last home of Sleepy John Estes, and the annual Exit 56 Blues Fest in May, which features live performances, arts, crafts, and a barbecue-eating contest.

Other attractions in Brownsville include the College Hill Historic District and its collection of Greek Revival and Gothic Revival architecture, and the Dunbar-Carver Historic District, which features museums and sites highlighting the history of Brownsville's African American middle-class community. This is a particularly poignant location, as Brownville is recognized as the site of the last lynching in the state of Tennessee, when Elbert Williams was killed in June 1940.   

There is then also Billy Tripp’s Mindfield Cemetery, an evolving, large-scale metal sculpture installation reflecting the artist's life experiences. A strange, surreal, and unforgettable attraction, it is considered the tallest freestanding sculpture in Tennessee. ​

Tennessee Safari Park

​Tennessee Safari Park offers a unique wildlife experience where visitors can interact closely with animals from around the globe. Located on a historic family farm, the park features a 7.5-mile drive-through safari and a 20-acre walk-through zoo, making it a popular destination for families and animal enthusiasts alike.​

Navigate your own vehicle through the park and see more than 80 species of animals, such as zebras, camels, bison, and antelope, all of which roam freely. Visitors can purchase feed cups to offer treats to the animals right from their car windows. ​The walk-through area features a petting zoo with friendly pygmy goats, a giraffe feeding station, and exhibits housing parakeets, sloths, and other exotic animals, providing additional opportunities for up-close animal encounters. ​



During select times of the year, the park even operates a drive-in theatre near the gift shop, offering family-friendly movies on weekend evenings.

Pinson Mounds State Archaeological Park

​Pinson Mounds State Archaeological Park is a significant prehistoric Native American site. One of only two archaeological parks in the state, it spans over 1,200 acres and features at least 15 Native American mounds believed to have served both burial and ceremonial purposes. ​ This includes Sauls' Mound, which stands 72 feet tall and is the second-highest prehistoric mound in the United States, behind only Monks Mound in Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, Illinois.

Visitors can climb to the top for panoramic views of the park or hike the 6 miles of trails and explore the mounds and surrounding natural landscapes. There is also a Museum & Visitor Center designed to resemble a Native American mound that offers 4,500 square feet of exhibits, an archaeological library, an 80-seat theater showcasing a documentary about the site, and a 'Discovery Room' for interactive learning. ​

Anyone visiting on the third weekend of September will also get to enjoy Archaeofest, a festival that celebrates Native American culture and archaeology with craft demonstrations, storytelling, and various entertaining and educational activities.



Parker’s Crossroads Battlefield

Parker’s Crossroads Battlefield is a significant Civil War site midway between Memphis and Nashville. The battlefield commemorates the December 31, 1862, engagement where Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest famously ordered his troops to "charge both ways" to escape encirclement by Union forces. ​

Open daily from dawn to dusk, the site features over three miles of paved walking trails with more than 50 interpretive signs detailing the battle's events, or visitors can embark on a self-guided driving tour of seven marked sites. ​A visitor center operates daily and offers exhibits, a gift shop with Civil War memorabilia, information on regional attractions, and brochures to help make both the walking and driving tours easier to navigate.

Natchez Trace State Park & Forest

Natchez Trace State Park & Forest offers a diverse array of outdoor activities across its expansive 48,000 acres of woodlands and lakes. It is recognized as one of the best outdoor locations in Tennessee outside of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Named after the historic Natchez Trace trail, the park provides opportunities for outdoor recreation. The area is also home to a diverse range of bird species, such as warblers, tanagers, and flycatchers, making it ideal for birdwatching. The variety of its other animal species then makes it a great place for ​wildlife observation in general.

It features over 40 miles of hiking and biking trails, ranging from short half-mile loops to extensive overnight routes, 250 miles of equestrian trails and a dedicated wrangler camp, and four lakes ideal for fishing and boating, including the 690-acre Pin Oak Lake, which permits water skiing, and Cub Lake, which offers a public swim beach and boat rentals during summer months. ​

Facilities such as picnic areas, playgrounds, a ball field, an archery range, and a museum showcasing local and park history ensure there are activities available to cater to everyone. ​RV hookups, tent campsites, backcountry sites, cabins, and the 47-room Pin Oak Lodge are all available for people who want to make a longer stay, and there is even a restaurant available on-site to cater to them.

Loretta Lynn’s Ranch

Loretta Lynn’s Ranch is a 6,000-acre destination celebrating the life and legacy of the iconic country music star. This expansive property offers a blend of history, music, and outdoor recreation, making it a must-visit for fans and families alike.​

Guided tours help fans explore Loretta Lynn’s historic plantation home and a replica of her Butcher Holler childhood cabin. The 18,000-square-foot Coal Miner’s Daughter Museum showcases Loretta's awards, costumes, and personal memorabilia, while Loretta's Fan and Doll Museum and a recording studio on-site combine to teach you everything you could want to know about the icon.

The site is also home to a number of opportunities for outdoor recreation. There is the Hurricane Mill, a water-powered mill listed on the National Historic Register, where you can learn about the history of nearby Hurricane Mills. ​Then there are 100 miles of trails for hiking and horseback riding, Hurricane Creek for tubing, kayaking, canoeing, and swimming, and even a swimming pool, gift shops, food service facilities, and a concert pavilion.​

Depending on when you visit, the ranch hosts various events throughout the year for people to enjoy, including concerts, weddings, and the largest Amateur Motocross race in the country. ​For those wanting to make a longer visit, accommodation options like a full-service RV park, over 300 power and water campsites, primitive camping options, and 18 cabins are available as well.

Dickson, Tennessee

Dickson, Tennessee, is a charming small town located just west of Nashville, that offers a blend of history, outdoor adventure, and Southern hospitality. ​While not an overly large destination, it boasts an impressive range of attractions worth visiting for. A simple stroll along Main Street will take you through Historic Downtown Dixon, where you can explore boutique shops, local eateries, cafes, and live music venues, all capturing the essence of Southern charm.

For history enthusiasts, you have the Clement Railroad Hotel Museum, which is housed in the historic 1913 Halbrook Hotel and showcases Dickson's railroad heritage, Civil War history, and the life of Governor Frank G. Clement. Then there is Cumberland Furnace Iron Museum, which allows you to explore the history of the iron industry in Dickson County in a museum housed in a mid-19th-century building.

Even outdoors lovers will find something for them in Dixon. Montgomery Bell State Park is one of Tennessee's largest state parks and offers hiking, fishing, camping, and scenic beauty spots. City Lake and Luther Lake are both ideal spots for fishing, kayaking, or enjoying a peaceful picnic, while Dickson Skate Park and Splash Pad are great family-friendly venues perfect for children and teens. ​



Conclusion

That concludes our guide on how to make your Memphis to Nashville drive as enjoyable as can be. All you have left to do now is get things booked, so you can look forward to experiencing all the wonders this road trip has to offer for yourself as soon as possible.