Sevier Park Playground

Nashville has a plethora of playgrounds, but my personal favorite is Sevier Park. Located on several acres of rolling, treed landscape, the park is nearby the ever popular 12 South neighborhood. You can take the kids for stroll through the main drag of 12 South, stopping to eat lunch, grab a popsicle at Las Paletas, or shop (hello Reese Witherspoon’s Draper James and Holly Williams’ White’s Mercantile), then finish with a walk through the park. You'll find two playground areas on the southeast side – one for bigger kids, the other for toddlers, and separated by a swinging area in the middle.

My kids love playing in the creek and under the bridge (when it’s dry) and enjoy looking for trolls! Paved pathways run through the park, perfect for scooters and bikes! On summer weekend mornings, you'll find food trucks in the parking lot and see folks picnicking and hammocked among the trees. The two tennis courts are always full, and there are a variety of festivals, events, and family activities hosted throughout the year here.

There’s also two pavilions you can reserve for birthday parties and other such gatherings. At the center of the acreage, there's a lovely old plantation home, and while you can’t go inside, the city has finished a wonderful community center at the southeast corner of the park. It hosts exercise classes ($3) and youth enrichment programs, plus you can rent clubrooms (with or without kitchens) for birthday parties.

One thing to watch: Parking can get tight at popular times near the playground, so drive around to the additional parking lot near the entrance to the community center if needed. If the community center is closed (open Mon.-Thu., 6am-8:30pm; Fri., 6am-7:30pm; Sat., 8am-noon), you have to use port-a-potties, and dogs need to be on leash.