Cartoon family car on a winding road, pumpkin-patch road trip scene

Next 6 weekends · Oct 23–25 to Nov 27–29

Weekend getaways from Nashville with kids

The best trip within about five hours of Nashville for each of the next 6 weekends, chosen for kids under 6. Every event links to the official page we checked it on.

6 weekends

4 cities

Closest: 2h 15m

Last checked Oct 18, 2026 against official pages. How we choose

Departures

From Nashville

Oct 23–25BirminghamHoots & Howls · 3h 15mDino SafariOvernight Oct 30–Nov 1Stay in NashvilleBoo at the ZooStaycation is your best optionStay home Nov 6–8Stay in NashvilleA Country Christmas and ice! featuring "Home Alone"Staycation is your best optionStay home Nov 13–15BirminghamDisney On Ice · 3h 15mLegacy Arena at the BJCCOvernight Nov 20–22KnoxvilleDisney On Ice · 3hKnoxville Civic ColiseumNap in the car Nov 27–29ChattanoogaEnchanted Garden of Lights · 2h 15mRock City, Lookout Mountain, Ga.Friday fun

How far is fun?

Everything within 5 hours

Each ring is one hour of driving from Nashville. Under two hours is an easy day trip; past three, pack the pajamas.

Chattanooga · Huntsville2h 15m

Louisville · Knoxville3h

Birmingham3h 15m

Lexington3h 30m

Memphis4h

Cincinnati4h 30m

Indianapolis4h 45m

Orange dots are picks on this page. Drive times are normal driving times without traffic.

WEEKEND 1

Oct 23–25

3h 15m

Destination · 2 picksWeekend of Oct 23–25: Birmingham

about 3 hr 15 min from Nashville

Hoots & Howls is Halloween in daylight, 10 to 4, and Dino Safari's robotic dinosaurs are in their last weeks. You'll be done before nap.

Past three hours, make it an overnight: drive Friday, go Saturday.

Hoots & Howls

Daytime Halloween with candy stations around the zoo. Runs through Oct. 31.

Fri Oct 23, Sat Oct 24, Sun Oct 25 · 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Birmingham Zoo

See the zoo's ticket page

Official page

Dino Safari

Ends Nov. 1.

Fri Oct 23, Sat Oct 24, Sun Oct 25 · 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

Birmingham Zoo

See the zoo's ticket page

Official page

Birmingham city guide Visiting with little kids This week in Birmingham

Also within reach

Cincinnati~4h 30m

HallZOOween is daytime trick-or-treating, noon to 5 on Saturday and Sunday, included with a regular zoo ticket. Kings Island's no-scares Tricks and Treats runs 11 to 5 the same days.

Louisville~3h

Boo at the Zoo, nightly 5 to 9.

WEEKEND 2

Oct 30–Nov 1

0 min

Stay home: staycation is your best option

Staycation is your best optionWeekend of Oct 30–Nov 1: Nashville

Nashville is our pick for the whole region this weekend. Boo at the Zoo's final three nights: 10 trick-or-treat stations for ages 2 to 12, free carousel spins, and Día de los Muertos activities on Sunday.

Boo at the Zoo

10 trick-or-treat stations for ages 2 to 12, free carousel spins, and Día de los Muertos activities on Sunday, Nov. 1. Billed as spooky, not scary.

Fri Oct 30, Sat Oct 31, Sun Nov 1 · 5–9 p.m.

Nashville Zoo at Grassmere

$23 Fri–Sun for ages 2 and up; under 2 free; parking $10

Official page

Nashville city guide Visiting with little kids This week in Nashville

If you'd rather hit the road

Indianapolis~4h 45m

ZooBoo's final weekend, with Halloween fun at the zoo from 2 p.m. through Sunday, Nov. 1.

Birmingham~3h 15m

Hoots & Howls on Halloween, and Dino Safari's last days.

WEEKEND 3

Nov 6–8

0 min

Staycation is your best optionWeekend of Nov 6–8: Nashville

Nashville is our pick for the whole region this weekend. A Country Christmas opens Friday at Gaylord Opryland, with ice! featuring "Home Alone," ice tubing and more than 5 million lights.

A Country Christmas and ice! featuring "Home Alone"

Ice sculptures, ice tubing, skating and more than 5 million lights around the resort. Opens Nov. 6.

Fri Nov 6, Sat Nov 7, Sun Nov 8 · See Gaylord Opryland

Gaylord Opryland Resort

Tickets for ice! and activities sold separately

Official page

Nashville city guide Visiting with little kids This week in Nashville

WEEKEND 4

Nov 13–15

3h 15m

DestinationWeekend of Nov 13–15: Birmingham

about 3 hr 15 min from Nashville

Disney On Ice is at the BJCC's Legacy Arena Thursday through Sunday, the first of three Disney On Ice stops in the region this month.

Past three hours, make it an overnight: drive Friday, go Saturday.

Disney On Ice

In Birmingham Nov. 12–15.

Fri Nov 13, Sat Nov 14, Sun Nov 15 · See the tour page for show times

Legacy Arena at the BJCC

See the tour page

Official page

Birmingham city guide Visiting with little kids This week in Birmingham

Also within reach

Chattanooga~2h 15m

Rock City's lights open Friday.

Cincinnati~4h 30m

Holiday Junction opens Friday at Union Terminal: the Duke Energy holiday trains, included with museum admission and entirely indoors.

WEEKEND 5

Nov 20–22

DestinationWeekend of Nov 20–22: Knoxville

about 3 hr from Nashville

Disney On Ice is at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum Thursday through Sunday.

Disney On Ice

In Knoxville Nov. 19–22.

Fri Nov 20, Sat Nov 21, Sun Nov 22 · See the tour page for show times

Knoxville Civic Coliseum

See the tour page

Official page

Knoxville city guide Visiting with little kids This week in Knoxville

Also within reach

Louisville~3h

Lights Under Louisville in the Mega Cavern.

WEEKEND 6

Nov 27–29

2h 15m

Beat traffic: leave Tuesday or early Wednesday

DestinationWeekend of Nov 27–29: Chattanooga

about 2 hr 15 min from Nashville

Rock City's Enchanted Garden of Lights on Lookout Mountain, lit nightly from Nov. 13.

Enchanted Garden of Lights

Nightly from Nov. 13; closed Dec. 24.

Fri Nov 27, Sat Nov 28, Sun Nov 29 · Nightly

Rock City, Lookout Mountain, Ga.

See Rock City for tickets

Official page

Chattanooga city guide Visiting with little kids This week in Chattanooga

Also within reach

Cincinnati~4h 30m

Thanksgiving weekend has the most going on here: the zoo's Festival of Lights, Holiday Junction (Santa arrives Friday) and WinterFest opening at Kings Island.

Louisville~3h

Lights Under Louisville in the Mega Cavern.

Little-traveler checklist

Pack it before you go

Car snacksMore than you think. Then a few more.

StrollerZoo paths and light trails are long for little legs.

Time the napLeave right before nap so the drive does double duty.

Overnight bagPast three hours, pajamas beat a 9pm drive home.

Parking cashFree admission days often still charge for parking.

Rain planPick one indoor backup, like a museum, before you leave.

More trips

Every region, every weekend

Tennessee Valley weekends

All regions

This week in Nashville

Good questions

Weekend trips from Nashville: the FAQ

Where can we go for a weekend from Nashville with little kids?

Over the next 6 weekends our picks from Nashville are Birmingham, Knoxville, Chattanooga. Each one is chosen for what's on that weekend, with the dates, times and prices checked on the official pages.

Which cities are within an easy drive of Nashville?

Chattanooga (about 2 hr 15 min), Huntsville (about 2 hr 15 min), Louisville (about 3 hr), Knoxville (about 3 hr), Birmingham (about 3 hr 15 min), Lexington (about 3 hr 30 min). Times are normal driving times without traffic.

Why is the same city picked more than once?

Sometimes one city really does have the most going on two weekends in a row, like a holiday lights opening followed by a show. We don't rotate cities just for variety.

Are the times and prices current?

They're what each official page showed on Oct 18, 2026. Tap through to the official page before you go.