We’ve got to share with you our favorite experience gifts for kids in Nashville. When we think about our favorite memories from childhood, most of them involve an experience we shared with our family or friends. Getting toys for Christmas is exciting, but quality time is a priceless gift. And considering the fact that we LOVE trying new things in our area and that Nashville has no shortage of fun things for kids to do, experience gifts are at the top of our Christmas lists this year!
Here are 6 ideas for experience gifts in the Nashville area…
Membership to the Adventure Science Center
The Best Educational Experience Gift for Kids in Nashville
The Adventure Science Center is a great place for people of all ages. And the best part it is: it’s open year-round, rain or shine! They offer lots of educational experiences, and have great permanent and traveling exhibitions to explore. Plus, they have a planetarium, which offers a wide variety of fun and exciting shows and events! A membership to the Adventure Science Center includes priority check-in, Members-only events, a discount on planetarium tickets and at the gift shop, and more! They have several different levels of membership so you can choose what membership package works best for you.
Tickets to anything at the Owl’s Hill Nature Sanctuary
The Best Outdoor Experience Gift for Kids in Nashville
Owl’s Hill Nature Sanctuary is a private non-profit organization located in Williamson County, Tennessee (i.e., Brentwood). They are “dedicated to a mission of Environmental Education and Research; Restoration of native flora and fauna; Conservation and Protection of natural resources; Spreading an appreciation and enjoyment of nature.” And, this place is so cool! They offer a variety of very affordable tickets for a variety of activities. You can choose guided hikes, night hikes, day passes ($5 to hike and enjoy the sanctuary for the whole day!), yearly passes, etc.
The sanctuary has special events geared toward adults, kids, and families. It’s open all year long so you can plan to visit during any season! Right now, they’re hosting Marshmallow Hikes: a hike in the winter woods ending with hot chocolate and roasted marshmallows (get tickets here). They’ll also be hosting a Winter Solstice Night Hike on Friday, December 21st (tickets to that here). Check this place out!
Annual Passes to Cheekwood
The Most Beautiful Experience Gift for Kids in Nashville
Cheekwood is a botanical garden and art museum located on the historic Cheek estate in Nashville and it is simply beautiful. They have activities going on there every single day and always have something interesting happening. Of course they go all out at Christmas with an incredible lights display, but throughout the year you can enjoy work from a wide variety of artists. They feature an “artist in residence” each year, as well as host different artists for temporary exhibitions throughout the year. You can explore the many beautiful gardens, take a walk on the Sculpture Trail, or visit the Cheek mansion to learn more about the Cheek family and a little about Nashville history.
And don’t forget to check out the adorable Trains exhibit, located in the Turner Seasons Garden! During the summer months, they also have late night activities for adults-only, complete with food vendors and bar carts:) so there really is something for everyone there! The cost for admission and parking can get pretty pricey, but annual passes are very reasonable, and after visiting Cheekwood twice you’ve saved money! Plus members park for free and get discounts on special events. It’s worth it! Purchase here.
Soar Adventure Tower Tickets
The Most Extreme Experience Gift for Kids in Nashville
Soar Adventure Tower is a massive ropes course/tower located in Franklin, TN. They have ropes courses located on different levels, and available for ages 3 and up. This is great if you’re looking for something a little bit more challenging and adventurous, but still safe and fun for the whole family. They’re open year-round, but only on weekends during the winter. They also offer “Twilight Adventures” during the last 2 hours of the day, so you get the experience of climbing on the course at night with everything lit up all around you. Sounds fun to us!
Cave Tour at Mammoth Cave Tickets
The Most Adventurous Experience Gift for Kids in Nashville
Ok, so Mammoth Cave is in Kentucky, which isn’t exactly Nashville…BUT, it’s only a couple hours away and it’s so much fun! Mammoth Cave has more than 400 miles of mapped passageways and ranks as the world’s longest known cave system! The park offers daily tours that range from easy to difficult. There are around 17 different tours from which to choose! Mammoth Cave is located in the Cave City area of Kentucky, where there are a few other cave tours you can try. This could easily be a day trip, or you could decide to stay for a few days and explore all of the other things this area of Kentucky has to offer! Check out their Cave Tours page or Cave City to see other ways you can enhance your experience there!
See a Live Theater Performance at Nashville Children’s Theatre
The Best Theater Experience Gift for Kids in Nashville
The Nashville Children’s Theatre has been around since the 1930’s and it’s been consistent in offering quality performances for children since then! Each year there are several plays or musicals from which to choose, so you have options when it comes to purchasing tickets. They employ professional actors who are passionate about bringing theatre to all ages, and they usually host a Q&A with the actors after the show, which gives the kids a chance to learn more about the actors, the play, and about theatre and production in general. No wonder its on our list of favorite experience gifts for kids in Nashville!
These Experience Gifts for Kids in Nashville Brought to you by Girls Gone Mild
Like these experience gifts for kids in Nashville? Share it! You can also follow us on Instagram, check out our blog, or like our Facebook page. Whether you’re a local or just a visitor to Nashville, we hope these ideas help you have a wonderful experience with your kids! Also, check out Sara’s posts for fun experience gift ideas in the Twin Cities (Minnesota) or Phoenix (Arizona).
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