This year, Metro Nashville Public School students have the entire week off for Thanksgiving, Nov. 25-29. If you’re staying in town for the week, here are some ideas for keeping the kids entertained.
🎅🏽 Get in the Christmas Spirit
- Visit Santa, buy your Christmas tree, and enjoy some hot chocolate at the Pinewood Christmas Tree Farm in Franklin.
- Take a weekend day trip to The Reindeer Farm in Bowling Green, KY, to pet reindeer, have breakfast with Santa, play at an indoor playground, and more.
- Kids can visit Santa at any of our local indoor malls: The Mall at Green Hills, Opry Mills, and CoolSprings Galleria.
We love going to Cheekwood LIGHTS. (Margaret Kingsbury / City Cast Nashville)
🎄 See Some Holiday Lights
- Take a stroll through Cheekwood’s magical 10th Annual Holiday LIGHTS. Enjoy s’mores, carollers, and a visit with Santa.
- Be amazed by the country’s largest lantern festival: Zoolumination at the Nashville Zoo. It’s my favorite special event at the zoo. The lights are gorgeous, the hot chocolate is delicious, the performances are so much fun, and they have an ice rink this year!
- Head over to Gaylord Opryland’s ICE! for a Christmas extravaganza.
- Drive or walk through FrankTown Festival of Lights at the Williamson County Ag Expo Center. You can enjoy s’mores and other hot treats at the end. All proceeds go to FrankTown Open Hearts, a non-profit serving at-risk youth.
- Head to Lucky Ladd Farms to experience their Christmas lights and live animal nativity scene.
⛺ Thanksgiving Break Camps
If you’re working over Thanksgiving break and need childcare, here are some options.
- YMCA’s Fun Company will be at select schools.
- Mt. Juliet Elite Gymnastics has a 2-day camp.
- Nashville SC x TOCA is hosting a camp in Franklin.
- Code Ninjas in Franklin has two half-day options.
- LPG Sports Academy, also in Franklin, has a sports-themed camp.
🎥 Other Family Activities & Events
- On Monday, Nov. 25, go see “Inside Out 2” for free at the Goodlettsville Library Branch.
- If your kids love Disney, head over to the Opry House on Wednesday, Nov. 27 to see the Disney Jr. Live On Tour: Let’s Play show.
- Celebrate Indigenous American Heritage Day at the Smyrna Outdoor Adventure Center on Wednesday, Nov. 27.
- Head outside by visiting your favorite local park. For a guided experience, check out Warner Parks’ free Thankful for the Hill Forest hike (ages 10+) on Wednesday, Nov. 27, or Owl’s Hill Nature Sanctuary’s Marshmallow Hikes on Saturday, Nov. 30.
🦃 What are you doing over Thanksgiving break?
