It’s hot, and if you’re looking for an outdoor activity that isn’t going to give you heat stroke, touring local caves is a cool idea (literally). Here are four nearby caves I’ve toured within two hours of Nashville. Note: I’m not a spelunker. These tours are for the average person looking for a unique outdoor experience.
Drive time: 55 minutes
This is the very first cave I ever toured as a kid. Dunbar Cave State Park in Clarksville is a quick drive from Nashville, with several tour options. I recommend the “Enter the Underworld” tour, where you get to view 800-year-old Mississippian cave art, but I haven’t been on all the tours yet! Flashlights are required, and no cellphones are allowed. Grab some lunch to-go at Tiny Town Market beforehand for a picnic in the park.
Drive time: 1 hour, 11 minutes
These cave tours in Bowling Green, KY are by boat only. While the tour itself isn’t very long, it’s a neat experience. The tour starts outside by the river, then moves into the cave, where you board a boat and travel by water. Keep an eye out for crawdads! Tour guides will tell you about Native American artifacts and how the cave served as a 1930s nightclub. Hiking trails and a butterfly habitat are outside.
Drive time: 1 hour, 27 minutes
The Caverns in Pelham is best known for unique live concerts in a cave, but they also offer weekend tours. Our tour guide not only told us about the musical history of the caves, but also showed us deeper inside, where we saw cave crickets, bats, and lizards, and my kid got to crawl into a tunnel. We did the basic guided cave tour, which is kid-friendly, but they have more strenuous tours for adults. Afterward, I recommend heading to Monteagle to eat at the Mountain Goat Market or Papa Ron’s.
Drive time: 1 hour, 42 minutes
Located just north of us in Kentucky, Mammoth Cave is our closest national park, and the world’s longest cave system. I recommend reserving tour tickets ahead of time, as they do sell out. My favorite is the historic tour, though be prepared for lots of stairs. We recently went on the self-guided discovery tour, which was short, but a solid experience if you have kids or want a quick stop. Plus, the discovery tours typically don’t sell out. There are several restaurants at the park, and plenty of hiking opportunities.
What cave should I explore next? Send me your recommendations!
