While the pandemic ruined so much the past year-and-a-half, it did force me and my family to find things we could do outside and away from lots of people. We spent hours in various parks around Nashville and finally made it out to the absolute gem that is Beaman Park. Less than a 30-minute drive from the center of downtown, the 1,700-plus-acre park includes miles of hiking trails that are great for adults and their dogs. But for our family — with two kids under 6 at the time — the best part about Beaman was the cool, shallow creek that runs through it, creating a wet trail of its own. Crawdads and fish zip around beneath the water, which is rarely more than a foot deep in most places. Our kids have spent hours in that creek, creating small pools with rocks and playing beneath the shade of the canopy overhead. The limestone bottom means you can walk down the creek, exploring as you go, or bring a chair and park it for an afternoon. You’ll probably see some people, but there’s enough space for everyone to stay beyond coughing distance.
More Best of Nashville wins: In our Writers’ Choice, Beaman Park has also been named Best Trails (2026) and Best Nearby Getaway (2019).
