Fort Campbell, KY, home of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), is located on the border of Kentucky and Tennessee. This post is in a beautiful location and offers military families many activities. We featured this wonderful duty station on social media during May, so here is the round-up of all the fun at Fort Campbell and a few extras.
Restaurants
Clarksville is a growing city with great restaurants that guarantee fantastic food and memories. Here is a list of restaurants to add to your bucket list!
In the heart of downtown Clarksville, you can find some great food. Yada on Franklin has everything from your morning coffee to lunch, dinner, and cocktails. Breakfast is guaranteed to be excellent at the French-themed restaurant Madeleine's Place. Blackhorse Pub & Brewery is famous for its beer cheese dip, and Strawberry Alley has a great rooftop bar to enjoy food and drinks with friends.
If you are near Wilma Rudolph, check out Yellowtail Robata Grill & Sushi for some incredible sushi rolls. Nearby, the Storming Crab will satisfy your seafood craving, or try El Bracero for a margarita tower!
Thistle Sweets TN has the best macaroons in town if sweets are your thing, but be sure to follow them on social and place your orders early because they always sell out.
Parks and Recreation
The Clarksville Downtown Market is open seasonally from May until October. The market features farmers who offer locally grown produce. Enjoy live music, local artists, and special events throughout the season.
The Clarksville Blueway is a water trail system with private and public access to the Cumberland ricer, the red river. West Fork of the Red River and Spring Creek. Did you know there are six different points to the Blueway? Here is a list of all the access points and some fun activities to enjoy.
Robert Clark Park & Natural Area is the first addition to the Clarksville Blueway! This park provides direct access to the west fork red river!
Billy Dunlop Park is 30 acres of fun with lots of activities from fishing to playgrounds.
Liberty Park is home to the Clarksville Marina, a 10-acre fishing pond, walking trail, dog parks, and Liberty Grill.
McGregor Park is great if you are looking for a peaceful walk by the river; they also have an automated bike-share system, playground, and picnic areas. Be sure to check them out over the holidays for a beautiful lights display!
Trice Landing comes equipped with a boat ramp, picnic areas, and walking trails, offering the perfect place to enjoy nature and some good food!
Clarksville Greenway is a great trail to walk, run, bike, or skate on and enjoy the beautiful scenery. It's also pet friendly!
Check out the City Forum for all the mini-golf, bowling, go-kart, and laser tag adventures for some indoor fun. Dock 17, located next door, has dart lanes, shuffleboard, corn hole, and fire pits to keep you entertained all night. If you have some emotions to process, The Axe Throwing Place is an excellent way to let it all out!
Nashville
I could probably write a book on all there is to do in Nashville, but instead, I'll share a concise list of some activities and places to add to your duty station bucket list.
Sports are huge in Nashville. Music City is home to the Tennessee Titans, the Nashville Predators, the Sounds minor league baseball team, and the Nashville SC major league soccer team. Pins Mechanical Co is fun to visit for some giant Jenga, pinball, and bowling!
Besides the famous Broadway Street, there is plenty to see and do in the city. You can grab a scooter, head to Bicentennial Capitol Mall, and soak up some Tennessee History. Opryland is fantastic and puts on a beautiful Christmas light display. If the kids need a fun day out, the Nashville Zoo won't disappoint.
I would be doing you all a great disservice if we didn't talk about food. Check out Hattie B's for the traditional Nashville Hot chicken! The Twelve Thirty Club is fantastic for food and live music; Justin Timberlake also co-owns it, so you know it's good. Biscuit Love, Gracies Milkshake Bar, the Donut Distillery, and the Legendairy Milkshake Bar are other recommendations that will not disappoint.
Day or Weekend Trips
Long weekends are precious to military families and are usually the weekends we can plan some day trips and explore.
Mammoth Cave National Park is a great place to experience guided tours, with varying lengths and depths of the cave. Or stay above ground and enjoy hiking, horseback riding, zip-lining, rock climbing, canoeing, and kayaking on the Green and Nolin rivers.
Another great location is Land Between the Lakes (LBL). Campers can enjoy hiking, biking, ATVs, horseback riding, and water trails. LBL is also home to historic sites from the Civil War like The Homeplace 1850s Farm, a living history farm with demonstrations, animals, gardens, crops, workshops, and more.
Venture River Water Park is a great place to cool off this summer, and the park is only 50 minutes from Fort Campbell.
Adults can also enjoy the Stateline Whiskey Tour comprised of Old Glory Distilling Co. (Clarksville, TN), Casey Jones Distillery (Hopkinsville, KY), and MB Roland Distillery (Pembroke, KY). A self-guided tour where you can enjoy Kentucky Bourbon, Tennessee Whiskey, and a host of other spirits.
Follow along on Instagram and Facebook as we continue Bucket List Mondays, and download your Duty Station Bucket list if you don't already have one.
Kelly