Holiday Travel: Franklin Tennessee for the win

By Mike Rains

My wife Lori and I recently spent a few days in Franklin, TN and had so much fun checking out all that Franklin has to offer. There are so many shops and restaurants to check out in downtown that it is a must see any time you are in the Nashville area.

We stayed at the Drury Plaza Hotel in Franklin. First off let me tell you that if you have never stayed in a Drury hotel before, you have no idea how much free stuff you are missing out on. Every night from 5:30-7 they have a “kickback” that includes free food and alcohol. Then every morning they have a free hot breakfast that includes eggs, bacon, potatoes, make your own waffles… you name it, and they have it.

We started our trip on Monday afternoon by visiting the Arrington Vineyards which is just outside of Franklin. It’s about a 20-minute drive from downtown Franklin.

The vineyards are owned by Kix Brooks, from the famous county music duo Brooks and Dunn.

The property is gorgeous with rolling hills and a picturesque view everywhere you look.

From there we checked into the Drury just in time for the “kickback” to get some free appetizers and drinks before heading to dinner in the downtown square.

Dinner was at the Cork and Cow steakhouse and it was a fantastic experience. The bone-in ribeye was absolutely delicious.

Situated in the heart of downtown Franklin, it is a steakhouse which has won many awards, including “Open Tables Best Steak” in the Nashville Area.

The menu at Cork and Cow can change up to eight times per year to showcase the restaurants best offerings.

Tuesday morning we went to the Leiper’s Fork Distillery. This is a short 15 minute drive through the countryside to get there. Here we learned all about the Prohibition era in Tennessee and the bourbon making process. Sir Paul was our tour guide and it was very interesting to hear all about the history of bourbon in Tenn.

After the distillery we visited the historic downtown Leiper’s Fork and visited the shops and art galleries. Leiper’s Fork is one of the hidden gems of Franklin and was definitely worth checking out.

Leiper’s Fork was settled in the early 1800s and quickly became a popular rest stop for travelers. In 1995, a group formed with the intention of preserving Leiper’s Fork’s historic structures. Today it is a charming, nostalgia-filled spot for an afternoon of shopping,  dinner, or a quiet retreat with friends and family.

Leiper’s Fork was worth the time spent there.

We headed back into downtown Franklin for lunch. We ate at Puckett’s Restaurant and would recommend to anyone to try it out.

Puckett’s originally started as a grocery store in Leiper’s Fork and has now grown to multiple locations throughout Tennessee and Alabama. It has recently been named one of Tennessee’s top 5 local restaurants.

Puckett’s offers slow-smoked BBQ, and delicious Southern foods ranging from pimento cheese bites, to fried chicken, to our famous cobblers.

With locations throughout Tennessee and Alabama, Puckett’s live music concerts have earned them many accolades throughout the years.

The Franklin location has musical acts every night of the week.

Next up was a visit to The Factory at Franklin. The Factory is a complex of 11 depression-era factory buildings that have been renovated into a unique and fun venue.

Originally the home of the Dortch Stove Works, the building was built in 1929. The large water tower was built in 1929 when the Allan Manufacturing Company originally built the building.

Today it is turned into a retail,  dining, and entertainment destination. There are all kinds of boutique shops, art galleries and restaurants throughout the space.

Whether you are eating at a restaurant or just strolling through it, you will see a lot of interesting venues.

Their website describes The Factory as  “a destination for artisan goods, culinary delights, and live entertainment, just steps away from Main Street in downtown Franklin.”

The Factory is open with plenty of businesses to experience, but is undergoing renovations to expand its dining, retail, and entertainment options so we look forward to even more the next time we visit.

We wanted to find some live music in Franklin that night so we went to Kimbro’s Pickin’ Parlor. It happened to be songwriters night there and it was a joy to sit and listen to so many people playing their own original songs and trying to make it as a country music singer.

Kimbro’s is a historic house that was converted into the music venue it is today. Some of the talent to have played on the stage there includes Vince Gill, John Prine, Wynonna Judd, Ween, Emmylou Harris and Leon Russell.

For the holidays,  there is a fun pop-up bar  called the “World’s Best Cup of Coffee Christmas Bar” and this year they will celebrate some of Tennessee’s favorite musicians and their holiday tunes. It’s located inside Harpeth’s coffee shop/restaurant called McGavock’s Coffee & Provisions.

Everywhere you looked there were Christmas trees. There is also a gondola ride you can take around the inside and experience all of the holiday decorations.

They have a Christmas light show, and classic Christmas activities like ice tubing, gingerbread decorating, and photos with Santa at Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee.

The ice skating rink is a hit with families.

Nashville’s.  frozen holiday attraction, ICE!, announces its 2024 return with the holiday classic, Frosty the Snowman™, as part of Gaylord Opryland Resort’s 41st “Annual A Country Christmas” event, which runs through Jan. 4, 2025

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