The small town of Nashville, Indiana is nestled within the state’s idyllic Brown County, situated between Brown County State Park and the Yellowwood State Forest. A visit to this south central area of the state is particularly beautiful during the fall when the leaves start to change colors. Nashville itself is a charming town with multiple wineries, covered bridges, quaint shops, local theatre, and even a distillery. Just outside of the city, visitors will find plenty of natural scenery to explore and outdoor recreation opportunities in the state park and the forest.
1. Brown County State Park
The largest state park in Indiana, Brown County State Park has been given the nickname of “the Little Smokies” due to the resemblance of the area to the famed Great Smoky Mountains. The state park spans across almost sixteen thousand acres of fog-shrouded ravines, ridges, and rugged hills. Brown County State Park is a very popular destination in autumn, when it turns into a hotspot for fall colors with almost twenty tree-lined miles of road and scenic vistas that overlook uninterrupted forestland stretching for miles. There’s a Nature Center and outdoor recreation opportunities include camping, hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding.
1801 Indiana 46 East, Nashville, IN 47448
2. Brown County Music Center
The Brown County Music Center will always be a must-visit attraction for music-loving visitors to Nashville. With a seating capacity of up to 2000 guests, Brown County Music Center attracts some of the best musicians in the country. The venue is located on the banks of Salt Creek where it hosts a full calendar of big-name musical talent across just about all genres of music. The center gets great reviews for their seats – guests report that you can see the stage from just about every seat in the house and that there is plenty of legroom. The venue also has good restrooms and a beer garden.
200 Maple Leaf Blvd, Nashville, IN 47448, 812 988 5323
3. Brown County Winery
The Brown County Winery goes beyond just using grapes to produce a variety of different wines. Instead, the Nashville, Indiana winery uses stone fruit, berries, and several other types of fruit to create unique wines. While the more popular wines at the Brown County Winery are semi-sweet and sweet wines, the winery also makes a number of award-winning dry wines. Their wines are representative of what the scenic county is “all about,” which is locally made and handcrafted products. Wine tastings of the Brown County Winery wines can be had at the winery’s tasting room or in the Village of Nashville.
4520 State Rd 46 East, Nashville, IN 47448
4. Yellowwood State Forest
The Yellowwood State Forest, situated around ten miles from Bloomington and around seven miles outside of Nashville, Indiana, encompasses more than 23,000 acres and offers opportunities for several outdoor activities for visitors of all skill levels and ages, such as primitive overnight camping, wildlife viewing, horseback riding along horse trails, hiking, and fun on three pristine lakes, including canoeing and kayaking. Rowboats are available for rental. There is plenty to do to fill a day or two in the Yellowwood State Forest. Campers should note that the forest only has traditional campsites and there are no water hook-ups or outlets.
772 Yellowwood Lake Rd, Nashville, IN 47448, Phone: 812-988-7945
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5. Brown County Playhouse
The Brown County Playhouse is the place to go for live theatre entertainment in Nashville, Indiana. This theatre has been around in the Brown County community since the year 1949 and continues to provide quality theatre productions today. The playhouse’s diverse live theatre program includes live theatre, drama, dance, comedy, special events, movies, and concerts throughout the entire year. With more than four hundred seats, the Brown County Playhouse is exactly a small theater and puts on performances or events primarily on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Beer, wine, and snacks can be bought to be enjoyed during the show.
70 S Van Buren St, Nashville, IN 47448, Phone: 812-988-6555
6. T.C. Steele State Historic Site
The T.C. Steele State Historic Site is named for T.C. Steele, a Hoosier painter, who built his family’s homes among Brown County’s grand trees, scenic vistas, and rolling hills back in 1907. Visitors today can explore the historic home, as well as the grounds that once inspired this noted painter’s stunning impressionist paintings. Guests typically begin their visit at the Singing Winds Visitor Center. The grounds also include the House of the Singing Winds, a replica of Steel’s studio wagon, the Large Studio showcasing a rotating collection of the painter’s original works, a nature preserve, and several hiking trails.
4220 T C Steele Rd, Nashville, IN 47448, Phone: 812-988-2785
7. The Brown County Art Guild
The Brown County Art Guild is located in the middle of downtown Nashville, Indiana and is the home of the Marie Goth Estate Collection. This collection includes several major works created by four of the founding artists of the guild. The Brown County Art Guild also showcases and sells works of art by more than forty regional member artists, as well as hosts numerous special events during the year. From member artist exhibits to workshops to special events, the Brown County Art Guild honors the past and celebrates art of the present. There is no charge for general admission to the gallery.
48 S Van Buren St, Nashville, IN 47448, Phone: 812-988-6185
8. Brown County Art Gallery, Nashville, Indiana
The Brown County Art Gallery was founded in 1926 and helped put Nashville, Indiana and the surrounding scenic Brown County on a road map to be one of the country’s most significant regional art colonies. One of the oldest art galleries in the United States, the facility showcases artwork by both modern-day artists and early art colony masters. Visitors can explore the many works of art on display in the Brown County Art Gallery, purchase artworks, or attend one of the many workshops and events hosted by the gallery throughout the year, such as art exhibitions and competitions.
1 Artist Dr, Nashville, IN 47448, Phone: 812-988-4609
9. Country Heritage Winery
The Country Heritage Winery near picturesque Nashville, Indiana boasts over one hundred years of family legacy. The winery produces sweet, semi-sweet, semi-dry, and dry wines for an array of different grapes and other fruits grown on-site or from several other quality vineyards or fruit farms in California, Washington, New York, Wisconsin, and Michigan. The Country Heritage Winery offers a wine for just about any taste, as well as something for fans of hard cider.
225 S Van Buren St, Nashville, IN 47448, Phone: 812-988-2273
10. Story Inn
Formerly a quaint village that was founded back in 1851, the entire village of Story has become The Story Inn in the charming town of Nashville, as well as one of the premiere restaurants and inns in the Midwest. The oldest country inn within the state of Indiana, the Story Inn offers 14 beautifully renovated cottages and rooms, a gourmet restaurant, regular activities, wine tastings, and more. Along with being a great place to stay in Brown County or to enjoy a nice dinner, the inn also hosts game nights, karaoke, comedy shows, and live music in the Tavern.
6404 IN-135, Nashville, IN 47448, Phone: 812-988-2273
11. Bear Wallow Distillery
The Bear Wallow Distillery handcrafts Indiana Whiskey using grains grown in the local region. At the top of the hour, visitors can join the Farm-to-Fifth Tour for a small fee, which includes a look into how the Bear Wallow spirits are made and a sample flight. Carry-out sales, tasting flights, and samples are available in the Log-Cabin Tasting Room as well. Some of the most popular drinks at the distillery are the “Famous Moonshine Shake-Up Cocktails.” The Bear Wallow Distillery is one of Indiana’s first craft distilleries and creates their unique spirits using an old-fashioned copper pot still.
4484 Old State Rd 46, Nashville, IN 47448, Phone: 812-657-4923
12. eXplore Brown County
eXplore Brown County not only offers visitors the most fun activities in the area, they also have on-site accommodation options for endless fun. The facility is primarily an outdoor entertainment venue where you can have loads of fun while getting back to nature. They offer a variety of thrilling zip line tours on 15 different world-class lines. Tours vary from an introductory 45 minute tour to full-on 2.5 hour tours designed to take you a little outside your comfort zone. Other fun activities include paint ball and arrow tag, hiking and biking and off-road tours. Accommodation can be as simple as a tent or as comfortable as your cozy themed camping cabin.
2620 Valley Branch Road, Nashville, IN 47448, 812 988 7750
13. Hard Truth Distilling Company
A small distillery which started off in a little room above a pizza parlor has blossomed into a massive state-of-the-art distillery in a matter of just 7 years, which tells you all you need to know about the quality and popularity of Hard Truth Distilling Company. They produce a popular range of distinctive spirits including Cinnamon Vodka, a Coconut Rum and their award-winning Hard Truth Gin. In addition, they continually fill their rackhouse with barrels of bourbon and Indiana Rye Whiskey. From these precious distillates, Hand Truth Distilling produces a yearly release of innovative blended bourbons and whiskeys. You can learn all about the process on a distillery tour and then settle in for a tasting.
418 Old State Road 46, Nashville, IN 47448, 812 720 4840
