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What is Clarksville known for?
- Clarksville is a modern, booming city with a charming small-town feel. It is also a lively university city and a beautiful place on the tree-lined Cumberland River, famous for its annual River Fest.
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What historical attractions can visitors explore in Clarksville?
- History buffs enjoy the feel of the past at the Fort Defiance Civil War Park.
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Are there art and cultural experiences in Clarksville?
- Art lovers are thrilled by a fascinating self-guided monthly art tour called First Thursday Art Walk.
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Where can visitors enjoy outdoor activities in Clarksville?
- Liberty Park and Clarksville Marina is the place where local residents go to play on the water.
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Where can visitors launch a boat in Clarksville?
- McGregor Park is a great place to launch a boat for a pleasant cruise on the Cumberland River.
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1. Clarksville Greenway
Walk along scenic trails and enjoy nature during a peaceful fall outing.
Clarksville Greenway is a wide asphalt trail near Clarksville that is nine miles long both ways. It is mostly flat, with two hills towards the end that make it a bit more strenuous. It is very popular with families, bikers, hikers, and inline skaters. The trail runs through an old rail bed north of Clarksville along a creek, with tall mature trees offering a good amount of shade. There are benches along the trail as well as several lookouts. Besides providing enjoyment to the local population, the greenway provides a buffer for the Red River and the stream running alongside. There are two trailheads: one at the water treatment plant and the other on Marys Oak Drive.
Pollard Rd, Clarksville, TN 37042, Phone: 931-645-7476, (website link)
2. Customs House Museum and Cultural Center
Explore regional art and discover fascinating exhibits on a quick cultural trip.
Located in downtown Clarksville, the Customs House Museum and Cultural Center is one of Tennessee's largest museums of general interest. The museum features permanent as well as rotating art, history, and science exhibitions for all ages. There is also an interactive children’s exhibit. The museum is located in the former Federal Post Office and Custom House built in 1898 and has an interesting mix of styles: Italianate, Queen Anne, Flemish, Gothic, and Romanesque. It became a museum in 1983, collecting, preserving, and interpreting Clarksville’s community culture and past. Some of the most popular permanent exhibitions are The Explorers' Gallery, Memory Lane, displays about the American expansion into Tennessee, and Becoming Clarksville: Honoring Legacies of Leadership about people who shaped Clarksville’s history.
200 S 2nd St, Clarksville, TN 37040, Phone: 931-648-5780
3. Beachaven Vineyards & Winery
Savor local wines and admire vineyard views on a romantic summer afternoon.
Beachaven Vineyards & Winery is a pleasant surprise for wine lovers who aren’t expecting vineyards in this part of Tennessee. Located a few miles from Clarksville on soft rolling hills, the vineyard features line after line of orderly vines. Take a stroll among the thriving plants before going into the wine tasting bar for a taste. This 30-year-old winery grows most of its grapes and has won a number of awards for their Classic White, Budbreak Blush, Barrelhead Red, and others. The tours of the vineyards and tasting at the bar are all free and are conducted daily. Lovely grounds have picnic tables scattered around and are packed during the winery’s Jazz on the Lawn evening concerts. There is also a nice little gift shop where you can buy a bottle or two for later or a gift for other wine lovers in your family.
1100 Dunlop Ln, Clarksville, TN 37040, Phone: 931-645-8867
4. Blackhorse Pub and Brewery
Enjoy craft brews or savor pub fare on an easy weekend visit.
Blackhorse Pub and Brewery was a popular Clarkswille watering hole for a long time before the owners decided to try their hand at making their own brew for limited distribution. Twenty years later, they have two breweries. One is in Knoksville, where they make cans and bomber bottles of their popular Blackhorse IPA, Vanilla Cream Ale, and other beers. The other is in Clarksville, where they have barrel-aging program with popular Barrel Aged Southern Imperial Stout and other brews. They offer all their popular as well as seasonal and new beers in the pub located above the Brewery in Clarksville. You’ll find steaks, pastas, gourmet pizzas, and other popular pub grub as well as live music, a pool table, and an overall great atmosphere.
132 Franklin St, Clarksville, TN 37040, Phone: 931-552-3726
5. D&D Mini Golf
Play glow-in-the-dark courses and have fun with kids.
D&D Mini Golf is a popular Clarksville family entertainment venue featuring something for everyone: mini golf, the latest arcade games, and much more. The family-owned 18-hole indoor miniature golf course is manually constructed and hand-painted by famous muralist Todd Lindbergh. The theme of the course is Fantasy Forest, with characters such as elves, gnomes, tree men, and unicorns. Black lights that light the course make all the colors vibrant. Each guest gets 3D glasses for increased depth perception. The arcade has air hockey, basketball, Pac-Man, racing, and much else. D&D is great place for parties and big events.
211 Holiday Dr, Clarksville, TN 37040, Phone: 931-378-5149
6. Downtown Artists Co-op
See local artwork and support creatives in this affordable attraction.
The Downtown Artists Co-op or DAC is a Clarksville association of local artists and art patrons with a common goal of promoting the visual arts in the area. The main objectives are to sponsor regular art exhibitions of artwork by the members of the Co-op and local artists, to support the Co-op’s members by selling their artwork, and to encourage arts education by providing outreach programs and scholarship fundraisers. One of the most popular activities is Art Walk, an exhibition organized the first Thursday of every month. DAC also offers workshops, storytelling, and other events for the kids.
96 Franklin St, Clarksville, TN 37040, Phone: 931-919-3770
7. Dunbar Cave
Explore ancient cave trails or look at natural rock formations during spring.
Dunbar Cave State Park is a 110-acre park located about a mile and a half from Clarksville, Tennessee and one hour from Nashville. The main attraction of the park is Dunbar Cave, the largest in Montgomery County. It is more than eight miles in length and goes 8,067 miles inward. The cave’s spacious mouth used to be a popular venue for radio shows, concerts, and square dancing. Prehistoric man used the cave for thousands of years to cool off on hot days (the temperature inside is consistently 58 degrees) and possibly for religious ceremonies, as attested by drawings on the walls. The cooler temperatures were originally the reason for the cave’s popularity during hot summers. Besides visiting the caves, the park is a lovely spot for long walks, with many trails and gorgeous cool Swan Lake, fed by a cold stream coming from the cave. The tours of the cave are available between May and August.
401 Dunbar Cave Rd, Clarksville, TN 37043, Phone: 931-648-5526
8. Fort Defiance Civil War Park & Interpretive Center
Visit historic grounds and discover Civil War stories on an educational trip.
Fort Defiance was a fort built on the hill during the Civil War above the spot where the Cumberland and Red Rivers meet. The fort was built by Confederate troops to defend the approach to Clarksville by the river. But, the hilltop on which the fort was built was in use centuries before, first by Native Americans and later by white settlers as a trading post. Extremely well preserved, Fort Defiance, with a powder magazine, the earthworks, and gun platforms, is a popular place to visit to get the glimpse into the past. There is a new Interpretative Center with interesting exhibits on the fort’s past, a gift shop, miles of walking trails, and picnic tables. The center offers free tours of the fort and popular field trips.
120 Duncan St, Clarksville, TN 37042, Phone: 931-472-3351
9. Liberty Park and Marina
Go fishing or walk along the water during a relaxing retirement day.
Liberty Park and Marina is the place where Clarksville locals go if they enjoy boating activities or just hanging out on the water. The new park transformed the riverbanks of the Red and Cumberland Rivers and made the area the most popular outdoor destination. Besides the marina, the park has a boat launch, several athletic fields, event pavilions, kids’ playgrounds, an outdoor amphitheater, and miles of hiking trails. The fishing pond is everyone’s favorite for fishing, boating, or just enjoying the serene view of the water and native plants growing around. There is also a small dog park; nobody is neglected in the Liberty Park.
525 Alfred Thun Rd, Clarksville, TN 37040, Phone: 931-896-1328
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