With fall break around the corner, it’s time to start planning and take advantage of the long weekend. Whether you are looking to venture into Tennessee and beyond or are seeking fun activities in Nashville, there are many ways to spend your fall break. Here is a list of activities and adventures to make the most of this time off.
Outside Nashville
Visit a friend
A great way to take advantage of the long weekend is to visit a friend at a nearby college. There is a good chance that your friend’s fall break isn’t the same as yours, so reach out to see what they are up to. Cheap plane flights or a short car ride could get you to a college town for an exciting weekend off campus.
Take a road trip
Another idea would be road tripping (if you or one of your friends has a car) across Tennessee. Explore the Smoky Mountains in Gatlinburg or go check out the amusement parks in Dollywood. These are all great options if you want to get out of Nashville but are not ready to hop on a plane. Tennessee has many outdoor places to explore as well. You and your friends can go camping at these local spots or look into cheap Airbnbs.
Spend the day at a lake
As we still are experiencing remnants of the summer heat, take the opportunity and spend the day at a lake. Percy Priest Reservoir is only 30 minutes from campus. You can get a group of friends together and rent a pontoon boat for the day. Center Hill Lake is another stunning place for a lake day. It’s a little over an hour from campus, but you can spend the weekend there on a houseboat! At both of these lakes, you can kayak, swim or camp.
Near Nashville
Cheekwood Harvest
Hosted by the Cheekwood Estate and Gardens, the Cheekwood Harvest is the perfect fall activity. Check out their annual harvest with this year’s crop of over 75,000 pumpkins. Their pumpkin village is equipped with three pumpkin houses made from real pumpkins, a perfect photo op. They also offer live music every Sunday at their beer garden. On Oct. 13, bring friends to listen to Andy Reiss, a jazz guitarist.
Concerts and festivals
Take advantage of Music City and experience live music this fall break. Get tickets for the Breakaway Music Festival at Fair Park Oct. 11-12. This year, they are featuring artists like Marshmello, Louis the Child and a variety of up-and-coming pop artists. Some big-name artists will also be in Nashville over fall break — Vampire Weekend on Oct. 11 at Ascend Amphitheater and Maggie Rogers at Bridgestone Arena on Oct. 12. Indie artist Odie Leigh will perform on Oct. 13 at 3rd and Lindsley.
Oktoberfest
Bavarian Bierhaus is hosting Oktoberfest activities all month long. Gather your friends and throw on your dirndl to celebrate a traditional Oktoberfest with German food, live music and delicious beer (if you’re over 21). Located near campus at 121 Opry Mills Drive, this is a great option for students staying on campus and looking for some traditional German fun. Nashville’s official Oktoberfest is the weekend before fall break, but you can continue the celebration at Bavarian Bierhaus.
With all of this and more available to students, there is no reason to let this long weekend go to waste. Take the opportunity to cross something off your college, Tennessee or Nashville bucket list with one of these activities. Regardless of your choice, this is a time for students to reset and prepare for the rest of the semester, so do it in a way that will rejuvenate you!
