Opryland lights and a Dickensian Main Street
This is leg 1 of 1, the opening leg.
Travel leg · Nashville & Franklin
Nashville to Franklin
Nashville and Franklin sit about 27 km (17 mi) apart in a straight line, with Franklin to the south. It is leg 1 of 1 on our Nashville & Franklin itinerary, a 4-day trip. Here is how long it takes by car, what to see on the way and where it fits in a real itinerary.
- Straight-line distance
- 27 km · 17 mi
- Est. road distance
- 32–38 km
- Est. drive time
- 25–45 min
- Direction
- Heading south
- Curated routes
- 1 itinerary
Road distance is estimated as 1.2–1.4× the straight line; drive time assumes average speeds of 50–80 km/h with no stops or traffic. These are rough estimates — check a maps app for the actual route.
Ways to get there
We don't have live routing data, so the figures below are labelled estimates built from the straight-line distance. Use them to plan the day, then confirm in a maps app.
By car
Most travelers on our Nashville & Franklin itinerary do this leg by car. We estimate 32–38 km (20–23 mi) of road and 25–45 min behind the wheel, so check live traffic before you set off.
Fly into Nashville International (BNA), 15 minutes from downtown and about 15 minutes from Gaylord Opryland. A car is easiest: Franklin is 30-40 minutes south on I-65, Leiper's Fork is 15 minutes west of Franklin, and Arrington Vineyards is 25 minutes east. Downtown Nashville, Broadway and the Ryman are walkable from each other.
Worth stopping for
Picks from our curated guides at both ends, plus 1 place near the straight-line path.
When you arrive in Franklin
Victorian Main Street 30 minutes south; 1 night for Dickens of a Christmas.
Dickens of a Christmas
Two-day street festival on Main Street with costumed Dickens characters, carolers, artisan stalls and food vendors.
Lotz House
1858 house museum on Columbia Avenue that stood at the center of the Battle of Franklin.
Gray's on Main
Southern restaurant and bar in the old Gray's pharmacy building, under its landmark neon sign.
Arrington Vineyards
Hillside winery in the countryside east of Franklin, with tastings and wine by the glass on its wooded slopes.
The Harpeth
Downtown Franklin hotel a block from Main Street, within walking distance of the Dickens festival.
Franklin Theatre
Restored 1937 Main Street movie house that screens holiday films and hosts Christmas concerts in December.
Near the way
These places from our other itineraries sit within about 4 km of the straight line between Nashville and Franklin. The road may not pass them directly, so check how far off your route they are.
Before you leave Nashville
Music City in Christmas mode; 3 nights for Opryland, the Ryman and Broadway.
Gaylord Opryland Resort
Huge glass-roofed resort whose indoor gardens are strung with lights for A Country Christmas, with the ICE sculpture exhibit.
Ryman Auditorium
1892 tabernacle known as the Mother Church of Country Music, hosting Christmas concerts and New Year's Eve shows.
Loveless Cafe
Roadside cafe at the start of the Natchez Trace, serving biscuits, country ham and fried chicken since 1951.
On this curated route
Where Nashville → Franklin sits in the full itinerary. Highlighted stops are this leg.
Going the other way? Franklin to Nashville is the same 27 km in a straight line, heading north. Reverse directions in Google Maps ↗
Nashville to Franklin: questions travelers ask
How far is Nashville from Franklin?
Nashville is about 27 km (17 mi) from Franklin in a straight line, with Franklin to the south. By road, we estimate 32–38 km (20–23 mi), or 1.2–1.4 times the straight line. Check a maps app for the exact route.
How long does it take to drive from Nashville to Franklin?
An estimated 25–45 min, assuming 32–38 km of road at average speeds of 50–80 km/h with no stops or traffic. It is not a routed time, so check a maps app on the day.
What is there to see between Nashville and Franklin?
Near the straight-line path we have 1 place from our curated guides, including The Bluebird Cafe (The Gulch). The road may not pass them directly, so check the detour.
Which itineraries include the trip from Nashville to Franklin?
Our Nashville & Franklin itinerary includes this leg. Nashville & Franklin runs about 4 days across 2 stops, best in Late Nov – Dec.
Guides for both ends
- Nashville travel guide
- Nashville weather best time to visit
- Franklin travel guide
- Franklin weather best time to visit
Franklin by month
Plan Nashville → Franklin with your crew
Add this leg to a shared itinerary, poll the group on where to stop, split fuel and tickets, and keep everyone's packing list in one place in TripsCircle.