Nashville is HOT, and I don’t just mean the real estate market! If you need to cool off from these record high temps, Nashville has some great swimming options, from the Nashville lakes to some splashy man-made options as well. This article will walk you through the 5 Best Places to Swim in Nashville. Enjoy!
Percy Priest Beach, Anderson Road Recreation Area
Sometimes you wanna put your feet in the sand. If a drive down to the Gulf Coast (aka The Redneck Riviera) isn’t possible, head over to the Day Use Area at Percy Priest Lake. Percy Priest is my favorite all all the Nashville lakes and this little beach is a great way to enjoy a day at the beach without leaving town. It’s costs $5 for each car to enter, and once you’re in, there are grills, picnic tables, and a sandy swimming beach. The 4 ft depth enclosure helps to wrangle less-than-confident swimmers, and others can venture past that point.
You can get plenty of beachy sun, but there is also a ton of nice shade as well. It gets busy on the weekends with lots of families and kids, so get there early on Saturday or Sunday if you want a table and/or grill. During the week you’ll have plenty of space. Sooooo nice.
Anderson Road Recreation Area is located at 4010 Anderson Rd, Nashville, TN 37217.
Nashville Shores Water Park
While we’re talking about Percy Priest Lake, I have to mention Nashville Shores. Now, I know that some people don’t like water parks. If you are one of those, skip on to the next entry and take your hot self over to Pinewood Social, but if you enjoy screaming down a waterslide or surfing in a wave pool, you’ll be impressed with Nashville Shores. This water park has something for everyone with steep, fast slides, a lazy river, expansive water play area for the little ones, large inner tube slides, and a great wave pool. My kids and I grab a spot by the wave pool and play in there for hours.
You can’t bring in your own food, but they do allow one unopened water bottle per person. I’m always surprised that the food they sell at the snack bar is pretty good (although a little expensive) with excellent fries and tasty salads. The quirky thing about Nashville Shores is the price. If you are thinking of going more than once, it’s more logical to buy a season pass which also includes free parking. Strollers and lockers are available for rental and life jackets and inner tubes are free. Check the website for pricing.
One more thing worth mentioning is that the Nashville Shores Lakeside Resort includes 84 RV sites, including beautiful waterfront accommodations available on 14,000-acre Percy Priest lake, incredible fishing, 24 lakeside cabins, hilltop cabins, jet-ski rentals, pontoon boat rentals and much more. Lodging guests also receive exclusive discounts on the Waterpark and Treetop Adventure Park.
Nashville Shores is located at 4001 Bell Rd, Hermitage, TN 37076.
Pinewood Social
If you want to hang with the cool kids, Pinewood Social is the best place to swim in Nashville. This is one of my favorite hangouts for food, drink, and bowling, but they also have a spectacular outdoor area with two pools. Keep in mind, these pools are small and only 4′ deep so you won’t be training for the Olympics here, but if you want to lounge with the beautiful people while drinking a fantastic cocktail, this is the place to take a swim in the heart of downtown Nashville .
The pool patio is perched above the Cumberland River and also has Bocce Ball, a 30 foot Airstream Food truck with it’s own food and beverage menu, and plenty of outdoor seating. Pools are open daily from 11am-11pm during warm summer months, but hours can vary, so check the Pinewood Social website for an updated schedule.
Pinewood Social is located at 33 Peabody St, Nashville, TN 37210 in the downtown Nashville area, and when you drive in, the free parking is on your left. If that’s full, there is a pay lot on the right.
Tip: When there is a concert at Ascend Amphitheater across the street from Pinewood, you can hear (and often see) the shows from the parking lot area. Bonus!
Maryland Farms YMCA
There are many great YMCA pools in the Nashville area, but if you are looking for a pool that especially fun for kids, the Maryland Farms YMCA in Brentwood is extra special! The property used to be the Maryland Farms Country Club, and a recent renovation of the pool is really spectacular.
A “zero-depth entry” pool provides a gentle slope, and it’s the perfect hang out for toddlers and babies. School aged children and adults will love the WATERSLIDES, and everyone gets a kick out of the Big Bucket Dumper. The entire pool area has sprayers and fountains that shoot water, so be ready to get wet when you’re walking around.
For a family swim in Nashville, you can’t beat this YMCA. Check the Maryland Farm YMCA website for details and hours. Maryland Farms YMCA is located at 5101 Maryland Way, Brentwood, TN 37027.
Old Hickory Lake
Last but certainly not least, let’s take a trip to another great place to swim in Nashville is Old Hickory Lake. As you drive to Old Hickory Beach, you may wonder where the heck I’ve sent you. The road winds you past a very industrial area which is where Dupont created the Rayon boom between 1925-1961.
Once you pass the factories, you’ll come to a lovely little spot that overlooks Old Hickory Lake, a 22,500-acre reservoir created by the Old Hickory Dam on the Cumberland River. This area offers picnic tables and grills with a large picnic shelter that is perfect for big gatherings of up to 100 guests if you get there early enough to snag it. There is a nice playground for the kiddos and a sandy beach that makes it a great spot for wading, swimming, and sunning.
Like all of our local beaches, summer weekends bring bigger crowds, so get there early or go on a weekday if you want lakeside serenity. If hiking is your thing, try the Old Hickory Lake Nature Trail. The cost to enter is $5 per vehicle, and Old Hickory Beach is located at 876 Burnett Rd, Old Hickory, TN.
I hope you enjoyed the 5 Best Places to Swim in Nashville!
It was a lot of fun researching this post and photographing these lovely Nashville swimming spots. Although, I must mention that my FAVORITE place to swim in Nashville, is my backyard! My new house in East Nashville has a pool, and my kiddos and I have been having so much fun this summer.
If you’re thinking of buying or selling in Nashville, I’d be happy to help you find a home with a pool of your very own… Click here to hear what my happy customers are saying and let me know if you’d like to learn more. Until then, happy swimming!
🙂 Sarah Jane
Just 30-45 minutes outside of Nashville in Watertown, Tennessee is the Stardust Drive-in. It’s a classic (outdoor) drive-in movie theater with a variety of titles and an excellent snack bar. I took my kids and was impressed by the selection of the burgers, fries, funnel cakes, fried mushrooms, Philly cheesesteak sandwiches, freshly cooked personal pizzas, and more. It’s a great night date night or an outing with the kiddos. You tune your car radio to a particular station and the sound from the film comes right through your car stereo. Some people stay in their cars and some sit out on blankets on the ground. If you’re lucky enough to have a pick-up truck, you can get really comfy!
