14 of the Best Things To Do in Franklin on a Girls Trip
Our guide for things to do in Franklin on a girls trip is full of live music, brunches, boutiques, and bevvies in central Tennessee.
If you’re looking for a girls getaway in the South with a walkable Main Street, cozy coffee shops, incredible food, and soft adventures, then Franklin, Tennessee, needs to be on your radar. Just 30 minutes south of Nashville, this historic town and surrounding county is known for its Southern charm, live music, and touch of star power (tons of big names in the music and film industry call the area home).
Whether you’re sipping wine with a view at Arrington Vineyards, shopping for vintage finds at the Factory at Franklin, or grabbing lattes before strolling Main Street, this town has everything you need for the perfect girls weekend.
On our recent Franklin girls trip, we filled our days with brunching in historic houses, browsing boutiques, paddleboarding under the summer sun, and sipping cocktails at speakeasies. It’s the perfect place to slow down for a few days, while still finding plenty of fun around every corner.
Below are our favorite things to do on a Franklin girls weekend, and what I’m already planning for next time. Scroll to the bottom for a peek at where we stayed!
Things To Do in Franklin on a Girls Weekend
Go Out for Brunch
There was one activity we carved time out for every day on our Franklin girls trip – brunch, obviously. There are tons of great options downtown, but I have to brag on the ones we picked, because they all delivered.
Biscuit Love Franklin
First up, Biscuit Love. This small chain started in an Airstream food truck and now has four locations in the Nashville and Franklin area, plus one in Cincinnati, Ohio. The downtown Franklin restaurant has the cutest vibes, though, since it’s in a Queen Anne style house built in 1892. The flaky layered biscuits are a huge deal here, but I’m a grits girly and had to try their veggie and cheese bowl to see if it hit (it did).
Merridee’s Breadbasket
Merridee’s Breadbasket was our next breakfast stop, mostly because the country bakery vibes caught my eye when we walked by. I had a super delicious cheesy quiche, and they also have stacked breakfast sandwiches and hearty platters, plus a lunch menu (mostly soups, salads, and sandwiches).
The Coffee House at Second and Bridge
For our final brunch stop, we had to try The Coffee House at Second and Bridge. It’s in a cute old house with several small rooms that you can eat in and a porch and lawn with even more seating. Don’t be turned off if the line to order is long, it’s a symptom of the small space around the counter and moves pretty quickly. I ordered a seasonal latte with coconut in it and a savory crepe and would go back for more tomorrow!
Stroll and Shop Along Main Street
Designated a “Great American Main Street” by Main Street America, Franklin’s downtown zone encompasses a 16 block historic district with a central public square. Walkable Main Street runs down the middle and is lined with storefronts that date as far back as 1799.
Today, you can find a mix of restaurants, galleries, and specialty stores, as well as an old theater that schedules movies and live shows. Exploring this area is one of the top things to do in Franklin! We strolled Main Street multiple times during our Franklin girls trip, popping into White’s Mercantile (an upscale general store), the Green Room (home goods and gifts), and a couple of clothing boutiques.
Browse Landmark Booksellers
Located in the oldest commercial building in Franklin, a Greek Revival dating to 1808, Landmark Booksellers holds a collection of more than 35,000 new, used, and rare books. Dubbed “a Booklover’s Paradise,” the store inspired the Karen Kingsbury novel and subsequent Hallmark movie “The Bridge.”
The shop specializes in regional culture and literature, promoting local authors and titles. There’s a whole Franklin and Williamson County display near the entrance full of books that would make great souvenirs.
Ride the Trolley for a History Lesson
We decided to ride the full route on one of our days in town, and our guide gave us a history lesson about the battle of Franklin and pointed out landmarks and other significant spots. It turned out to be one of our favorite things to do in Franklin for the intro to the local scene and a welcome break from walking during a warm summer week.
The trolley runs Wednesday through Saturday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., departing on the hour from the downtown Visitor Center. You can reserve tickets online or buy them day-of.
Explore the Factory at Franklin
Housed in a 1929 stove factory listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Factory at Franklin holds a collection of shops, restaurants, and event spaces. The venue has grown so much since I last visited a few years ago, and they’re still expanding and adding new experiences.
The dining scene here includes several local favorites like Hattie B’s for hot chicken, Five Daughter’s Bakery for layered donuts, and Honest Coffee Roasters, the first coffee roasting company in Williamson Country. We grabbed Mojo’s Tacos for lunch and ice cream from the super cute Fork of the South milkshake bar.
It’s easy to spend a few hours here browsing the woman-owned Luna Record Shop for vinyl, Made in TN for local gifts and souvenirs, CR-71 for up-cycled furniture and decor, and The Find for vintage clothing. The Factory also has a classic carousel, art gallery, live music venue, farmers markets, and central bar and gathering space called The Skylight.
Fuel Up at Local Coffee Shops
We love a mid-afternoon coffee break on a girls trip, and Franklin has a few convenient spots to try while you’re exploring. We actually ended up at Onyx and Alabaster on the square a couple of times on this trip, but Frothy Monkey downtown, Honest Coffee at the Factory at Franklin, and the Fainting Goat by the Lotz House and Carter House are other delicious options.
Grab a Sweet Treat
Whether you’re visiting in summer and looking to cool off with a cone or love popping into a shop that smells of pastries fresh from the oven, Franklin has no shortage of bakeries and ice cream shops to grab a treat.
We popped into the super cute Triple Crown Bakery for a croissant (I want to come back for their tea service), Fork of the South for ice cream, and Five Daughter’s Bakery for doughnuts to take home.
The number of treats we wanted to try on this trip unfortunately outnumbered our sugar bandwidth, so I still have on my list Sweethaven ice cream shop and Whitney’s Cookies downtown to try next time.
Go Paddleboarding
Looking for a fun summer activity for your girls weekend in Franklin? We loved spending time on the water stand-up paddleboarding on a hot June afternoon.
The Westhaven community between Franklin and the Natchez Trace Parkway has a sporting pond surrounded by a plaza of shops and eateries. You can fish here or rent kayaks, paddleboards, and canoes from Paddle Dog, a cute snack counter with hot dogs, soft pretzels, and lemonade.
See a Show at the Graystone Quarry
One of the coolest concert venues I’ve been to is in the Franklin area – the First Bank Amphitheater in Graystone Quarry has a backdrop of rock walls and feels completely tucked away from the world in nature. It’s in Thompson’s Station, about 20 minutes from Franklin.
The concert season here runs from spring through early fall, so check what’s on the schedule and see if you can line up a concert with your trip. We attended a music festival, so we had plenty of time at the venue to try a few different food and drink vendors and see the setting in daylight and after dark.
Day Trip to Spring Hill
About 15 miles south of Franklin, the small town of Spring Hill makes the perfect day trip for shopping and dining. It doesn’t have a downtown Main Street district like Franklin, but everything you’ll want to do is super close and there are some walkable plazas.
We spent about half a day here, starting with lunch at the super cute Brunch Collective, where we loved the flavorful food (the bacon was my favorite), the refreshing lemonades served in glass jars, and the lawn full of picnic tables and pink umbrellas. After brunch, we popped into the Spring Hill Antique Mall, Early’s Honey Stand (ask for samples if you don’t know what to get), Rock-a-Roll Records, Hidden Seed Plant Shop, and Birdy Grace Boutique.
We grabbed iced coffee from the Fainting Goat to recover – the cafe has fun concoctions on the menu and swing chairs outside.
Spend an Evening in Leiper’s Fork
When you drive down the main road through the center of town in Leiper’s Fork, you may think you should have left the car behind and hopped on a horse instead. The little village is about 10 miles from Franklin and feels like a world of its own, with a vibe that’s a little vintage and a little country, but elevated by the galleries, spa, and wine and whiskey tasting rooms.
For the perfect half-day outing from Franklin, stop by the Leiper’s Fork Distillery on the way into town for tours, tastings, and sips at an outdoor bar. Then, spend some time strolling the main strip on Old Hillsboro Road for art galleries, antiques, and the Bubble Joy candy shop and oxygen bar.
We popped into the speakeasy hidden on the side of Country Boy Restaurant for cocktails and live music before heading over to Fox and Locke for dinner and open mic night (you’ll need a reservation for this one). We were floored by the talent on display at this popular stage, and it’s definitely worth adding to your itinerary on a girls trip to Franklin!
Do Tasting at Arrington Vineyards
Arrington Vineyards is only about 20 minutes outside of town, so it makes the perfect excursion during a Franklin girls weekend. The setting is stunning, with rolling hills in the distance and rows of vines you can stroll.
Arrington offers tasting bar experiences, wine flights, and a store with wine slushies in summer and charcuterie staples (think cheese and olives). On Fridays between May and October, you’ll find food trucks and concerts at the vineyard and on weekends, jazz and bluegrass concerts take the outdoor stage. You can also order picnics in advance for a bigger meal on-site.
Eat Your Little Heart Out
Some days, I felt like all we were doing in Franklin was hopping from one meal to the next, and yet, somehow, I still have a long list of restaurants I want to try. I shared my brunch recommendations (so far) above, but we also loved eating at Puckett’s for classic country plates, Gray’s on Main in an old pharmacy for the vibes and elevated Southern dishes, Mojo’s Tacos at the Factory at Franklin for tacos with a Tennessee twist (think hot chicken and chili burger fillings), and Slice House for quick and delicious pizza downtown.
Find a Speakeasy
What is it about a speakeasy that makes it so much more fun than a regular bar? We found a couple of these vibey joints on our Franklin girls trip.
The first, Amendment XVIII Cocktail Club, is in downtown Franklin, accessible from the alley behind Mellow Mushroom. The other, the Tornado Room, is in Leiper’s Fork, inconspicuously on the side of The Country Boy Restaurant across the street from Fox and Locke (look for the green light). Both tap into the 1920s prohibition style, with dim lighting, music, and dark decor.
Where to Stay in Downtown Franklin
We stayed in a suite, which is perfect for sharing a room on a girls trip, since you have extra space to hang out and store luggage. Our room had a walk-in closet, a French balcony over the courtyard, a huge shower, and possibly the deepest soaking tub I’ve ever seen. We loved the afternoon tastings in the library and the special touches like hot tea in the lobby and bottle refill stations with still and sparkling water.
The hotel is just off Main Street, so you can leave your car and walk everywhere in downtown Franklin, which was super convenient!
