Located about 25 miles east of downtown Nashville is the city of Lebanon in Wilson County, Tennessee. It is part of the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Lebanon takes its name after the biblical cedars of Lebanon, which grow in the Cedars of Lebanon State Park, in the center of the thick Cedars of Lebanon State Forest.
There are quite some fun things to do in Lebanon, TN. During your trip, you can visit the Fairgrounds Speedway, a racetrack located at the Nashville Fairgrounds and the oldest track in the United States which is still in continuous operation.
Another historical attraction situated on the grounds of the James E. Ward Agricultural Center is Fiddlers Grove Historical Village. It has over 50 preserved buildings and artifacts in Wilson County history.
It is advised you visit Lebanon in May, during the annual Southern Smoke BBQ championship games place.
Let’s explore the best things to do in Lebanon, TN.
Things to Do in Lebanon, TN
1. Learn about Fiddlers Grove Historic Village
One of the fun things to do in Lebanon, TN, is visiting Fiddlers Grove Historic Village, which is situated on the James E. Ward Agricultural Center in Lebanon.
The existence of Fiddlers Grove preserves and showcases the history of Wilson County, Tennessee by keeping artifacts, buildings, and oral and written histories.
As a visitor, you can easily imagine how the early pioneers lived by visiting a one-room log cabin, a small quaint church, a one-room school, and a blacksmith’s shop used to make farm equipment and cooking utensils.
Others include a doctor’s office and the buggy he used to make house calls, an old cobbler’s shop, Sam Houston’s law office, a grist mill, and a 1700s log cabin.
You will also see a funeral home, post office, drug store, hardware store, barbershop, sheriff’s office, jail, sawmill, model train museum, farm equipment museum, caboose, model train museum, train station, and more.
Overall, there are more than fifty-five buildings portraying the entire Wilson County. In addition, the Village offers exhibitions, education, interpretation, publications, and hands-on experiences.
Address: 945 E Baddour Pkwy, Lebanon, TN 37087
2. Visit Silver Ridge Pottery
If you are an art enthusiast, you should make Silver Ridge Pottery the first on your list of top things to do in Lebanon, Tennessee.
Silver Ridge Pottery is a pottery place (managed by a husband and wife) where wonderful creations like fish, frogs, and dragons are made.
There also make functional pieces from dinnerware to vases & serving pieces. These wares are all food safe and can go in the dishwasher and microwave.
The catalog at Silver Ridge contains porcelain pieces that represent their best effort over 30 years of their journey to becoming one of America’s favorite potters. They have a modern style, with colors that match your sofa or kitchen and capture your heart.
The textured items reflect the lifestyle and rural landscape of the community of Pulltight where they live. Silver Ridge’s works have gained popularity and can be found in boutiques, fine galleries, gift shops, and kitchen cabinets.
Address: 3712 Chicken Rd, Lebanon, TN 37090-7613
3. Go to Cedars of Lebanon State Park
Located in the heart of the 9,420-acre Cedars of Lebanon State Forest is the Cedars of Lebanon State Park – a 900-acre state park in Wilson County, Tennessee.
The forest and the park are situated about ten miles from Lebanon, Tennessee.
Features that make this park popular include the cedar glades and its unique ecosystem that has acclimated to the thin soil layers or no soil. They usually occur in the Central Basin.
You will observe that these glades are often encompassed by thick stands of red cedar, a type of juniper that can thrive in soil too thin to support most trees.
Situated in the eastern Central Basin, Cedars of Lebanon State Park has a group lodge, a meeting hall, 8 miles of hiking trails, 11 picnic shelters, and 117 campsites. The park also has a disc golf course.
Don’t forget the Merritt Nature Center, a small museum that showcases some of the natural features of the forest.
Address: 328 Cedar Forest Rd, Lebanon, TN 37090
4. Shop till you drop: Lebanon Antique Mall
Located right off Highway 231, Lebanon Antique Mall is within walking distance from the downtown historic square. The mall features a wide range of antiques, collectibles, furniture, home decor, and handcrafted pieces.
Presently under the ownership of Smith County native Chad Williams, Lebanon Antique Mall is up there amongst the best. It currently has around 25 vendors with room to accommodate many more.
Chad started his dealings with antiques and collectibles at a tender age when he and his father acquired a baseball card collection of more than 1,000,000 pieces. His recent venture cycles around his love for music with a strong focus on the rejuvenation of the vinyl record industry.
If you are looking to deal in custom-built furniture, home goods, or antiques/collectibles, make inquiries from the Mall’s booth rates. This is a great opportunity for a new business looking to start up or someone looking for a new, profitable hobby.
Business hours are Monday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m but they are closed on Sunday.
Address: 101 Short St, Lebanon, TN 37087-3644
5. Relax at Don Fox Community Park
Next on our list of best things to do in Lebanon, TN, is the Don Fox Community Park? This park has a wide range of amenities for its residents and visitors.
There are four rentable pavilions. It has one big pavilion that is 54 feet in length and 27 feet in width and three smaller pavilions that are 36 feet in length and 18 feet in width.
The pavilions have a grill, an electrical outlet, and at least eight picnic tables. The park also has 61 other picnic tables and about 17 other grills.
There is a 60-foot wading pool for small children and two larger playgrounds in this park. You will also find a 2.5-mile long track that goes way around the park and can be used for biking, walking, and skateboarding.
Don Fox Community Park also has a smaller walking quarter-mile cinder track in its center. There is a nine-station fitness center in the park for those who want to maintain their physical stature and alertness.
Address: 955 W Baddour Pkwy, Lebanon, TN 37087
6. Wilson County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Located just east of Nashville, Wilson County Convention & Visitors Bureau (WilCo) is home to the cities of Lebanon, Mount Juliet, and Watertown. It is only a short drive away from wherever you are.
Here you will find historic places, authentic southern hospitality, scenic beauty, landmarks, friendly faces, and the total serenity of days gone by.
With a state-of-the-art expo center, boutique shopping, lakes, horseback riding, caves, drive-in movies, diverse dining experiences, and so much more – you are in for a discovery that makes WilCo near Nashville, but far from normal!
Visit this destination and you’ll return to the outside world feeling refreshed and energized. WilCo is open from Monday to Friday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
Address: 400 E Spring St, Lebanon, TN 37087, United States
7. Pick apples at Poverty Lane Orchards & Farnum Hill Cider
Poverty Lane Orchards & Farnum Hill Ciders is a company that operates as an apple orchard with all sorts of apples grown for all sorts of reasons.
But its apples, the nice ones are very delightful for eating, cooking, and sweet cider, while the weird-tasting ones are fermented into adult-beverage cider. Yes, they produce various types of apple ciders.
They offer pick-your-own produce services for the apples and raspberry ratch pus pears for their fall farm stand.
Farnum Hill Cider is a mom-and-pop orchard and cidery managed by Louisa Spencer and Stephen Wood. They have been growing apples on the same New Hampshire land since 1965.
Address: 98 Poverty Ln Lebanon, NEW HAMPSHIRE, Lebanon, TN 03766-2700
8. Have fun at James E. Ward Agriculture Center
It wouldn’t have occurred to anyone that the purchase of the Baddour Estate 1974 (a 104-acre expanse of land) by the County Court would be the start of becoming one of the busiest and most famous recreational centers in Tennessee.
The fact is, James E. Ward Agriculture Center is so popular that it has become the permanent home to loads of fun activities like the Whip Crackin’ Rodeo, the Wilson County Fair, and the annual Dancing Lights of Christmas.
Aside from the mainstay events, the James E. Ward Agriculture Center is a regular host of consumer fairs, exhibitions, trade shows, and carnivals.
Let’s not forget the center is also open to people looking for a camping site.
Address: 945 East Baddour Parkway, Lebanon, Tennessee 37087.
Also check out our list of things to do in Fairfield Glade , things to do in Kingsport, and things to do in Murfreesboro, for a fun vacation in Tennessee.
9. Attend a race a Nashville Superspeedway
Located in Gladeville, Tennessee, Nashville Superspeedway is a motor racing complex about 30 mi southeast of Nashville.
The track was built in 2001 and is used to host the Tennessee Lottery 250, the Rackley Roofing 200, and the Ally 400, a NASCAR Cup Series regular-season event.
In 2001, the largest concrete-only track on the NASCAR schedule – the circuit was commissioned by the Dover Motorsports Group. It is a 1.33-mile D-shaped oval that features a road course variation and 14 degrees of banking and lighting for nighttime events.
A grandstand seating caters to 25,000 spectators and can be expanded with temporary bleachers to take up to 150,000.
During its first period of operation, the facility hosted four major races each year: two NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series races and two NASCAR Xfinity Series races
Maybe you don’t know, the IndyCar Series Firestone Indy 200 was also a regular runner at the track until 2008.
This answers what to do in Lebanon, for a fun time, do add to your list of things to do in Lebanon, TN.
Address: 4847F McCreary Rd, Lebanon, TN 37090-7875
10. Participate in Southern Smoke BBQ
Southern Smoke BBQ is an annual championship event that holds in May, in the Wilson County Exposition Center and Grounds, Lebanon, Tennessee.
Here, over 40 BBQ Pitmasters compete for the honor of being crowned Grand Champion and a $12,000.00 cash prize.
The event is free of charge and invites everyone to check out some world-class cooking while enjoying the smell of Hickory Smoke in the air.
There is also plenty of kid-friendly activities as well as activities for the entire family, including bouncy toys, a rock climbing wall, a ZIP line, and more.
Southern Smoke BBQ is an event organized by the Greater Rotary Clubs of Wilson County under the approval of the Kansas City BBQ Society.
Address: James E Ward Agricultural Center, 945 E Baddour Pkwy, Lebanon, TN 37087.
11. Catch a movie at Roxy Movie Theater 10
Get down to Roxy Movie Theater 10, to see the latest and best of movies while in Lebanon, Tennessee. The theater is class radiating an absorbing ambiance.
They have a welcoming staff who gives guests the best of treats. You can visit the theatre for a date with your loved one.
Roxy Movie Theater 10 is spacious and comfortable, and they show new movies on the big screen in the main theatre.
The theater offers a fast and easy way to book tickets online for recent and upcoming movie releases across Dubai.
Address: 200 Legends Dr, Lebanon, TN 37087-5304
12. Visit the Fite-Fessenden House Museum
Amongst the fun things to do in Lebanon, TN, is visiting the Fite-Fessenden House Museum. The moment you step onto the grounds of this house, you are taken back in time to the 1800s.
This private residence now turned house museum was built in 1870 and was listed on the National Historic Register by 1987. It features artifacts and varieties of furnishings stemming from the past 150 years of the city’s history.
The Fite-Fessenden House is first and foremost a house museum but opened its doors as a community gathering spot for Wilson County courtesy of the Margaret Gaston Chapter and the History Associates.
Some special items to see at this house museum include a completely restored Miss Sallie’s Playhouse which dates back to 1870.
Address: 236 West Main Street, Lebanon, Tennessee 37087
13. Music City Bricks
Music City Bricks is a hobby store for LEGO enthusiasts. They have a physical location in our community of LEGO fans with the building just off of Highway 109 and is only 2.9 miles north of exit 232 on Interstate 40.
One can acquire new pieces, inspiration, enthusiasm, and knowledge for building and create with LEGO. They offer these because of their desire to see such exist in the community.
Stop by the store to place a reservation for a party! It could be a birthday, graduation, promotion, firing, retirement, or family get-together.
You can also purchase and sell new & used LEGO parts and related items. Operating hours is Thursday (11:00 AM – 6:00 PM), Friday and Saturday (11:00 AM – 9:00 PM), and Sunday (12:00 PM – 6:00 PM).
Address: 41 Business Park Dr, Lebanon, TN 37090-1237
14. Lebanon must-visit: Lebanon History Museum
Lebanon beams with charm and a well of history despite being one of the smaller cities in Tennessee. If you want to know more about Lebanon’s past, join other like-minded visitors to visit the Lebanon History Museum. It is one of the best places to do so.
The museum is located in the Castle Heights Military Building, a building with so much history on its own.
You will see several galleries in the museum, all of them telling stories of the city’s humble but promising beginnings.
The museum also contains distinct exhibits in that they feature real-life experiences and stories from the individuals, places, and other things that have transformed Lebanon, Tennessee into the city it is today.
This answers what to do in Lebanon for history lovers, and makes one of the fun things to do in Lebanon, TN.
Address: 200 N Castle Heights Avenue, Lebanon, Tennessee
15. Shop at Sweet Tea Boutique
If you are looking for a place to go shopping in Lebanon, there is a beautiful shop for that. Sweet Tea Boutique is a new Boutique located in Public Square, Lebanon.
Sweet Tea Boutique in Lebanon is a leading boutique that serves Watertown, Mount Juliet, Murfreesboro, and the surrounding areas.
It is family-owned and operated, and offers women’s clothing of all sizes, shoes, home decor, jewelry, and much more. They specialize in handmade decor and clothing for the average and plus sizes, meaning you can get whatever you look for in wares.
So, for your next shopping spree, stop by Sweet Tea Boutique. The boutique is open from Monday to Saturday (7:00 AM – 5:30 PM)
Address: 109 Public Square, Lebanon, TN 37087-2730
For a fun road trip in North Carolina, do not miss exploring our checklist of things to do in Black Mountain, things to do in Gastonia and things to do in Morganton.
16. Watch a performance at Capitol Theatre
If you looking to catch a thrilling movie or live performance, just want to enjoy a great theatre, you have the answer in Capitol Theatre.
Located in Lebanon, Tennessee’s historic city, Capitol Theatre is the go-to for locals who want to have a great night of entertainment.
The theatre was opened in 1941 and accaccommodates000 people. It stages regular film showings of the latest releases and is also a regular host for comedy shows, musicals, concerts, and much more.
In addition, the Capitol Theatre is a popular events venue, with many unique weddings having taken place within its walls and dance recitals or private performances.
In the end, no one would not want to spend a special day in a theater with a sensational ambiance.
Address: 110 West Main Street, Lebanon, Tennessee 37087
17. Spur creativity at Imagine That Art Studio
In search of things to do in Lebanon, TN? Go check out an art studio that would encourage you to let your creativity run wild, Imagine That Art Studio.
Coming true to its motto, “Be Creative, Be You”, the studio tangibly proves that in its approach to grooming artists, not minding the age.
Bring your children to try various crafts or you can come with some friends who want to improve their skills.
Yes, there are plenty of do-it-yourself activities to enjoy, like their canvas painting and paint-your-own-pottery parties, however, the studio also offers workshops and camps for people who are seriously ready to take their skills to the next level.
They have fantastic teachers, friendly staff, and a welcoming atmosphere that allows visitors to the studio to create memories and not only art.
Address: 1342 West Main Street, Lebanon, Tennessee 37087
18. Lebanon Outlet Marketplace
Lebanon Outlet Marketplace has a great collection of the finest brands for you and your home.
You are sure to find exceptional items when you visit this marketplace.
Some brands at Lebanon Outlet Marketplace include Gap Outlet, Nike Clearance store, Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer, Polo Ralph Lauren, Van Heusen, Coach Factory, and much more.
So if you are searching for where to shop at discounted rates in Lebanon, look no further than Lebanon Outlet Marketplace.
Address:1 Outlet Village Blvd, Lebanon, TN 37090, United States
19. Wilson County Veterans Museum
The Wilson County Veterans Museum pay homage to the men and women that served their country. One of the best things to do in Lebanon, TN, is a visit here.
The Museum honors veterans and features artifacts from The First and Second World Wars, Vietnam, Korea, and Desert Storm.
The leading artifact in the museum is a UH-1 Helicopter, also known as a “Huey.” American soldiers who partook in the Vietnam war between 1996-68 flew in this helicopter.
You will see plenty of bullet holes from the fierce battle. In 1980-95, Tennessee Army Nation Guard members used the helicopter in different missions.
The Museum also has carved granite stones representing men and women from the United States Armed forces.
Address: 304 E Main St, Lebanon, TN 37087, United States
20. Pro Bowl West
Pro Bowl West is a wonderful bowling center. It features 16 Lanes with Auto Scoring, Pool tables, Arcade, free WiFi, food and beverage menu, and an outdoor patio.
Pro Bowl West’s top priority is to ensure that you have an enjoyable and memorable time with them.
Visitors can also enjoy cosmic bowling. Their competent staff ensures everything is in order and all your needs are attended to.
Pro Bowl West also specializes in amazing themed birthday parties, corporate team-building events, bar/ bat mitzvahs and group outings, and retirement parties.
Address: 501 W Baddour Pkwy, Lebanon, TN 37087, United States
21. Jimmy Floyd Family Center
Jimmy Floyd is an impressive holistic gym that offers many classes, programs, and events. There are lots of fun things to do in Lebanon, TN, at Jimmy Floyd.
The mission statement at Jimmy Floyd Family Center is to nurture a healthier community via health programs and fitness and to provide a place for families, youth, and senior citizens to enjoy activities.
Jimmy Floyd Family Center has an indoor pool with adult lanes and an L shape 4 feet max depth area with a large wheelchair and elderly ramp or sloping entrance.
The outdoor pool has two water slides/ tubes, different fountains, and sprayers.
The Center also has a small kitchen with a video game arcade, six classics, and a few vending machines.
Some of the meals on the menu include cheese sticks, Bosco sticks with garlic bread and cheese, a grilled cheese sandwich, seasonal crinkle fries, and onion rings.
Address: 511 N Castle Heights Ave, Lebanon, TN 37087, United States
22. Sellars Farm State Archaeology Area
Sellars Farm State Archaeology Area is a Mississippian period town area close to Lebanon. The Long Hunter State Park manages this state archaeological area.
The town was inhabited around 1000 to 1300 and spanned about 10 acres, confined by a wooden palisade.
Over 100 houses, constructed with wooden logs and covered with thatched roofs and clay plasters, were built around a central plaza where games, celebrations, and other events occurred.
An enormous platform mound was constructed on the west end of the plaza. A big building which could have been a religious or civic building for the town, sat above the platform.
An earthen mound comprising 61 native human burials was once located on the plaza’s southwest corner.
Sellars Farm is open to self-guided tours, and park rangers from Long Hunter sometimes provide guided tours. It is open from 8:00 am to sunset daily.
The walking distance of the Area’s trail is about 1.4 miles over moderately level ground, and most of the trail’s length is under trees. Clean portable restrooms are close to the beginning of the trail.
Address: 474 Poplar Hill Rd, Lebanon, TN 37090, United States
23. Cedar Forest Trail Loop
Cedar Forest Trail Loop, generally considered an easy route, takes approximately 40 minutes to complete.
This trail is quite popular for walking, hiking, and running, so you will most likely meet people while exploring.
While hiking, you will come across beautiful cedar woodlands and oak-hickory forests. The habitat has one of the largest Red Cedars groves in the Country. There are also rock formations and sinks.
The trail is open throughout the year. The Trail has something unique to offer visitors each season of the year. So feel free to visit anytime.
Cedar Forest Trail Loop is dog-friendly, but they must be on a leash.
Address: Lebanon, TN, United States
Are you considering exploring Tennessee, here is a guide on things to do in Brentwood, things to do in Hendersonville, and things to do in Maryville for a fun vacation
Plan your trip to do in Lebanon
Lebanon, Tennessee is a beautiful city that is beaming with excitement. There are ancient stops which make the city a more inviting and lovely place to check.
You would see excellent spots which would leave last memories in your mind. The parks, antique shops, theatres, art studios, restaurants, and centers would make you stay some more.
Start planning your trip now and ready your awareness of the places where you can check-in. Feel free to use this guide anytime it is needed.
Have a great trip!