This Middle Tennessee town lays on the charm, with a boutique-packed Main Street, a serious drinks scene and a free-wheeling, artistic soul.
Franklin is just 30 minutes south of Music City but – so the locals say – if Nashville is a big-ticket arena show, Franklin is more like a chilled, acoustic set. This is a laid-back, no-fuss kind of town, where few bat an eyelid if a big-name musician should saunter down Main Street (showbiz heavyweights like Chris Stapleton, Justin Timberlake and Kix Brooks all have homes in the area).
And there's a lot to tempt them here: Franklin has long been known for its Civil War history, but now world-class music venues, a flourishing spirits scene and a fiercely independent spirit make it a place worth talking about. Here are six reasons to visit.
1. There’s music everywhere
Franklin is so close to Nashville that you can almost hear the roar of Broadway – and the city’s relaxed music scene is the perfect accompaniment to that of its louder, neon-rinsed sister.
Downtown, every other place has a live-music stage, from Gray’s on Main (a one-time pharmacy turned swish Southern restaurant) to Kimbro’s Pickin’ Parlor, a juke joint known for jams that last until the wee hours. There’s also Franklin Theatre, a 1937 film house that’s now a state-of-the-art concert venue playing host to the likes of Sheryl Crow.
Newest on the scene is FirstBank Amphitheater, a short drive from Downtown. It’s built into an old rock quarry and, in 2021, its star-studded opening season included Lady A and Kelsea Ballerini.
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2. They’re serious about coffee
You’d be hard-pushed to find a bad cup of joe in Franklin. Coffee is something of an art form here, and local roasters and cafés are joined up on the area’s Craft Coffee Trail.
Downtown, a standout is Frothy Monkey, which also has locations in Nashville and Chattanooga. They roast their own beans, and you can choose from top-notch single-origin coffees or signature blends like Brunch: beans from Ethiopia and Central America are lightly roasted for a sweet, nutty taste. Drinks are poured in a cute shop winking with fairy lights, alongside a tempting brunch menu built on local ingredients.
The Coffee House at Second and Bridge is another fail-safe option. The menu is a mash-up of local roasters and you’ll find a perfect place to hunker down with a good book in a labyrinth of cosy rooms – the fireplaces are lined with books, decorative planters burst with green, and the local art on the walls is for sale.
The trail is self-guided: download the free pass and check-in as you sip your way around the city. You’ll get discounts at individual venues, plus a mystery prize if you visit every location.
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3. Learn about the Black experience during the Civil War
Cities across the Southern states are finding new ways to reckon with a chequered past and, for many, that has included removing Confederate statues, whether due to official city decrees or as part of protests. A 37-foot (11m) statue of an unknown Confederate soldier stands in Franklin’s Public Square and many local residents have called for it to be torn down. However, a state bill banning the removal of historic monuments meant the statue remained in place.
Thus, the Fuller Story Project was born. Led by a band of four locals, the project aims to expand the Civil War stories that are shared Downtown. A series of plaques detail the role Black troops played in the conflict and also tell how the square was once used to trade human beings.
The highlight of the project is the March to Freedom statue, by artist Joe F. Howard. It’s a tribute to the US Colored Troops and it depicts an African American soldier with a wise, weathered face and broken shackles about his boots. It’s the first statue memorialising the US Colored Troops in a public square in the US.
4. It’s a town of one-offs and trendsetters
Franklin’s Main Street is about as quaint as they come and that’s in large part due to the pool of indie boutiques Downtown. Wander the city’s main artery and duck into stores like Tin Cottage, filled with Tennessee-branded T-shirts and bourbon-scented candles in spirit jars, or White’s Mercantile, a stylish gift shop and boutique owned by Hank Williams’ granddaughter, singer-songwriter Holly Williams.
Don’t miss Landmark Booksellers, either: Southern literature is favoured at this charming bookstore and black and white photos of 20 authors cover the wall above slouchy leather couches. There’s a free book for anyone who can name them all.
Yet more independents call The Factory home. This former stove factory a short walk from Main Street is filled with galleries, funky shops (like the charming Fork of the South general store) and foodie spots like Five Daughters – the original location of the now uber-popular doughnut shop.
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5. The city shares a postcode with a little-known artists’ enclave
Drive 10 minutes west of Franklin proper and you’ll hit Leipers Fork, a match-box-sized town with a giant creative heart. It’s offbeat from the outset – as you pull into town, you’ll spot a replica of Barney Fife’s police car from The Andy Griffith Show. Why, you ask? The quirky art piece belongs to a local who parks it out front for all to enjoy. That speaks to the spirit of the town.
Continue on and a charming mishmash of clapboard buildings springs up from the surrounding meadows. They’re filled with arts venues, antiques shops, quaint Airbnb properties and the 1892 Restaurant – a sophisticated venue serving upscale dishes with Southern and European accents.
Galleries are fronted by porches with swing seats, there are fire pits for evening s’mores and jam sessions, and the Lawnchair Theatre sees locals drag up their garden furniture for live performances on an alfresco stage built from cedar logs. Justin Timberlake even has his very own creative bolthole here: neat-as-a-pin clapboard Milleville is sometimes available to rent.
Check out Serenite Mansion, an artfully-styled shop that’s crammed full of antiques, homewares, coffee-table books and jewellery – the instruments strung on the wall in the “pickin’ corner” are free for customers to play. The David Arms Gallery, a converted barn filled with stirring, nature-inspired works by its namesake, is another must-visit.
In need of a pick me up? Head to Puckett's of Leiper's Fork, a 1950s grocery store that now doubles as a meat-and-three restaurant and live music venue (today with locations around Tennessee). The Thursday open-mic nights have become an institution.
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6. It’s the perfect place for a drink or two
Until 2009, tight liquor laws (a thumping hangover from the state’s Prohibition era) meant there were only three legal distilleries operating in Tennessee. That didn’t wash with Heath Clark, a local lawyer with a love of whiskey, who set about to change state law. His endeavour was successful and he opened H Clark Distillery in a Civil War-era granary building, and now makes hand-crafted rye whiskey, black and tans, single-barrel bourbons and gin. Drop in for a tasting and a tour of the small facility.
It’s a stop along the Masters and Makers Trail, which joins together the best distillers and wine-makers in the county. The journey is part of the appeal: the route wiggles through Williamson County countryside, passing cherry-red barns and white-washed mansions belonging to music stars.
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Another top stop is Arrington Vineyards, which is co-owned by country singer Kix Brooks. It's known for its whiskey-barrel-aged wines (a crowd favourite is the Antebellum Red) and open-air Music in the Vines concerts.
You can go it alone with a designated driver (or ridesharing services Uber and Lyft), or book onto Grayline's Dinner and Distilleries Tour for a black-car service.
More information
The Harpeth Hotel, a member of the Curio Collection by Hilton, is a luxury property located on Franklin’s historic Main Street. It has 119 rooms, two on-site restaurants and rates begin at $300 (£221) per night.
Discover more at: visitfranklin.com; tnvacation.com.
Lead image: Bennekom/Shutterstock