Lovingly hidden in north-central Tennessee, in the capital city of Nashville, there’s a little local park beloved by locals that’s certainly worth checking out!

Located at S. 20th Street on Shelby Avenue, Shelby Park is a place where creativity, relaxation and recreation all come together, creating an unforgettable day trip with something for everyone.
Brent Moore/Flickr
The park is on a roomy 1,300 acres, and has been a staple of Nashville since its all-American dedication on July 4, 1912. The park is free to use for all.
Shelby Park is open all year round, with something amazing going on every day. In the fall, the lush green trees change from gold to red, attracting visitors from all over.
donnaire_gunter/Flickr
The park is a welcome calm in the bustling city – it offers visitors numerous options to fill up an otherwise quiet afternoon, including additions such as a dog park, several walking trails, nine and 18 hole golf courses, and a lake for fishing, swimming and boating.
One can expect to find geese, ducks, squirrels, raccoons and other creatures living in the park and surrounding woods.
Rick Pecoraro/Flickr
Open from the crack of dawn until 11 p.m., there's no camping allowed, but one is welcome to visit sunrise to sunset. It's super easy to spend an entire day simply taking in the awesome beauty of this city oasis.

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In the winter, the lakes at Shelby Park and surrounding areas are stocked with trout, ready to be caught and cooked up by hungry fisherfolk.
Rick Pecoraro/Flickr
Year-round, one can expect to catch bluegill, sunfish, and carp. Other than carp, which must be released back into the water, all fish caught at Shelby Park must be kept by the person who caught it.
Adjacent to Shelby Park is the Shelby Bottoms Greenway, which offers more than five miles of paved, ADA-accessible trails for walking, biking and jogging all year.
Rick Pecoraro/Flickr
Shelby Bottoms Greenway adds even more trails, lakes, ponds and sights to see to the probably-already-packed Shelby Park day trip.
Various rivers flow in and around the park and surrounding forest.
Rick Pecoraro/Flickr
The water remains cool and clear year-round, though in the winter, many of the ponds and rivers freeze over. In the spring, it's quite the spectacle to witness the park burst back into life.
Complimenting the beauty of the natural world around it, the park is also home to many pieces of unique artwork.
StudioMobile/Flickr
From giant silver birds to intriguing UFO-like structures, artists are encouraged to get creative here. The park is also located in a vibrant patch of Nashville which is proud to be among the most diverse in the state.

Beloved by locals and historians, this quirky little patch of paradise is a fabulous staycation getaway for locals and a great place to check out for visitors! Bask in the uniqueness of this quaint and meaningful place. Have you ever been to this park? Do you have a favorite state park? Let us know what it is in the comments!

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Featured Addresses
Shelby Avenue & South 20th Street, Shelby Ave & S 20th St, Nashville, TN 37206, USA