We saw this place while going to the farmer market and decided to check it out. This is such a nice place for a walk for fresh air. This place has lots of open space, and beautiful view of capitol buildings. This place has some great informative history. This is a great place to stop by for a brief time. read more

Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park - Parks Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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4.5 Stars When I penned my last Yelp review a few days ago on the Tennessee State Capitol Building, it mentioned that it was part of a walk that my brother and I took to the Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park (From this point forward it is abbreviated BCMSP). It also mentioned that from the highest elevation of Downtown Nashville, my eyes looked across BCMSP. The reality is that BCMSP is a continuation of the Tennessee State Capitol. Less than a mile from Broadway; BCMSP, Tennessee State Capitol Building, Legislative Plaza, and government institutions are a world away from the honky tonk. I consider this part of Downtown Nashville as a Capitol Tourism District. The best way to describe BCMSP is having a similar layout to the Washington DC Mall. Both are linear parks originating from a Capitol Building that is adorned with statues and monuments along a great lawn with institutions and places of interest alongside the linear park. The striking difference is that the Tennessee State Capitol is on top of a grand hill. This design is no coincidence. When it opened on June 1, 1996 on the 200th Anniversary of Tennessee statehood, it brought to life the concept of bringing the Capitol Mall to the Tennessee State Capitol with a celebration of the state's history, geography, and culture. With Country Music far out of earshot, Tennessee was ringing in my ears when we walked the linear park from the southern entrance at James Robinson Parkway to the northern end at Jefferson Street. Walking south to north, the first attraction we took in was Tennessee Map Plaza. We walked on a granite map of Tennessee. Close by we picked up a $1 can of Coke from the Gift Shop (great deal!). We walked along the eastern walkway called Walkway of Counties where we took in the shade from the poplars while reading about the counties. This led us in and out of the Great Lawn. We stopped at the Tennessee Amphitheatre. Continuing north we stopped at the World War Two Memorial and the Court of Three Stars. I read that these are the tallest carillons in the World. Occasionally looking back, I took in the Tennessee State Capitol Building. At the northernmost point of the park at Jefferson Street, I took in a distant view of the totality of BCMSP leading to the Tennessee State Capitol. What a photo! Now walking south, instead of walking steadily towards it, we took a detour through the Farmer's Market carrying us parallel to the western boundary of the mall. If we had more time, we would have celebrated Tennessee further with time spent in the Tennessee State Museum at the northwest corner of the linear park. We rejoined BCMSP at the Tennessee Map Plaza where we took in a grand vista of the Tennessee State Capitol rising from on top of the hill. Instead of returning to it, we walked the city streets of Rep. John Lewis Way back to Broadway where the honky-tonk vibe returned. I am a fan of BCMSP. It has so much historic and Capitol Tourism character. And speaking of character, I am reaching the Yelp character limit. So, without further ado, I rate BCMSP 4.5 Stars. read more

Quality/Quantity - 11 acres and 11 planters displaying the native plants. 200 ft granite map of TN. Limestone columns. 2000 seat amphitheater. World War 2 Memorial. 95 Bell Carillon. Short easy trails. Atmosphere - See above. Visitor center is open from 8am to 4pm. I did not see restrooms??? Service - Guided tours available from Rangers, see website. Events, see website. Price - Free. Owner Comment - Thanks TN for this park. read more

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Bicentennial Park is right next to the Nashville Farmers' Market. My daughter has talked about the beautiful landscaping, easy pathways, thoughtful layout and historical structures, but it really is something to be experienced. I honestly don't think I can do it justice in this review. The pride in the rich history of Tennessee is very apparent at every aspect of this amazing space -- the story walls, memorials, amphitheater, 200 ft. concrete engraved map and incredible views. It's also an arboretum which makes it even more interesting for me. My only disappointment was not experiencing the Carillon bells. I hope they'll be working at my next visit. read more

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Bicentennial Park is located at the end of the downtown Nashville. Its beautiful and green with a walking path but my favorite is the amphitheater. The park has parking, although not sufficient enough. One can visit the Tennessee State capitol and then check out the farmers market too which is very close to the park. The Park is also pet friendly. I would definitely recommend a visit to this park! read more

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I met here with a friend who lives in the area when I visited Nashville. Aesthetically, it is a nice park. There is a lot of green grass area and there's sort of thing to see - like the building, some monuments, and an intereseting structure at the other end of the park from the capitol building. My friend and I laid out a picnic blanket and just talked. Other people did the same or were either playing games on the grass or playing with their pets. As I'm not from the area, I think it was an interesting place to check out and hang out at. Unless I hang out there again to meet with people, I don't think I'd go out of the way to visit again even though it is a nice park. read more

Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park - Parks Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Great experience and a nice walk. Historical facts surrounding the park. A lot of things I didn't know coming from the Eastern part of America read more

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this is a quaint park. They have a few fountains, war memorials, and a lot of grass. Very beautiful landscaping and they have an amphitheater read more

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Almost every tour in Nashville goes through Bicentennial. Last time I did a bike tour and Voila it ended here. Very clever design: Love the Tennessee walk with each county represented, clever topography representation of the state too. Love the chimes. Sit inside the middle of the circle and you can hear yourself speak. Great concerts and events here on the green. read more

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I decided to walk this state park to kill time before heading back to the airport and it was a great decision. It was early on a Monday morning so the park was not crowded, there was some construction going on in the front and I believe there was a spot that was closed off, but for parts I got to see it was lovely and well thought out. The park was clean, lots of benches to sit along the way and the World War II Memorial was pretty breathtaking. I'm sure this park is much bigger and had more to see than I had time to spare but I'd definitely visit again. The globe floating & spinning on water is everything. read more

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After visiting the state capitol on a hot day, I decided to hop in my rental car and cruise around the area. I found this park and did a drive around it. I saw flags and the fountains. It has an urban feel to it. It was so hot that there weren't too many folks out, other than folks keeping cool by the fountains. There is a car dropoff area behind the fountains. Parking is free. I flagged dropping by during my recent trip. However, it was excessively hot that I chose air-conditioned places instead! There is a contrast between the park's greenery and concrete structures. The latter showcases Tennessee's history, people, and more. I love doing self-guided walking tours and learning about where I am visiting. I'll need to return when it's not scorching hot outside, and both my phone and I don't overheat. There is also an amphitheatre, which is a nice venue for live music. I liked the roundabouts in front of this park that I probably indulged driving in circles more than most would have liked... haha! It was cool doing a car tour, but I'd love to walk through it next time under cooler conditions. I look forward to returning to check out this park in more detail the next time I'm in the city. (247) read more

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During our visit to Nashville in late November, after eating at a famous restaurant in the Germantown area, R and I decided to leave the car parked in Germantown and walk to Downtown Nashville. Within a few minutes of walking, we found ourselves walking along the confines of Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. Lots of greenspace, and I saw it after noticing many individuals running along the greenspace. I didn't realize what that area was until we got to a grouping of Tennessee state flags. There was a large concrete and grass outdoor amphitheater and walls with timeline of facts, info and quotes regarding everything Tennessee. I would've liked to spend more time here and see what else was around, but we had to get going since we were walking. I will be back. read more

Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park - Grouping of Tennessee state flags. - Parks Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

On a very hot summer Saturday we wandered up and down this great expanse of green space in downtown Nashville as we waited for the nearby State Museum to open. Fortunately there are many shady trees. Starting just below the state capitol and heading north for at least a half mile you will come across all kinds of information on the history, geography and culture of the state. There are many well done monuments along the way. Definitely worth the time though it would be better enjoyed in the cooler seasons.... read more

Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park - Cool WWII memorial - how is that floating on water? - Parks Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Outside of the Nashville farmers market memorializes a bit of history. If you are a history person, I recommend taking the time to come out and read some of the plaques. Not only are the beautiful, but they are rich with so much knowledge and information. The walk is very easy and simple. Really great for a short break! read more

This is a Fun bicentennial, Capitol Mall statue park. It has all kinds of things in here to check out and visit and take pictures with and just have a really good time. I would definitely recommend exploring and check it out. read more

Nice spot to walk around, and hang out / chat, benches scattered around the park, nice grassy area, also has an amphitheater. Plenty of parking, not very crowded, sometimes has events. Carillons at one end of the park is super cool, plays different music! read more

Great place to walk or rent a bike . So much history you can read throughout the park. I love the trees and the beautiful views. There's street parking, but if you go to the farmers market, there's parking on the other side. The hop on/off trolley tour also makes a stop at the farmers market. Great place to get your steps in. read more

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This park is amazing and just a short jaunt away from the Nashville Farmer's market. There's a walking area with the entire history of Tennessee and Nashville along with a WW2 memorial right in the middle of the pathway. The lawn here is lush, gorgeous and the perfect spot for a quick cat nap. You can basically walk all the way to the Capitol building and you'll only have to cross one major street. Whether you're a local or just visiting this place it's definitely worth a visit. I highly suggest visiting this park with a snack from the Farmers Market. read more

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Every park deserves 5* for the concept, execution, and delivery of a public space for all to enjoy. Despite my positive bias, objectivity is key. This park is itself basic aside from a sweeping outdoor amphitheater. Maybe an outdoor event holds the last star? Large open grassy areas with paved walking paths and plazas are adorned by larger rock features and mature trees. Imagine the large amount of pavement (and even grass) get especially hot during the summer, so this park is probably a scorcher to enjoy then sadly. The larger rocks and tree features offered an excellent opportunity to sit and sun a la lizard for a rejuvenating break in the spring however. Engraved quotes (albiet in Times New Roman) sprinkle the walls and were quite interesting. A plaque for each county in TN surrounds the perimeter of the park's paved walking path, a nice touch and homage to all the components of this great state! Add this park to your to-see list, you won't be disappointed! read more

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What an amazingly peaceful and picturesque park. I don't live in the area, but whenever I come back into the Nashville area I will most definitely be coming back. Peep the photo of the model I shot here while in town. read more

It is an urban environment, but a very well-used space. The park is embedded between numerous government buildings, the museum, a food hall, and a bunch of free parking. It is pretty easy to walk from here to the downtown area. The park space has a variety of art pieces and memorials dedicated to the entire state, and plenty of places to sit. While I don't think it has a ton of dedicated facilities, the neighboring museum and farmers market provide a refuge when open. With the train rumbling by, the state capitol in sight, and the hoi polloi of the city meandering through, it is definitely one of the first places you'd want to be as a visitor to get a sense of the area. read more

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A nice park, not large, but relaxing and definitely connected to the city of Nashville. If you need a respite on the city of Nashville, especially by the downtown area, seek this place out. You will be glad you did. read more

Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park - Parks Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Tennessee Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park is located in downtown Nashville, right in the heart of the city. It is a beautifully manicured park filled with history lessons and interesting monuments. So much to see if one takes the time to enjoy. My find of the park was purely by accident while I tried to find the Nashville Farmer's Market. Google directions brought me to the park instead. So glad it did. Not only is the park adjoining the market with a quick walk through from Rosa Parks Boulevard, it has tons of free parking all along the internal roadway, and made for a fabulous place to meander. If I lived in the area, would sure to be back to sit on a bench and read a book, have a picnic on the lawn, or just walk. On one end is an amphitheatre which seems to have a lot of life surrounding it. There is a dancing fountain, history stones up and down the park, a railcar, and lots of other interesting displays. Have I mentioned how beautiful and inviting the park is? And as you look up from inside the park you will see the State Capitol perfectly framed about 1/4 up the road. I know I'm going to date myself with this comment but this beautiful park kind of reminds me of the park Forrest Gump sits on a bench on with his box of chocolates...tho this park is bigger. A medium sized, easy to walk park with so much to offer. A must see when in the city of Nashville! read more

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I don't think you can visit the city of Nashville without driving through this beautiful park and if you don't take a few minutes to stop and take it all in you are really doing yourself an injustice. Hopefully you'll find yourself here when it's mostly peaceful and only a few souls are wondering around, you could be so lucky to find this place as I did, if it weren't for the construction next door I think I could of heard the grass grow, this place has a way of drowning out all the city noise. It's a beautiful place to chill you can roll on the beautiful lawn, read a book, eat a sandwich or close your eyes and clear your mind. It's no mistake this place exist, I'm sure each experience here is unique and every memory here belongs to someone. This is the kind of place that makes the best of days even better, it may be one of the few places in the city that allows you to totally reset your mind, who can say there are no do overs after visiting this place, I can only imagine what I would of missed if I had not stopped here, sometime it only takes a moment to make a connection that's the beautiful of nature... read more

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Now it would be a dadgum shame if you don't take a stroll in this 19-acre patch of green and concrete if you're already at the Nashville Farmers' Market. They're right next to each other downtown in the shadow of the State Capitol building. The park itself was opened only in 1996 to celebrate, you guessed it, the bicentennial anniversary of Tennessee's statehood. It's an oasis of calm compared to the huulyburly activity of the market until you get nearly run over by a battalion of segways on a city tour. What I liked in particular was the relative subtlety of the memorials and historical markers festooned throughout the park, whether it was the wall-engraved Pathway of History (photo: http://bit.ly/2OgZ3AK), the water-suspended black granite globe in the World War II Memorial (photo: http://bit.ly/2OdIrtM), or the bells housed in the fifty Greek-style columns that make up the Carillon (photo: http://bit.ly/2OiDf81). Just in case you get confused like us, this is not the same as Centennial Park where the plaster replica of The Parthenon is. That would be due west. RELATED - Collection of Tennessee sights and eateries that I've tried and reviewed: bit.ly/2v22KmG read more

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The first time I visited Bicentennial Mall was on a third grade field trip in 1997, shortly after it opened. I remember the fountains, and that's about it. But unbeknownst to me, this park had quite the history already. Governor Ned McWherter casually mentioned to The Tennessean in July 24th, 1989 that he was "thinkin and dreamin" about building a bicentennial mall, mimicking the mall in Washington DC, providing a clear view of the state Capital, providing parking for state employees working in the surrounding buildings, and acting as a symbolic investment in the North Nashville neighborhood which had been devastated during the construction of 1-40 twenty years previously. But this was all hypothetical at this time. It's a beautiful monument sitting on 11 acres. There's a plaza with a 25 foot long granite map of the state. There is a wall of history, where you get to walk along the timeline of Tennessee history, complete with facts. There is a walkway of counties, honoring each of the 95 counties. There is a 2,000 seat amphitheater. Honoring Tennessee's music history is a court with 95 bells (for each of Tennessee's 95 counties) that plays music at the top of each hour. The aforementioned fountains are a representation of the 31 major rivers in the state. There's a state time capsule, buried with dirt from each of the state's counties, and a beautiful World War 2 Memorial. It's adjacent to the Nashville Sounds Stadium, the Farmers Market, and the Tennessee State Museum. There are also planters showing native plants to Tennessee, and tulip poplars, the state tree. Generally, this park hosts different festivals, like the Tennessee History Festival, the Italian Lights Festival, the Nashville Food and Wine Festival, and the Music City Irish Fest. The amphitheater has hosted many events, including the Nashville New Years Eve Music City Midnight concert, and free summer Symphony concerts. There's also some great tours that'll walk you through the park with specialized perspectives and reenactors, if you choose. You can explore those options on the Tennessee State Parks events page. For me, I spend about and hour and a half, and strolled around for about two miles to see everything. read more

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While visiting Nashville recently we had the pleasure of visiting the Bicentennial Park in downtown! This park was so cool, people were enjoying the fountains shooting up water to escape the nice Summer heat! My fiancé and I walked around this large park taking in the rich history of a beautiful state like Tennessee! From the indigenous Cherokee tribe to the all the way to the history of the Civil War, they break up certain decades by milestones relevant to the State history. It was so fun walking by and the greek amphitheater in the middle of the park and soaking up so much historical information. You will have a great time walking around this rather large park, and as you look up towards the center of the city you can see the State Capitol building! What a great way to walk off a few calories or work up an appetite to eat some great Southern food ^_^ Totally recommend this park to anyone visiting beautiful Nashville, what a fun state with nice people! read more

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Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park is one of those must-see Nashville spots for any first-time visitors. If you are planning on going to the Nashville Farmer's Market the BCM is adjacent to the market so my favorite thing to do is to get Jeni's ice cream from the market then walk in the park. The timeline of Tennessee history located on a wall surrounding the West side of the park. At one side of the park the capitol building is in view then the opposite side you can view pillars which are situated around a mosaic walkway of the Tennessee flag. At the top of the hour you can hear various melodies being played from these pillars. There is an amphitheater on the end closest to the capitol building and several memorial tributes across the park. No matter what season this urban park is nice year round. Whether you are picnicking, walking around or attending one of the many festivals/events here there is usually something to see, learn or enjoy. read more

Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park - In the Fall - Parks Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

A great addition to downtown, lots to learn about TN and it's history. They offer a TN passport you can take around the the Museum and State library to be stamped. A cute little gift shop to get some stickers or more if you'd like. Right next door is the Farmers Market which is a must see for the local produce and products. Not a lot of parking and what is available is pay to park, better to walk of take the bus. read more

I could have stayed here all day reading the wall of history. As a guy that's into historical events and places I loved being here. The place was so chill people were there enjoying the day relaxing walking and making the most of their time. The big bonus is the market right across the street so when you are done walking at chilling you can grab a bite to eat at the many eateries in a nice AC or heated building depending on the weather. read more

This is a unique park that celebrates the state of Tennessee and everything in the boundaries of this great state. I visited this park while grabbing a bite to eat at the Farmers Market nearby, which has a great food court with many dining options. There are lots of Ornate stone slabs with information on the State of Tennessee etched on them about its History, People, and Geography. Very clean and tranquil compared to the hustle and Bustle of Nashville streets. A worth while stop and smell the flowers moment. You could spend hours walking around and looking at everything or spend an hour taking it all in. Very nice.to take a walk and it's close to the State Capital which can be seen easily from the park. read more

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A neat park that we walked through on the way to the Farmer's Market. Lots of green, lots of space, lots of trees. What I found particularly interesting was the history of Tennessee going back to the Ice Age and continuing through early settlers, the Revolutionary War and the critical part that it played in the Civil War. Sorry! The War of Northern Aggression. It's a super neat timeline. There's a view of the Capitol, too! read more

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The Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park is a 19-acre park where you can experience different facets of Tennessee's history. There is a 200-foot granite map of the state, a World War II Memorial, a 95-Bell Carillon, a Path of History, the Rivers of Tennessee Fountains, a Walkway of Counties (of native plant species from different regions of the state), as well as a cool amphitheater on the other side with seating with grassy areas for a nice day for picnics. The park has events that you check out on their TN State Parks' website, where they offer things such as 5K walks, vintage baseball, and Statehood Day. A nice area for a walk, for picnics, to walk your pup, or to soak in some of TN's history. +amphitheater +ample amount of parking read more

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Really cool park and museum. The history of Tennessee is fascinating. Loved hearing the 50 bells ringing on the hour. read more

Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park - Historical walk and museum - Parks Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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Beautiful State Park located just behind the State Capitol. Nice to walk through and read Tennessee History. Check out the amphitheater and you can walk into the Farmers Market. read more

Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park - Parks Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

Great outdoor space overlooking the capitol. It's beautiful, and there is a memorial on the other side. On certain days you can catch free yoga classes or king of pops here. read more

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Beautiful. Took the free music city bus which drop us straight between the capital building and the mall. Stopped by the order markets and inform food hall. So awesome! read more

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Beautiful park right in the middle of town. Even a little place you can grab a drink / shop on the edge of the park. Drive through or park and stay a while (parking was free and plentiful) read more

Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park - View of the capital from the park - Parks Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee

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This is a neat park! It has a small ampitheater, beautiful views of the state capitol, located right next to the Nashville Farmer's Market, and is just a nice place to hang out! read more

Saturday June 7, Tony and I went back to this lovely downtown park. This time we were accompanied by my lovely daughter Noel and her doggie Sammy. We enjoyed walking around the park for about 45 minutes enjoying the sunny afternoon...the weather was so lovely. We went early in the morning hoping to avoid any major crowds due to the CMA fest going on in downtown area not too far away. We walked around the park and Sammy enjoying the ability to run and play (within the curtails of her leash of course)...several others were there walking their dogs, jogging and pushing strollers..it was really lovely afternoon.. I love this park..I always learn something new about the state along the Bicentennial wall...if you haven't discovered this lovely Nashville JEWEL..you have to go down here..walk and enjoy... read more

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