Popular Family Attractions Near Columbia, TN

Whether you’re going for a vacation or day trip or are a long-time resident of Columbia, Tennessee, there are many fun and family-filled attractions in and near this small city. Columbia is in Maury County and is considered a part of the Nashville metropolitan area. The city considers itself the mule capital of the world, and celebrates all things related to mules each April on Mule Day, which began in the 19th century as a way for mule breeders to meet. Consider checking out these six awesome family attractions near Columbia when you’re in town for some good family fun.

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aMuse’um Columbia Children’s Museum

The aMuse’um Columbia Children’s Museum is located in the historic downtown square of Columbia, Tennessee. Established in 2009, its mission is to create a fun and educational space where children are encouraged to explore so they can become thinkers, learners, and creators.

Some of the museum’s attractions include an indoor play space, a lite-brite wall where children can create works of art, dress-up stations for role-playing, and child-sized exhibits of everyday places to teach them about professions and the world, such as a veterinary clinic, a bank, a voting booth, a grocery store, a nursery, a farm, an ice cream shop, and others.

A variety of weekly opportunities provide fun ways for kids to learn, such as Messy Mondays when kids can experience a variety of sensory materials, Tinkering Thursdays to encourage problem-solving, Slime Club, and Science Saturdays. There are also summer camps, winter clubs, and a variety of programs such as the Junior Space Club. Many of the activities are parent-led, making the aMuse’um fun for both children and their caregivers. There is also a toy store that offers quality educational toys at affordable prices. Each $10 child’s ticket you purchase also allows one adult to enter. Additional adult tickets are $5.

Lucky Ladd Farms Ag-Venture Farm Fun Park

Lucky Ladd Farms is in Eagleville, Tennessee, about a 45-minute drive from Columbia. It’s the largest petting zoo of its kind in Tennessee, but it also offers a variety of other attractions that are fun for the whole family. Some things to do at Lucky Ladd Farms include pony rides, a barrel train, mega slides, barrel slides, a tire climbing wall, rubber duck races, milking cows, wagon rides, a rope maze, tractor displays, a splash pad during the spring and summer, and various other unique playground equipment and rides.

Lucky Ladd Farms is also home to the Cedar Glade Trails, a corn maze, and a pumpkin patch. With a stop at the Farm Market Country Store for gourmet farm fresh goodies, the Farmhouse Bakery for a sweet treat, and the gift shop for a souvenir, there’s something for everyone at this farm fun park.

President James K. Polk Home and Museum

Visit the historic home of the 11th president of the United States when you bring your family to the President James K. Polk Home and Museum in Columbia, Tennessee. Guests are provided with a 30-minute guided docent tour of the main house and a self-guided tour of the Polk Sisters’ House, gardens, separate kitchen building, and the Polk Presidential Hall exhibition center.

Experience a variety of original and traveling exhibits on American culture and the life and presidency of James K. Polk, who issued the first postage stamp, added three states to the nation, commissioned the Washington Monument, and founded the Naval Academy. There are a number of gifts and educational items as well as souvenirs available in the Museum Shop.

Chickasaw Trace County Park

The Chickasaw Trace County Park has a variety of hiking and biking trails, including sections that are flat and easy and sections with difficult terrain, so you can find a path that’s comfortable for each person in the family. The 300-acre park also has a remote control car track for model cars, a remote control flying field for model airplanes, a playground, pavilion, grills, boat ramp, and restrooms. Enjoy the scenic views of Duck River and Knob Creek, and bring a picnic for the riverbank or book the pavilion or on-site log cabin.

Mule Town Tours

Columbia, Tennessee, is nicknamed “Mule Town.” Mule Town Tours offers both walking and driving tours of historic downtown Columbia, as well as differently themed tours, such as ghost tours. If you and your kids enjoy ghosts or spooky stories, choose a ghost tour.

If you’d rather skip the spooky element, opt for a tour of historic downtown that offers educational value as well as the beautiful scenery of Columbia’s antebellum houses. You can choose from a classic ghost tour, a driving ghost tour, a Civil War in Maury County tour, a historic downtown driving tour, the Greenwood Cemetery tour, or the Rosehill Cemetery tour. The Mule Town tour bus is named Dimple, short for “Dimple of the Universe,” which is the nickname of Maury County.

The Monkey’s Treehouse

The Monkey’s Treehouse is the ultimate indoor playground. For children up to age eight, it offers a multi-roomed indoor treehouse for kids to explore, climb, learn, and play. It also has a puppet theater, car and train tables, a town village, dollhouses, and a variety of other toys and play spaces to entertain any child.

There is a closed-off nursery area for safe play for children under the age of two. Parents can play with the kids, drop off their kids, or use the coworking space to work while the kids play. You can also book space for a party or gathering or enjoy one of the programed events or activities at The Monkey’s Treehouse.

Before you plan your trips to these awesome family attractions around Columbia, drop by Stan McNabb Chevrolet of Columbia to take a look at family-friendly vehicles that can get your whole group to your destination in comfort, style, and safety. If we left your favorite family attraction near or in Columbia, Tennessee, off of our list, be sure to drop us a line to let us know!