Walking and Driving Tours

Franklin's African American Heritage Tour, "COURAGE, FAITH AND COMMITMENT," is a brochure-guided driving tour of 20 historically significant sites relating to the experiences and contributions of African Americans to Franklin's development over the past 200 years.  Contact Carnton Plantation for a free brochure of this 90-minute... MORE >>

Self-Guided Cell Phone Audio Tour of Historic Franklin Park Sites impacted by the Battle of Franklin during the Civil War. Call 615.216.1597 to access the cell phone tour from any location 24/7. Follow the prompts by entering the tour stop number and then the (pound) # key. The cell phone tour is free, however your normal cell usage rates apply.... MORE >>

This Battle of Franklin walking tour will take guests to at least seven different locations on the battlefield. Tour guides will focus on many elements of the Battle, explaining why it occurred, the arrival of Federal and Confederate armies, and the details of what became known as one of the greatest single assaults of the entire Civil War. The... MORE >>

Franklin Bike Tours & Rentals offers small, guide-led bicycle groups and short rentals. The company offers two tours from the seat of a bicycle. The Scenic Franklin Tour passes through the town’s most historic neighborhoods and coast along the Harpeth River-hugging bike path, taking guests through Pinkerton Park and the O’More College of Design... MORE >>

The Civil War driving tour brochure is available at the Williamson County Visitor Center and describes important sites pertaining to the Battle of Franklin.

The Civil War in Franklin Guided Walking Tour offers a glimpse of civilians in Franklin who experienced want and need as well as heartbreak and loss during the entire Civil War era. Ordinary folks found themselves embroiled in a conflict that no one could have imagined. Some of the people you will meet include Dr. John Park, who was ordered to... MORE >>

Classic Franklin Guided Walking Tour provides an overview of Franklin's history, with something for everyone in the family. You'll get a glimpse into the lives of some of the town's most interesting people and gain an appreciation for some of the most historic buildings and the events that took place in them. You'll learn about a church for freed... MORE >>

Home to more than 20 locally-owned and operated restaurants, the Franklin Food Tour offers participants everything from BBQ sliders and fried green tomatoes to chess pie and gumbo in six of our finest eateries.The Southern staples will come with a bit of background on each morsel and the five-block walking tour will include some history along the... MORE >>

One of the best ways to experience the beautiful architecture, the history and the interesting stories of the past is by guided walking tour of Historic Downtown Franklin. Look through the walking tour listings for Franklin On Foot's variety of tours such as Classic Franklin, Haunted Franklin, Ghosts of the Battlefield at the Lotz House Museum,... MORE >>

Explore the History of Franklin with Free iPad App, Six Walking Tours; The WCCVB's Visitor Center Offers Loaner iPads to Visitors! The Franklin Tour app offers visitors a fun, interactive way to discover the history, architecture and stories that make up Franklin's Great American Main Street experience.The app is a map-based, GPS-enabled walking... MORE >>

Ghosts of the Battlefield Tour takes you inside the Lotz House, the historic house museum where visitors will view this beautifully restored 1858 "show house" while hearing stories of bloodshed and destruction... and unexplained phenomena. When lives are cut short, sometimes spirits remain. That might be what happened here. The Lotz house was in... MORE >>

Grave Matters Cemetery Guided Walking Tour: Dead men tell no tales, but their tombstones do. And your Franklin on Foot guide will tell the about the always interesting, sometimes tragic and often shocking stories from Franklin's Rest Haven and Old City cemeteries. You will hear about the Civil War soldiers buried in these cemeteries, including... MORE >>

Gray Line offers a guided bus tour called "The Civil War: Battle of Franklin" that includes tours of Carter House and Carnton Plantation. The tour also includes time for shopping and dining in historic downtown Franklin. Tour lasts approximately 6 hours. Available April through November. Contact Gray Line for reservations and boarding locations. Tour admission charged.

The Haunted Franklin Guided Walking Tour in downtown Franklin is just a' crawlin' with ghosts! Your guide will regale you with tales of departed socialites, spies, businessmen, Confederate soldiers, and even the children who roam Main Street and Third Avenue. One is helpful, several appear lonely, and one seems to be afraid of the dark! The... MORE >>

Treat yourself to a self-guided walking tour of downtown Franklin's historic district. See and learn about some interesting homes, churches and landmarks significant to the history of this beautiful town. Pick up a free brochure at the Williamson County Visitor Center, 209 E. Main Street in downtown Franklin or call 866.253.9207.

'I Spy Downtown Franklin' is a guided scavenger hunt for the eyes! Children who participate in 'I Spy' count objects and find dates, make a brass rubbing, learn about and draw historical doors, look for architectural details on buildings around the Square and down Main Street, and have fun!. It's an active, hands-on program that takes about an... MORE >>

'I Spy for Preschoolers' is a parent-guided scavenger hunt for the eyes for children ages 3-5. Parents can help their young sleuths hunt for architectural elements, count objects, make a rubbing and learn about their surroundings. Perfect for children who haven't yet learned to read. Your child is ready for 'I Spy for Preschoolers' if he or she can... MORE >>

The Jack Trail is a journey filled with history, music, horse racing and whiskey making. Reclaim the pioneer spirit at Cannonsburg Village in Murfreesboro — a reconstructed "living history museum" featuring a gristmill, blacksmith's shop and one-room schoolhouse.Next, stop in Manchester to see the site of Bonnaroo, the most renowned music festival... MORE >>

Murder and Mayhem on Main Street Guided Walking Tour: In contrast to the quaint and charming Franklin of today, the town's past was seamy and crime-filled. Your guide will fill you in on all the details on our very popular PG-14 tour, which is not for the squeamish, as we discuss murder (all kinds: for hire, passion- and alcohol-fueled);... MORE >>

Return to the scenic grandeur of the rugged outdoors on the Nashville's Trace Trail. Named for the famous "Natchez to Nashville" highway, an important wilderness road during the early 18th century, this trail takes the traveler through the same areas in middle and west TN that greeted the arrival of early settlers in the late 1700's. Points of... MORE >>

The OLD TENNESSEE TRAIL, SETTLERS TO SOLDIERS, is a self -guided driving tour that begins and ends in Franklin, looping through Mount Pleasant. This trail takes you off the beaten path to discover some hidden treasures that are must sees and great eats!  Learn more about the trails program at www.tntrailsandbyways.com. Brochures also available at the visitor center.

The Tennessee Civil War Trails is a self-guided driving tour with interpretive markers of significant Civil War sites and trailblazer signs throughout the state including the Franklin area. This section of the trail interprets a critical phase of General John Bell Hood's 1864 campaign to regain control of the state. Visit our website for more information.

Thomas Y. Cartwright, one of the nation’s leading authorities on the Battle of Franklin, is offering personalized walking tours of the Battlefield from the Lotz House.  You’ve seen him on the History Channel, and now he can be your personal tour guide as you walk with him over the battlefieldand hear the stories of some of the bravest men in... MORE >>

Time Capsule Ministries recreates historical sermons from the 19th century for the purpose of engaging audiences with inspiring messages that not only entertain through dramatic reenactments, but are inviting to those who might not attend a traditional church service. Rev. Alan Corry of Franklin, dressed in period attire, takes audiences back in... MORE >>

Audio cell phone tour stops #12 and #13 of the Historic Parks Audio Cell Phone Tour are located in Toussaint L'Overture Cemetery: On January 1, 1884, just 19 years after the Civil War and only seven years after the reconstruction of the South, 44 black men of Williamson County met in the town of Franklin, Tn to purchase four acres of land to be... MORE >>