While not right in Clarksville, the Nashville Zoo is not too far of a drive from our lovely city and it is an amazing site for a day trip. I have gone to the zoo in Nashville since I was a child, and it is easily one of my favorite places to visit. Through the years, it has grown immensely with additions. Until yesterday, I hadn't been to the Nashville Zoo since before the closure for COVID. Upon returning, I was incredibly excited for the new exhibits that included the Andean bear, the Sumatran tiger, and a view into the HCA Healthcare Veterinarian Clinic.
Located at 3777 Nolensville Pike, the zoo is a large space with 90 developed acres available for exploration-- with a total of 188 acres that they plan to grow into! Voted the Best Regional Attraction and Best Day Trip by The Tennessean, the Nashville Zoo is the 9th largest zoo in the country by landmass. Most of the attractions and animals are outdoors, but there are some that are indoor-- such as the reptile house, the Unseen World. In addition, many of the enclosures have coverings to allow for a reprieve from the heat and hold more information about the animal on exhibit. My personal favorite of these has become the Andean bear exhibit where a zookeeper even held a skull to show those exploring the interior space to see the bear in his expansive enclosure through a floor-to-ceiling window.
The Nashville Zoo does a great amount towards education and conservation of animals, which is one reason I greatly adore it. The Wild Works Animal Show is a twice-daily viewing of different animals within the zoo where keepers allow their sociable critters to show off while educating the audience about the species and any endangerment. There is also the new HCA Healthcare Veterinarian Clinic. This area allows views into the nursery that currently holds Caracal kittens as well as two observation decks for interested zoo-goers to witness surgeries and other procedures. To top that off, the Nashville Zoo offers many different encounters such as "Rise and Shine with Rhinos" and "This Is How We Zoo." Recently, I was able to have a Face-to-Face encounter with my favorite animal, the red panda, and it was utterly amazing. Along with included zoo tickets-- allowing for a full day of exploration-- my boyfriend and I were taken behind the scenes into the red panda enclosure to view the animals up close and help feed them breakfast. The whole time, we were happily informed more about the beautiful creatures. After my experience, I highly recommend looking into the different experiences and backstage tour passes that the Nashville Zoo offers!
With amazing enclosures for its resident animals and top-tier experiences for its guests, the Nashville Zoo is a place you simply can not skip out on! If you have time this summer, mark a day to take a trip to the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere. I promise you won't be disappointed!
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