Updated in September 2026, this Cheekwood guide covers ticket prices, opening hours, parking, transport, accessibility and what to see.
Cheekwood Estate & Gardens is a 55-acre botanical garden and art museum on a historic 1930s estate in Nashville, Tennessee. The Ann & Monroe Carell Jr. Family Sculpture Trail has been closed since early August for construction, with no confirmed reopening date, so the outdoor sculpture walk is currently unavailable. Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official website in September 2026, when this guide was last updated.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Tue–Sun 9am–5pm; closed Mondays |
| Ticket prices | Gardens Only adult $20–$26; Gardens + Mansion adult $26–$29; under 2 free |
| Address | 1200 Forrest Park Drive, Nashville, TN 37205 |
| Nearest transport/parking | About 8.5 miles southwest of downtown Nashville; on-site parking $5/vehicle |
| Typical time needed | 2–4 hours |
Cheekwood opening hours
Cheekwood opens Tuesday to Sunday, from 9am to 5pm, and is closed on Mondays.
It also closes on Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, and stays open later on select evenings for special seasonal events.
5 great Nashville experiences to book
- 🍸 Discover secret speakeasies on a guided cocktail crawl.
- 🏠 On a homes of the stars tour, see where Music City’s celebs live.
- 🍽️ Taste Tennessee’s local delicacies on a Nashville food tour.
- 🚢 Take a lunch or dinner cruise on the General Jackson showboat.
- 🎤 Get to know the Grand Ole Opry on a guided backstage tour.
Cheekwood ticket prices
Pricing varies by program and day. A Gardens Only ticket costs $20–$26 for adults, $18–$26 for seniors, $16–$26 for students, and $13–$19 for youth aged 3–17. A Gardens + Mansion ticket costs $26–$29 for adults, $24–$29 for seniors, $22–$29 for students, and $19–$22 for youth.
Children aged 2 and under, and Cheekwood members, always receive free general admission. A per-ticket service fee applies to all paid transactions, and non-members must also pay a parking fee at checkout.
Cheekwood is not part of a bundled multi-attraction pass; it operates independently, with its own online and on-site ticketing.
Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official website and last updated in September 2026.
How to get to Cheekwood
Cheekwood sits about 8.5 miles southwest of downtown Nashville, on Forrest Park Drive, next to Percy Warner Park.
From downtown, the route runs via Broadway/West End Avenue/Harding Road to Belle Meade Boulevard, then Page Road and finally Forrest Park Drive. WeGo Link offers discounted Uber rides to and from nearby bus stops in Cheekwood’s Bellevue zone.
Why book the Nashville Hop-on Hop-off Trolley Tour?
- 🎸 Music City Landmarks: Experience the best of Nashville with a route that hits over 100 points of interest, including the Ryman Auditorium, Music Row, and the Country Music Hall of Fame.
- 🏛️ Centennial Park & The Parthenon: Enjoy easy access to Nashville’s “West End,” where you can explore the world’s only full-scale replica of the ancient Greek Parthenon.
- 🎤 Live Narrated Commentary: Learn about the city’s rich history, from its early pioneer days to its rise as the world’s country music capital, through entertaining stories from expert guides.
- 🚋 13 Convenient Stops: Explore at your own pace with a ticket that allows you to hop on and off at strategically located stops near the Gulch, Broadway, and Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park.
- 🕒 Sightseeing Made Simple: Avoid the hassle of downtown parking and traffic while enjoying a comprehensive loop that provides a perfect introduction for first-time visitors.
Parking at Cheekwood
On-site parking costs $5 per vehicle for non-members, payable at checkout when booking tickets; members park free.
Guests arriving by rideshare or bicycle can have the parking fee waived and receive a ticket discount by showing proof at check-in. Because the estate has only 86 on-site spaces, a new Parking Pavilion & Welcome Plaza is under construction, expected to complete in 2027.
How long to spend at Cheekwood
Most visitors spend 2 to 4 hours exploring the gardens, mansion and current exhibitions.
Garden Enthusiasts or History Buffs following one of Cheekwood’s suggested itineraries, which cover the estate’s many gardens and the Cheek family history in depth, often use the full 9am–5pm opening window.
Accessibility at Cheekwood
Cheekwood’s estate map marks accessible paths separately from sections with stairs, since the historic grounds include changing elevations and some uneven walkways.
The historic mansion presents particular challenges for wheelchair users or those with difficulty climbing, given its original 1930s layout; the estate advises visitors to plan accordingly.
Inside Cheekwood
Built in the late 1920s for Leslie and Mabel Cheek, the Georgian-style mansion was designed by architect Bryant Fleming during the American Country Place Era (1890–1930), when new industrial wealth funded grand private estates.
The mansion’s second floor holds permanent collection galleries of American paintings, sculpture and decorative arts, while a 45-minute audio tour, narrated by former Writer-in-Residence Cecelia Tichi, guides visitors through the period rooms as they appeared in the 1930s and 1940s.
Outside, the estate’s 55 acres hold more than a dozen distinct gardens, including the Martin Boxwood Garden around the mansion itself, the Blevins Japanese Garden, the Howe Garden of wildflowers, and the Bracken Foundation Children’s Garden, with interactive features for younger visitors.
The Ann & Monroe Carell Jr. Family Sculpture Trail normally winds through the grounds with contemporary outdoor artworks, though as of September 2026 it remains closed for construction.
Walk-up guided tours run regularly: House and History Tours on Tuesday to Friday at 12:45pm, and Saturday and Sunday at 11:15am and 12:45pm; Garden Tours run Friday to Sunday at 9:45am from March through September.
Practical visitor tips
| Focus | Tip |
|---|---|
| Timing | Join a House and History Tour shortly after arrival, as these run on a fixed daily schedule. |
| Crowds | Seasonal events like Cheekwood Harvest (autumn) draw the largest crowds of the year. |
| Layout | The estate spans 55 acres; picking an itinerary type (Family Fun, Garden Enthusiasts, etc.) in advance helps structure a visit. |
| Entry process | Reserve tickets in advance online to guarantee both admission and a parking space on busy days. |
| On-site logistics | Stay on paved walkways, mulched trails and mowed lawns; climbing on sculptures, walls or water features is not permitted. |
Frequently asked questions about Cheekwood
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is Cheekwood suitable for children? | Yes. The Bracken Foundation Children’s Garden and family itineraries are designed with kids in mind. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance? | Reserving online is strongly recommended to guarantee admission and parking on busy days. |
| Is Cheekwood open on Mondays? | No. Cheekwood is closed on Mondays, opening Tuesday to Sunday. |
| Is the sculpture trail open at Cheekwood? | No. The Carell Sculpture Trail has been closed since August 2026 for construction. |
| Is parking free at Cheekwood? | No, except for members; other visitors pay a $5 per-vehicle fee, waived for rideshare or bike arrivals. |
Things to do near Cheekwood
- Percy Warner Park — a large park with hiking and horse trails, directly adjacent to Cheekwood.
- Belle Meade Historic Site & Winery — a 19th-century plantation home and winery, a short drive away.
- Warner Parks Nature Center — a nature centre within the adjoining Warner Parks, close to Cheekwood.
- The Parthenon, Centennial Park — a full-scale replica housing a fine art collection, about 20 minutes away.
- Frist Art Museum — a downtown exhibition space in a former Art Deco post office, about 20 minutes away.
Alternative attractions
- Belmont Mansion — about 20 minutes away, an antebellum Nashville estate open for tours.
- The Hermitage — about 30 minutes away, the historic home of President Andrew Jackson.
- Historic Rock Castle, Hendersonville — about 30 minutes away, a restored early 19th-century limestone home.
- Travellers Rest Historic House Museum — about 20 minutes away, one of Nashville’s oldest surviving homes.
- Hunter Museum of American Art, Chattanooga — about 2 hours away, overlooking the Tennessee River.
More Tennessee travel
Other Tennessee travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Plan your visit to the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum, Legends of Country Music Museum and Johnny Cash Museum in Nashville.
- What to know before visiting Madame Tussauds Nashville.
- Practical visitor guide to Lane Motor Museum and the Tennessee State Museum in Nashville.
- Getting to Nashville: What to see on the Detroit to Nashville drive, Lexington to Nashville drive, Louisville to Nashville drive and Pittsburgh to Nashville drive.
- Road trips from Nashville: The best stops on the Nashville to Atlanta drive, Nashville to Cincinnati drive, Nashville to Destin drive, Nashville to Gulf Shores drive, Nashville to Houston drive and Nashville to Mobile drive.
