Overview
Ashland City is in Central Tennessee. Located about 30 minutes northwest of Nashville and 40 minutes southeast of Clarksville, Ashland City offers beautiful rolling hills perfect for hiking and mountain biking. It is the seat of Cheatham County, which also includes the incorporated cities of Kingston Springs, Pegram, and Pleasant View.
5 sights · 3 things to do · 7 places to eat · 2 bars & cafés · 2 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Ashland City
Cheatham Wildlife Management Area
20,810 acres of land, enjoyed by hunters, bird-watchers and wildlife fans. Check station is three miles in from the entrance. Check the TWRA hunt guide for info about public access dates.
Riverbluff Park
Playground, picnic tables and observation deck with a boat ramp and dock.
Cheatham County Public Library
Modern and spacious public library with wi-fi and comfortable seating. If you have little ones to keep busy, the painted-like-a-forest children's section won't disappoint.
Cheatham Dam Right Bank
Swimming area with a sand beach, plus shelters, grills, playgrounds and boat ramps. There are also volleyball courts and a softball field.
Narrows of the Harpeth State Park
Part of Harpeth River State Park, the Narrows have hiking trails as well as a historic man-made tunnel cut 100 yards through solid rock in 1818.
Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail
Offers hiking, bicycling and bird-watching, with trails converted from railroad tracks.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Mar–May, Sep–Oct. Summer highs reach about 91°F; winter lows dip to about 30°F. Very hot (Jul, Aug) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: May and Apr. (climate data from nearby Nashville)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- BNA Nashville International Airport, Nashville — 24 mi away (major hub). Directions
- OWB Owensboro Daviess County Airport, Owensboro — 101 mi away. Directions
Ashland City sits on TN-12 midway between Nashville and Clarksville, about 40 minutes from the Nashville International Airport. It's also reachable from I-24 — from Clarksville take Interstate exit 24 and head west on TN-49, and from Nashville take exit 31 and follow TN-249 S.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Riverbluff Park, Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail, Cheatham County Public Library
- Lunch Whitt's Barbecue
- Afternoon Cheatham Dam Right Bank, Honeysuckle Hill Farm
- Dinner Mateo's Mexican Restaurant
- Evening Sidelines Grill
Day 2
- Morning Cheatham Wildlife Management Area, Narrows of the Harpeth State Park
- Lunch Riverview Restaurant & Marina
- Afternoon Foggy Bottom Canoe
- Dinner Don Pancho Mexican Restaurant
- Evening Fillin' Station
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Pleasant View is twenty minutes north of Ashland City and thirty minutes northwest of Nashville on I-24.
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
With the population boom in Nashville and its surrounding areas, Ashland City is growing rapidly, with new developments being built with regularity. The population, estimated at about 4,700, has doubled since 1980. This has also led to a diverse spread of income levels; on the same state route you may see a trailer park and a four-car-garage mansion within a quarter mile of each other.
Get in
Ashland City sits on TN-12 midway between Nashville and Clarksville, about 40 minutes from the Nashville International Airport. It's also reachable from I-24 — from Clarksville take Interstate exit 24 and head west on TN-49, and from Nashville take exit 31 and follow TN-249 S.
Get around
You'll need a car. Though there is no public transportation in Ashland City, there are a surprising number of bike lanes in the area. If you do choose to bike, be ready to work for it, as the hills of Ashland City can present quite a challenge.
See
See Cheatham Wildlife Management Area (Cheatham WMA)
20,810 acres of land, enjoyed by hunters, bird-watchers and wildlife fans. Check station is three miles in from the entrance. Check the TWRA hunt guide for info about public access dates.
Do
Do Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail (Ashland City Bicentennial Greenway Trail)
Offers hiking, bicycling and bird-watching, with trails converted from railroad tracks.
Buy
Shop Sycamore Square
Strip mall shopping center boasts a Food Lion grocery store and a Tractor Supply Co., as well as Whitt's BBQ, Domino's, Pizza Hut and New China Star.
Shop Main Street
Main Street (the part of TN-12 that runs through Ashland City proper) has several fast food options and drugstores, including a Walgreen's.
Shop Owen Place Shopping Center
Anchored by Walmart Supercenter, this shopping center also has a Dollar General and several restaurants.
Eat
Eat Riverview Restaurant & Marina
Catfish and American fare, right on the Cumberland River. Arrive by car or by boat; there's a dock with electricity for boaters. Great view.
Eat Don Pancho Mexican Restaurant
Local family-owned chain with Mexican cuisine.
Eat Vuocolo's Italian Pizzeria
Pizza and subs.
Eat Whitt's Barbecue
Local chain for hickory-smoked BBQ in a counter-style setting.
Pleasant View
Pleasant View is twenty minutes north of Ashland City and thirty minutes northwest of Nashville on I-24.
Eat Kuramoto Japanese Restaurant
Eat Guadalajara Mexican Grill
Drink
Drink Sidelines Grill
American fare and a full bar in a "sports grill" setting.
Drink Fillin' Station
Live music, food and beer on tap.
Sleep
Nearby
Nashville
City / town · 153 listings · 18 mi away
Dickson
City / town · 10 listings · 23 mi away
Clarksville
City / town · 30 listings · 24 mi away
Brentwood
City / town · 4 listings · 24 mi away
Hendersonville
City / town · 20 listings · 25 mi away
Hermitage
City / town · 3 listings · 26 mi away
Antioch
City / town · 2 listings · 26 mi away
Franklin
City / town · 17 listings · 27 mi away
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