A Tennessee Estate Of Enchanting Gardens And World-Class Art Makes For An Idyllic Nashville Escape

About ten miles southwest of Nashville lies Cheekwood, an extraordinary estate surrounded by 55 acres of gardens. Seemingly plucked from the British countryside, the mansion was completed in the 1930s for Leslie and Mabel Cheek, a couple who made their fortune investing in the Cheek-Neal Coffee Company. Their country estate in Tennessee's rolling hills reflects European-inspired architectural design and lavish interiors sourced from British antique dealers. The home opened to the public in 1960 as an art museum, exhibiting the Cheek family's impressive collection as well as rotating exhibits. The estate's outdoor grounds rival the mansion's elegant rooms with 13 gardens, an arboretum, and a sculpture trail dotted with modern art.

Cheekwood is located on the edge of Nashville, about a 25-minute drive from the city center and a 30-minute drive from Nashville International Airport, which, much like the city, is known for its live music. The estate and gardens are open from Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. For a more in-depth look at the mansion, embark on one of the House and History Tours. Cheekwood is spectacular to visit year-round, though the spring is especially stunning when the gardens burst with colors as 250,000 bulbs bloom. Samantha Brown specifically recommends visiting Nashville in May when the weather is warm and summer crowds haven't descended yet. During the fall, the grounds are decorated with thousands of pumpkins to usher in the harvest season, and from late November to early January, Cheekwood stays open until 10 p.m. to host Holiday LIGHTS, an event that decks out the estate with illuminated and festive decorations.

A far cry from the country music-themed bars and rock 'n' roll memorabilia found in Nashville, Cheekwood showcases a beautifully curated collection of fine art and antiques. From rare antique books and elegant portraits to 18th-century English porcelain and early American pottery, Cheekwood's collection is a wonder to behold.

Walking throughout the rooms is a peek into how the prominent Cheek family once lived, with sweeping staircases, dining tables set with fine tableware and crystal glasses, and a cozy wood-paneled library filled with book-lined shelves. The large picture windows frame the view of the estate's lush, sprawling grounds, which makes Nashville's bright lights and skyscrapers seem a world away. "Highly recommend the guided tour in the mansion, the guide was a wealth of information and just fascinating!" wrote one Tripadvisor reviewer. "This is a great activity to spend an afternoon in some tranquility away from the city scene and then return refreshed!"

Outside, the 13 gardens offer a range of styles and plants, from a Japanese tea garden and Georgian-style boxwood gardens to a water garden of cascading waterfalls and a vibrant rose garden. Art lovers will especially enjoy strolling the sculpture trail, a 1.5-mile scenic path that wends its way through forest and reveals modern and contemporary sculpture, such as a James Turrell "Skyspace" and Sophie Ryder's large-scale "Crawling Lady Hare." During the summer, Cheekwood's bucolic grounds host the Under the Stars concert series, where live music can be enjoyed after dark. On your next trip to Music City, don't miss a visit to Cheekwood to explore one of America's great country homes.