{"id":9037,"date":"2023-01-09T22:32:11","date_gmt":"2023-01-09T22:32:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/visitfranklin.com\/history\/great-american-main-street\/"},"modified":"2025-06-20T12:39:33","modified_gmt":"2025-06-20T18:39:33","slug":"great-american-main-street","status":"publish","type":"history","link":"https:\/\/visitfranklin.com\/history\/great-american-main-street\/","title":{"rendered":"Downtown Franklin: Explore the City’s Great American Main Street"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Main Street in downtown Franklin, Tennessee. Courtesy of Visit Franklin.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Consider downtown Franklin\u2019s main thoroughfare a must-see attraction. It has been designated a Great American Main Street and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and when you see all that Franklin\u2019s Main Street has to offer, you\u2019ll understand its appeal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discover Historic Downtown With Our Map<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Where is Franklin\u2019s Main Street Located?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

400 Main Street, Franklin, TN 37064<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Main Street in downtown Franklin, Tennessee. Courtesy of Visit Franklin.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Things to Do in Downtown Franklin<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lined with trendy boutiques, home goods stores, art galleries, and restaurants, all housed in charming historic buildings dating back as far as 1799, Main Street is made for wandering. Stop by <\/a>White\u2019s Mercantile<\/strong> <\/a>for curated Southern goods, explore local artistry at Gallery 202<\/strong>,<\/a> or catch live music and great food at Gray\u2019s on Main<\/strong><\/a>. Whether or not you\u2019re staying at The Harpeth Hotel<\/strong><\/a>, dinner and drinks at its in-house restaurant, 1799 Kitchen & Bar Room<\/strong><\/a>, is always a good idea. Grab dessert at Triple Crown Bakery<\/strong>.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Explore Events in Franklin<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Explore Main Street With a Tour<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Be sure and grab a self-guided tour booklet from the Visitor Center (located just off Main Street on 4th Avenue) to learn more about the stories behind some of these beautiful buildings, or download the Great American Main Street Digital Passport and a self-guided walking tour will be delivered instantly to your phone via text and email. Complete the tour to receive a pin at the downtown Franklin Visitor Center<\/strong><\/a>!
Want to dive deeper? Join a Franklin on Foot<\/strong><\/a> guided walking tour for captivating tales of Civil War history, ghosts, and local legends. Franklin Walking Tours<\/strong><\/a> also offers an array of ways to learn about downtown. Or hop aboard the Franklin Hop Trolley Tour<\/strong><\/a> for a breezy ride through downtown with plenty of stories (and photo ops) along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A Franklin Hop Trolly, operated by Gray Line Tennessee drives down Franklin\u2019s iconic Main Street. Photo courtesy of VisitFranklin.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Must Try Restaurants in Historic Downtown Franklin<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Main Street has plenty to catch your eye, not to mention your appetite! Grab Southern staples with a twist at 55 South<\/strong><\/a>, or settle in for upscale fare at Red Pony Restaurant<\/strong><\/a>. Craving comfort food? Try the famous chicken salad at Merridee\u2019s Breadbasket<\/strong><\/a> or wood-fired pizza from Culaccino<\/strong><\/a>\u2014all within steps of each other.
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Italian restaurant Culaccino, led by chef Frank Pullara on Main Street in downtown Franklin, Tennessee. Photo by Victoria Rose and courtesy Visit Franklin.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bars Breweries, and Distilleries<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Raise a glass in downtown Franklin, where cozy spots like Stable Reserve<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>offer a taste of Franklin\u2019s locally made spirits. Head to Gray\u2019s on Main<\/strong> <\/a>for craft cocktails and live music, or sneak into Amendment XVIII<\/strong><\/a>, a hidden speakeasy with serious style.
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Amendment XVIII in Franklin, TN. Courtesy of Visit Franklin.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Nearby Places to Stay in Downtown Franklin<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Stay in the center of it all at The Harpeth Hotel<\/strong><\/a>, a boutique property just steps from Main Street with modern Southern charm. A short drive opens up more choices, including the stylish Hilton Franklin Cool Springs<\/strong><\/a> and cozy Drury Plaza Hotel<\/strong><\/a>\u2014perfect for those who want quick access to downtown with extra amenities.
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The Harpeth Hotel in downtown Franklin, Tennessee. Courtesy of Visit Franklin.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Discover More Places to Stay<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Consider downtown Franklin\u2019s main thoroughfare a must-see attraction. It has been designated a Great American Main Street and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and when you see all that Franklin\u2019s Main Street has to offer, you\u2019ll understand its appeal. Discover Historic Downtown With Our Map Where is Franklin\u2019s Main Street Located? 400 Main Street, Franklin, TN 37064 Things to Do in Downtown Franklin Lined with trendy boutiques, home goods stores, art galleries, and restaurants, all housed in charming historic buildings dating back as far as 1799, Main Street is made for wandering. Stop by White\u2019s Mercantile [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":99942940,"template":"","location":[126],"class_list":["post-9037","history","type-history","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","location-historic-downtown-franklin"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/visitfranklin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/history\/9037","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/visitfranklin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/history"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/visitfranklin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/history"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visitfranklin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/99942940"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/visitfranklin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9037"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visitfranklin.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/location?post=9037"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}