Middle Tennessee
VisitFranklin.com; @VisitFranklinTN
Franklin offers serious meeting capabilities and one-of-a-kind venues for bringing real personality to events, notes Mathew Maxey, senior director of public relations for Visit Franklin. “Our historic downtown is a charming 16-block district of shops, restaurants, coffeehouses, and attractions that continues to earn national accolades,” he says. “Within this district, the Downtown Convention Campus features 39 different locations with meeting spaces of various sizes, anchored by the 119-room Harpeth Franklin Downtown, Curio Collection by Hilton, which has 7,719 square feet of function space. As a planner, you can host a keynote session in a venue like the 322-seat Franklin Theatre, then transition into breakout sessions, lunches, or receptions at a variety of walkable downtown spots.”
Beyond its Civil War-era downtown, Franklin is home to more than 200 national and international corporate headquarters in the Cool Springs business district, which offers two event hotels: the 300-room Franklin Marriott Cool Springs, with 23,745 square feet of function space, and the 250-room Embassy Suites by Hilton Franklin Cool Springs, with 26,875 square feet of function space. There are more than 6,300 guest rooms in the immediate Franklin area.
Just north of downtown, The Park at Harlinsdale Farm, once a renowned breeding farm for Tennessee Walking Horses, today features horseback riding trails, walking and running paths, and a newly restored Main Barn event space and an adjacent event lawn.
Southall Farm & Inn, a 325-acre luxury resort and working farm, has 62 guest rooms and 16 cottages with IACC-certified event space, including the 250-person capacity Orchard Event Center and Patio. The resort also features a spa, two restaurants, and a variety of farm, wellness, and adventure activities. The Factory at Franklin is a recently renovated retail, dining, and entertainment facility with the 10,000-square-foot Turner Theater and the 1,500-person-capacity Liberty Hall. Graystone Quarry is a 160-acre reclaimed limestone quarry with indoor and outdoor event space, including the Gathering Hall.
Popular attractions around Franklin include Arrington Vineyards for picnics, wine tastings, and live music; Natchez Trace Parkway; and the little town of Leiper’s Fork, with antique shops, art galleries, a winery, and live-music venues, where many big-name stars were discovered and others often make unannounced appearances.
