Named by Southern Living magazine in 2024 as one of the “South’s Best Cities on the Rise” and one of the “15 Friendliest Cities in the South,” Franklin’s historic 16-block Main Street is filled with local shops and restaurants, live-music venues, art galleries, a boutique hotel, and more, “all of which can transform into a downtown campus for your events,” says Matthew Maxey, senior director of public relations for Visit Franklin.
Ten minutes from downtown, Leiper’s Fork is a village of antique shops, art galleries, restaurants, wine shops, and music venues. “It is not much bigger than an average city block, but it is filled with a welcoming spirit,” Maxey says. “On Thursday nights, the restaurant and music venue Fox & Locke hosts its world-famous ‘Open-Mic Night,’ where several of music’s biggest stars have been discovered, and even more are known to pop up unannounced.”
Home to more than 50 national and international corporate headquarters, the city has a 30,000-square-foot convention center and more than 35 hotels. Unique venues include The Factory at Franklin, newly renovated, with 30,000 square feet of theater and event space and a 329-seat theater, and the Grand Hall, flanked by dining, shopping, and additional venues. The newly opened 325-acre Southall Farm & Inn has 62 guest rooms, 16 cottages, indoor and outdoor event spaces, two restaurants, and a full-service spa, along with farm, wellness, and adventure activities.
There are more than 6,000 guest rooms in the area. The 300-room Franklin Marriott Cool Springs Conference Center has 31,073 square feet of function space. Downtown’s Harpeth Hotel has 119 guest rooms and a 150-person-capacity ballroom, plus additional indoor and outdoor event spaces. The 250-room Embassy Suites by Hilton Nashville South Cool Springs has 21 meeting rooms in 24,889 square feet of function space. Additional facilities include Ag Expo Park, with 175,000 square feet of climate-controlled exhibit space, and Graystone Quarry, with space to seat 312 people in classroom setup, a courtyard, and a 5,000-square-foot Hillside Pavilion connecting to covered porches and terraces.
