Coming down next week what should we be sure to check out (Franklin: real estate)

[WISTOMOVE]

Ok, we are coming down next week for a couple of days to try and figure out what area will work best for us. We are looking mainly in the Franklin and Hendersonville areas but we are coming down with an open mind. What are some of the things we should definitely check out like parks, shopping, traffic etc? It's sure to be a packed couple of days.

[DonCorleone]

Originally Posted by WISTOMOVE

Ok, we are coming down next week for a couple of days to try and figure out what area will work best for us. We are looking mainly in the Franklin and Hendersonville areas but we are coming down with an open mind. What are some of the things we should definitely check out like parks, shopping, traffic etc? It's sure to be a packed couple of days.

Try not to be too stressed and enjoy what time you have.

I'll speak for the Hendersonville side since I'm not as familiar with Franklin.

Shopping: Definitely check out the Indian Lake shopping area and keep in mind that most of the vacant land you see around it is zoned commercial and will take off again (hopefully) when the appetite for real estate expansion continues. It's pretty much the main shopping area for Hendersonville: boutique stores, big stores like Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Home Depot/Lowes. You might also look around the Glenbrook area (off of New Shackle Island)...there's a smaller shopping center there with a large Target and Kroger.

The biggest shopping area is just south of Hendersonville in Rivergate. There's a big mall and acres and acres of concrete and every store you can think of (Best Buy, Academy/Dick's Sporting Goods), with all the traffic you ever wanted too. Honestly, you can find anything you need in Hendersonville without going to Rivergate, though. But it's nice to have it fairly nearby. That area has really gone downhill in the past 10-15 years, unfortunately.

Parks: Old Hickory Lake dominates the area. There are probably a dozen different marinas/boat docks if that's your thing. Drakes Creek is a monster facility off of Gallatin Road near the lake. Lots of ballfields and walking trails. Across Gallatin Rd is Kids Kingdom, which is probably closed due to renovation, but is a great huge play park for kids. Taylor Swift donated some megabucks to have it renovated in the wake of flood damage from May. There's also Veteran's Park off of Indian Lake...mostly ballfields. The other big park in town is on Sanders Ferry Road about 4 miles from Gallatin Road called Sanders Ferry Park. There are picnic areas, disc golf, fishing, a r/c airplane field, boat dock, and inline hockey. A nice big park. There's also Rock Castle, which is a historic home off of Cherokee Road (if memory serves).

Nearby Goodlettsville has a really fantastic park called Moss-Wright just off of Long Hollow Pike on Caldwell Lane. It has a recreation of a historic fort, a restored historic home, trails, ballfields, picnic areas, playgrounds, even a dog park. It's about 15 minutes from most parts of Hendersonville.

Obviously, there's much more to do in Hendersonville than shopping and parks, but I think that gives you a good idea of the amenities you can expect by living in this area.

[BirdieBelle]

I'll add some ideas for the southern part of the area.
If you get good weather and want a nice walk, head to Radnor Lake Natural Area. Formerly a manmade reservoir to serve the nearby railyard, the lake now is a protected habitat with trails. It's near the interection of Granny White Pike and Otter Creek Road.
Radnor Lake in Autumn, Nashville, Tennessee - Nature/Landscapes wallpaper - Free Quality Desktop Wallpaper only at 2desktop.com
Head south on Granny White Pike past Old Hickory Blvd. and you'll pass the back side of Maryland Farms business park, which has tons of office buildings and places to eat. The City of Brentwood City Hall etc. is located there as well.
Continuing south on GWP you'll pass Brentwood Academy (private), Granny White Park and Brentwood Middle School (public). If you turn left on Murray Lane, you'll pass the illustrious Brentwood High School, which was constructed at the height of 1980s prison-style architecture. jk (My kid will be there next year. Fortunately he hasn't seemed to notice the building style.)
Along Murray Lane you will notice some jaw-dropping mansions.
Welcome to Localism
If you turn left you'll head back into Brentwood's commercial district. Notable local restaurants include Puffy Muffin, Peter's Sushi, City Cafe and Judge Bean's BBQ (spicy Texas style).
If you turn right onto Franklin Road and head south you'll get to Franklin. A left turn onto Moores Lane will take you into the Cool Springs commercial area, or you can head straight on Franklin Road into the Franklin town square in about 15 minutes.
I would recommend driving to the Carnton Plantation on Lewisburg Pike.
To see the other side of Brentwood, I would take I-65 north to Moores Lane. When it dead-ends into Wilson Pike, Ravenwood High is a mile or so to the right.
Turn left onto Wilson Pike, then right on Crockett Road and you will head to Crockett Park, the city's biggest park.
Continue north on Wilson Pike and turn left on Concord Road to see the awesome Brentwood Library and River Park, plus the historic WSM radio tower.
Two drives that I think show the beautiful historic character of the area are Old Smyrna Road in Brentwood and Moran Road in Franklin, off Hillsboro Road. Here you can see original stacked-stone walls. (http://www.reindeerteam.com/images/rudolph_l_town-6.jpg)
This is just a start. I'm sure more folks will have great ideas.

[Ldoubled]

A quicker way to get a look at Franklin, take I-65 to Cool Springs West, follow Cool Springs until it dead ends at Mack Hatcher. That takes you past a lot of the new shopping and you can see the mall from the highway. This part looks like almost any other in a suburb but you might find it interesting to get a feel. That done, at Mack Hatcher you have choices, it's a curved road and 3 or 4 "spokes" take you into downtown Franklin: Turn right and you can then turn left on Franklin Road, which will take you past the new Harlinsdale farm park on the right and the old Factory (turned into shops) on the left and on into Franklin. Or keep going on Mack Hatcher and turn left on Hillsboro, this will take you past Battle Ground Academy, the Mormon Temple and once on Hillsboro, Franklin High School, and into Franklin. At Mack Hatcher and Cool Springs, you can also turn left and head towards 96, turn right at 96 to get to downtown franklin, this will take you past the Peoples Church (megachurch) and a really nice playground park that I forget the name of right now. Downtown Franklin is only a few blocks long but worth getting out of the car for to take a stroll. You can follow the signs for 96 and continue West, and after a mile or so, (after the BBQ place with the Pig on top)you'll see Jim Warren park on the left where a lot of sports facilities are (ballparks, skatepark, soccer, football, tennis and a few playground structures). Keep going a couple more miles and you leave suburbia. At 46 (Old Hillsboro RD, about 5-6 miles from downtown) you can turn right and take the scenic way back up to Nashville, take 46 to where it deadends at Hillsboro, turn left and go about 15 miles up to I-440.

[vivelafrance]

Originally Posted by WISTOMOVE

Ok, we are coming down next week for a couple of days to try and figure out what area will work best for us. We are looking mainly in the Franklin and Hendersonville areas but we are coming down with an open mind. What are some of the things we should definitely check out like parks, shopping, traffic etc? It's sure to be a packed couple of days.

As usual, I second most of what Don says... This would be my itinerary for trying to see the most of Hendersonville, including the 3 high schools.

Take the Long Hollow Pike exit off I65 and turn right. Make a left on Caldwell Dr. This will take you by Moss Wright Park, one of the best in the area. Caldwell ends at Center Point. Make a left onto Center Point Rd. This will take you by Mansker Farms, one of the largest and most popular communities in Hendersonville. Center Point ends at Long Hollow Pk. Make a right onto Long Hollow. You will pass Beech High School and a lot of newer communities like Somerset Downs, Creekside, and Tower Hill. If you're interested in churches, you'll also pass Long Hollow Baptist - a mega church with thousands of members. Make a right onto Lower Station Camp Creek Road and you'll pass by Station Camp High School - the newest school in Hendersonville. Continue down lower Station Camp and make a right onto 31 (Nashville Pk/Gallatin Rd) You'll pass the communities of Savannah and The Hunt Club. Continue on 31 until you see Indian Lake Blvd. Make a left onto Indian Lake and you'll pass by Hendersonville High School and a lot of great new communities like Berry Hill. Wind around the Indian Lake Peninsula and then head back down IL Blvd and across 31 to see the city's main shopping district: The Streets of Indian Lake. You can also make a right onto Saundersville Rd and check out the city's greenway system and the new library (both will be on your right) After that get on the bypass back toward Nashville and I-65.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask!