One Of Nashville's Best Neighborhoods Is A Tennessee Riverside Village With Beaches And Small-Town Charm

It was largely built as a company town, a quiet, leafy place to house employees of a gunpowder factory, but today, Old Hickory, Tennessee, is a charming suburb in the Nashville metropolitan area steeped in history. As it's only 10 minutes by car from the art and nightlife of downtown Nashville, the bright lights, country music venues, and dancing boots are not far away. Yet Old Hickory provides a breath of fresh air as well as nostalgic streets and quaint wooden houses. DuPont de Nemours, Inc. renamed the town after the seventh U.S. President and former town local Andrew Jackson, whose nickname was "Old Hickory." (Jackson was born in the Carolinas but began his political and military career in Tennessee.) The ex-president's grand cotton plantation, which he purchased in 1804, still stands in the village today and operates as a museum.

The town is situated cosily at an S-bend of the Cumberland River, with a large estuary-like body of water, known as Old Hickory Lake, opening out to the east. Its calm setting and proximity to the water draws in visitors and prospective residents alike. Old Hickory's historic center is walkable and known simply as the Village. It's a perfect showcase of factory workers' homes from the early 20th century.

In the area surrounding northwest Nashville into Old Hickory, the Cumberland River twists and turns through historic towns toward Bledsoe Creek State Park, where it begins to taper off into the countryside. As the river passes through Old Hickory, Old Hickory Lake encompasses a significant stretch of river coastline, ultimately forming three distinct areas known as Old Hickory Beach, LaGuardo, and Cedar Creek. Old Hickory Beach, closest to the village itself, is an inviting sandy horseshoe perfect for swimming and enjoyed for a small fee during the daytime. The facilities provided here include grills, restrooms, picnic areas, and launching spots — essentially everything you need for a sunny day on the shoreline. Just remember to bring your own food and cooking supplies.

Annual day passes are on sale from attendant's booth at the beach or at the Old Hickory Resource Office in Hendersonville. One pass should cover entry for the three riverbend beaches. Cedar Creek beach, midway down the lake, offers picnic shelters, campsites and volleyball nets, while LaGuardo at the far east end offers the beach basics and a childrens' playground. The river's landscape is vast, and at sunset, the wide skies become pastel, a beautifully picturesque way to round off a day away from the city.

Golf plays a big part in bringing city and country dwellers alike to Old Hickory, with the luxurious Hermitage Golf Course making a name for itself as a relaxed sports retreat. It opened in 1986 and features two 18-hole championship-level courses that offer stunning views of the river. Hermitage is one of the few places offering overnight stays in Old Hickory, with most hotels, B&Bs and short term rental options located in nearby Hendersonville or in Nashville itself. The other major golf club in town is the Old Hickory Country Club. The 18-hole golf course once served as grounds to the home of a French Huguenot family named the Bondurants, their house located where the club stands today. The club features a fitness center and pool for its members, and the 1926 Bar and Grill on site is open for members-only lunches, dinners, and drinks.

For coffee and treats by the river, you've got options. Visit Uncommon Grounds for your craft coffee needs, or Dose in Historic Old Hickory Village for lattes, pour overs, draught iced coffees. Dose's outrageously delicious food menu offers breakfast burritos, scrambles, and bagels as well as cheeseburgers, parfaits, poutine, and plenty of biscuits. It's open for weekend brunching and certainly not to be missed. If you visit Old Hickory on Tuesdays from April to September, don't miss the Farmer's Market.