What do music legends, professional athletes and industry titans all have in common? Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee—a tiny village that punches way above its weight class. It’s so charming that 650 residents have attracted more star power than most cities ten times its size. For us regular civilians, it’s a fantastic spot to spend the weekend or a day trip from Franklin or Nashville.
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Things to Do in Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee
Set amid sprawling pastures and rolling green hills punctuated by mature hardwood trees, Leiper’s Fork is part Southern postcard, part secret hideaway. It’s a spot where indie boutiques, art galleries and world-class music venues coexist in perfect, quirky harmony. There’s a lot of fantastic things to do in Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee, and we’ve got the scoop on how to make the most of your visit.
Wine Tasting Leiper’s Fork
Who doesn’t want to get their perfect day started with wine and wandering? Wines in the Fork is a creekside tasting room where you can sample five or seven different 1 oz pours. Once you decide on a favourite, take your glass or bottle outside and park yourself under the sycamore trees.
Pro tip: If you like red, one to keep your eye on is Farmstead Red. It’s got some lovely smoky notes and a bit of barnyard funk to it—not unlike French biodynamic wines. Heads up, your wine glasses are included in your tasting, making for a fun souvenir to take back home.
Children, pets, and picnics are all welcome. Inside their fridge, you can pick up some pimento cheese and crackers for an impromptu southern snacking session.
Shopping Leiper’s Fork
Forget everything you know about retail therapy. This isn’t just shopping—it’s a community experience where wood smoke drifts between boutiques, and guitars are always within strumming distance. Every shop feels like dropping by a friend’s incredibly stylish living room.
Visitors are encouraged to pick up those communal guitars to strum a little ditty and to gather around the many fire pits dotted throughout the village. Instead of commerce, it’s all about community and connection.
Take Patina Home and Garden, which looks like a Pinterest board come to life. You’ll start shopping for gifts and end up wanting to redecorate your entire home. The edit is spot-on, with too many beautiful items to mention for fear of shading others . Be sure to check out the pickin’ corner filled with instruments (not for resale), but for anyone to pick up and play.
Want architectural-level design? Swing by Dwell and Den. Their remit is forest-inspired giftware, and their purposeful objects are so beautiful you’ll wonder if they’re art or actually functional. Spoiler: They’re both.
Then there’s Tenn. Turquoise Co. housed a tiny log cabin that has the most exquisite collection of turquoise. There are literally thousands of pieces, many of which originated from Morgane Stapleton’s private collection. Morgane still owns the shop, and if you’re not in the know, she’s also the wife of country music star Chris Stapleton.
Just when you think you’ve seen it all, there’s Bubble Joy at the edge of town. It’s part candy shop, part bubble bar (for pimped-out seltzers and craft sodas), and part oxygen bar where you can get a boost by inhaling pure oxygen. I mean, why choose one amazing concept when you can have them all? It also sports a make-your-own jewelry bar where you select various beads, gems and charms to string on sparkly rope and metal.
Art in Leiper’s Fork
Sterile galleries? Not a chance. In Leiper’s Fork, art feels alive. The Copper Fox Gallery, situated in an 1888 restored home, showcases Tennessee makers’ ceramics, textiles, sculpture, furniture, and jewelry that whisper local stories.
David Arms Gallery features the artist’s favourite things, from bowties to belts to leather-bound books and original artwork. Arms is known for his lifelike paintings of birds, and the entire gallery feels just sumptuous.
Once a gas station, Leiper’s Creek Gallery is now considered one of the best galleries in the Southeastern states. As a bonus, in the gallery’s backyard sits the LawnChair Theatre, a venue that hosts outdoor movies, events and performances. Bring your own lawn chair!
Where to Eat and Drink in Leiper’s Fork
For food and nightlife in Leiper’s Fork, you can enjoy down-home cookin’, live music, mocktails, cocktails, and speakeasies.
If you’re a fan of the retro diner, look no further than The Country Boy. This is where to chow down on classic southern fare like fried catfish, biscuits and gravy.
After dark, slide into The Tornado Room’s speakeasy for craft cocktails and live music in an atmospheric prohibition-era setting. Enter through the side door (of The County Boy) Thursday through Saturday after 5 pm.
Fox & Locke has been many things in its 75+ year history. Now, it’s a restaurant and live music venue. Music is scheduled several days of the week, but the big night is Thursday when an open mic takes place.
Pssst…. More than one Grammy Award winner lives nearby, and they love dropping in unannounced. (Also, we all know how much music legends can’t shy away from a mic.)
When live music is on tap, you’ll want to make a reservation to ensure your seat. (We got our names on the waitlist late one afternoon and still made it in!) At Fox and Locke, you can tuck into meat and one, two or three or just go for the sides. The mac and cheese looked fantastic, but we’re still regretting not ordering pork rinds and fried pickles.
Whiskey Tasting
One thing you can’t ignore is the opportunities for whiskey tasting in the vicinity. Small-batch whisky is having a moment in Tennessee, and you’re in good hands in this neck of the woods.
Leiper’s Fork Distillery is on the Tennessee Whiskey Trail and won platinum for their Tennessee Whiskey and Bourbon at the ASCOT Awards. (Which is saying something if Kentucky Bourbon didn’t win that honour.)
Take a tour, visiting the Still house and the 200-year-old tasting room to find your favourite whiskey. Even if you’re not a whiskey drinker, you can pick up some great picnic snacks and even sourdough bread made from their mash.
Want a historical twist? Company Distilling (about a 20-minute drive from Leiper’s Fork and Franklin), offers tours in a building where farmers once stored grain. Boozy historians, your moment has arrived!
Detours
On your way to Leiper’s Fork, it’s worth making a quick diversion to view the magnificent double arch bridge along the Natchez Trace Parkway. The parkway is a federally protected road that looks like a postcard came to life. If you like road-tripping, it’s one of those super scenic drives – especially this section.
It’s also worth driving a bit past all the shops to the Shell gas station, also known as Leiper’s Fork Market. I’m pretty sure no other gas station in the world sports a chandelier, an oak table that seats 12, where you can grab hot boiled peanuts in the back. Where else but Tennessee could that sentence even make sense? Plug 4348 Old Hillsboro Road into GPS to check it out.
Where to stay in Leiper’s Fork
If wine and whisky tasting are on the agenda, staying within walking distance is ideal. Since Sweeney Cottage was good enough for Gwyneth Paltrow, it’s good enough for us. This historic home boasts modern interiors and sleeps six. Another fun celebrity fact? Once upon a time, Sweeney Cottage was owned by Holly Williams. While she’s a recording artist in her own right, she’s also the daughter of country music legend Hank Williams, Jr. There are so many singers and famous people living in the vicinity, it’s crazy!
Airbnb has some luxe cottages you can rent, too. We didn’t mind having a DD and driving back to Franklin for the night. Our room at The Harpeth was super comfortable, with the best mattress, extra seating and a super deep tub we never wanted to crawl out of.
Each spot we’ve mentioned felt less like a business and more like an invitation—to play, to connect and to experience something uniquely Southern.
Have you ever visited Leiper’s Fork or Tennessee? I’d love to hear your favourite spots!
