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Belle Meade Plantation
Categories: Arts & Entertainment Museums Hotels & Travel Tours Arts & Entertainment Wineries Food Wineries Museums, Tours, Wineries [Edit]
5025 Harding PikeNashville, TN 37205
(615) 356-0501
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 9 am - 5 pm
Sun 11 am - 5 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
26 reviews for Belle Meade Plantation
Review Highlights
"Our tour guide was very knowledgeable, charming, and..."
(in 3 reviews)
"Enjoy the wine tasting and maybe some of their chocolates."
(in 6 reviews)
"The mansion itself is gorgeous and rich with tradition and..."
(in 11 reviews)
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26 reviews in English
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Review from Lindsay M.
Washington D.C., DC
11/14/2011
We stopped in to Belle Meade late on Friday afternoon. The tour guide, Linda, was fantastic. She was cheerful, informative, and very dynamic. She was excited to share the history of this beautiful mansion and plantation with us--and made what could have otherwise been bland to a bunch of Northerners very, very intriguing. The mansion itself is gorgeous and rich with tradition and lore. You can't take pictures--but that's okay . . . you find yourself visualizing the stories Linda tells you about the families anyway. Much more enjoyable than digitally immortalizing an old chair or drapes anyway.
The winery is a fun ending to the tour. Listen, you're not in Napa. You're not going to taste a 1976 vintage or anything. But you are going to get a non-pretentious tasting of some pretty good Tennessee-an wines. (Ask for Mike, Sarah, or Ben.) No one will make you feel bad here if you admit you like sweet-ish wines. The people here take pride in what they're sharing with you. It adds a fun layer to a very enjoyable and historic plantation experience.
The grounds are beautiful, and the staff here is very warm and inviting. You're in the heart of southern hospitality and tradition here--soak it up! -
Review from Cynthia T.
Nashville, TN
10/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Two-Point-Take:
1. A place for tourists interested in Southern living and Thoroughbred horses.
2. Enjoy the wine tasting and maybe some of their chocolates!
Ah, to be a southern belle, riding up to the home in my carriage, pulled by our beautiful horses, and walking up the steps to my own southern plantation mansion. That is definitely imaginable without all the Scarlett O'Hara drama, mind you.
This mansion survived the Civil War and the plantation found its place in history by raising premiere Thoroughbred racing horses. When you come visit the Belle Meade Plantation, you can purchase tickets to tour the mansion and then wander the grounds at your own pace. The tour guide was very knowledgeable, entertaining, and professional. I did enjoy the look-see and hearing the stories of the home's owners and history. My favorite part was seeing the Carriage house.
The tour ends at the fairly new winery which offers you a free tasting of their wines. A tip on that, they won't let you taste the "Iroquois Red" in the large group tasting but if you are there after the group leaves, they'll let you taste it. It's their newest wine and first grape from California. The wine is young so just a heads up, I wouldn't drink it right away if you choose to purchase it! My favorite would be the Muscadine (a little sweet, a little dry) which is a grape that has been growing on the plantation for over a century! OH, and they also sell truffles :) YUM.
Over all, if you're big on southern history and enjoy hearing stories of the people who lived it, then it'd be a fun place to check out if you're in the area.
P.S. When you're touring other areas, keep a look out for $1 off 1 Adult ticket coupons. I found mine at a stand in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Hey, every dollar counts! :) -
Review from Cami T.
10/17/2011
I was very impressed by the integrity that the old mansion retained. Everything was just as it was...and that's how it should be!
As a big fan of Thoroughbred racing, it was wonderful to see the origin of some of America's greatest racing bloodlines. My only qualm was that all the old horses grave-sites have been built over...but that's how history works, so I can't really complain.
In addition, I got to bring home one of the wonderful equestrian paintings as a label on a bottle. The wine was overpriced and far to sweet for my taste, but I bought a bottle anyway!
Great history for Nashville and it should be a must-stop for visitors to town. -
Review from Terrell L.
Nashville, TN
I showed up late and didn't get in on the last tour that had started at 4:30 PM, however I was pointed towards the Winery and just in time for the tasting.
I tried five wines, all made in Tennessee and was informed that Belle Meade Winery is the only Nashville Winery. The wines were good and the
"Wine-A-Rita" frozen drink on a HOT day like today was wonderful, I bought some of their wines and the Wine-A-Rita Mix to go.
Reasonably priced wines around $20.00, most importantly;
((( They sell bottles of wine on Sunday ! ))) -
Review from julie g.
San Rafael, CA
11/15/2011
A beautiful experience.
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Review from Bess R.
3/29/2011
This is a review of the Winery. We stopped by to give the new winery a try - taste some wine, buy a bottle and drink it in the chilly (but not rainy) outdoor patio. The manager of the winery was pretty rude to us. So, they were pretty busy with lots of tours that day, and the tours pretty much end in the winery. I get it, you're stressed. We only wanted the 5 min wine tasting and description, and we were a sure thing to buy a bottle. She told us that we needed to wait for the "paying customers", and made us wait for like 20 min for a tasting. Seriously? A huge group of old people, and I think 1 or 2 of them actually bought wine. Whatevs. They ended up squeezing us in the next round, we got a bottle of the blush. It was kind of meh. The other wines were all boring (white) or really sweet (all others).
I wouldn't go back for wine. Back to Arrington next time!Listed in: The Nash-ty is a callin'
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Review from Teresa T.
6/20/2011
My 4 star rating is for the tour- the winery is a totally different story.
We walked through the visitor center which was filled with a lot of crap (hard time seeing how all of it was related to the plantation...) but we bought tickets for the 2:30pm tour in the mansion.
We wandered around and the plantation is small and simple enough that you can see everything in about 30 minutes, leaving ample time to hang in the rockers on the front porch of the mansion. Very soothing and makes me want to retire exactly like that.
Our tour guide was awesome - decked out in full gear and played the part (aside from her pale purple manicure :)). I am blanking on her name but she was dynamic and knowledgeable from the overall history to the details. Belle Meade is interesting in that its focus was on raising thoroughbred horses. The horses that have won the Kentucky Derby as of late have ancestral relations to the horses raised on that plantation.
Tour lasted about 45 minutes, and included with the tour is a free wine tasting. Belle Meade opened their winery about a year ago and they allow you to taste five wines. I am by no means a wine connoisseur and while I like free wine I was just not a fan of them so wouldn't recommend it. But if you like making funny pucker faces by all means go right ahead. -
Review from Lynne D.
3/30/2011
Groupon deal here. We were to get a wine tasting of 4 or 5 bottles of wine coupled with some artisan chocolate made from a local chocolatier.
Our tour was informative.
Our wine tasting was rushed.
I have never tasted 5 wines in 6 minutes, before.
I loved the Muscadine wine and bought a couple of bottles.
The history of the property, the horses that came from the plantation, and the house and grounds are a nice tour. Lasts about 40 minutes.
I probably won't do it again.
but I found Muscadine wine in town. ;) -
Review from caitlin g.
Nashville, TN
11/16/2011
There are some unique additions that make this plantation visit different from any other historical house tour. Our tour guide was great- a truly gifted storyteller. I know we were touring for about an hour, but I never noticed the time going by. My family and I are horse racing fans, so the stories interested us.
I was touched by the restored slave cabins and the stories on display within. After seeing the riches within the mansion and the story of the wealthy family, it was heartbreaking to see how they got there.
The wine tasting at the end is nice, but the wine isn't very good (and I am NOT a oenophile) and the tasting itself just wasn't very fun. This may have been because we were the last group of the day and the employees wanted to get home...
I recommend Belle Meade to visitors in Nashville, and definitely those interested in the Old South or horse racing. -
Review from Sheila S.
Boston, MA
9/10/2011
Not a whole lot to see while here and since it's outside of downtown you need a car to get here so takes some effort. Nothing about the plantation is up and running anymore - no horses or anything on the grounds. Winery is cool, but small and grapes are grown 30-40mins away so can't even see that. If rainy, grounds will be messy.
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Review from Wayne H.
Nashville, TN
5/2/2011 1 photo
To put it bluntly, there are more than enough plantations in the South for you to ever care to see. After a while, like the churches of Europe, they all begin to blend in together. Fortunately, Belle Meade is one of the better choices. It is a nice, large and fairly intact plantation complex with a proud history of raising thoroughbred horses, including some early famed horses like Iroquois. Consequently, during the summer, horses are kept on the property. The plantation itself is nice, with a classical edifice and Antebellum Period furnishings. The tour guide was dressed in a period costume, but seemed a little cold and distant, more concerned perhaps with us touching things or taking photographs. The stable barn is fairly impressive, with a nice carriage exhibit, and the slave cabins and mausoleum manage to add a nice air of morbidity. All in all, worth a trip if you happen to be in the city and have an interest in history and stuff.
Like every single plantation I've been to, no photographs are allowed inside. Frankly, tour the inside of a few mansions around here, and you've seen them all. While Belle Meade is one of the better mansions, if you've toured more than a few, you can save some money and just poke around the grounds a bit.Listed in: Culture Vultures, Civil War Americana
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Review from Robert S.
7/7/2010 2 photos
It only took 7 years to finally get around to visiting, but it was well worth it and I wish I had visited sooner.
Our tour guide was great! She was dressed in period attire, had the matronly, southern-cultured accent, and had been a tour guide here for over 20 years. She was extremely knowledgeable and the best part of her spiel is that it was not a memorized piece; she did it off the cuff and very spontaneously, getting the kids in the tour group involved and answering questions as she went along.
The first part of the tour was a follow-along from room to room, but the last half, the upstairs portion, was a move at your own pace.
We also bought some wine at the wine-tasting room, where I found out that the plantation does not obtain government funds of any sort for upkeep, but rather depend on donations, tour fees, and proceeds from the sale of wine etc to provide funds for upkeep of the plantation house and grounds.
Very impressive and a unique view of the local history! -
Review from Becky M.
Chicago, IL
3/12/2011
My husband and I fell in love with BMP as soon as we saw it-- it was only the second place we visited as a potential venue for our wedding and we picked it.
They allowed us to explore the plantation twice during planning to figure out what kind of decorations we'd need and where we'd put everything. I got to go in and photograph everything, which was essential, as we had to plan most of our wedding from Chicago.
Linda and her assistant are beyond fabulous-- they were super helpful. They recommended venues. The assistant was the one there on our wedding day and he went above and beyond anything we expected. When vendors caused chaos, he handled it. After the wedding, which was BEAUTIFUL thanks to the gorgeous surroundings, we stayed to help clean with our families. He finally told us we had done plenty and that he'd take care of things.
I'd recommend this place to anyone, especially those who want an outdoor ceremony and an indoor reception. The property has about a million things to photograph and to include in photographs. -
Review from Jess N.
6/22/2009 2 photos
I didn't think I'd being going to a plantation tour on my trip down South, nor did I really expect to enjoy it. Our tour guide was amazing. He was dressed in period clothing which I have to give him props for. And believe me, no one wants to wear heavy wool clothes in June in Nashville.
As the tour progressed the guide explained the family tree which was mighty confusing. All I remember is one guy named his children with his second wife after his dead first wife! The actual home was decorated for a wedding from the Civil War era. They had a whole food spread along with a wedding cake and groom's cake.
After touring the house, my friend and I walked around outside. They have some horses grazing, a gift shop, stables and what was the former slaves' home. They even have those fun cutouts to stick your head through for photos! Overall, the Belle Meade Plantation is well maintained and can be a fun stop for locals and tourists alike.Listed in: I went on a Road Trip...
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Review from Niki R.
Lafayette, CA
3/14/2008
So on a random trip to Nashville, this place proved to be the most worthwhile tourist trap of the day...the plantation is pretty nice--the house is truly amazing (eveything is either original or period-original). But what really made it great was our tourguide, Anthony. A masters student at TN State, he was truly awesome--knowledgable and entertaining. Apparently he does stand up, too--no doubt he is successful at both. Try to get into his tour group if you go...
A little pricier than I would normally expect to pay ($13 for adults), but Anthony's tour was worth it. A little hard to find for out-of-towners in a rental car...super-easy parking..
The gift shop is kinda kitchy, but what else would you expect? -
Review from Erin D.
Nashville, TN
12/31/2008 1 photo
I've done the tours at each Nashville plantation and Belle Meade is by far my favorite. The tour guides are very knowledgeable and dress in period clothing. There is much to see during the tour, the entire house has been restored to the Civil War era, and you learn the history of the Harding-Jackson family. You get to see the Carriage House as well. There is a restaurant on property but I've never eaten there.
The property has numerous events throughout the year including the Carriage House concert series and Farmer's Market (everything Thursday) and seasonal offerings like a Christmas tour. The site also houses a gift shop. -
Review from Robert K.
West Palm Beach, FL
9/26/2008
I toured the Belle Meade Plantation with my girlfriend about a year ago, so she could get extra credit for a history class, and it actually turned out to be fairly interesting, even for a guy like me! Not my favorite Saturday afternoon activity (I'm a sailor, you will find me at Percy Priest Lake. But it was neat.
The Mansion on the plantation is remarkably well kept and original. -
Review from Zeke A.
Nashville, TN
8/26/2009 2 photos
I really enjoyed my visit here a couple of weeks ago. The property is beautiful and well maintained. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable, charming, and engaging. I've come to see that most people in Nashville are this way - absolutely wonderful!
I was intrigued to hear the story of the family, the horses, and the rise and fall of this plantation. It is like taking a little step back in time and seeing what things were like (and how grateful I am to live today - I love air conditioning and my rights!)
I totally recommend to pay a visit if you love history, mansions, and a good family drama. -
Review from Courtney A.
St Louis, MO
1/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
A beautiful piece of history I would recommend going to visit. An important staple in The south's history, I thought it was really interesting
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Review from Wes K.
Nashville, TN
7/16/2008
Wow, was I surprised when I took some out of town relatives to the old Belle Meade Mansion last week.
It had been years since I had been there, and I never really appreciated this gem that's practically in my back yard.
The tour guide was excellent. The poor girl dressed in 7 layers of clothes in 95-degree heat couldn't have been any sweeter.
Now, for what takes the cake. This is the absolute best gift shop in Nashville! Nothing comes close. You've got to get over there and take a look at the jewelry, umbrellas, pig collection, and many other things. I've found the place where I will be doing my Christmas and birthday shopping. The staff is so friendly as well.
We went upstairs to Martha's and ate lunch after the tour. The place was totally full, and we had to wait for a table to become available. The prices are a little steep for the portions, but the food is super delicious.
To top it off, there was a small farmer's market outside that day, and I bought some organic blueberries, blackberries, tomatoes, corn, and okra. It was a perfect ending to a great day. My relatives were very impressed and left with over $200 in gifts from the gift shop.
This is my new number one place above all else in Nashville that I have posted here in Yelp. -
Review from ono y.
Hercules, CA
4/11/2010
I went on this tour a few years back and I hope it has changed since I experienced it. I don't share the mostly bubbly assessments of the plantation and tour, and found nothing "quaint and romantic" about it.
I was turned off by the cover up and/or diminishing of the sad "other" story. The tour and preservation efforts focused almost completely on the wealthy owners of the mansion. The slaves were a footnote. Yet it was the blood, toil and misery of the slaves that allowed the grand lifestyle of these spoiled confederate slave owners. Let's not forget, slavery was an evil institution.
The historic presentation at Belle Meade should focus more on the plight of these enslaved people. Ask yourselves, weren't their lives at least as important as their blood sucking slave owners? Then why is their contribution minimized? At least when I took the tour, there was no presentation of slave quarters, no attempt to show how slaves lived and how integral their lives were to the running of the facilities. Merely halfhearted, cursory comments in passing of what slaves contributed.
And no mention of how miserable their lives were, no attempt to balance the story by telling how these people were bought and sold, whipped and punished, how heroic their efforts to escape upon pain of death. One african american was singled out because of his contributions to maintaining the race horses, but the "less valuable" fieldhands and less skilled workers were hardly mentioned. My several questions regarding the lives of the slaves were largely unanswered.
In light of the way the slaves on the plantation continue to be suppressed and treated as lesser beings by the superficial treatment given them at the Belle Meade Plantation, I found the tour completely creepy and depressing.
The BMP does too little to educate about this equally important aspect of the BMP and southern life. The romanticizing of the south during slavery a la "gone with the wind" continues to this day, as evidenced by the BMP presentation.
Where are the slave quarters? Why are they not maintained and shown in detail? How many of the tour guides are african american? Until they do more to honor the contribution and memory of these enslaved people and come clean with the plantation owner's complicity in furthering this evil institution, I cannot recommend this tour. -
Review from Jessica B.
Sherwood, AR
5/29/2011
We visited the plantation after getting a recommendation from the visitor's center staff. The grounds are beautiful, the guided tour is thorough, and the admission price goes to preserving the plantation.Worth the drive and the money!
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Review from Krys G.
Nashville, TN
4/29/2007
If you love history and old mansions - This 1853 Greek revival mansion was once the centerpiece of a 5,400-acre, 19th century thoroughbred farm and nursery. Still referred to as the "Queen of Tennessee plantations," the present thirty-acre site includes many of the original outbuildings and an antique carriage collection. Allow one hour to tour the mansion and another for the grounds. The gift shop is full of great buys. There is also a restaurant upstairs from the gift shop. For the locals and the tourists.
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Review from Steve M.
3/2/2010 1 Check-in Here
A very interesting stop on our Nashville weekend. We walked the grounds and then took the tour of the mansion. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and personable and much of the house relics were authentic or at least period pieces. There were enough anecdotes to both educate and keep your interest. We enjoyed the history lesson and a brief glimpse into the past.
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Review from AB H.
Brentwood, TN
9/5/2008
My family came into town a few weeks ago and we piled into the car for Cheekwood. To my disappointment they are closed on Mondays. So we went to the near by Belle Meade plantation. Although it oozes Tennessee southern heritage, and has a wonderful rags to riches beginning, I left with a "...nice, but not blown away feeling". I suppose after living in Vegas for three years and experiencing over stimulation of senses I didn't know I had, could result in a lack luster "so what"; or maybe it was the lingering disappointment of still wanting to see Cheekwood. Either way, no fire works here.
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Review from Mariela C.
San Francisco, CA
10/29/2008
The Bell Meade Plantation has always been my fall back to give out of town visitors a glimpse of the old south. Though the name Plantation freaks most of my California friends out, it still has proven to be an educational glimpse into Nashville's history for them. Owned by the Harding-Jackson family, the Belle Meade Plantation eventually became a full time thoroughbred horse ranch. Though Belle Meade doesn't match The Hermitage's grandeur, it's still a great place to see a part of history frozen in time. As usual, my favorite part of the Belle Meade Plantation visit is getting a glimpse into the living and working conditions of enslaved peoples. Admission is $15 to check out the mansion, but if you don't feel like coughing up all that money (I know I never do) I have taken to just roaming around the grounds free of charge. For horse racing aficionados, the Belle Meade Plantation is where the Iroquois legacy began!
