The closest beaches to Nashville are on the Gulf of Mexico, specifically the coasts of Florida and Alabama. You can make it here in 7 hours! Just close enough for a weekend trip and perfect for a 3-day weekend. Check out this post for tips for road trips with kids.
There are numerous options along the coast for every type of beach vacation. We have family in Pensacola and have made family trips over 10 times with kids as young as 1 month old. A year ago, we took a minivan full of friends to a wedding in Grayton Beach on 30A. Earlier this year, we enjoyed a more hotel-focused visit on Orange Beach. From Nashville, you’ll take I65 down through TN and AL towards Montgomery and then, depending on which area of the gulf you’re heading towards, you’ll cut down on smaller highways to get to the beach.
These are a few of our favorite stops on this well-traveled path that make the long drive with kids more fun.
I65 Tennessee Exits: Nashville, TN to Ardmore, TN
Fingers crossed that you won’t need a stop in the first part of your drive, but if a stop is needed, you’ll pass several options for Love’s Travel Stores and Pilot Travel Centers. At Exit 22, we’ve previously made a stop at the Tennessean Truck Stop right off the highway in Pulaski. You can get ice cream and enjoy an indoor play area called Kidsville.
I65 Alabama Exits: Welcome to Alabama Rest Stop to Birmingham, AL
Alabama starts at Exit 365 and the length of Alabama is approximately your distance to the beach. The Welcome to Alabama Rest Stop is usually our first stop about an hour and a half in. There are clean bathrooms, vending machines, and a large Saturn rocket.
If you’re ready for a meal, Exit 351 is a favorite stop for us as it has fast food favorites (Chik-fil a, McDonald’s, Wendy’s) and numerous gas station choices.
Birmingham is around Exit 260 and full of restaurant options. Railroad Park is a great spot with wide open spaces to run close to the highway exit. Tons of food options nearby, too. If you’re craving something that’s not fast food, restaurants that we’ve stopped at in Birmingham include Pies and Pints and Tazikis.
I65 Alabama Exits: Birmingham, AL to Montgomery, AL
Hoover Explore Playground and Splashpad– On a recent trip, we broke up the 7 hour drive by stopping overnight in Hoover, AL so I could attend some virtual Friday morning meetings. This destination was about halfway and had a Hyatt Place (my favorite brand!). To get to Hoover, you’ll take Exit 250, and Highway 459, about 5 miles west. We found the best playground ever right next to the baseball stadium in hoover. The playground and splash pads are huge and the kids had a blast. The playground includes ziplines, multiple climbing structures, and a large free splash pad area. The park was designed to be accessible to kids with disabilities and mobility issues. It is a fun stop! If you’re not in a hurry to get to the beach, get some energy out here!
Peach Park Another regular stop we’ve made on this drive is at The Peach Park off of Exit 205. In addition to a storefront, there’s a gift shop, restaurant, and ice cream! Peach ice cream and cobbler are always a welcome treat. The bathrooms at this stand are clean, and you can see pictures of the last 20 years of Miss Peaches. There are also outdoor porch swings and a small playground. Old-fashioned but a great stop! Also next door is a Whataburger if you are craving some slightly better than average fast food.
I65 Alabama Exits: Montgomery, AL to the Beach!
At Exit 172, Montgomery is the next major city on your path. We haven’t personally spent much time here but the city is full of fun activities if you’d like to make a longer stop. There’s a Civil Rights Memorial, Montgomery Zoo, Kids Cow Museum and more. A few exits south of Montgomery is Gateway Park. We repeatedly saw this large park from the highway and finally decided to make this a stop a few years ago. This large park was a great way to get energy out during our long drive. Ben has actually done a few running laps here in the middle of a drive! There are several large playgrounds, a large lake, and multiple bathrooms. Nearby is a KFC where you can grab a picnic for the park.
From here, you should have around 2 hours to the beach. Depending on our timing, this is about the point where the kids have run out of activities in the activity bag and we let them watch TV. More about our activity bags here. Make sure you have google maps up so you know which exit to take as Seaside diverges soon after Montgomery. If you’re heading towards Pensacola or the Alabama beaches, you’ll continue on I65 for another hour before getting off the highway.
If you haven’t eaten your fill of ice cream and snacks yet, Priesters Pecans at Exit 142 has delicious options. Priester’s Pecans has a candy factory in-house, and you can sometimes watch them make candy from upstairs. If you’re on your way back, these snacks also make a great omiyage (Japanese term for souvenir snacks for friends, office mates, puppy sitters, etc.)
