Things to Do in Mount Juliet

Throughout the eight-week summer session, the School of Nashville Ballet offers a variety of dance classes for people of all skill levels. Experience is not necessary for the classes, which are all taught by professional instructors. Dance styles covered in classes include jazz dance, hip-hop, contemporary, or tap. The modern and fusion Pilates fitness-dance classes are open for all who wish to get in shape and groove at the same time, while ballet-minded individuals can choose from several options. The intro-to-ballet class teaches the basics, and intermediate and advanced ballet classes help students hone their skills and master tricky maneuvers. Beginners are encouraged to attend classes early in the session, as instruction will progress throughout the season. Check the schedule and call the School of Nashville Ballet for specific information on class availability.

With Cumberland River Cruises, water travelers will enjoy scenic vistas of the Cumberland River and Old Hickory Lake from the deck of Discovery, a red-, white-, and blue-topped pontoon boat operated by Jesse Caskey. The company's river tours treat hungry eyes to the naturally lovely sights of nature, like a full moon’s reflection in the river’s shimmering looking glass, the beautiful reds and bruised pinks that suffuse Old Hickory Lake when the sun sets the horizon on fire, and—in autumn—a symphony of falling gold-red and butter-yellow leaves as majestic flocks of Major League Baseball teams fly south for the winter. Most tours operate from Thursday through Sunday and are tentatively scheduled for 3 p.m., 5 p.m., and 7 p.m., although schedules will vary based on sunset time. All tours include water and soft drinks.

Walking through Belmont Mansion's Victorian-era plantation is like exploring an alternate history. The stories presented by the 2,000 artifacts that fill the 18 rooms are all true, but in place of the 19th-century South's traditionally male-dominated household, tour takers witness evidence of a plantation controlled, enlivened, and energized by a woman. After inheriting a fortune from her first husband, Adelicia Hayes Franklin Acklen Cheatham oversaw the construction of the mansion with her second husband, basing the style off an Italian villa and completing the project's first phase in 1853. Over the years it would change appearances as dramatically as a caterpillar on Halloween—sometimes by her hand and sometimes not. She commissioned a Prussian-born architect to expand and embellish the house six years after completion, and fled as the Civil War's Battle of Nashville destroyed most of the plantation's outbuildings, including the greenhouse, bear house, and zoo. After Adelicia sold her home in 1887, it transformed into a girl's school, then a girl's academy and junior college, and, in 1952, became part of the Belmont University campus.

Today, Belmont Mansion is the largest house museum in Tennessee, inviting visitors to wander past cast-iron neoclassical statues in the gardens, to cross the fountain courtyard, and to study the original water tower and few remaining gazebos. Stoic marble busts, decorative boxes, and a four-post bed fill the interior's 10,000 square feet, alongside more than 120 works of art. During a themed art tour, which is not included with this Groupon, expert docent Mancil Ezell introduces visitors to these masterpieces, including two 400-year-old Flemish paintings. And for those bright-eyed visitors captivated by the surroundings, the staff also coordinates weddings, building on a tradition established when Adelicia married her third husband on the grounds in 1867.

Professional anger and guide Mike Davis picked up his first fishing pole in his hometown of Orlando, Florida, where the swampy surroundings provided ample opportunities for reeling in scaly specimens. After high school, Mike fulfilled his childhood dream of being a meteorologist before serving a combat tour in the Persian Gulf during Desert Storm, and once back in the States, he was selected as a member of the National Weather Service. While his head was in the clouds, his heart remained by the water, and he ultimately decided to make his passion for fishing his life's pursuit. Today, Mike resides in Nashville where he leads guided fishing tours on Old Hickory Lake, helping anglers of all ages and abilities catch bass, crappie, catfish, and the rare yet inedible rubber fish.

Night has chased the light out of the sky, forcing the lone figure weaving in and out of the towering corn stalks to slice through the darkness with a flashlight. The evening’s silence is broken by an eerie noise that causes the figure to break into a frantic run, but his escape is thwarted as his friends leap out of the corn into his path, giggling and hooting, “You weren’t scared, were you?!” This is not a scene from a horror movie, but instead from Shuckle's Corn Maze’s Maze by Flashlight event, which dares visitors to navigate the almost 7-acre maze with only a flashlight to illuminate their path. Dedicated to delighting visitors with family-friendly activities, Shuckle’s staff welcomes guests of all ages to spend the day celebrating autumn’s arrival.

On any given fall day, the staffers usher intrepid explorers into the maze to maneuver the numerous twists, turns, and vengeful mutant corncobs therein. The Kiddie Safari mini maze grants youngsters a chance to tackle an age-appropriate labyrinth, and events such as hayrides, face painting, and bouncy pony-hop races unleash the inner children of all those who participate. The pumpkin patch's rotund inhabitants eagerly await the moment they’ll be scooped up and taken home to a new family, while audiences nestled in the Ho-Hum theater shimmy along with an ever-changing roster of musicians belting out bluegrass, country, and gospel tunes.

Inflated structures, slides, and games fill the climate-controlled environs of BounceU of Nashville's location. Staff members closely monitor all activities as little ones traverse obstacle courses or pull on oversized inflatable boxing gloves. The crew also invites parents to join in on the fun, letting them bounce alongside their kids or make sweeping edicts from atop a bouncy-castle throne.

In addition to open sessions, the indoor play haven sets the stage for Daily Create and Bounce Summer Camps programs that teach art lessons and group activities. Special events include parent's night out, which lets parents spend an evening away from their kids, and cosmic bounce, which turns the facility into a black-lit arena to illuminate any lost socks.