Every town has its own unique people, places, character and activities that set it apart from every other city, those special elements that make a place feel like home. In Murfreesboro, local love shows up in a variety of ways: favorite walking trails, go-to restaurants, the hometown college, a Friday night crowd downtown or a quiet moment near the river or at the battlefield. For those new to the Murfreesboro area, or anyone considering a visit, planning a date night or family outing or looking for some new places to explore in the community, here—in this month of appreciation and love—are just a few of the reasons: We Love Murfreesboro.
_____
We Love the Greenway
The Murfreesboro Greenway—miles of paved paths running alongside the Stones River linking neighborhoods, parks and roads—is one of the city’s connective tissues. It’s great for an enjoyable afternoon walk, a bike ride or a peaceful (and free!) riverside date.
From spring blooms to winter quiet to summer heat, it’s a year-round reminder of how much nature lives inside of our city limits, a place for all to get some quiet, fresh air and exercise, and, for many, a traffic-free method of getting around town by foot or bicycle.
_____
We Love Local Restaurants
From Marina’s on the Square, Slick Pig, Toot’s, The Bangkok, Donut Country, Demos’ and other longtime local institutions to date-night favorites like Primrose Table, The Alley on Main and Five Senses, Murfreesboro contains a fantastic, wide-ranging dining scene.
Southern classics at Sylvan Park and Kleer-Vu, pizza at Luca’s or Sal’s, Thai food at Pad Thai Cafe or Taste of Thai, Italian comfort food at La Cucina Italiana, all-you-can-eat sushi at Wako, burgers at Sandwich Factory, Busters or Jack Brown’s, Indian fare at Clay Pit, Ugadi or Tandoor, and a wealth of other eateries hold special places in local hearts.
Explore these, and more, unique, local and independent spots.
_____
Photo courtesy of Main Street Murfreesboro
We Love Downtown
Downtown Murfreesboro blends history with modern energy. Friday Night Live concerts, the Murfreesboro Saturday Market, live music at Boro Bourbon and Brews and Casa Primos, lots of seasonal events and fundraisers like Wine Around the Square, Cookin’ to Build, and the annual Christmas tree lighting and celebration, along with coffee-shop hangouts such as Joanie’s and Oflow, keep the historic Murfreesboro Square buzzing while an increasing number of boutiques, restaurants, bars and shops make it a destination with a historical sense of community and vintage architecture that cannot be duplicated in a strip mall setting.
_____
Old Fort Skate Park courtesy of Ashleigh Newnes
We Love Old Fort Park
Old Fort Park remains one of Murfreesboro’s favorite outdoor hubs for kids of all ages. The park features a skate park, a huge playground, walking trails and connectivity to the Greenway system, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, pickleball courts and green space, suitable for an active afternoon, a casual picnic, a lazy day of reading, a walk, a cookout, or as a place for the kids to burn off some energy running around with a herd of other local boys and girls.
_____
Wildlife at Murfree Spring Wetlands by Ashleigh Newnes
We Love Discovery Center
Discovery Center at Murfree Spring makes a fun and educational outing for families any time of year. The museum houses a large waterworks play area (where some local youngsters can spend hours playing) and many other permanent activity areas and learning stations, plus a rotating lineup of traveling exhibits, all about discovering more about how the world works. Visitors to the Discovery Center can also enjoy an outdoor component, with a playground, picnic areas, water features and elevated walking trails above the beautiful Murfree Spring wetlands nearby.
_____
We Love Local History
Equal parts fun outdoor escape and hallowed national history, Murfreesboro’s Stones River National Battlefield offers serene walking paths, open fields and moments of reflection, drawing Civil War historians from across the country and providing locals with an outdoor spot to run, walk and learn. It’s also a place to slow down, take in some moments of quiet and remember those who walked the grounds in the 1860s.
Take time to explore Oaklands Mansion (900 N. Maney Ave.), a Civil War-era home now a museum near downtown Murfreesboro.
Outdoors, enjoy the gardens and grounds at Oaklands Park. Wander through the Native Tree Arboretum, home to over 70 varieties of native trees, including a 250+ year-old white oak. Along with Maney Spring and walking trails, there is also a playground and picnic pavilion.
_____
We Love Blue Raiders
The MTSU Blue Raiders bring NCAA competition to town and give Murfreesboro its college-town heartbeat. In addition to the football, basketball, baseball, soccer, softball and tennis games, the university hosts a variety of concerts, festivals, events, performances and other events open to the entire community. For information on MTSU Athletics or tickets to MTSU sporting events, visit goblueraiders.com. For a list of campus events, visit mtsu.edu/campuslife/events.
_____
We Love Nature
For those who need some room to roam, Flat Rock Cedar Glades and Barrens, one of Murfreesboro’s unique natural spaces, offers over three miles of walking trails that feel far removed from the city—even though it’s just a few miles away from the university and downtown Murfreesboro. The open landscape and quiet trails at this state natural area make it an ideal spot for an afternoon hike, nature photography, or a peaceful, unplugged outing immersed in Middle Tennessee’s distinct ecology.
_____
We Love GO USA Fun Park
GO USA Fun Park is Murfreesboro’s original old-school, go-to destination for family fun and playful nights out. With indoor and outdoor attractions including arcade games, go-karts, mini golf, simulator rides, batting cages and a driving range, it’s the local place for fun competition among family and friends.
_____
Photo courtesy of Las Trojas Cantina
We Love Mexican Food
Murfreesboro’s Mexican food scene is deeply loved and many local diners have their own personal favorite. From longtime Tex-Mex favorites like Camino Real, Nacho’s and La Siesta to the authentic spots such as Mexico Tipico, from Carmen’s Taqueria to MexiVen, Mercados Marias and the other jewels of the Bradyville Pike area, plus the newer arrivals like Las Trojas Cantina and a wealth of other neighborhood taco trucks and slightly hidden eateries found in grocery stores, gas stations and down side streets, the town has a huge variety of places selling fish tacos, queso, enchiladas, beans and rice, birria quesa, burritos and quesadillas.
With so many options and no sign of the quantity of Mexican restaurants slowing down, residents often joke that whenever a new restaurant space is under development, that it must be another Mexican place—though many of them will soon go try the new taqueria.
_____
We Love Murals
Public art continues to add color and character all throughout Murfreesboro. A butterfly near the Square, the colorful “Murfreesboro” Tennessee Tri Star Rainbow mural on Walnut Street and many other large colorful creations at Fountains at Gateway, Slick Pig, Liberty’s Station and various other locations turn everyday spaces into photo backdrops and conversation starters, celebrating creativity and community pride. These local pieces keep the town colorful and serve as meaningful reminders that beautiful art can belong on the side of any city building. Check out boropulse.com/murals for a listing of local mural locations.
_____
We Love Golf
Golfers have a strong selection of public and private area golf courses they can play, including Old Fort, Indian Hills, Cedar Crest, Stones River Country Club and Champions Run golf courses, among other nearby championship-caliber layouts. Area courses provide everything from casual weekend rounds and training beginners (the six-hole Bloomfield Links is great for learning the game) to serious national competition.
_____
We Love Community Theater
Murfreesboro’s community theater scene brings storytelling to life. Productions from Murfreesboro Little Theatre at Oaklands Mansion provides fun, theatrical entertainment in a scenic, historical backdrop, and performances at the Mills-Pate Performing Arts Center make memorable nights out, all while supporting local creatives and homegrown talent.
_____
We Love The Avenue
The Avenue changed the complexion of Murfreesboro when it arrived in 2007, drawing restaurants, national retailers, local businesses and entertainment options to the surrounding area. Today, the Medical Center Parkway shopping district draws in consumers and diners from nearby towns and offers the people of Murfreesboro a wealth of shopping and dining options. The area continues to be one of Murfreesboro’s most popular gathering spots.
_____
We Love Soccer
Soccer plays a growing role in Murfreesboro’s identity, with the UPSL’s Tennessee Tempo—spring 2025 league champions—calling Murfreesboro home, and the Siegel Soccer Complex drawing national tournaments to the Middle of Tennessee. Murfreesboro also has strong youth league and recreational opportunities, with many local families filling their calendars with games and practices.
_____
We Love Cannonsburgh
Our local pioneer village stands as a symbol of the history of Murfreesboro, and so many other early American communities. The village, just off of Broad Street, contains a gristmill on the banks of the creek, a blacksmith shop, school house, wedding chapel, doctor’s office and many other old wooden structures. Visitors can also find the World’s Largest Cedar Bucket, one of Murfreesboro’s claims to fame. A bucket manufacturer created the original six-foot-tall, 1,500-gallon bucket in the 1800s to promote the local bucket industry, which gave Murfreesboro its “Bucket City” nickname (a replica of the original giant bucket sits at Cannonsburgh today).
_____
With so many options and attractions to choose from, surely there’s something in the Bucket City that belongs on your bucket list.
