When planning our travels to Alabama Gulf Shores, we looked for the perfect stopping point! Franklin, TN ended up being just that! We decided on Nashville, TN as it is a little more than half-way between the two destinations. This would make our second day of driving a little less!
While it may not be the most direct route, it allowed us to check out a stop that had interested us for some time! As it were, we were all exhausted from traveling for 12 hours and decided that downtown Nashville wasn’t for us, but we did spend some time exploring Franklin, Tennessee, the suburb that we had decided to stay in! We originally selected Franklin because it is a southern suburb, which meant leaving the city would be easy the next morning, but we got much more than we bargained for!
Pueblo Real Mexican Restaurant
Eating in a metropolitan area for us from the rural area, can sometimes be like a kid in a candy store! There are so many options, we want to try new things, but are overwhelmed by the options! M was insistent that we stick to our “we can’t have that in Iowa” philosophy and after us adults hemmed and hawed for quite some time (like seriously, a ridiculously long amount of time), M declared that we should just go to the Mexican restaurant that sounded good to him! So, we finally listened to the 14yo and did just that! We questioned his selection as we wound our way through residential neighborhoods of Franklin and for quite some distance. We questioned it even more when we pulled into the parking lot of a stip mall! He was confident though!
I’m not quite sure how knew this place would be good, but he was right! There was a small wait (we figured that was a good sign), but we were seated rather quickly and efficiently! Of course warm bowls of chips and dishes of fresh salsa were placed in front of us almost simultaneously and we dug in! That combination was not a disappointment either!
A variety of dishes were ordered and all enjoyed! My chicken parmesan dish was one of the best and the rice was delicious! The wait staff made sure we didn’t run out of chips & salsa. Our drinks were cold and always full! The prices were reasonable! That combination makes for a perfect combination in a restaurant, especially after a long day of traveling!
Kilwins Franklin
During our driving adventure to Pubelo Real, we passed through several residential areas. We also passed through downtown Frankin, TN. This absolutely adorable suburb is where we eyed several candy shops, bakeries, and ice cream shops. We all made the declaration that ice cream would be necessary after supper, so we made the trek back and was well worth it! The first thing we noticed was the number of people milling around the shops and streets! Several streets were closed off due to live music happening outside! After finding a parking spot in a parking garage (a great asset since street parking is limited), we wondered to Kilwins!
Once you step into Kilwins, you are enveloped into the sweetest of smells! They not only offer premium ice cream, but also hand made caramel apples, flavored popcorns, chocolates, and fudge! We took a brief time perusing it all and taking in the scents, but also headed straight to the ice cream counter!
Kilwins makes their own recipe and over over 40 premium flavors! You can sample a flavor or two if you can’t decide plus you can choose from a traditional cone, sugar cone, or fresh-made waffle cone! Finally, if you need a topping or two, select from their hand-made fudge and caramel. I opted for their Banana Fudge PIe and it was TO DIE FOR! Rich (but not fake) tasting banana ice cream with fudge ripples throughout in a homemade waffle cone was perfection!
Explore Franklin
With ice cream in hand, we set out to wonder the streets of Franklin and took it all in! One of the nearby restaurants had a Beatles cover band outside and we spent some time listening, taking it all in, and enjoying our treat!
Don’t worry, if you need big box stores for items you forgot, there is plenty of those including a wonderful mall! We spent a good hour or so at the Coolsprings Galleria burning off some built up energy! After 12 hours in the car, it’s a great place to get some steps in! There are plenty of hotels to choose from as well!
We also noticed as we drove through the different neighborhoods was not only the beautifully landscaped yards, but also the historic architecture! Plus, you’ll find small plantation looking farmsteads right in the middle of the urban area! What a magical place! We definitely would return to Franklin to explore it some more! If you’re headed to Nashville or anywhere in that direction, we highly recommend a stop!
Spend More Time
If you have more time to spend in the area then we recommend heading into Nashville! Check out our “A Newbies Guide to Nashville“.
PIN it for Later
Your meals look delicous! I’ve never tried parmesan chicken before.
So good! It’s definitely my “go to”!
Those Mexican dishes look delicious! I’ve never been to those places in TN, just Memphis. Would love to go now!
We obviously have a lot of time, but we would definitely head back to Franklin if we were in the area!
Wow! Everything looks soooooooo yummy!
It was!! We still laugh about the drama to find the restaurant and it being so good!
Thanks for sharing! Sometimes these great small towns get overshadowed by the bigger cities like Nashville, but I’m adding it to the list after hearing about these great food options!
You’re absolutely right! The food was awesome, but the atmosphere of that downtown area was just as cool!!