Quick answer (as of October 2026) Belle Meade Historic Site & Winery, the place many people search as Belle Meade Plantation, is at 110 Leake Avenue in the City of Belle Meade, about 7 miles by road west of downtown Nashville. It's open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and guided Mansion Tours leave every 30 to 45 minutes from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. A 45-minute Mansion Tour costs $32 for adults, a grounds-only pass costs $24, and every ticket includes a complimentary wine sampling in the Belle Meade Winery tasting room for guests 21 and older. Parking is free. The one-hour Journey to Jubilee tour covers the people enslaved at Belle Meade, 136 of them by the 1860 census.
You typed in Belle Meade Plantation, and the place itself goes by Belle Meade Historic Site & Winery. It's the same 1853 mansion off Harding Pike. Every price and hour here comes from the site as of October 2026, and the history, including the people who were enslaved here, comes from the site's own research and the Tennessee Encyclopedia.
I've been selling real estate since 2013 and investing in real estate since 2005, and I help buyers and sellers in Belle Meade and across Davidson County. If you're looking at homes near the site, DM me, text or call 615-392-1186.
What is Belle Meade Historic Site?
Belle Meade Historic Site & Winery is a museum and winery on the grounds of Belle Meade, a plantation and thoroughbred stud farm the Harding and Jackson households ran from 1807 until the early 1900s. The site covers more than 30 acres in the City of Belle Meade, in Davidson County, and centers on an 1853 Greek Revival mansion that, per the site, was built mostly by enslaved labor.
The site's mailing address is 5025 Harding Pike, Nashville, TN 37205, and you arrive at 110 Leake Avenue. Belle Meade has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1969, listed under the plain name "Belle Meade" at Harding Road and Leake Avenue, per the National Park Service. The Tennessee Encyclopedia, published by the Tennessee Historical Society, files it under Belle Meade Plantation, so you'll see both names.
How much are tickets to Belle Meade Plantation?
A 45-minute Mansion Tour of Belle Meade costs $32 for adults, $30 for seniors 65 and older, and $24 buys a grounds-only pass, per the site as of October 2026. Every guided ticket and every grounds pass includes the 30-plus acres of grounds and a complimentary wine sampling in the winery tasting room for guests 21 and older.
| Ticket | Length | Adult price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mansion Tour | 45 minutes | $32 | Guided tour of the foyer, library, dining room, parlor and upstairs bedrooms, and the people who lived and labored at Belle Meade from 1807 to 1906 |
| Journey to Jubilee | 1 hour | $32 | Historian-led tour on enslavement and emancipation at Belle Meade, with a stop inside the Kitchen House |
| Battle at Belle Meade: Civil War Tour | 45 minutes | $32 | Outdoor walking tour on the Battle of Nashville, the United States Colored Troops and the people on the property during the war |
| Grounds Only Admission | Self-guided, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. | $24 | The grounds, outbuildings, walking paths and outdoor exhibits; no mansion tour or guided experience |
The site lists lower rates by age on each ticket page. Any ticket also gets you into two exhibits at no extra charge: the Harding Cabin, one of the oldest surviving buildings in Nashville, and the Journey to Jubilee Cabin. From April to October you can visit the site's two resident horses, Nelson and Alibi. Book on the site's tours and tickets page or call (615) 356-0501.
What are the hours at Belle Meade Historic Site?
Belle Meade Historic Site is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Mansion Tours run every 30 to 45 minutes from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., per the site as of October 2026. The site suggests at least 2 hours on the grounds.
Check in at the Visitor Center 15 minutes before your tour time, and allow about 5 minutes to walk from there to the mansion. Tours start on time, and if you're late the site will try to fit you on the next tour but doesn't promise a spot. The site doesn't post holiday closures, so call (615) 356-0501 before a holiday visit.
Is there a winery at Belle Meade?
Yes. Belle Meade Winery's tasting room sits on the grounds and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and any tour ticket or grounds pass includes a complimentary wine sampling for guests 21 and older, per the site as of October 2026. You can buy wine by the glass or the bottle and take it out to the shaded wine garden.
| Experience | Length | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wine sampling | Short introductory tasting | Included with any ticket | In the tasting room, 21 and older |
| Wine & Food Pairing | 60 minutes | From $65 | Five wines with hors d'oeuvres |
| Wine, Bourbon and Food Pairing | 60 minutes | From $75 | A neat bourbon pour, a bourbon cocktail and three wines, each with food |
| Belle Meade Bourbon Mixology Experience | 30 minutes | From $40 | Mix your own drink; Friday to Sunday, 21 and older |
Where do you park, eat and get around at Belle Meade?
Parking at Belle Meade Historic Site is free, and accessible spaces sit by the front of the Visitor Center and in the upper restaurant lot, per the site's FAQ as of October 2026. Set your map to the arrival address, 110 Leake Avenue, not the Harding Pike mailing address.
The grounds and the mansion's first floor are wheelchair accessible, with a ramp to the side porch, and an elevator in the Visitor Center serves both levels. The mansion has no elevator; if you skip the second floor, staff can hand you a printed guide to it. Bring your own wheelchair, walker or scooter.
Outside food and drinks aren't allowed. On site, the Belle Meade Meat & Three serves daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Fox Run Cafe is open Friday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Coop 'N Scoop has ice cream, milkshakes and coffee. Personal photos are fine on the grounds, but no photography of any kind is allowed inside the mansion. Pets aren't allowed inside any building; service animals are.
What is the history of Belle Meade Plantation?
Belle Meade began in February 1807, when John Harding bought 250 acres on Richland Creek, seven miles from Nashville, and brought three enslaved people with him: Ben, Dicey and Patrick, per the site's timeline. Over the next century it grew into a plantation and one of the best-known thoroughbred breeding farms in the country, and the Harding-Jackson line lost it after two deaths in 1903.
| Year | What happened | Per |
|---|---|---|
| 1807 | John Harding buys 250 acres on Richland Creek and brings three enslaved people, Ben, Dicey and Patrick | Belle Meade timeline |
| 1816 | Harding advertises his stallion Boaster at stud, the start of the thoroughbred business | Belle Meade timeline |
| 1850 | The Hardings enslave 93 people, the fourth largest number in Davidson County | Belle Meade African American Studies |
| 1853 | William Giles Harding enlarges the house into the Greek Revival mansion, built mostly by enslaved labor | Belle Meade timeline and African American Studies |
| 1860 | The census lists 136 people enslaved at Belle Meade | Belle Meade African American Studies |
| 1871 | The stallion Bonnie Scotland is bought for Belle Meade | Belle Meade timeline |
| 1886 | William Hicks Jackson buys Iroquois, the first American-born winner of the Epsom Derby (1881) | Belle Meade timeline |
| 1903 | William Hicks Jackson and his son William Harding Jackson die within three months of each other; with the estate in debt, the stud business, house and land are sold | Belle Meade timeline; Tennessee Encyclopedia |
| 1953 | The State of Tennessee buys the house and 24 acres and deeds them to the Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities | Tennessee Encyclopedia |
| 1969 | Belle Meade is listed on the National Register of Historic Places | National Park Service |
During the Civil War, Federal authorities arrested William Giles Harding, a Confederate supporter, and held him for six months, and Elizabeth McGavock Harding ran the plantation while he was gone, per the Tennessee Encyclopedia. The site's timeline says he was held in a military prison on Mackinac Island, Michigan. The site's Civil War tour walks the grounds and covers the Battle of Nashville.
After the war, William Giles Harding and his son-in-law, William Hicks Jackson, built Belle Meade into one of the best-known thoroughbred farms in the world, with Bonnie Scotland and Iroquois its most famous stallions, per the Tennessee Encyclopedia. The site's timeline adds that its Yearling Sale was held at Madison Square Garden in New York starting in 1901.
Who was enslaved at Belle Meade?
By 1860, the census listed 136 people enslaved at Belle Meade, 33 women, 40 men and 63 aged 10 or younger, per the site. Enslaved people built nearly every structure on the property, from the quarters, barns and mills to the 1853 mansion, and they worked as farmers, grooms, millers, dairy workers, tanners, carpenters, masons, cooks, seamstresses and laundresses.
The workday started at dawn with the farm bell. Several people escaped in the early years, among them Ben, a blacksmith, Ned and Will, and the farm's position near the Natchez Trace, a main route of the interstate slave trade, meant the people held here lived with the fear of being sold south, per the site.
The site's research names individuals and follows them past emancipation:
- Robert Green was enslaved at Belle Meade and stayed after emancipation, becoming head hostler over the thoroughbreds, which the site calls the highest-paid position, at $20 a month in 1879. He died in 1906 and is buried on the property; his exact grave is unknown.
- Susanna Carter ran the domestic side of Belle Meade, per oral histories. Those histories say she and her sisters were born free and illegally enslaved by the McGavock household; her parents, Joe and Clara, were enslaved at Carnton in Franklin.
- Alexander Vaulx was born enslaved around 1835, worked as a carriage driver after emancipation, and in 1872 bought a home where the Edgehill Public Library stands today.
The site began researching its history of enslavement in the 1990s, using archival records, ledgers, letters and oral histories, and it says gaps remain where records are missing. Descendants can share their stories or ask the curatorial staff for help with their own genealogy research through the site's African American Studies page. The Journey to Jubilee Cabin, an 1830s log cabin brought to the site to show the kind of building that stood here then, holds a display of the known names and a recorded interview with Emma Bragg, a descendant of Susanna Carter.
What events are coming up at Belle Meade?
The next big public event at Belle Meade Historic Site is the Holiday Open House on Thursday, November 12, 2026, from 5 to 8 p.m., and admission is free, per the site as of October 2026. It includes walkthroughs of the decorated mansion, carolers and seasonal drinks.
- The Wine Workshop pt. 2. Thursday, November 19, 2026, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., 21 and older, a guided tasting that compares sparkling wines with Belle Meade's own. The site hasn't posted a price.
- The site's full experiences list carries the current events, including the 21-and-older evenings.
How far is Belle Meade Historic Site from downtown Nashville?
Belle Meade Historic Site is about 7.1 miles and 17 minutes from the Tennessee State Capitol in downtown Nashville without traffic, by Harding Pike and West End Avenue, per OpenStreetMap routing (OSRM) from 110 Leake Avenue on October 28, 2026.
| From 110 Leake Avenue to | Main roads | Distance | Time, no traffic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belle Meade City Hall | Harding Pike | about 1.6 miles | about 4 minutes |
| Downtown Nashville (State Capitol) | Harding Pike, West End Avenue | about 7.1 miles | about 17 minutes |
| Nashville International Airport (BNA) | Harding Pike, Woodmont Boulevard, Briley Parkway | about 13.8 miles | about 25 minutes |
| Downtown Franklin (Public Square) | Harding Pike, Old Hickory Boulevard, Hillsboro Road | about 16.1 miles | about 27 minutes |
Those are free-flow numbers, so plan on more at rush hour. If you're coming from Franklin, my things to do in Franklin guide covers Carnton, where Susanna Carter's parents were enslaved, and my things to do in Spring Hill guide covers Rippa Villa.
Is Belle Meade Historic Site in the City of Belle Meade?
Yes. The site's arrival address, 110 Leake Avenue, falls inside the City of Belle Meade on the U.S. Census Bureau's geocoder, even though the mailing address says Nashville. Belle Meade is its own incorporated city in Davidson County, one of six satellite cities inside Metro Nashville, with its own Board of Commissioners and zoning code.
The city covers 3.07 square miles of land, and the Census Bureau estimates 2,621 people lived there on July 1, 2025. Its ZIP code, 37205, also covers Nashville addresses outside the city line. Belle Meade Boulevard was laid out in 1913 with a streetcar line down the middle, per The Cultural Landscape Foundation. My Davidson County guide covers the rest of the county.
What are the homes like in Belle Meade, TN?
Homes in the City of Belle Meade sit on large lots set by zoning: the city's five zoning districts require a minimum lot of 20,000 square feet in Residence C up to 200,000 square feet in Estates A, per the Belle Meade Zoning Code as of October 2026. A house there must have at least 2,000 square feet of floor area.
A conservation overlay covers the whole city, and the Historic Zoning Commission reviews exterior design and materials before you build or change the outside of a home. The house, garages and any pool house can cover no more than 8 percent of the lot in Estates A and 12 percent everywhere else, and you need a city permit to take down any tree over 4 inches in diameter.
My Belle Meade, TN page has the homes for sale, the 2026 tax lines and the full zoning table. Send me any address near the historic site and I'll check whether it's inside the city limits and which zoning district it's in before you write an offer. DM me, text or call 615-392-1186.
Frequently asked questions about Belle Meade Historic Site
Is Belle Meade Plantation the same as Belle Meade Historic Site?
Yes. Belle Meade Historic Site & Winery is the name the site uses today for Belle Meade, the 1807 plantation and thoroughbred farm on Harding Pike in Nashville. The National Register lists it as Belle Meade, and the Tennessee Encyclopedia files it under Belle Meade Plantation.
How much does it cost to tour Belle Meade Plantation?
As of October 2026, the 45-minute Mansion Tour costs $32 for adults and $30 for seniors 65 and older, and a grounds-only pass costs $24 for adults. The Journey to Jubilee and Battle at Belle Meade tours are also $32 for adults. Every ticket includes a complimentary wine sampling for guests 21 and older.
What are the hours at Belle Meade Historic Site?
Belle Meade Historic Site is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mansion Tours run every 30 to 45 minutes from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the site suggests allowing at least 2 hours.
Is the wine tasting free at Belle Meade Winery?
A short wine sampling in the Belle Meade Winery tasting room is included with any tour ticket or grounds pass for guests 21 and older. Longer pairings cost extra: the Wine & Food Pairing starts at $65 and the Wine, Bourbon and Food Pairing at $75, as of October 2026.
Is there parking at Belle Meade Historic Site?
Yes, parking is free. Use the arrival address, 110 Leake Avenue, Nashville, TN 37205. Accessible spaces are by the front of the Visitor Center and in the upper restaurant lot.
How many people were enslaved at Belle Meade?
The 1860 census listed 136 people enslaved at Belle Meade, up from 93 in 1850, when the Hardings held the fourth largest number of enslaved people in Davidson County. The site's Journey to Jubilee tour and cabin exhibit tell their history.
Is Belle Meade Historic Site in the City of Belle Meade?
Yes. The arrival address, 110 Leake Avenue, is inside the City of Belle Meade, a separate city in Davidson County with its own commissioners and zoning code, even though the mailing address reads Nashville. The ZIP code is 37205.
Looking at homes near Belle Meade?
Tell me what you want near the historic site, and I'll send the Belle Meade and west Nashville homes that fit, with the city limits and zoning checked on each one. DM me, text or call 615-392-1186.
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