12 things to do this spring in Nashville

Spring is here! We've all been pent up inside from a cold and weirdly snowy winter, but now it's time to get outside and have some fun.

Outdoor events and spaces

🎤 Jack White, Norah Jones, Haim and Leon Bridges are among the slate of shows with good seats and affordable lawn tickets available at Ascend Amphitheater.

🤸 If you're looking for an outdoor playground where your kids can let off some steam, the Northwest Family YMCA on Ashland City Highway opened up an amazing $5.3 million BlueCross Healthy Place in January.

• There's even an obstacle course where kids — or, in Nate's case, childlike adults — can time themselves.

We also asked Axios Nashville readers for your springtime picks.

🦒 Nick says he can't wait to go to the zoo, which recently opened a DinoTrek exhibit that features life-size animatronic dinosaurs.

🏃 Molly suggested the Gilda's Club Middle Tennessee's second annual 5K & 1-Mile Fun Run in Shelby Park on Saturday, April 2.

Affordable baseball fun

👋 Nate here. As a Chicago Cubs fan who's absolutely floored by the cost of tickets to a game at Wrigley Field this season, I am always on the hunt for a more affordable way to watch baseball.

• Luckily for us in Nashville, there are several great options, starting with college baseball.

⚾️ Vanderbilt has built a baseball juggernaut, and most of its SEC weekend home games are already sold out. But there are still a limited number of tickets available for midweek games starting at just $10.

• Vandy plays Belmont at the Sounds' First Horizon Park on March 22. Tickets start at $27.

🧢 Lipscomb home games have tickets starting at $5 for adults and free for kids under 12.

🥎 Belmont is an even better deal — all of their baseball and softball home games are free.

🎶 Speaking of the Sounds, they've long been one of the best deals for live sports in Nashville. A spot check of ticket availability shows midweek games have decent seats starting at $17.

Outdoor dining picks

We've all become outdoor dining experts during the pandemic, but we really relish the al fresco options in the spring. Here are some of our favorite spots to soak up the sun:

🍻 Tailgate Brewery Headquarters, located on seven acres along Charlotte Pike, is the perfect spot for a casual gathering.

🍇 Arrington Vineyards in Williamson County offers ample picnic space on a rolling hillside that is painfully picturesque. You'll be leaving with a new profile picture.

🥨 Von Elrod's in Germantown has a beer garden that pairs well with a quick lunch, happy hour or a night out.

Cheekwood's spring splendor

Cheekwood is an explosion of color this time of year.

By the numbers: The annual Cheekwood in Bloom event, which runs through April 10, features more than 250,000 tulips, daffodils and spring bulbs.

Be smart: Experts estimate they will reach "peak bloom" in the last week of March or the first week of April.

• Cheekwood is tracking progress on Instagram.