49 Things to Do in Knoxville, Tennessee for Adventurers, Foodies, and History-Lovers

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Knoxville, Tennessee aka the Maker City aka Scruffy City aka Gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains is the perfect destination if you love history, nature, food and drink, and hidden gems. Home to icons like the Sunsphere, UT Knoxville Volunteers, and Womens Basketball Hall of Fame, Knoxville has an incredibly welcoming community, thriving art scene, and deep connection to its history.

Whether you’re visiting Knoxville as part of a greater Tennessee road trip, for a weekend getaway, or are looking to rediscover your local hometown, I’m sharing 49 of my favorite things to do in Knoxville, Tennessee for adventurers, foodies, and history-lovers. And if that’s not you, keep reading because there’s SO MUCH to do here that I guarantee you’ll find something that draws your eye.

Map of the Best Things to Do in Knoxville

Things to do in Downtown Knoxville

1. East Tennessee History Center

Hidden in one of the many buildings downtown is the East Tennessee History Center, which is home to a fabulous museum sharing the detailed history of East Tennessee from the Native Peoples that inhabited the land, to Appalachian pioneers, to the Civil War, to the Manhattan Project, and so much more!

Be sure to take your time in the recreation of Knoxville’s historic downtown with a Drug Store full of lots of dated drugs (arsenic, anyone?) and an authentic downtown trolley.

Voices of the Land is the largest exhibit with a full timeline of East Tennessee history with rooms and rooms full of artifacts and memorabilia. For example, see Civil War weapons, pioneer instruments, and Dolly Parton’s wardrobe.

There is also a rotating exhibit that’s included with admission. When I visited it was about the film industry and East Tennessee, however, it has since been rotated out. Be sure to check with the front desk to see what it is when you’re visiting.

• Admission: $10 for adults, free on Sundays
• Address: 601 S Gay Street
• Closures: close at 4pm on weekdays

2. Market House Bell

Located in Market Square is a bell that once hung in Knoxville’s City Hall in the 1880s. It signaled emergencies like fires and at the time could be heard from every corner of the city!

Now you can see it in Market Square and learn more about it’s history.

• Admission: N/A
• Address: Market Square
• Closures: none

3. Tennessee Woman Suffrage Memorial

Right next to the bell is the Tennessee Woman Suffrage Memorial, which features three important women to the suffrage movement in East Tennessee.

Front and center is Lizzie French, the president of the Tennessee Equal Suffrage Association and the founder of Knoxville’s branch.

To her left is Elizabeth Meriwether, who held the first Tennessee public meeting discussing women’s rights and published her own newspaper.

To Lizzie’s right is Anne Dudley, the first president of Nashville Equal Suffrage League and a president of Tennessee Equal Suffrage Association.

Pay these awesome women some attention and give them your respect!

• Admission: N/A
• Address: Market Square
• Closures: none

4. Market Square Fountain

This one is especially great on a hot summer day and for kids. The Market Square Play Fountain is at ground level so you can run through and get wet.

It’s also a great spot for people watching and the sound makes for a great ambience around the square.

• Admission: N/A
• Address: Market Square
• Closures: mid-October to mid-May and from 9 pm to 10 am daily

5. Krutch Park Sculptures

Adjacent to Market Square is Krutch Park, which on first glance may look like a simple city park. However, it’s actually full of beautiful sculptures that you can walk around and admire.

• Admission: N/A
• Address: 504 Market Street
• Closures: none

6. Tennessee Theatre

Knoxville is hailed as an artsy town, so naturally the theatre and film scenes are quite popular. The Tennessee Theatre often hosts Broadway shows, like Wicked, Six, and Hadestown, plus movie showings, comedians, and musicians.

If you happen to catch it, Mighty Musical Monday (the first Monday of the month) is a free musical performance on the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ inside the theatre. I don’t know about you, but I consider any chance to see a free show a win!

• Admission: depends on the event, Mighty Musical Monday is free
• Address: 604 S Gay Street
• Closures: varies by day and event

7. First Friday Art Walk

On the first Friday of the month, you can partake in the First Friday Art Walk downtown and in Old City. This is when galleries open and showcase the work of local and rotating artists. Not only that, but they often have events like art classes, demonstrations, and special goods for sale.

Check out Pretentious Glass Co (number 39 on this list), The Emporium Center Galleries and Artist Studios, UT Downtown Gallery, Rala, and Arrowmont Gallery.

• Admission: N/A
• Address: all over downtown
• Closures: varies by gallery

8. Cradle of Country Music Trail

Around downtown Knoxville, you can follow the Cradle of Country Music Tour trail, which highlights East Tennessee musicians and important places where they played, were discovered, or had big moments in their career. The trail also includes historic music venues like Knoxville’s Tennessee Theatre (number 6 on this list!).

For example, check out the marker for Women of Country Music, namely Dolly Parton, who made her broadcast debut in Knoxville at age 7! You’ll also see stops for The Louvin Brothers, Hank Williams, The Everly Brothers, and Elvis!

While you can wander downtown and find the stops, it’s best to pop into Knoxville’s visitor center and grab a brochure for the self-guided tour. It has a map and lots of context for the signs you see along the way!

• Admission: N/A
• Address: all over downtown
• Closures: N/A, but pick up the guide from the Visitor Center from 9am – 5pm Mon-Sat or 12pm – 4pm Sun

9. Strong Alley Murals

Continuing Knoxville’s place as an artsy city, this next activity is always fun. In Strong Alley, you’ll find lots of beautiful murals including the most popular one of Dolly Parton, plus scenes with birds, a Downtown Knoxville mural, and more!

Strong Alley murals are located in Strong Street just on the other side of Market Square (the east side).

The murals change frequently, so it’s always a good idea to come back on future trips.

• Admission: N/A
• Address: Strong St
• Closures: N/A

10. Knoxville Museum of Art

Knoxville’s free Museum of Art is the perfect spot to escape the summer heat or winter cold. With three floors of exhibits and an outdoor sculpture garden, you’re sure to find something that suits your fancy!

Don’t miss the video presentation about how the artists created and transported the massive glass and metal sculpture that hangs in the main foyer.

The rotating exhibits are also always interesting. When I visited, they had a collection of miniatures on display and provided a free scavenger hunt to find some of the overlooked details.

• Admission: free
• Address: 1050 Worlds Fair Park Drive
• Closures: Mondays and at 5pm Tues – Sun

11. Sunsphere

Did you really go to Knoxville if you didn’t visit the Sunsphere?

Our most iconic building that sets apart our skyline is the Sunsphere. Built for the 1982 World’s Fair (the last one to ever be), the Sunsphere represents the sun because the theme of the Fair was energy.

The Sunsphere sits at 266 feet tall and now you can go up to the Observation Deck for the best views of Knoxville and on a clear day, you can even see the Great Smoky Mountains.

To tour, book tickets online then wait at the base for an attendant to take you up to the top!

• Admission: $5 for adults
• Address: 810 Clinch Ave.
• Closures: Mon – Sat at 5pm, Sun at 4pm, and during lunch hour from 1:30 – 2:30 pm

12. World’s Fair Park

Surrounding the Sunsphere is World’s Fair Park, one of the most peaceful spots in Knoxville to take a stroll.

There’s a stage and lawn that make it the go-to spot for events in the city. Plus, be sure to walk under the rainbow archways and see Kelsey Montague’s bird mural under the blue arch!

The park has public restrooms, water bottle fill stations, and steps by the water that are perfect for a picnic.

• Admission: N/A
• Address: 525 Henley St.
• Closures: N/A

13. Maker Exchange

If you’re a fan of art and were hoping to do First Friday Art Walk, but didn’t make the timing work, Maker Exchange is a great alternative! Knoxville is known as the Maker City and at Maker Exchange, you can shop all sorts of handmade artisan goods, have unique dining experiences, and more.

At The Curio, you’ll find a shoppable display of artists’ works including jewelry, sculptures, ceramics, and more!

Try a meal at The Tavern with elegant, yet classic dishes like fried green tomatoes elevated with pimento cheese, a whiskey-bacon burger, or strawberries and cream french toast.

But that’s not all because you can also pop into the Coffee Shop where you can purchase ceramic mugs made by local artists then have your drinks served in them.

Don’t forget to check out their events page for craft demonstrations, live music, and art classes.

• Admission: N/A
• Address: 710 Clinch Ave.
• Closures: Hours vary by space.

14. Market Square Farmers Market

On Wednesdays from 10 am to 1 pm and Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm, enjoy Knoxville’s farmers market in Market Square.

The market features over 100 vendors from East Tennessee selling fresh fruit and vegetables, crafts, artisan goods, specialty foods, clothing, jewelry, and more!

• Admission: N/A
• Address: Market Square
• Closures: mid-November to mid-May

15. Events

There is always something going on in Knoxville! Just about every other weekend, there are events held in World’s Fair Park including BrewFest with over 50 breweries, Big Kahuna Wing Festival, International Food Festival, and Mardi Growl, a dog-centric Mardi Gras celebration.

Beyond the big events, you’ll always be able to find live music, concerts, plays, movies, and more in downtown.

• Admission: varies by event
• Address: varies by event
• Closures: varies by event

16. Maple Hall

An elevated bowling experience awaits you at Maple Hall. They have 11 bowling lanes with swanky leather couches, a full food menu, and a cocktail bar complete with life-size games.

Prices start at $25 per lane per hour and increase based on the day and time you play.

• Admission: $25+ per lane per hour
• Address: 414 S. Gay Street
• Closures: varies by day

Historic and cultural gems in Knoxville

17. Beck Cultural Exchange Center

This is first on the list of historic stops because I think it’s most important! Beck Cultural Exchange Center was created in 1975 as a result of the Urban Renewal Project in Knoxville aka “Urban Removal” that displaced over 1700+ African-American families in the 1950s.

The goal was to eliminate substandard housing and slums, but the consequence was a disproportionate targeting of minorities.

Now, Beck Cultural Exchange Center shares these stories as well as African-American history and culture in East Tennessee.

You can take a free self-guided tour from 10am to 2pm (last entry at 1pm). Be sure to ask to watch the educational video to learn more about Urban Renewal.

• Admission: free
• Address: 1927 Dandridge Ave.
• Closures: Sat – Mon, and at 2pm daily (open at 10am)

18. Mabry Hazen House

Right around the corner from Beck Cultural Center (literally) is Mabry-Hazen House, a historic home that you can tour. I’ve toured a number of historic homes in Knoxville and this one is not only a beautiful house with an interesting family history, but your tour guide is a historian and rightfully and importantly acknowledges the history of the enslaved people who literally built the house.

It’s an odd thing taking tours of homes in the South, because if the history of those enslaved is glossed over or not mentioned, I can’t recommend it to you. However, Mabry-Hazen House was great!

You’ll learn about the scandalous family that lived in the house including how the patriarch was murdered in the streets of Knoxville’s downtown as well as a granddaughter who made the papers for a risque trial she was part of!

You’ll also go into the basement and see where the enslaved people cooked. One of the most interesting pieces in the house is a biscuit table made of Tennessee marble that you can see the indents on from the repeated rolling of biscuit dough.

This house is also unique in that most of the furnishings are authentic to the family that once lived there. As opposed to filling the house with period pieces to match the aesthetic and time period.

• Admission: $10 for adults (included in $40 Pastport)
• Address: 1711 Dandridge Ave.
• Closures: weekends and major holidays, hours vary by day

19. Historic Westwood

Another historic home that is unique to Knoxville is Historic Westwood. This is Tennessee’s first historic artist home and was home to Adelia Armstrong Lutz, a painter in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Tours are available Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays on the hour from 10 am to 3 pm (1 pm on Fridays).

You’ll see some incredible fireplaces, Adelia’s studio, and restored frescoes that covered the walls. I especially liked Adelia’s books including titles like Personality: How to Build It, Practicality: How to Acquire It, Timidity: How to Overcome It, and Common Sense: How to Exercise It.

• Admission: $10 for adults (included in $40 Pastport)
• Address: 3425 Kingston Pike
• Closures: Mon, Wed, Sat, Sun (only open Tues, Thurs, and Fri), hours vary by day

20. WDVX Blue Plate Special

Free live music is always a good idea. At Knoxville’s local radio station WDVX, they have a weekly tradition called Blue Plate Special where they bring in multiple artists a week to perform live in front of an audience while broadcasting the show over the air.

It’s at noon for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays inside the Knoxville Visitor Center. On Fridays, they still have Blue Plate Special, but it’s at Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria for a special “Big Plate” show.

You don’t need to make reservations or pay anything, just show up at noon and take a seat to enjoy.

Some performers that have done Blue Plate Special include the Avett Brothers, Stevie Tombstone, and so many more!

• Admission: free
• Address: 301 S Gay Street (200 E Jackson Street on Fridays)
• Closures: N/A

21. Bijou Theatre

This historic theatre downtown is home to the performing arts, specifically orchestra performances and modern concerts. It was built in 1909 and is one of the oldest buildings in Knoxville!

This year at the Bijou Theatre, you can see the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra, Deer Tick, The Tallest Man on Earth, and The Wallflowers, among others.

• Admission: varies by event
• Address: 803 S. Gay Street
• Closures: varies by day and event

22. Blount Mansion

Blount Mansion is Tennessee’s only National Historic Landmark and the city’s oldest operating museum. It was once home to William Blount who played a role in Tennessee becoming the 16th state. It was also home to his enslaved people, so when touring please keep this in mind.

On the property, you’ll see the city center’s only public garden, the historic home, and quarters of the enslaved.

• Admission: $10 for adults (included in $40 Pastport)
• Address: 200 W. Hill Avenue
• Closures: Mon and Tues, hours vary by day

23. James Whites Fort

Across the street is James Whites Fort, Knoxville’s first home built in 1786, where Knoxville was founded.

On your tour, you’ll see the courtyard, main house, the dog trot, well, smokehouse blacksmith shop, outhouse, weaving house.

Be sure to look for special events like reenactments and blacksmith demonstrations.

• Admission: $10 for adults (included in $40 Pastport)
• Address: 205 E. Hill Avenue
• Closures: In winter, closed weekends and at 4 pm daily. In summer, closed Sundays and at 5pm daily.

24. Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame

At the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, you’ll learn about the history of women’s basketball including how they used to be required to wear dresses and wool tights, use a 12 pound ball, and would have to sit out if they sweat. See how the sport evolved and learn about the important women who were responsible for changing the game including players, coaches, and more!

Not only that, but they have courts where you can test your skills, learn how to dribble, and learn how to do some trick shots! It’s super fun!

• Admission: $8 for adults
• Address: 700 S Hall of Fame Dr.
• Closures: Sundays, 5pm daily

What to do in Knoxville, TN for nature and adventure lovers

25. Ijams Nature Center Hikes

Knoxville is a fun outdoorsy city, with perhaps a surprising number of trails. Many of which can be found at Ijams Nature Center in the southside of Knoxville (divided by the Tennessee River).

Ijams is a nonprofit nature center where you can hike, kayak, SUP, zipline, and so much more. For hiking, there are two trails I recommend.

First is the trail to the Keyhole. Start at the second parking lot on your right when driving down Island Home Rd into Ijams Nature Center. You’ll know it’s the correct parking lot when you see train tracks and a small beer garden picnic area across the tracks.

From there, take Imerys trail to Ross Marble Quarry Loop, which will loop around the Keyhole. You’ll know it when you see massive cement blocks and a small path under them leading you to a view of the trees.

Another trail I recommend is the River Boardwalk trail, which you can access from the Visitors Center via North Cove Trail. The River Boardwalk follows the river for some beautiful views.

North Cove Trail is a bit steep in places, so while it’s the most direct route to the River Boardwalk, it’s an intermediate trail. You can also get to the River Boardwalk from the Tower Trail, which is a longer, but easier trail.

• Admission: free
• Address: 2915 Island Home Ave.
• Closures: Visitor Center closes at 5pm daily, trails are open 24/7

26. Navitat

I mentioned that within Ijams, there is ziplining. Well, that brings us to Navitat, Knoxville’s ropes and ziplining course.

There are a number of courses in the treetops that range from beginner to advanced and correspond with the heights of the course as well as the difficulty of the elements you will need to traverse.

I highly recommend adding this to your Knoxville bucket list because it’s seriously so much fun! Even if you’re apprehensive, I urge you to challenge yourself! The crew will help you along the way and teach you everything you need to know to be able to trust your equipment. They’ll also help you in choosing which courses to try, if you need some guidance. For example, I am all about the ziplines, but don’t love tightrope elements, so they guided me to a specific course that had the most and longest ziplines.

For an even more unique experience try Navitat at Night where you can do the courses at night lit up by twinkling string lights.

Be sure to bring bug spray, especially in the summer because the mosquitoes had a Thanksgiving meal on my legs.

• Admission: $52 for 2.5 hour window (Navitat at Night is $65)
• Address: 2915 Island Home Ave.
• Closures: Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sun at 7pm, Tues, Fri, Sat at 10:30pm

27. Kayaking/SUP at Mead’s Quarry

Also in Ijams Nature Center, you can go kayaking or stand up paddleboarding (SUP) at Mead’s Quarry. You’ll rent gear from River Sports Outfitters, which is also near the parking lot by the train tracks mentioned in Number 25 for Keyhole access.

Note that private equipment is not permitted at Mead’s Quarry, so you’ll need to rent.

• Price: $14 per hour
• Address: 2915 Island Home Ave.
• Closures: 7pm daily, 6pm on Sundays

28. Cherokee Caverns

There really are so many unique things to do in Knoxville, and this one might just take the cake.

Cherokee Caverns is a cave with beautiful geologic wonders and formations. However, it’s not open to the public for tours year round. Instead, they only open their doors for events throughout the year including Trick or Treat in the cave and most frequently, movie showings.

In 2024, they’re showing The Goonies, Hocus Pocus, Cars, and Christmas Vacation, among others.

They have concessions and chairs set up, but you can bring your own. Dress warm and bring blankets! The cave is at a cool 58 degrees year round.

• Admission: $12 for movies
• Address: 8524 Oak Ridge Highway
• Closures: closed year round except for events

29. Knoxville Botanical Gardens

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I LOVE botanic gardens. If I’m traveling, you’ll find me in a garden or aquarium every time. It’s just a must do for me.

Knoxville is no exception. The Knoxville Botanical Gardens and Arboretum gardens include a peony garden, a secret garden, pollinator garden, and bamboo forest, among others.

The whole property is 47 acres, so it can take some time to see it all. I recommend picking a few gardens to admire, then if you have time you can explore the buildings on site and the other outdoor spaces.

• Admission: free
• Address: 2743 Wimpole Ave.
• Closures: sundown daily

30. Knoxville Zoo

At Zoo Knoxville, you’ll see all kinds of animals and habitats including Gorilla Valley, Tiger Forest, and Red Panda Village!

Zoo Knoxville is committed to helping animal conservation and saving species from extinction, and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums for their efforts. For example, Zoo Knoxville has been working to save the bog turtle in Tennessee, since 1986.

Your visit to the zoo is not only a fun activity, but directly helps to support animal conservation efforts.

• Admission: $26.95 for adults, $21.95 for students, parking is $5
• Address: 3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive
• Closures: 4pm daily and major holidays

31. Nearby Great Smoky Mountains

While technically not in Knoxville, it would be a glaring omission to not include the Great Smoky Mountains on this list.

Just an hour and a half from Knoxville, is the nation’s most visited National Park — the Great Smoky Mountains. From the north end of the park (where you would enter visiting from Knoxville), check out Laurel Falls, Cades Cove, and Clingmans Dome.

Check out my full Great Smoky Mountains itinerary here.

• Admission: free, daily parking is $5, weekly parking is $15
• Address: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
• Closures: winter road closures, otherwise none

Food and drinks to try in Knoxville, Tennesse

32. Ham n Goody’s

Ham n Goody’s is a Knoxville native company that makes the best cookies and cakes. My favorite cookie is the snickerdoodle, which is perfectly cinnamon-y and soft. Or, try the red velvet or carrot cakes!

• Price: $1.39 per cookie, $5.99 for a cake slice
• Address: multiple locations (downtown is 507 S Gay Street)
• Closures: Sundays and 5pm daily

33. Petro’s Chili & Chips

Another local chain that started in Knoxville is Petro’s Chili & Chips. Try the Petro, the original chili recipe on top of corn chips, and topped with cheese, sour cream, green onions, and diced tomatoes.

• Price: $5.29 for small chili
• Address: multiple locations (downtown: 2 Market Square)
• Closures: varies by location

34. Tomato Head

This is one of my all time Knoxville favorites! The Tomato Head serves up elevated soups, salads, sandwiches, and pizzas with the most fresh ingredients.

Try their Tuscan Chicken Sandwich with pesto, sun dried tomatoes, and monterey jack cheese with a side of their iconic tomato chipotle soup. YUM. I also LOVE their pizzas. The dough is perfection!

• Price: $15 on average
• Address: 12 Market Square (second location in West Knoxville at 7240 Kingston Pike $#172)
• Closures: varies by location

35. Sweet P’s

If you’re looking for BBQ, Sweet P’s is the spot for you! With two locations in Knoxville, you can’t go wrong.

The best thing on the menu is their $30 Sampler Plate, which comes with brisket, quarter rack of ribs, pulled pork or chicken, cornbread, and 3 sides! Two people can definitely share, and if you’re worried, you can upgrade to a half rack of ribs for only $5!

• Price: $30
• Address: 3029 Tazewell Pike or 410 W. Jackson Ave.
• Closures: varies by location

36. Yassin’s Falafel House

I bet you weren’t expecting such variety in Knoxville’s food scene, but here we are! Yassin’s Falafel House serves up some incredible falafel, Israeli salad, and the most delicious, creamy hummus!

Try a sampler plate with falafel, salad, hummus, baba ganoush, pita, and a drink for $14.19.

• Price: $15 on average
• Address: multiple locations (downtown — 706 Walnut Street)
• Closures: varies by location

37. Bernadette’s Crystal Gardens

While I haven’t been to a ton of bars in Knoxville, I’m convinced this has to be the most unique. If you can only choose one, Bernadette’s Crystal Gardens is sure to impress.

Inside, you’ll find over 45,000 pounds of crystals on display in creative ways around the multi-level bar. Check out the crystal murals when you enter including butterfly wings and a massive Lord of the Rings-esque tree. You’ll spot crystals between each booth, inlaid in each bar, in the floor, and on display on the roof deck. The crystal waterfall is especially stunning.

The drinks are great and they have a full food menu including pizzas, quesadillas, and cheese boards.

• Admission: $5 per person cover, drinks are ~ $10, food is ~ $15 on average
• Address: 26 Market Square
• Closures: 1 am Sun – Thurs, 3 am Fri and Sat

38. Peter Kern Library

Located in the Oliver Hotel (one of the best places to stay in Knoxville), you’ll find this book-themed speakeasy with cocktails named after literary characters. For example, in September they have cocktails for each of the Baudelaire orphans from Series of Unfortunate Events — my favorite series as a kid!

You can find the current password on their FB page at the end of each post. It’s a number and at the time of writing was #1999.

• Price: $15 on average
• Address: 407 Union Ave.
• Closures: 12 am Mon – Thurs, 1 am Fri – Sun

39. Pretentious Beer Co

Another unique place to grab food or drink in Knoxville is Pretentious Beer Company and that’s because their sister company is Pretentious Glass Company, located right next door. This brewery/glass blowing shop makes for a special experience where you’ll get to drink beer out of glass blown right next door.

The taps are also beautifully blown glass. They often have glass blowing demonstrations and art pieces you can purchase.

On site, they have food provided by Hong’s Kitchen, which is “pub fare with Korean flare” with lots of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.

• Price: $12 for a pour
• Address: 131 S Central St.
• Closures: Mondays, 10 pm Tues – Thurs and Sun, 12 am Fri – Sat

40. Paysan Bread and Bagels

Paysan Bread and Bagels is a new favorite of mine. They have freshly made bagels including a delicious cacio e pepe bagel! The location is a bit unassuming with just a window adjacent to Remedy Coffee, one of the best coffee shops in Knoxville!

They also leave out day-old bagels for the homeless, and I just love that.

• Price: $5
• Address: 804 Tyson St.
• Closures: 3pm daily

41. Matt Robb’s Biscuits

I seriously love all these small businesses serving up specialty food in tiny spaces. It’s intimate and the no-fuss food is just straight up GOOD.

Matt Robb’s Biscuits is another to add to that list. Located in Knoxville’s multi-purpose justice and political building downtown, you’ll find the best biscuits served up by Matt Robb himself.

I had the special of the day, which was the Fortnite — egg, sausage, pepperjack, and chipotle cream cheese on garlic cheddar biscuit. It was the messiest thing, but so stinking good.

It’s only open Wednesday through Saturday from 9 am to noon, so if you find yourself in need of breakfast during that limited window, rush on over.

• Price: $5-10
• Address: 800 Market Street
• Closures: Sun-Tues and at 12pm daily

42. French Market Creperie

French Market Creperie is a staple in downtown Knoxville. Their menu is huge with a ton of French classics like baguette sandwiches and most importantly sweet and savory crepes. I went with my personal favorite a strawberry nutella crepe and it was perfect. Honestly, even better than some street cart crepes in Paris!

• Price: $15
• Address: two locations (downtown — 412 Clinch Ave.)
• Closures: varies by location and daily

43. Phoenix Pharmacy & Fountain

Take a step back into historic downtown Knoxville at Phoenix Pharmacy & Fountain, a historic soda fountain and pharmacy store. You really can shop for your pharmaceutical needs and then slide up to the soda fountain for a classic malt shake or scoop of ice cream.

Check out their seasonal items!

• Price: varies by item
• Address: 418 S. Gay Street
• Closures: 10 pm daily, 11pm on weekends

44. Knoxville’s Ale Trail

Knoxville is home to over 40 breweries and you’ll find many of them on Knoxville’s Ale Trail. There’s an app to guide you, or pop into the Knoxville Visitor Center to grab a map.

One way to tackle a bunch is to either visit those in Uptown North or downtown, where there are clusters of breweries.

Some of my favorites in Uptown North are Xul Beer Company with their PB&J mixtape brew and Next Level Brewing with their sours.

In downtown, check out Knox Brew Hub where they’ll guide you to breweries based on your interests. I also love Downtown Grill & Brewery, which has a gorgeous historic bar inside their space and great food to accompany their beer.

• Price: varies by location
• Address: varies by location
• Closures: varies by location

45. Space Bar

Another completely unique bar in Knoxville is Space Bar, where you take an intergalactic trip to the Ark. There’s out-of-this-world food items and cocktails and the ambiance is unmatched!

• Price: $15 on average
• Address: 179 N Seven Oaks Dr.
• Closures: Sun – Wed, 11 pm Thurs, midnight Fri and Sat

Things to do at UT Knoxville

46. UT Creamery

The UT Creamery has some of Knoxville’s best ice cream. The creamery serves as real world experience for UT’s agriculture and food science programs. While they only have 5 UT-themed flavors, you can’t go wrong.

Be sure to try Go Big Orange, an orange creamsicle flavor, and you can always get free orange and white sprinkles on every scoop!

• Price: $5
• Address: 2712 Neyland Dr.
• Closures: Sundays, 7pm daily

47. McClung Museum of Natural History & Culture

I love a free museum and those on university campuses usually are! The McClung Museum of Natural History & Culture is no exception.

Here, you’ll learn about local and global history and culture where there are rotating exhibits. At the time of writing, they have exhibits on Wil Wilson, a Diné photographer, and a mammals in print collection.

Parking is a little tricky. There’s a loop on Circle Park Drive and if you pull over and let the attendant at the kiosk know you’re there for the museum, they’ll give you a free day pass for 2 hours.

• Admission: free
• Address: 1327 Circle Dr.
• Closures: 5pm daily, 4pm Sundays

48. Neyland Stadium

I would be amiss not to mention Neyland Stadium, where the Tennessee Vols play. It’s the 6th largest college stadium in the country, just above my alma mater UGA in Athens, Georgia.

They offer stadium tours Monday through Thursday at 10 am for $20 for adults and $10 for children.

Of course, the other way to see the stadium is by attending a college football game! You can buy single game tickets, which will be on select Saturdays in the fall.

• Admission: $20 for tours, $50+ for game tickets
• Address: 1300 Phillip Fulmer Way, parking is at 1525 White Avenue
• Closures: varies by event

49. UT Gardens

Technically the UT Gardens is an outdoor learning laboratory for the university. However, it is open to the public.

You’ll see their perennial, rose, rock, herb, and hibiscus gardens among others. Don’t miss the labyrinth as well!

• Admission: free
• Address: 2518 Jacob Dr.
• Closures: sunset

Thank you to Visit Knoxville for hosting me on this trip in my hometown! As always, all opinions are my own.

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My Travel Essentials

• Travel Insurance – Going on an international trip? Don’t forget travel and medical insurance with SafetyWing.
• Travel Card – If you’re new to travel hacking, fear not! My favorite card for beginners gives you $750 in rewards when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months, plus lounge access, 10x points on hotel bookings, and free TSA pre-check!
• Get Your Guide – Check out Get Your Guide for a one-stop-shop for booking travel activities.
• Booking.com – This is my favorite hotel search aggregator, specifically for reading reviews. On Booking.com, the reviews can be searched for keywords like WiFi, breakfast, pool, amenities, etc.! So helpful!
• Anti-pickpocket bag – Worried about having your valuables swiped? PacSafe makes the best travel bags with zippers and straps that lock and with mesh steel enforced fabric.
• Give the Gift of Travel – This is the perfect gift for travelers in your life! Tinggly allows you to gift experiences around the world, perfect for birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries.
• Staycation Idea – Check out Resort Pass, which gives you day passes to resorts so you can use their pool, spa, and fitness center, a great staycation idea!

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