Twenty Fun Things to Do in Knoxville TN:
Knoxville is the heartbeat of East Tennessee; a city that pulsates with mountain vibes, history and of course that Rocky Top Volunteer spirit.
The city has so much to offer – from college town vibes, history to the arts, a zoo, cool museums and ready access to The Great Smoky Mountains and regional state parks, Knoxville is a city that should be on the top of your bucket list.
Here are Twenty Fun Things to Do in Knoxville:
- It’s a Zoo at Zoo Knoxville: This award-winning AZA accredited Zoo is a must-see for animal lovers of all ages. Spread across 53 acres with immaculately maintained animal habitat,, Zoo Knoxville is home to 1500 animals representing 200 species, many of which are endangered species. The zoo does an amazing job to bring the story of the animals to life and help you learn about each species and conservation efforts and how you can help save endangered species. A few animals you’ll meet are the African Wild Dog, Malayan Tiger and Giraffe…Plan your trip here
- Knoxville Museum of Art: This hidden art gem showcases the amazing art and cultural traditions of East Tennessee and Highland Art displayed in spacious galleries and thoughtful exhibits. Artists you’ll discover include Lloyd Branson, Catherine Wiley, Joseph Delaney, Beauford Delaney and Bessie Harvey as well as Ansel Adams and Elliot Porter. No doubt the natural scenery of the Smoky Mountains around Knoxville inspired many of these artists. Website
3. Travel Through Natural History at the McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture: From dinosaurs to human history and geology this museum is fun for kids and adults and will bring science to life. Located on the campus of the University of Tennessee – you’ll see exhibits that focus on natural history, archaeology, anthropology, decorative arts and local history. Plan your trip here
4. Dive into the region’s roots at The East TN History Center: The mission of the East Tennessee Historical Society is to preserve, interpret, and promote the history of Tennessee, focusing on East Tennessee, to educate and connect the region, its people, history, culture, and heritage. East TN has a fascinating history from Native Americans to The Revolutionary War and ‘Frontier’ Era. Plan your visit here
5. Shoot for the Win at The Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame: Women’s basketball has deep roots in Knoxville – For years Legendary Pat Summit and the Tennessee Women Volunteers dominated women’s basketball and helped inspire a general of female athletes. Today women’s basketball continues to grow in popularity with superstars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reece in the WNBA and up and coming stars from TN to UCONN to South Carolina and beyond. This 35,000 square foot facility is the only museum dedicated to all levels of women’s basketball both domestic and international. Immerse yourself in interactive exhibits, multiple basketball courts and memorabilia. Plan your visit here
6. Get Artsy in The Knoxville Art District and Emporium: Knoxville has long been a community with a love of the arts. You can discover local artists and artisans in places like The Emporium. The Emporium Center is Knoxville’s first true arts center. Originally built in 1898, The 28,000 square ft space houses multiple art galleries which showcase local and regional artists, is the home of the administrative offices for the Arts & Culture Alliance, as well as five other arts and cultural organizations. Check out the mural on the lower level. The building also houses studio space for eight individual artists, Gallery 1010 (entirely run by UT students), and the Arrowmont Gallery of Knoxville. We hope you will stop by for a self-guided visit! Admission is free, and exhibitions are generally appropriate for all ages. Website
7. Explore outside at the IJAMS Nature Center: Just outside downtown Knoxville, you’ll find Ijams Nature Center, a natural escape offering a wide range of outdoor activities. As part of the Knoxville Urban Wilderness, Ijams boasts 14 miles of trails for hiking and mountain biking, a quarry for fishing and paddling, and the Ijams Crag with 12 bolted routes for rock climbers of all skill levels.
Beyond the trails, you can visit the raptor exhibit to see a red-tailed hawk and a turkey vulture, or keep an eye out for diverse wildlife, including owls and other birds, as you explore the mature woodlands. The center also features unique natural attractions like a sparkling quarry lake, hidden caves, unique rock formations, scenic overlooks, and rugged terrain. Along the trails, you can even discover the historic Stanton cemetery. Be sure to check their events calendar for guided hikes and mountain bike rides. Website
8. Scale the trees at Navitat (located at IJAMs): See the forest through the trees at this aerial adventure park on a wooded bluff overlooking the Tennessee River. It offers six family-friendly adventure trails ranging from easy to extreme, with zip lines, bridges, swings, nets, climbs and more. Fun for the whole family. Website
9. Catch a show at the beautiful BIJOU Theatre: Historic theatre located in downtown Knoxville, this is one of the most beautiful venues for a show. Built in 1909 as an addition to the Lamar House Hotel, the theatre has served as traditional theatre, vaudeville theatre and movie house. This is a destination theatre to see a show. Check out their schedule here.
10. See a Tennessee Vols game at Neyland Stadium (right near the Tennessee River) and explore the beautiful campus of The University of Tennessee. The University is one of the oldest public universities in the United States, founded in 1794 (originally as Blount College) – two years before Tennessee became a state!
11. Knoxville Botanical Garden: Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum is a nonprofit, public garden located on 44 acres of the former Howell Nurseries. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Garden features walking trails, display gardens, unique & historic horticulture, timeless buildings, and over two miles of distinctive stone walls. Located just five minutes from downtown, the Garden is free and open to the public every day of the year https://www.knoxgarden.org/
12. World’s Fair Park and Sunsphere – Did you know that Knoxville hosted the World’s Fair in 1982? The theme was energy, which makes sense as Knoxville isn’t from Oak Ridge TN which played an important role in the Atomic Bomb creation. Knoxville is also closely tied to TVA Energy. You can visit the gold dome of Knoxville…The Sunsphere is a 266-foot tall hexagonal steel truss structure located in World’s Fair Park in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. It is topped with the 75-foot gold-colored glass sphere that served as the symbol of the 1982 World’s Fair. Plan your visit here
13. Explore Historic Districts – where food, life and culture meet:
Gay Street: since the 1790s, Gay Street has been the pulse of Knoxville. Today it is filled with art galleries, eateries and tons of history.
Old City: This section of Knoxville is steeped in history from the days when these buildings were old saloons and speakeasies with jazz nights to the modern era where you can find cool local shops, live music and awesome food and coffee.
Market Square: this vibrant downtown gathering space is pedestrian first, with streets lined with delicious eateries, shops and entertainment
14. Visit the historic Blount Mansion, where William Blount, a signer of The Constitution lived. Blount originally from North Carolina (Tennessee was part of NC until 1796), served as the first and only governor of the Southwest Territory, helping Tennessee become the sixteenth state. Learn more here: https://blountmansion.org/about-us/
*Fun Fact: Knoxville was founded in 1791 and is named for Revolutionary War Hero, bookseller and First Secretary of War under George Washington, Henry Knox. Learn more about Knoxville’s history here.
15. Seven Islands Birding State Park: Only 19 miles from Knoxville this is a bird watching paradise. Escape to 416 acres along the French Broad River where over 220 species of birds can be sighted. The scenery is strikingly beautiful and a popular hiking area, with nine miles of trails. Learn more here
16. Frozen Head State Park.
An hour northwest of Knoxville, discover Frozen Head State Park. The name might sound ominous, but I promise this is worth the detour – where you can hike through the beautiful TN backcountry to majestic waterfalls and mountain vistas. The park also is packed with history including the Stone Cipher House; built in 1814 this is one of the oldest homes in the area around the park. More info here.
17. Beck Center: A historic community treasure dedicated to collecting, preserving, and exhibiting artifacts and other evidence of contributions relating to the history and culture of African-Americans in East Tennessee and America, while creating educational experiences that promote wisdom for present and future generations. Website: https://www.beckcenter.net/
18. Float The Tennessee River in style on The Tennessee Riverboat – ‘ Let us show you Knoxville like no one else can on our sightseeing cruise aboard the riverboat. Discover the heart of Knoxville’s beauty as the Tennessee River unveils its rich tapestry of history and natural wonders. Relax on our covered patio-style top deck while taking in the scenery unique to Knoxville.’
19. Farragut Museum: This interesting museum is off the beaten path but worth exploring in the Knoxville area community of Farragut: From their website: Discover the rich heritage of the Farragut and Concord communities at the Farragut Museum. The museum features a remarkable collection of artifacts and photographs that bring local history to life. A must-see highlight is the Admiral David Glasgow Farragut collection, honoring the town’s namesake and naval hero, known forever for his heroic actions in Civil War (Union) at Mobile Bay in Alabama.
20. Gateway to The Smokies…Great Smokies National Park is the most visited National Park in the United States. I might get scolding for saying this but Gatlinburg is too touristy for me with endless traffic. Staying in Knoxville allows you to have easy access to the touristy smoky attractions and amazing Dollywood, while also going off the beaten path and accessing the nature that makes the area so famous too.
Planning Your Great Smokies Visit...
I recommend visiting in the early Spring-Summer. Crowds are the worst during the fall peak color season. I prefer to explore The Blue Ridge Parkway in NC/VA during this time or area state parks in TN as the traffic is miserable. While Knoxville is a good base camp, if you want to be closer to the park boundary I recommend Townsend. It is much more laid back than the traffic around Gatlinburg. I enjoyed our visit to The Dancing Bear Cafe – they have a hotel too.
Stay tuned in the coming months for more Great Smoky Mountain National Park blog content.
Smoky Area Resources:
Great Smoky Mountain National Park Website
Sevierville – Hometown of Dolly Parton
Dollywood Family Friendly Theme Park in the heart of The Smokies
I hope this overview of Knoxville attractions get you excited to plan your trip to this mountain city with character.
Here are a few more travel planning resources to help guide you on your adventure.
Where to stay: Knoxville has dozens of hotels from chains like Hampton Inn (my personal favorite) to boutique hotels like the historic Oliver Hotel in downtown Knoxville or live a hobbit fantasy at the Ancient Lore Village where you can stay in fantasy inspired lodging.
Don’t Forget to Subscribe to American Nomad to stay in the loop with the latest adventures.
Next up, we’ll explore Chattanooga before heading to Biltmore and Asheville NC
You can also follow us on facebook for the latest blog posts, cool reels, daily history and travel tips
We also have a podcast and vlog – American Nomad Traveler is available on all streaming platforms through Buzzsprout and on YouTube
We are now on Substack for additional content from Travel to History to Art and beyond…
Hi, I’m Adele Lassiter, the travel enthusiast behind American Nomad Traveler. This blog where I share my love for history, cool museums, art, and travel tips. When I’m not writing, I’m a singer-songwriter with a passion for Americana music. Her new album is available here: adelelassiter.bandcamp.com
Our theme song: Rendezvous Heart by Adele Lassiter
