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Johnson City is a city of about 72,000 people in the mountains of Northeast Tennessee, part of the Tri-Cities region with Kingsport and Bristol. It grew as a railroad junction in the late 1800s, briefly known for its wild Prohibition-era nightlife, and is now a college town home to East Tennessee State University and a regional center for medicine.
The revived downtown has breweries, restaurants and music venues around Founders Park and King Commons, where Brush Creek has been opened up into a green space. The Tweetsie Trail follows an old rail line from Johnson City to Elizabethton, and the Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site preserves a frontier farm with a long history. ETSU's Reece Museum shows art and regional history.
Outdoor lovers climb Buffalo Mountain, ride the trails at Tannery Knobs and paddle Boone Lake. Just outside town, the Gray Fossil Site reveals a rich Ice Age fossil bed. The Blue Ridge Mountains, Roan Mountain and the Appalachian Trail are close, and Bristol's country music heritage is half an hour away.
A working paleontology site and museum run by ETSU just north of Johnson City, where scientists dig fossils of red pandas, tapirs, rhinos and other animals from millions of years ago. You can watch active digs in summer and see a mastodon skeleton. Allow two hours, and ask about guided dig-site tours.
A museum on the campus of East Tennessee State University with exhibitions of art, regional history and Appalachian culture, from rotating fine art shows to collections of historic objects. Admission is free. Combine a visit with a walk around the campus and a meal at one of the restaurants near downtown.
A hands-on science museum for children that shares a building with the Gray Fossil Site, with interactive exhibits on physics, health, nature and space. Kids can play, build and experiment for hours. A combined ticket covers both museums, which makes it a great rainy-day family outing near Johnson City.
A historic farm with a 1780s log home expanded over the years, outbuildings, a cave and a spring, tied to the short-lived State of Franklin and the Civil War era. Guided tours explain the families who lived here. Walk the grounds to the cave entrance, and check the schedule for living history days.
A paved and crushed-stone rail-trail of about 10 miles on the old East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad line, nicknamed Tweetsie, from Johnson City to Elizabethton. It runs past farms, creeks and mountain views. Start at the Alabama Street trailhead and bike to Elizabethton for lunch.
A mountain bike park on wooded hills close to downtown Johnson City, with trails for many skill levels, jump lines, flow trails and a pump track. It is part of the city's push to become a hub for outdoor recreation. Bring your own bike and helmet, and check trail conditions after heavy rain before riding.
A TVA reservoir between Johnson City and Kingsport with miles of wooded shoreline, popular for boating, waterskiing, fishing for bass and crappie, and lakeside dining at marinas. Rent a pontoon or kayak at a local marina, and look for public access at parks such as Winged Deer on the Johnson City side.
A large city park on the slopes of Buffalo Mountain with forest trails that climb to rocky overlooks above Johnson City, including the popular White Rock overlook. The hikes are steep in places and can be combined into longer loops. Wear good shoes, bring water, and start early on summer days to avoid the heat.
A downtown park built along Brush Creek with lawns, walking paths, a pavilion, public art and space for festivals and concerts, part of a flood-control project that revitalized the area. It connects to King Commons and the downtown breweries. Visit during a summer concert or the farmers market next door.
A large city park on Boone Lake with walking trails, sports fields, a disc golf course, picnic shelters, a playground and lake access for boating and fishing. It is a favorite for families and runners. Bring a picnic and walk the lakeside trails, or launch a kayak from the shore on calm summer mornings.
The revived historic downtown along Main Street and Buffalo Street, with brick commercial buildings now home to breweries, coffee shops, restaurants, music venues and local stores, plus Founders Park and King Commons. Walk it on a Friday evening, when the patios and live music venues are busiest, and look for the public art.
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