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Knoxville is a lively city in East Tennessee, set on the Tennessee River in the green ridge-and-valley country about an hour from the Great Smoky Mountains. Founded in 1786 around James White's fort and named for Secretary of War Henry Knox, it served as the first capital of Tennessee when the state joined the Union in 1796. The river and railroads made it a trading and manufacturing center, and its strong mountain music tradition later helped give birth to country music, with early stars performing on local radio.
Today Knoxville has about 195,000 residents and a revitalized, walkable downtown. Market Square and Gay Street are lined with restaurants, cafes and historic theaters like the Tennessee Theatre and the Bijou, and the Old City has turned old warehouses into bars and music venues. The University of Tennessee campus stretches along the river, and on fall Saturdays more than 100,000 fans in orange fill Neyland Stadium, one of the largest stadiums in the country.
The city's most recognizable landmark is the Sunsphere, the gold glass globe built for the 1982 World's Fair, which now has a free observation deck above World's Fair Park. Knoxville is also known for its outdoor spirit: the Urban Wilderness south of the river has more than 50 miles of trails, quarries and bike parks, Ijams Nature Center offers paddling and swimming in an old quarry, and the Knoxville Botanical Garden, Zoo Knoxville and the James White's Fort historic site add more to explore. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the country, lies less than an hour away.
The 266-foot tower topped with a gold glass sphere, built for the 1982 World's Fair, with a free observation deck, set in a park of lawns, a lake, fountains and the Tennessee Amphitheater. It is a symbol of the city. Ride the elevator to the deck for views, and let children play in the fountains in summer.
A lively pedestrian square downtown, dating to the 1850s, with restaurants, cafes, shops and bars in historic buildings, plus a farmers market on Saturdays and Wednesdays in season, free concerts and an ice rink in winter. Visit on a Saturday morning for the market, then walk to Gay Street.
A historic warehouse district at the north end of downtown, with brick buildings housing bars, music venues, restaurants, breweries and shops. It is the center of the city's nightlife and live music scene. Visit on a weekend evening, and walk over from Market Square along Gay Street.
The official state theater of Tennessee, a 1928 Spanish-Moorish movie palace on Gay Street, restored with a grand lobby, a Mighty Wurlitzer organ and ornate decor, hosting concerts, Broadway tours and classic films. Book a show to see the interior, and look for organ performances before film screenings.
The home of the University of Tennessee Volunteers football team, one of the largest stadiums in the country with more than 100,000 seats, on the Tennessee River, where some fans arrive by boat in the Vol Navy. Game days paint the city orange. Book hotels early for home games and watch the Vol Walk before kickoff.
A network of about 1,000 acres of forest, quarries and parks in South Knoxville, with more than 50 miles of trails for hiking and mountain biking, plus climbing and swimming at Mead's Quarry and Fort Dickerson Quarry. It is close to downtown. Rent gear at Ijams, wear sturdy shoes and bring water.
A 300-acre nature preserve on the Tennessee River, with forest trails, a river boardwalk, Mead's Quarry lake with kayak and paddleboard rentals, and a visitor center with live animals. It is a gateway to the Urban Wilderness. Swim or paddle at the quarry in summer and check rental hours.
A zoo east of downtown with elephants, red pandas, gorillas, giraffes and a large reptile and amphibian center, known for its research on red pandas and turtles. Rides and a splash pad add family fun. Visit on a weekday morning, when it is cooler and the animals are more active.
A reconstructed 18th century frontier fort built around the cabin of Knoxville's founder James White, with log buildings, period furnishings and guides explaining life on the Tennessee frontier in the 1780s. It is near the river downtown. Join a guided tour and combine it with Blount Mansion nearby.
The 1792 frame house of William Blount, governor of the Southwest Territory and a signer of the Constitution, where the first Tennessee state constitution was drafted. Guided tours cover the house, kitchen and gardens. It is near the river downtown, so pair it with James White's Fort.
A free art museum in World's Fair Park, in a building clad in pink Tennessee marble, with art of East Tennessee and a vast glass installation, Cycle of Life by Richard Jolley, hanging in its galleries. It is a short walk from the Sunsphere. Allow about an hour and look up at the glass ceiling installation.
A museum dedicated to women's basketball, recognizable by the world's largest basketball on its roof, with exhibits on great players and coaches, interactive shooting and dribbling courts and memorabilia. It is near the river downtown. Wear sneakers if you want to try the courts, and allow about an hour.
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