About Knoxville
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As the first capital of Tennessee, Knoxville is proud of its heritage and committed to preserving it. The East Tennessee History Center holds the key to Knoxville’s past. Ever-changing, award-winning exhibits tell the history of the people, places, and events that shaped this region from the time of the Cherokee until the World’s Fair in 1982.
Knoxville is one of America’s most vibrant cities for live music. From classical to bluegrass, country to rock, the city offers a music scene comparable to that of Nashville.
Of course, you’ll need to eat, and Knoxville has more than its fair share of culinary arts as well. Several local restaurants dot the landscape offering everything from Italian-inspired cuisine at Emilia or Knoxville’s spin on a hot chicken sandwich at Jackie’s Dream; the college town offers a wide variety of eateries to please any palate.
Market Square
Knoxville boasts a vibrant downtown with a variety of unique entertainment, shopping and dining options in and around Market Square. It's ever-changing landscape is home to outdoor concerts, festivals and more.
Since the 1860s, Market Square has been one of Knoxville’s most popular places to shop, work, play, eat, drink and live. Market Square is home to outdoor concerts and movies, Shakespeare on the Square and much more.
A number of local restaurants dot the landscape offering everything from southern-style cuisine to steak and sushi. From fine dining to savory sandwich shops, Knoxville offers a full menu of dining. Downtown is home to a number of local breweries as well, and the best part? Everything is within walking distance of some of the finest hotels in the area.
The Great Outdoors
Knoxville's Urban Wilderness
Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness is a spectacular outdoor adventure area where you can hike, bike, climb, paddle, or wander in the woods - all within the heart of the city. Over 60 miles of trails and greenways connect you to a beautiful nature center, pristine lakes, historic sites, dramatic quarries, adventure playgrounds, five city parks, and a 600-acre wildlife preserve.
Smoky Mountains National Park
If Knoxville’s not enough, you’re only an hour short of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Ridge upon ridge of forest straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. World renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains, and the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture, this is America’s most visited national park.
Gatlinburg / Pigeon Forge
Besides Knoxville and the grand outdoors of mother nature, Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are just an hour and ten minutes outside of Knoxville. Families and friends come to enjoy it all with ziplines and whitewater rafting, world-class golfing and fishing. Gatlinburg is one of America’s premier outdoor destinations, but after a long day of exploring all the attractions, the area also includes a serene nightlife scene packed with live music and restaurants that will help one wind down after a fruitful day in the mountains.
Local Attractions
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
Home to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, it is the only facility of its kind dedicated to all levels of women's basketball. The iconic 17-foot bronze statue in the Pat Summitt Rotunda exemplifies the Hall's mission to "honor the past, celebrate the present, and promote the future" of women's basketball which is ever more apparent as it is home to the world's largest basketball.
McClung Museum of Natural History & Culture
Be ready to spout out, “No Way,” “That’s neat,” or even an elegant, “Very interesting…” while visiting the McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture. This hub of history offers adventurous tales of years past and even of years to come. Not all have a knack for history, but when a good story is being told, most often than not, you want to be there to hear it.
Zoo Knoxville
Come face to face with critically endangered Malayan tigers as we fight to preserve their species at Boyd Family Asian Trek—a must-see experience voted one of the top 10 zoo exhibits in the country in the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for three years in a row! Or prepare for the scaly, slithering creatures of Clayton Family Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Campus (ARC). Our newest indoor exhibit, ARC, is the recipient of top honors for excellence in design innovation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA); making it one of the top zoo exhibits in the world.
The Sunsphere
Built for the 1982 World’s Fair, the Sunsphere is a one-of-a-kind structure. The 4th Floor Observation Deck offers a breathtaking 360-degree view stretching from downtown to the Great Smoky Mountains including World’s Fair Park, the Tennessee River and the University of Tennessee Campus. A 1982 World’s Fair timeline, gallery, memorabilia and gift shop await you!
Tickets are $5 for adults; kids 12 and under are $1 (with a paying adult of course).
Weekdays 10am - 5pm; Saturday 9am - 5pm; Sunday 12pm - 4pm.