The 18 Best Things to Do When You Visit Knoxville. (2025)

Free, Shopping, Sightseeing

TYPE

1 to 2 hours

TIME TO SPEND

Since the 1860s, Market Square has been a community center of Knoxville, with shops, restaurants, cafes and bars drawing a large number of locals and visitors. Recent travelers said it's a lively and fun place to walk around, with plenty of places to eat or just hang out. From outdoor concerts and movies to Shakespeare on the Squareand other live entertainment, the family-friendly area is usually bustling. There are also two water play fountains, which is a magnet for kids during the warm-weather months.

From May through November on Wednesday and Saturday, the open-air Market Square Farmers Market offers products grown or made by vendors in the East Tennessee region. Products, which vary by the seasons, include eggs, honey, herbs, pasture-raised meat, baked goods, coffee, crafts and much more.

Free, Parks and Gardens, Hiking, Recreation

TYPE

2 hours to Half Day

TIME TO SPEND

U.S. News Insider Tip: Ijams is the main gateway to Knoxville's Urban Wilderness, which connects the nature center to lakes, historic sites, quarries, parks and more via 50 miles of trails and greenways through the surrounding area. – Katy Koontz

Spanning more than 300 acres in Tennessee's Knox County, this family-friendly nature center offers plenty of rock-climbing opportunities and more than 14 miles of trails to walk or hike. What's more, visitors can paddle on Mead's Quarry Lake via canoe, kayak and paddleboard.

Zoos and Aquariums

TYPE

1 to 2 hours

TIME TO SPEND

More than 700 animals live at this 53-acre zoo, which is a delightful spot to take kids and animal lovers alike. A major highlight of this family-friendly attraction is its red pandas; more than 110 red pandas have been born at the zoo, which is more than any other location in the world. African painted dogs, rhinos and Malayan tigers are just some of the other animals travelers love to see when visiting the zoo.

Other popular activities at the zoo include feeding giraffes, riding the Zoo Choo Train and taking a spin on the Fuzzy-Go-Round Carousel, all of which have extra fees. You can even ride a tandem zip line called the Soaring Eagle here (also for an extra fee).

Free, Parks and Gardens, Sightseeing

TYPE

1 to 2 hours

TIME TO SPEND

Once the fairgrounds of Knoxville's 1982 World's Fair, today this space is a public park and home to the Sunsphereand the Tennessee Amphitheater, the two remaining structures from the exposition. Visitors and locals say the park is a great place to see a show, have a picnic or just take a walk.

The 2-acre Festival Lawn accommodates a variety of events, from concerts to festivals, while the enormous Performance Lawn (it equates to the size of more than two football fields) provides a natural amphitheater-like setting, also perfect for concerts, festivals, parties and other events. The Splash Pads, a fun water feature, are usually available from mid-April to early October, but availability can depend on weather conditions.

Museums, Free

TYPE

1 to 2 hours

TIME TO SPEND

U.S. News Insider Tip: Adjacent to World's Fair Park and directly across the street from the Knoxville Museum of Art, Fort Kid is an imaginative children's playground that's long been a locals' favorite. It was completely renovated and updated in 2022. – Katy Koontz

The Knoxville Museum of Art highlights the art and artists of East Tennessee with both permanent and temporary exhibits. "Higher Ground: A Century of the Visual Arts in East Tennessee" is the museum's permanent exhibit. It aims to highlight artists who spent the majority of their careers in the eastern Tennessee area and it features objects from the museum's own collection, along with works borrowed from public and private collections.

Free, Neighborhood/Area

TYPE

1 to 2 hours

TIME TO SPEND

The northeastern corner of downtown Knoxville is known as Old City, a historic neighborhood that's home to art galleries, coffee shops, restaurants, breweries, distilleries and music venues. Creatives of all kinds congregate here, and you'll find artists' and photographers' studios as well as offices for architects and graphic designers – many of them attracted by the Victorian architecture found here. (In fact, Old City is known for housing Knoxville's best-preserved concentration of Victorian-style buildings.)

Old City has a long and colorful history that includes stories of murder and mayhem. In the early 1900s, this section of town boasted the region's highest density of saloons. It was also known for being the city's red-light district. Since that time however, the area (which is near the railroad tracks) has served as the city's wholesale food district (home of White Lily Flour and JFG Coffee) and a meatpacking district complete with stockyard.

Free, Neighborhood/Area

TYPE

1 to 2 hours

TIME TO SPEND

Historic Gay Street is one of the highlights of downtown Knoxville. Constructed in the 1790s as a stretch of dirt road, Gay Street became the first street in town to be paved about six decades later. Today, you will find many diverse restaurants and shops here, as well as two historic theaters – the Tennessee Theatre, dating from 1928 and known for its huge marquee that is lit at night, and the Bijou Theatre, dating from 1909. Also housed on Gay Street are the East Tennessee History Center, the Knoxville Visitors Center and several art galleries (most notably in the 100 block). The most popular of the galleries is the Emporium, the city's arts center, which showcases local and regional artists in changing exhibitions.

Quite a few Gay Street buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Be sure to look up at the beautiful architectural details of the buildings. You can also see many original store names preserved on buildings that now house much newer businesses. Other older store names can be seen in tile mosaics installed in front of the buildings' entrances. No wonder Gay Street was named one of the Great Streets in America by the American Planning Association.

Hiking, Recreation

TYPE

2 hours to Half Day

TIME TO SPEND

Navitat Knoxville, located inside Ijams Nature Center, is an award-winning, family-friendly outdoor adventure park that offers six different adventure trails where you can both test your skills and get plenty of thrills. Each trail is rated according to difficulty (from easy to extreme) and consists of 10 to 12 challenging elements, such as zip lines, bridges, swings, nets, climbs and more. Recent visitors raved about how much fun the adventure trails were, praising Navitat's top-notch guides and commitment to safety.

You'll suit up in a safety harness and helmet, and receive a safety briefing and equipment orientation before embarking on your first adventure trail. The harness ensures you always stay connected to the overhead cables while on the course. When you finish a trail, you can choose to repeat it or try a different one. You can enjoy as many trails as you want in your two-hour time period.

Free, Monuments and Memorials, Sightseeing

TYPE

Less than 1 hour

TIME TO SPEND

Constructed for the 1982 World's Fair, the 270-foot-tall Sunsphere offers a great view of the city from its observation deck on the fourth floor. It's one of the last remaining relics of the 1982 World's Fair and features information and images about the historic event. What's more, it offers a 360-degree view of the original 1982 World's Fair site (now World's Fair Park), downtown Knoxville, the Tennessee River, the University of Tennessee and the Smoky Mountains.

It's worth stopping in to take photos, according to visitors, as well as to read the exhibits on the history of Knoxville and its World's Fair. Reviewers appreciated the low entry cost, but said this isn't a "must-do" in Knoxville.

Museums

TYPE

1 to 2 hours

TIME TO SPEND

The Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, dedicated to all levels of women's basketball, is a great place to learn about the game's history and key players over the years. Spanning 35,000 square feet, the facility features the Hall of Honors, which displays the names of noted players inducted into the Hall of Fame. In addition, visitors can test their own basketball skills on three different courts and enjoy a fun photo area where they can pretend to be different historic players. What's more, the museum is home to the world's largest basketball, measuring 30 feet in height and weighing 10 tons.

Recent travelers said this is a must-visit for basketball fans and history buffs, with great exhibits, and lots to see and learn. Reviewers were particularly impressed with how the museum details the impact of sexism, as well as the strides women have made over the years to achieve equality in the sport. Visitors said this is a particularly fun museum if you're traveling with kids, thanks to the interactive exhibits.

Museums

TYPE

1 to 2 hours

TIME TO SPEND

Muse Knoxville, the city's children's museum, offers a variety of exhibits that focus on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math). Along with a planetarium, the museum features interactive exhibits that teach kids about health, the body's circulatory system and pollination, among other subjects. The museum is also home to several outdoor exhibits, including a playground and a sound garden.

Recent visitors said this is a great place for young kids (ideally ages 2 to 10), with lots of fun things to do and hands-on activities and exhibits to keep them occupied for hours. Reviewers say that though the space is small, it still manages to pack in a lot of activities.

Historic Homes/Mansions

TYPE

1 to 2 hours

TIME TO SPEND

This museum is named after James White, the American pioneer and soldier who founded Knoxville. In 1783, he led an expedition into the upper Tennessee Valley and established what would become the future site of Knoxville. In 1790, the fort was chosen as the capital of the Southwest Territory. The very next year, White sold the land and donated lots to establish a permanent city.

Today, visitors can see the original 1786 home ofWhite. In the main house, highlights include White's desk as well as a map of the original layout of Knoxville. Other spaces to see include the kitchen, the outhouse, the blacksmith shop and the weaving house. The fort is one of the most visited historical sites in Knoxville and recent visitors said it offers a fascinating and authentic glimpse into the past. Reviewers also appreciated the free audio guide, which can be accessed via QR code and listened to on your smartphone. You'll need the audio guide to make the most of your visit; according to travelers, there isn't much signage posted about the fort's history or the artifact's on display.

Free, Parks and Gardens

TYPE

1 to 2 hours

TIME TO SPEND

The official botanical gardens of the state of Tennessee boasts more than 4,000 annuals, perennials, herbs, tropical plants, trees, shrubs, vegetables and ornamental grasses, and are part of the UT Institute of Agriculture. Scenic walking trails weave throughout the various gardens and greenhouses, offering plenty of fun things to see and experience.

Recent visitors said the gardens are pretty, well-kept, and equipped with informative signage for the curious. Art exhibits, seasonal events, lectures, plant sales and more are offered at the gardens throughout the year.

Museums, Free

TYPE

1 to 2 hours

TIME TO SPEND

U.S. News Insider Tip: Some lucky museum visitors can score free parking in front of the museum's entrance on Circle Park Drive. Ten complimentary parking spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis for those who have their parking tickets validated at the guest services desk. – Katy Koontz

Located on the campus of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, this family-friendly museum offers exhibits on everything from the native peoples of Tennessee to "Monty," a 2,400-pound, 24-foot-long bronze skeleton of a hadrosaur (duck-billed dinosaur), which once roamed the coastal plains of Tennessee.

Entertainment and Nightlife, Tours

TYPE

1 to 2 hours

TIME TO SPEND

When the Tennessee Theatre opened in 1928, it was considered the "South's most beautiful theatre." Now on the National Register of Historic Places and honored as the Official State Theatre of Tennessee, the venue hosts classical music performances, vintage film screenings, dance performances and touring Broadway shows. Local organizations, such as the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and the Knoxville Opera, also regularly use the theater for shows.

Recent theatergoers raved about the gorgeous architecture and history of the venue and say it is like stepping back in time. The building was designed by Chicago architectural firm Graven & Mayger and features globally inspired motifs. It boasts a Spanish-Moorish style interior with French-style chandeliers and Italian terrazzo flooring in the lobby. What's more, it was one of the first public places in Knoxville to have air conditioning.

Historic Homes/Mansions

TYPE

1 to 2 hours

TIME TO SPEND

Built in 1792, Blount Mansion – Knoxville's only National Historic Landmark –was the home of the first and only governor of the Southwest Territory, William Blount. Blount was a signer of the U.S. Constitution and played an important role in Tennessee becoming America's 16th state. The building was also considered the territory's capitol, and is referred to as "The Birthplace of Tennessee."

The mansion is surprisingly interesting and fun to peruse, according to recent visitors, who also said the guides are knowledgeable and friendly. Unlike most homes built at the time, Blount's home was made of timber rather than of rough logs or hand-hewn beams. The original "mansion" was just a hall and parlor house with two rooms downstairs and a half-story loft for sleeping. Over time, two wings were added, enlarging the property. The detached kitchen is modeled after a common 18th-century kitchen and the Governor's Office was a typical law office of the 1790s.

Sports

TYPE

1 to 2 hours

TIME TO SPEND

Neyland Stadium, located on the campus of the University of Tennessee and built overlooking the Tennessee River, has been home to the university's wildly popular football team for more than a century. Over the years, the Tennessee Vols (as the team is known, short for "Volunteers") have won a handful of national championships, and several players and head coaches have been honored in the College Hall of Fame. After renovations completed in 2022, the stadium's capacity reached 101,915 – making it the sixth-largest college football stadium in the country.

Though attending a game is the undoubtedly the best way to experience the stadium's electric atmosphere, that's not the only way to get a sense for the stadium's size and influence. Hourlong behind-the-scenes tours are available during the week when the crowds are gone and the atmosphere is calmer. Tours typically include the media center, the recruiting center, the locker room complex, the Tennessee team tunnel (where the home team runs onto the field on game days), and other notable areas not usually available to the general public. (Note that there is no access to the field itself during tours.) Participants also get a great view of the iconic 12-by-12-foot orange and white letters spelling “VOLS” installed on either side of the video scoreboard on the south end of the stadium.

Free, Parks and Gardens

TYPE

Less than 1 hour

TIME TO SPEND

This 44-acre property dates back to 1786 when it was a private family-owned horticultural business. In 2001, it was founded as the Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum. Today, visitors will encounter 17 display gardens, including the popular Secret Garden – inspired by the Frances Hodgson Burnett book – walking trails and 2 miles of distinctive stone walls.

Recent travelers said the garden is a tranquil and beautiful place to visit with a knowledgeable staff, though they note that it's not as meticulously maintained as other botanical gardens. According to some reviewers, if you're deciding between this or the UT Gardens, you should opt for the UT Gardens instead.