Knoxville

Knoxville, in Knox County, is the third-largest city in Tennessee. It is the home of the University of Tennessee's primary campus (UTK) and site of the 1982 World's Fair.

Understand
Knoxville sits nestled on the Tennessee River about an hour from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. On any evening of the week, throngs of residents and visitors can be seen at the sidewalk cafes, theaters, restaurants and night clubs along Gay Street and Market Square. The University of Tennessee, with its 27,000 students, is within walking distance of the downtown, separated only by the World's Fair Park.

You can still see remnants of the 1982 World's Fair in the Sunsphere, a rising structure topped with a gold sphere which dots Knoxville's skyline. Most of the other structures from the Fair were removed to create a large city park, which attracts families, students, and artists on weekends and sunny days. The World's Fair brought a lot of attention and development to the city, including high-rise office structures, and the four-star Hilton, Crowne Plaza and Marriott hotels.

The city is home to a thriving college athletics scene, with the University of Tennessee Volunteers football team. The basketball teams play in the more-than 21,000 seat Thompson–Boling Arena, and the football team plays in Neyland Stadium, one of the largest on-campus stadiums in the world at 103,000 seating capacity. During the fall you will find plenty of orange in the foliage, but you will see Big Orange (another nickname for the UTK athletic programs) year-round with the people of Knoxville.

The city is also the home or birthplace of a number of cultural figures, such as authors Cormac McCarthy, James Agee, and Alex Haley, and filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, who mentions the city in all of his films (remember the watch in Pulp Fiction?) The Everly Brothers attended high school here and began performing on radio in Knoxville. Dolly Parton began her career in Knoxville. Senator Howard Baker, actor David Keith, film director Clarence Brown and opera singer Mary Costa are all from the Knoxville area. Actor and daredevil Johnny Knoxville is from the city.

By plane

 * is serviced by:
 * American Eagle, +1-800-433-7300. **Delta Air Lines, +1-800-221-1212.
 * United Express, +1-800-241-6522.

The following cities are served non-stop from Knoxville by air: Atlanta (ATL), Charlotte (CLT), Chicago (ORD),Cincinnati (CVG), Cleveland (CLE), Dallas (DFW), Denver (DEN), Detroit (DTW), Houston (IAH), Memphis (MEM), Minneapolis (MSP), New York (LGA), Newark (EWR), Orlando (MCO), Philadelphia (PHL), Washington (DCA), Washington (IAD).

McGhee Tyson Airport is a few miles south of downtown in nearby Blount County.

By car
Southbound Interstate 75 and westbound Interstate 40 converge in the middle of Knoxville via Interstate 275 and run concurrently through western Knoxville. I-75 and I-40 split at the western edge of Knox County.

By bus

 * Greyhound, 100 East Magnolia Avenue, +1-800-231-2222. National bus service.
 * Megabus. Service from Washington, D.C., Christiansburg, Atlanta, Chattanooga, Memphis, and Nashville. Buses arrive and depart at the Knoxville Transit Center at 301 Church St. E. Fares from $1.

By boat
The Tennessee River runs through Knoxville and is accessible by personal watercraft. Many boaters routinely navigate the Tennessee River for both pleasure and travel. Some arrive at Neyland Stadium by boat, avoiding Knoxville's worst traffic and parking problems. The Holston and the French Broad Rivers join just upstream of Knoxville to form the Tennessee, which is navigable, courtesy of the TVA dams along the Tennessee River and U.S. Army Corps of Engineering dams along the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, all the way to the Gulf of Mexico.

Get around
Although parking is usually easy to come by in most of the city, it may be mildly difficult at times to find adequate parking downtown and around the University of Tennessee. Walking is convenient downtown, but in other areas, most major roads are not amenable to pedestrians or bicyclists. In the outer areas of the city, because bus service is infrequent and some places don't have sidewalks, traveling by car is the way to go.

Public transportation

 * Knoxville Area Transit, or KAT. KAT runs a bus service throughout the City of Knoxville and parts of Knox County.  Most KAT bus stops are served on an hourly interval, so exploring Knoxville via KAT bus is somewhat difficult.  The ultra-modern Downtown Station bus terminal is a focal point for public transportation within the city.  All KAT buses are equipped with flip down bicycle racks and many are powered by biodiesel or other alternative fuels.  KAT operates special routes for some events, a downtown trolley service, and bus services for the University of Tennessee.
 * Knoxville Trolley Lines. The trolley runs several free downtown and University routes during business hours and one "Late Line" route on Friday and Saturday nights during the University of Tennessee fall and spring semesters.  Most daytime stops are served on ten to twenty minute intervals.

Biking and walking
Knoxville is slowly building a paved greenway system that allows cyclists and pedestrians to travel into downtown from nearby suburbs such as Sequoyah Hills and Island Home.
 * Bearden Village/ Third Creek Greenway:  Beginning at Bearden Elementary School on Kingston Pike, the Third Creek Trail parallels Sutherland Avenue as it follows Third Creek's wooded path.  When the trail ends at Neyland Drive, pedestrians and cyclists can continue on the Neyland Greenway to access Volunteer Landing, the stadium, and parts of the University of Tennessee campus.   A spur of the Neyland Greenway connects to the World's Fair Park near Neyland Stadium.
 * The Sequoyah Greenway is a gravel walking and running path in the median of Cherokee Boulevard, the main road of one of Knoxville's wealthiest neighborhoods. However, cycling the broad boulevard roadway is a pleasant and reasonably safe ride for a casual or serious cyclist.  Keep right and most automobiles will have more than enough room to pass you safely. Sequoyah Hills Park and the Tennessee River parallel much of the boulevard's southern side, and the park is a wonderful place to stop for a picnic.  The northern side of the street is lined with stately homes.  Much of the Sequoyah Hills neighborhood is pedestrian friendly, so be sure to explore a few of the leafy side streets. The trail is accessible at several parking areas along the boulevard, and at the Laurel Church of Christ parking lot (use the crosswalk at the intersection of Cherokee Boulevard and Kingston Pike.)  A spur of the Third Creek Greenway leads to the Laurel Church parking lot.  This spur is extremely steep and not in the best repair.  Bicyclists may need to dismount and small children will need lots of help.
 * Jean Teague Greenway: Beginning at West Hills Elementary School and terminating at West End Church of Christ, the Jean Teague Greenway is an ideal trail for walkers and families with young children. As the trail passes through West Hills/John Bynon park, it divides to form a loop and winds around numerous athletic fields and playgrounds.  Near its midpoint, the trail crosses Winston Road near the YMCA.  Parking is available at the elementary school when school is not in session, at the park entrance on Winston Road, and at West End Church of Christ on East Walker Springs Lane.  Those wishing to continue on to the Cavet Station Greenway may do so by exiting the church parking lot and traveling westbound on East Walker Springs Lane.
 * Cavet Station Greenway: The Cavet Station Greenway follows the heavily traveled Gallaher View Road from the intersection of East Walker Springs Road to Middlebrook Pike.  Although this may someday be a useful link between greenways, it is a less than idyllic experience for a recreational biker.  Nearby residents do seem to make use of it as a convenient exercise path for jogging.  A sidewalk is on the opposite side of Gallaher View, and there is a crosswalk at the intersection of Walker Springs Road.  A Wal-Mart and Sam's Club are just off of the western side of Gallaher View Road.
 * Victor Ashe Park This large and popular park is located at 4901 Bradshaw Road in North Knoxville. The park consists of 115 acres and has many amenities. It is popular for its playground, a paved loop for walking or biking, an open space for special events, an unpaved trail, football fields, 4 soccer fields, and a disc golf course. It is popular as a dog park. Fishing is also available.  Adjacent to Badgett Field and Northwest Park.  The park is named for Victor Ashe, a former mayor of Knoxville and former United States Ambassador to Poland in the George W. Bush Administration.  Ample parking for 330 cars exists.

See

 * Fort Sanders neighborhood. A multitude of Victorian-era houses.
 * Old City. A lot of interesting architecture and a chief nightlife spot. Lots of bars and pubs for every taste.
 * Gay Street. The main drag in downtown Knoxville, home to a number of shops, a movie theater, and restaurants. Mast General Store, featuring clothing, sports equipment and southern Americana is very popular.
 * Volunteer Landing. Knoxville's riverwalk along the Tennessee River, complete with large, splashing fountains that were purposefully designed for you to play in! The Three Rivers Rambler operates from this location, taking visitors to the headwaters of the Tennessee River on this traditional, coal-fired train.
 * Volunteer Landing. Knoxville's riverwalk along the Tennessee River, complete with large, splashing fountains that were purposefully designed for you to play in! The Three Rivers Rambler operates from this location, taking visitors to the headwaters of the Tennessee River on this traditional, coal-fired train.
 * Volunteer Landing. Knoxville's riverwalk along the Tennessee River, complete with large, splashing fountains that were purposefully designed for you to play in! The Three Rivers Rambler operates from this location, taking visitors to the headwaters of the Tennessee River on this traditional, coal-fired train.
 * World's Fair Park. Site of the 1982 World's Fair Park and adjacent to the Knoxville Convention Center. Large, kid-friendly fountains. A big hit in the summer months.



Nature and outdoors

 * The Smoky Mountains. Knoxville is 30 minutes from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, one of the largest protected areas in the United States. With its ancient beauty and diversity of plant and animal life, the Smokies are a hiker's paradise with over 800 miles (1300 km) of trails. The park and surrounding park areas offer a host of activities, including camping, fishing, auto touring, horseback riding, sightseeing, and more. If you enjoy bicycling, visit Cades Cove Loop Road, an 11-mile (18-km) one-way road surrounded by stunning landscapes and closeup viewing of wildlife and 19th century homesites.
 * House Mountain State Natural Area. The House Mountain State Natural Area consists of 525 acres (2.12 km²) managed by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and Knox County Parks & Recreation. The Trust for Public Land purchased the plot in 1985 and sold it to the state of Tennessee in 1987. An interpretive kiosk, picnic facilities, and approximately 5 miles (8 km) of trails were constructed in the early 1990s. The park gets quite busy during the nicer months of the year.





Do

 * Fishing The Tennessee River's bass producing waters feature an abundance of fishing opportunities. From the lower end of Pickwick, legendary for world-class smallmouth fishing, the river pours through a powerful tailwater before winding many miles until backing into the Kentucky Lake basin. Kentucky Lake, covering 164,000 acres (109,000 in Tennessee), is legendary for its largemouth bass fishing. Whether you enjoy pure river fishing, open-reservoir structure fishing or casting to cover in creeks or backwaters, there's a Tennessee fishing experience waiting for you.
 * Motorcycling Living in the Knoxville area puts you near America's number one motorcycle road: The Tail of the Dragon. If 318 curves over 11 miles sounds a little too exciting, enjoy the area's many other roadways. Loop through Smoky Mountain National Park or follow the backbone of the Appalachian Mountains on the Blue Ridge Parkway.



Festivals & events

 * Dogwood Arts Festival
 * Rossini Festival
 * Honda Hoot
 * Kumba Festival
 * Boomsday
 * Knoxville Lindy Exchange
 * Christmas in the City
 * Blooms Days Garden Festival and Marketplace, University of Tennessee Gardens on Neyland Drive

Bicycling
Knoxville and the surrounding areas offer a number of ways to have fun on a bicycle. From sprawling greenway networks and scenic parkways, to a fully developed mountain biking park minutes outside of downtown, you’re sure to find a way to enjoy pedaling around east Tennessee.

Learn
The University of Tennessee, the flagship public university, was established in 1794 on a 560-acre land-grant campus near downtown. Now part of the University of Tennessee system, it operates with more than 1500 faculty, 9800 staff, 27,800 students and $1.1 billion in endowments.

By contrast Knoxville College, a historically black liberal arts college founded in 1875 by the United Presbyterian Church of North America, is a ghost town of a campus. After a long period of decline which began in the 1970s, the college lost accreditation in 1997 and was no longer functional by 2015. The library and administration are still operational; the rest of the campus is boarded up and the buildings rank among the 15 most-at-risk historic sites in the city.

Eat
Knoxville has plenty of restaurants, although the diversity and quality of them can be disappointing if you're not willing to look beyond the major chain locations. Persevere, however, and you will find some diamonds in the rough. Vegetarians and vegans are generally not well catered to, there are exceptions and the vigilant vegetarian or vegan will not starve.

Budget
Knoxville has most typical fast-food chains in one or more places around town.



Drink
Market Square and the Old City house a number of bars, probably too many to list here. Below are a few popular locations in those areas and elsewhere.



Stay safe
In general, Knoxville is a safe town. Practice the same precautions you would in any other mid-sized American town -- for example, lock your car and don't leave valuables sitting in plain view in your car. Low-income areas downtown should be traversed carefully.

Avoid the area around University and Fifth. You don't want to go there after dark. This is not at the University of Tennessee. Be careful where you park in the "Old City" area. It's right next to the mission district.

Cope
The University of Tennessee Chancellor's Commission for LGBT People is an advisory group which is active in civic and public discourse regarding LGBT issues in the Community, particularly at the University of Tennessee itself, but is accessible by all members of the LGBT community in one capacity or another.

Go next

 * Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Gatlinburg. About an hour's drive.
 * Chattanooga. About two hours' drive to the home of the Tennessee Aquarium.
 * The Museum of Appalachia in Norris. About 30 minutes north of Knoxville up I75. See how settlers in Southern Appalachia lived. This area was once "the Wild West". The museum features pioneer artifacts and authentic buildings. There are special events in the spring, the Christmas season, and the Fourth of July (anvil shoot!).
 * Oak Ridge, Manhattan Project site and host of the annual Secret City Festival.
 * Maryville is a small college town half an hour south of Knoxville.