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45 Great Things to Do in Knoxville Tennessee

Sherianne Higgins·
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Top Things to Do in Knoxville Tennessee

If you are planning a trip to Knoxville Tennessee and looking for the best things to do, see and eat while visiting, you are in the right place.  Knoxville is located in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains next to the Tennessee River. It is referred to as the City of Artists and is the birthplace of Mountain Dew. Knoxville is full of brick buildings, street art, country music, Civil War history, outdoor adventures, scenic drives, barbecues, craft beer, and sweet tea.

Browse the following list of must-see attractions, off-the-beaten-path experiences, outdoor activities, and museums to create your personal Knoxville Tennessee bucket list. Then, plan the itinerary for your Knoxville Tennessee trip with these top things to do, see, and eat. Enjoy your time out of the office!

READ Great Smoky Mountains Travel Guide

Greetings from Knoxville Mural Knoxville Tennessee
Greetings from Knoxville Mural 1143 N Broadway

Things to Do in and Around Knoxville Tennessee

Explore the city on the free trolley

Have lunch and people-watch at Historic Market Square

Check out the panoramic view from the observation deck of The Sunsphere

Photograph the city from the World’s Fair Park

Listen to the daily Blue Plate Special (WDVX-FM radio live show) at the Knoxville Visitors Center

Shop for souvenirs at Mast General Store

Take the self-guided Cradle of Country Music Walking Tour

Stop by Knoxville Chocolate Company and buy a few souvenir Sunsphere Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Bars

Grab a coffee and take a walk along the Knoxville Riverfront

Gay Street Bridge Knoxville Tennessee
Gay Street Bridge

Have lunch next to the river at Calhoun’s

Check out the downtown mural walk and the graffiti at Strong Alley 

Eat a great Smokey Mountain sundae at the Phoenix Pharmacy

Say hello to the endangered red pandas at the Knoxville Zoo

Browse the vendors at the Knoxville Farmers Market

Take a riverboat cruise on the Tennessee River

Go for a ride on the Three Rivers Rambler steam train

Play chopsticks on one of the public pianos downtown

Tour the Knox Whiskey Works or enjoy a flight at Postmodern Spirits

Spend a night out in the Old City, Central St., and Jackson Avenue

Market Square Knoxville Tennessee
Market Square

Browse the galleries of the 100-Block Arts District

Enjoy a cocktail with a view on the rooftop of the Hyatt Place

Sample craft beer along the Knoxville Ale Trail https://knoxvillebrewers.com/ale-trail/

See a show at the gorgeous Tennessee Theatre

Enjoy a concert at the Tennessee Amphitheater

Spend a rainy day bowling at Maple Hall Bowling

Pay respect at the Tennessee Woman Suffrage Memorial

Learn about Knoxville’s black history and culture at the Beck Cultural Exchange Center

Check out the retro uniforms and badges at the Girl Scout Museum

Get your history fix at the East Tennessee History Center

Gay Street Knoxville Tennessee
Gay Street

Browse the figural glass installation at the Knoxville Museum of Art

Check out the heirlooms at the Mabry-Hazen House

Take a selfie with Monty the dinosaur at the McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture

Explore the monuments at the Old Gray Cemetery

Tour Blount Mansion, “the house with many eyes”

Learn about the Civil War at Farragut Museum, “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!”

Experience frontier life at James White’s Fort, the birthplace of Knoxville

Tour the Ramsey House, built-in 1797

Learn about the Battle of Knoxville at Bleak House

Check out the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame

Go hydro-biking on the Tennessee River from Volunteer Landing

Check out the Forks Of The River sunflower fields in bloom (July)

Walk the Tennessee River boardwalk at the Ijams Nature Center

Go for a swim at Mead’s Quarry or Fort Dickerson Quarry

Check out the ropes course at the Navitat Canopy Experience

Check the Knoxville Tennessee Office of Tourism for upcoming festivals, special events, and what’s happening during your stay.

Bookmark and Pin Things to do in Knoxville Tennessee

Bucket list of 45 things to do in Knoxville Tennessee while enjoying museums, history, country music, craft beer, and barbeque in the Great Smokey Mountains.
Bucket list of 45 things to do in Knoxville Tennessee while enjoying museums, history, country music, craft beer, and barbeque in the Great Smokey Mountains.

My Favorite Booking Resources

  • Discover Cars Search, compare and save on car rentals.
  • Trainline Explore effortlessly by train and bus.
  • Booking.com Search Booking.com to find the perfect property.
  • Hostelworld Hostelworld has great inexpensive options.
  • Get Your Guide Don’t chance it, the best attractions sell out.
  • Tiqets Get your tickets now, relax when you arrive.
  • Big Bus Tours Hop-on Hop-off at all the iconic landmarks.
  • Go City Card Save up to 50% on attractions, tours and activities.
  • Welcome Pickups Airport and port transfers.
  • Visitors Coverage Pick the right travel insurance for you.
  • Use code SAVE10 to pick up a travel guide from Lonely Planet to browse on the plane.
  • Shop my Amazon travel essentials and have them delivered to your home. 

Have a great vacation!

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9 Responses

  1. Wow such an exhaustive list to choose from. Art, food, history, museum visits would feature in my list of things to do. Going hydrobiking would be exciting. Tennessee looks a city I would fall in love with.

  2. With this list, it seems like there are endless possibilities for adventure and fun right in this city. The Riverboat cruise on the river, the tour at the Knox Whiskey Works and getting a view at the Hyatt Place, all peak my interest. I’d be happy to explore if given the chance!

  3. To be honest – I would not have thought that there are so many things to do in Knoxvilee. I have heard the name before and knew, that it was in Tennessee, but assumed that it is another small town. But now I know, that I was wrong. I would definitely visit the Museum for Black History.

  4. Great post on Knoxville Tennessee, the birthplace of country music. We crossed the city long back while visiting Smoky mountains. I haven’t visited Konxville since.l would love to play chopsticks , eat smokey mountain Sundae and take a riverboat cruise and watch a concert at the amphitheater.It’s in my bucket list.

  5. These are some great things to do in Knoxville. My top picks would be to visit the arts district to some galleries, graffiti alley to be followed from a great meal and maybe cocktail at the hotel bar.

  6. Having spent no time in Tennessee, it was good to take a look at the fun and iconic things to do in Knoxville. The free trolley would be a great way to get my bearings before I stopped and explored. We would absolutely not be passing the Knoxville Chocolate Company for those sea salt bars! A riverboat cruise would be awesome to see the city from a different perspective.

  7. Knoxville sounds like a wonderful city to visit! I’m unfamiliar with it, but I’m sold with the number of activities there are to do here. The sundae sounds wonderful as do all of the music-themed tours and attractions.

  8. I don’t realize there are so many things to do and see in Knoxville. We spent a night there to visit the Manhattan Project National Historical Park in Oak Ridge. I think we will have to revisit the city. My son will be thrilled to hear about Mountain Dew, his favorite soda.

  9. Perfect timing for an article about Knoxville. I’m headed to Gatlinburg and Knoxville in March to meet up with family and explore the Great Smoky Mountains! Since we fly out of Knoxville, this list will come in handy rounding out our itinerary. Had no idea Knoxville was the home of Mountain Dew!

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