18 Best Things To Do In Knoxville, Tennessee, According To A Local

Born and raised in East Tennessee, I fondly called Knoxville and its surrounding areas home until I headed to

Athens, Georgia

, for college. Though I fell head-over-heels for Athens and happily claim it as a second home, my roots will always be in East Tennessee. This neck of the woods is often overlooked for the hustle and bustle of Nashville’s food and music scene, the history and

soul of Memphis

, or the

outdoor appeal of Chattanooga

. While the tune of

Rocky Top

might be top of mind when you think of Knoxville, the town perched on the Tennessee River and just a short drive from the foothills of

The Great Smoky Mountains

offers much more.

Growing up in Knoxville meant summer days spent on one of the area’s many lakes, Saturdays meandering around Market Square downtown, hiking trips into the Smokies, and the occasional

adventure to Dollywood

. The city is known for its country music, Appalachian culture, and comforting Southern food. The saying “You don’t know a good thing ‘till it’s gone » rings true for this city and me. It wasn’t until I was living elsewhere that I was able to fully appreciate all the things to do in the area. From downtown to the mountains, here’s what I love to do in Knoxville when I venture back home.

Where To Eat

Grab A Burger At Litton’s

Knoxville

isn’t hurting for good eats

. From off-the-beaten path gems to upscale establishments, there is something for every palate. Anyone who calls the town home, including myself, will tell of fond memories at long-standing spots like burger joint Litton’s Market, Restaurant, and Bakery in the Fountain City neighborhood, which dates back to 1946. Order fresh salads, sandwiches, burgers, or daily specials like fried chicken with gravy or turkey with dressing. Pick up entrees and sides from the market to go.

littonsdirecttoyou.com

, 2803 Essary Road, Knoxville, TN 37918

Spend A Special Occasion At Ye Olde Steak House

For celebratory steak dinners, head to Ye Olde Steak House, which has been a go-to since 1968. The family-run restaurant is popular on Tennessee Volunteers game days. Ribeye, prime rib, shrimp, chicken, and burgers grace the menu, along with classic steakhouse sides like baked potatoes, fries, and wedge salad. These may not be an outsider’s first stop, but they’ll always be local favorites.

yeoldesteakhouse.com

, 6838 Chapman Highway, Knoxville, TN, 37920

Try Local Pizza Joints

Throughout my childhood, whether it was after soccer games or birthday celebrations, my family and I frequented The Tomato Head, where my dad became known as a regular. It remains one of my favorites to this day for their homemade pizza and abundant dessert selection, including their prized chocolate-peanut-butter pie. And while many friends will claim A Dopo as their favorite pie in town, I’m partial to a white pizza, namely the Iron Mike (add meatballs), from Hard Knox Pizzeria.

thetomatohead.com

, 12 Market Square, Knoxville, TN 37902

adopopizza.com

, 516 Williams Street, Knoxville, TN 37917

hardknoxpizza.com

, 2300 North Central Street, Knoxville, TN 37917

Get All The Fixin’s At Dead End BBQ

For barbecue, head to Dead End BBQ, where you can’t go wrong with the loaded pigskins. Choose from sandwiches, nachos, and favorite mains like pulled pork, sliced brisket, ribs, and smoked sausage, and add a taste or shareable size of creamed corn, greens, beans, or macaroni and pimiento cheese on the side.

deadendbbq.com

, 3621 Sutherland Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37919

Enjoy Sushi At Nama

And if you’re looking for sushi, the JG and Soy Joy rolls at Nama are my favorites. On Monday or Thursday, ask for the half-price specials menu. The lunch sushi comes with miso soup and choice of salad, and dinner features chef’s specials and specialty rolls.

namasushibar.com

, 506 South Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902

Try A Casual Lunch Spot

For a fresh, casual breakfast or lunch, The Plaid Apron in Sequoyah Hills neighborhood won’t disappoint. For an exploratory menu with twists on classic Jewish dishes like matzo ball soup, whitefish sandwiches, and unique-flavored babka,

Potchke Deli

is a must. While it’s newer to Knoxville’s Old City, it has quickly become a personal and community favorite.

theplaidapron.com

, 1210 Kenesaw Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37919

potchkedeli.com

, 318 North Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37917

Indulge At J. C. Holdway

When I’m looking for something that skews more fine dining, J. C. Holdway is always a top pick. Joseph Lenn, former executive chef at Blackberry Farm, leans on wood-fire cooking techniques, nodding to old-world ways. The menu celebrates

Appalachian food culture

, while the wine list explores regions from California and across Europe.

jcholdway.com

, 501 Union Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37902

Savor Italian Fare At Emilia

For a Southern-Italian meal, Emilia is the ticket. Focusing on food from the Emilia-Romanga region of Italy, the menu includes a variety of pasta, risotto, and gnocchi, as well as traditional desserts like tiramisu, budino, and panna cotta.

emiliaknox.com

, 16 Market Square, Knoxville, TN 37902

Stop For A Sweet Treat

From the time when you could only get Cruze Farm ice cream at their farmers’ market truck, it’s been my go-to. Now, you can find their brick and mortar creamery downtown on Gay Street. If you’ve ever driven across the state, chances are it was down

Interstate 40

, which is what my favorite pie, the I-40, from Buttermilk Sky Pie Shop is named for. And I can’t recall a gathering where a Ham’n Goodys famous lemon cookie wasn’t present. The unassuming deli and bakery on Northshore Drive, while great for a quick lunch, is primarily known for their cookies and tea cakes.

cruzefarm.com/downtown-knoxville

, 445 South Gay Street, Suite 103, Knoxville, TN 37902

buttermilkskypie.com

, 5400 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919

hamngoodys.com

, 314 South Northshore Drive, Knoxville, TN 37919

Where To Drink

Start With Coffee

To start the day, just across the river from downtown, Honeybee Coffee serves up delicious treats and a top-notch cup of joe made from locally roasted beans. Order your favorite latte, an espresso, seasonal coffee, or a non-coffee drink.

honeybeecoffeeco.com

, 10716 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37934

Sample Beer

If you want a bite with your beverage and a good place to hang out with friends, Balter Beerworks downtown is a craft microbrewery offering beer, cocktails, and wine with fresh-made apps and entrees. Abridged brewpub, located in a 1950s garage, is among my favorite spots. Hang out with a beer and soft pretzel or a platter of pot roast nachos.

balterbeerworks.com

, 100 Broadway SW, Knoxville, TN 37902

abridgedbeer.com

, 100 Lockett Road, Knoxville, TN 37919

Toast The Weekend

For views from downtown Knoxville to the Smoky mountains, Five Thirty Lounge is the place to be. The rooftop bar with an indoor-outdoor space and floor-to-ceiling windows is located above the Hyatt Place hotel on Gay Street and is the ideal spot for sunsets and craft cocktails.

fivethirtylounge.com

, 530 South Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902

What To Do Outdoors

Play In The Parks

For me, the best part about Knoxville lies in its surrounding nature—the parks, lakes, and the mountains that are its beautiful backdrop. I grew up running the Sequoyah Greenway paths, “The Boulevard”, along the Tennessee River, playing soccer in Lakeshore Park, and biking or walking a section of the 100+ miles of Greenways Trails throughout the city.

visitknoxville.com/listing/sequoyah-greenway/501

, 400 Cherokee Boulevard, Knoxville, TN 37919

lakeshoreparkknoxville.org

, 5930 Lyons View Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919

Seek A Quiet Spot

On a sunny day, the greens at World’s Fair Park which lies between the University of Tennessee campus (where you can explore the blooming UT botanical gardens) and the booming downtown is my ideal spot to spend time. Initially constructed for the 1982 World’s Fair, today The Sunsphere (which provides a spectacular, 360-degree view of downtown and beyond) and the Tennessee Amphitheater are the only structures that remain.

worldsfairpark.org

, 963 World’s Fair Park Drive, Knoxville, TN 37916

utgardens.tennessee.edu

, 2621 Morgan Circle, Knoxville, TN 37996

worldsfairpark.org/sunsphere

, 963 World’s Fair Park Drive, Knoxville, TN 37916

Cool Down In The Water

And it’s not summer in Knoxville if you’re not on the water. Ijams Nature Center, free to access, lies on 318 acres of protected land in the middle of Knoxville and offers kayaking, paddle boarding, and swimming in the old marble quarries, plus the urban park has miles of trails for hiking and cycling. But my

favorite spot for a swim

is the lesser-known Fort Dickerson Park quarry lake, which was

officially

opened to the public in 2019 and renamed Augusta Quarry.

ijams.org

, 2915 Island Home Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37920

knoxvillehistoryproject.org/fort-dickerson-park

, 3000 Fort Dickerson Road SW, Knoxville TN 37920

What To Do Downtown

Explore Market Square

If I wasn’t driving to the mountains for weekend camping or day trips in

The Great Smoky Mountain National Park

to hike Mt. Leconte, canoe Abrams Creek, or bike through Cades Cove, you’d find me meandering around the downtown area. The historical Market Square is the heart of downtown and is filled with restaurants, shops, and entertainment. It’s home to the Market Square Farmers’ Market, which brings together growers, artisans, and vendors from across East Tennessee on Saturday mornings, and the site of the city’s grand Christmas tree.

facebook.com/HistoricMarketSquareKnoxville

, 18 Market Square Knoxville, TN 37902

Stroll Historic Gay Street

Step just outside the square and you’ll be on Gay Street, whose history dates back to the founding of the state of Tennessee in 1796. As the city’s first paved road, a stroll down the lane reveals historical theaters such as The Bijou and Tennessee Theatre (where I last saw

John Prine

play), art galleries, restaurants, and more. As a kid, I’d ravaged the old-fashioned candy barrels for Zotz and Bit-O-Honey candies at Mast General Store, a retail landmark since 1898 where you can truly find anything and everything. Just down the road, Maple Hall bowling and cocktail lounge is a favorite for family and friend gatherings alike.

visitknoxville.com/things-to-do/popular-spots/gay-street

mastgeneralstore.com/knoxville

, 402 South Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902

maplehallknox.com

, 414 South Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902

Immerse Yourself At Knoxville Museum Of Art

Overlooking the park is my favorite museum in town, the Knoxville Museum of Art, which celebrates East Tennessee’s diverse culture through a mix of historical and contemporary art. The 53,200-square-foot facility houses a permanent collection of mid-19th and early-20th century visual arts, rotating exhibits, and an annual East Tennessee Regional Art Exhibition.

knoxart.org

, 1050 World’s Fair Park Drive, Knoxville, TN 37916

Where To Stay

Rest At The Graduate

A short walk from the Tennessee Volunteers campus and stadium, this 112-room hotel is filled with nostalgic college memorabilia. Well-appointed rooms are decorated in pops of cheery orange as a nod to the Vols. Catch the game at the on-site Saloon 16, a Western-themed restaurant and bar featuring football paraphernalia from Peyton Manning’s collegiate career at UT.

hilton.com/en/hotels/tysgkgu-graduate-knoxville

, 1706 Cumberland Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37916

Relax At The Tennessean

This downtown hotel is located near the University of Tennessee, Market Square, unique shops, and a lively arts and culinary scene. Luxurious rooms feature fine linens, marble floors, and finishings designed by Tennessee craftsmen. Enjoy city views as well as on-site meals at the hotel’s restaurant, The Drawing Room.

thetennesseanhotel.com

, 531 Henley Street, Knoxville, TN 37902