Lots of guests are coming to visit me in downtown Knoxville. Here’s where I’m taking them – Knoxville News Sentinel
People are eager to get back out into the world and travel again … and they all seem to be coming to my house.
Not to brag or anything, but they picked a great tour guide. I love downtown Knoxville. I love living down here and showing off everything it has to offer … but let’s be honest, the tour guide role can be a bit overwhelming.
Every visitor has different interests, budgets, and energy levels … so how do you plan out itineraries that everyone will enjoy but won’t burn you out?
Here’s a guide for giving them a taste of the city, depending on what kind of visitor you’ve got.
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The touristy young couple
They’re Knoxville-novices — they’ve never seen the Smoky Mountains, they tried bringing cowboy boots (this is Knoxville, not Nashville, y’all) and have no idea what a “sunsphere” is.
It means there’s a million things to do and you’ve only got a few days to do it all. It also means you get to play tourist in your own town.
Double-date night: Get dressed up and grab some shared plates over at Vida, then head downstairs for cocktails in the Vault. After that, bounce from the Radius Rooftop Bar at the downtown Embassy Suites, to Five-Thirty Lounge on the Hyatt rooftop. If you’re feeling extra swanky, stop by the Peter Kern Library speakeasy before heading back to the Old City and checking out the new aperitivo bar, Brother Wolf.
Vida on Gay Street:See inside Vida, the Pan-Latin restaurant opening on Gay Street
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Day drinking, duh: Rooftop-hopping at Preservation Pub, Bernadette’s Crystal Gardens, and Scruffy City Hall are must-do staples — no matter the genre of visitor. Cool off at the brand new Fat Tuesday before making your way to the dog-filled lawn at Merchants of Beer for one of those High Noon buckets.
Fat Tuesday:Try all 12 daiquiri flavors at Fat Tuesday, now open on Gay Street
Boozy brunch: Eggs and mimosas, you can’t go wrong. Check out Southern Grit, Balter Beerworks or South Knoxville’s Simpl on Sevier.
Market Square bar:Gaze at the 91 million carats of crystal ‘nirvana’ in the new Market Square bar
Extra touristy: Check out the Sunsphere and grab a few Instagram shots in front of the dozens of murals along Strong Alley.
Day in the Smokies: Plan to hike either Rainbow Falls or Abrams Falls trails, (because #views for the ‘Gram) then venture into Gatlinburg. Do the tried and true tasting trail along the strip: the Ole Smoky Moonshine and Whisky tasting rooms, Sugarlands Distilling Company, Tennessee Cider Company and wherever else you stumble into.
Other places to squeeze into the weekend: Late-night people watching at Boyd’s Jig & Reel in the Old City, foosball at Suttree’s High Gravity Tavern, margaritas at Babalu and burgers at Stock and Barrel.
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Parents moving UT students
My partner’s parents are no strangers to Knoxville. This will be their third time moving their son into his dorm at the University of Tennessee — so they’re a bit over the all the hustle and bustle of Gay Street and Market Square. We’ll need to stick to something low key and a little more family-friendly that won’t break the bank.
Dinner in Happy Holler: Central Flats & Taps is perfect after a long day on campus spent finding the dorm, figuring out parking, and the inevitable second trip to Target for the Twin XL sheets that got left at home. It’s an all-around crowd pleaser — from the hungry teen, to the parents who definitely need a drink.
Hen+Hoc night: Get a taste of Knoxville without the stress of trying to get everyone out the door and to a restaurant. Grab those comfy pants and pick up some artisan meat from Hen+Hoc Deli and Butcher in the Old City to grill yourself.
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Moderate hike at Ijams: Give it a day (or two) after moving in, but get some fresh air in Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness. The Tharp Trace trail (around Mead’s Quarry) is a solid 1.3-mile, looped hike with some sweet views that will make most skill levels will feel accomplished after completing.
Music and brews at Knox Brew Hub: Get a taste for local brews (and popcorn!) while getting overly competitive playing Singo with your family.
Knoxville brewery scene:Zack Roskop is building a Knoxville craft beer empire — and he doesn’t even own a brewery
Local treasures: Lunch at the Oakwood BBQ truck at Southside Garage, or check out Good Golly Tamale in the Old City.
Have you joined our Urban Knoxville Facebook group yet? Add yourself here
The friend who wants to move here
My buddy has been here a few times, so she’s done the main stuff: Market Square, Gay Street, and Sevier Avenue. Now, it’s time for her to reach expert-level tourism. Here’s what we’ll do while she’s here apartment hunting and getting a better view of Knoxville.
Brewery hop: Enjoy trying new craft beer? Hit Knoxville’s best breweries: Crafty Bastard, Xul, Pretentious, Printshop, Alliance and Hi-Wire, all in North or South Knox. If there’s time, get the full scope of Knoxville’s craft beer scene when you hop on one of the Knox Brew Tours.
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Knoxville neighborhood tour: Do a driving tour through Old North Knoxville, Parkridge, Happy Holler, South Knoxville, West Hills, and (because one can dream, right?) Sequoyah Hills.
Knoxville’s hidden gems: Try a noodle bowl and boba tea at Sticky Rice Cafe, lunch at Curious Dog, late-night ramen from Suttree’s, cocktails and board games at neighborhood bar Central Depot.
So where’s that one place that you just have to take visitors? What Knoxville staple should everyone experience? What did I miss? We’re talking about that and more over in the Urban Knoxville Facebook group. Come join the conversation.