24 Hours in Knoxville, Tennessee

8AM: Wake & Take [a Hike]

If your 24 hours in Knoxville are happening in the summer, you’re definitely going to want to start your day in the outdoors. The sun is no joke, people 😭 Thankfully, Knoxville has plenty of opportunities to get outside and enjoy a sunrise. We suggest a stroll around Lakeshore Park or Seven Islands State Birding Park (mostly because we’ve seen deer up close and personal there on many an early-morning occasion and it is dreeeeamy).

We’re more sunrise & stroll people, but if you want to get a real hike in, House Mountain is the tallest peak in Knox County.

If you’re a Knoxville local & personally offended that Ijams Nature Center isn’t on this list – just hold your horses. We’ll get there, I promise 😆

10AM: Time for Breakfast

Ah yes, breakfast… it’s undeniably the best meal of the day (we’re not receiving feedback on this opinion, thank youuuu) but let’s not go crazy, okay? We’re workin’ with 24 hours here and if you’re anything like us, you want to stuff in as many restaurants as possible.

We suggest Wild Love Bakehouse or Potchke Deli for something light (ie. stunningly delicious pastries.)

11AM: What Took You So Long?

How have we gotten to 11am without going downtown?? It’s about time, dang! If it’s Saturday or Wednesday, your first stop is to stroll the Market Square Farmer’s Market. Even if it’s not a market day, you’ll want to pop over there for shopping, buskers, and eateries (again, we’re really just here for the food).

After that, we would meander over to World’s Fair Park. If it’s your guests’ first time in Knoxville, they simply must go up inside the iconic Sunsphere. Not to be dramatic, but it’s basically the law. Then you can head next door to the Knoxville Art Museum for freeeee. If you have kiddos with you, try out the playgrounds and splash pad over there too.

If you want to be extra adorable, play some frisbee on the World’s Fair lawn in the shadow of the Sunsphere. That is a stinkin’ cute way to spend an hour, am I right??

Now, if the timing works out, make sure to hit up the Blue Plate Special inside Knoxville’s Visitors Center at noon as well. It’s a live radio show featuring live music acts from all over the region every… single… day. You can learn more about it (and other daily live music options) right here!

1PM: Time to Cool Off & Dive in

Okay, we hate to be the ones to tell you this but all that walking got you a little gross & sweaty. It’s time to head over the river to South Knoxville to take a dip in Mead’s Quarry inside Ijams Nature Center. 

You can swim in Mead’s Quarry for free orrrr snag a rental via RiverSports Outfitters (they’ve got a convenient lil hut set up there) if you want to paddle board or kayak the quarry instead.

2PM: Time to Munch on Lunch

Woah, woah, woah, we almost forgot the real reason we’re here – for fooood, of course 😉 If we were you, we’d stick around South Knoxville for a little bit longer.

There are a couple stellar options for lunch in this neck of the woods. For instance, 71 South is right by Baker Creek Preserve. They’re open for daily brunch all the way through dinner and servin’ up great food. After lunch, you can pop over to Crafty Bastard – Baker Creek next door for a local beer if you’re feelin’ it, or take a walk through Baker Creek Preserve. We looove to watch everyone take on the pump tracks. If you bike at all (or, like yours truly, prefer to just watch the masters at work), this is a mustttt visit.

Howeeever, Kern’s Food Hall is also a tempting choice. They’ve got cuisine options from all over the world, conveniently under one (reeeeally good lookin’) roof. We’re lowkey obsessed with their outdoor space & they’ve also got plenty of bars if you want to start the night early.

4PM: Treasure Huntin' Time

We gave you an extra hour there because you probably want to take a second to rejuvenate & get cleaned up after all your adventures so far. BUT now that you’re fueled up & cleaned up, let’s go shoppingggg! 😉  Knoxville’s got some beautifully curated vintage shops and your guests simply must see them for themselves.

If you want to stay on the south side, we adore Mood Ring Vintage. Want to head out west? Nostalgia is a classic and Four Seasons Vintage is a personal fave. Rather go north? Check out Pop Weasel Emporium and Retrospect!

Want to go shopping for some vintage ✨clothes✨ specifically? Check out French Fried Vintage, Contra, and The Back Pocket. They’re all within a few minutes of each other in/near downtown Knoxville & each has a completely unique vibe from the others!

5PM: Time for Cheersin' Beersin'

Knoxville has a boomin’ beer scene, so we can’t let you miss this happy, hoppy goodness. And if your vintage shopping left you in the North Knox area, you are particularly in luck!

This neighborhood has a brewery on every corner. Our favorites are Schulz Brau Brewing for their hefeweizen & beautiful biergarten, Yee-Haw Brewing for their hot chicken & Jumbotron, Xul Beer Co for their fruited sours & rich stouts, and Crafty Bastard Brewery for their eclectic vibe & dog friendly atmosphere. The good news? They’re all within walking distance so you can consume niiice & safely 🤩

6PM: Time to Eat (Again)

Ahh, look at the time! Time to eat again. Thankfully, calories don’t count on vacation 😉

We definitely suggest heading back to Downtown Knoxville for dinner. Market Square is always a cute vibe and you’ve got plenty of options between top tier burgers from Stock & Barrel, Tex-Mex from Soccer Taco, or oysters from The Brass Pearl.

If you’d prefer a Gay St. view, Chivo Taqueria or the Babalu patio will do you right! And if you’re lookin’ for some pizza, a classy date night at A Dopo is the way go-po. Just make sure to snag a reservation because we assure you, they will not have seating 😆

7PM: Time to Be Entertained

Before 7pm hits, it is imperative that you head to New2Knox’s (hi 👋 that’s us!) Instagram page & look up the most recent “This Week in Knoxville” post. You can check out the exact 24 hours you’ll be in Knoxville & see what’s on the calendar. Maybe you’ll get to enjoy some trivia! Perhaps live music is in your future! Maybe there’s some comedy or poetry to attend! The world (well, the city of Knoxville) is your oyster (especially if you just came from the Brass Pearl).

If none of those options float your boat, check out some of these:
⭐️ Maple Hall Bowling is right downtown & such a vibe.
⭐️ Craft Axe Throwing is a fun way to spend an evening & located right by all those breweries we were gushing about earlier.
⭐️ Check out a sporting event! Between our minor league soccer team, minor league hockey team, and this lil college you’ve probably never heard of called the University of Tennessee, there’s a good chance something fun is on the calendar!
⭐️ The Tennessee Theatre and the Bijou Theatre are both iconic/historic spots to catch a show, so definitely see who’s playing!

9PM: Time for a Night Cap

Does “night cap” mean a cocktail or ice cream in your world? We’ll let you be the judge of that. (Or, you know, why not both? 🎉)

Cruze Farm is a local favorite for ice cream and their downtown location makes for the perfect end-of-the-day treat. Even if there’s a long line, jump on in it because they’re usually pretty fast & your taste buds won’t regret it.

Lookin’ for a more spirited end to your evening? We’ve got 7 of our favorite spots for cocktails listed right here! Take your pick from speak-easys & rooftop bars & tropical oases. We love them all & we simply won’t pick favorites.

10PM: Late Night Knox

Oh, we see you, party people 😉 Not quite ready to let the night end? Preservation Pub in Market Square is a great time with live music, eclectic dive bar vibes, and a rooftop patio to boot. (There’s a $5 cover to get in – but in their defense, it gets you into two other neighboring bars as well.) Knox Box Karaoke on Gay Street is truly party central as people belt their hearts out to every song in not-so-perfect-but-definitely-passionate unison. If you’re looking for Knoxville’s clubbing scene, head over to the Old City for plenty of options.

11PM: You're Our People

Finally, if you’re exhausted, you’re our people 😂 Head home/to your hotel and enjoy watching (ie. falling asleep to) a movie in your PJs. It’s been a long day, pal. You earned it.

We hope this lil guide helps you have a wonderful (albeit quick) time in the Scruffy City! Now that you know how great it is, you can come back for a more substantial amount of time and really explore 😉 There is plenty more where this came from. Honestly, do you just want to move here after all? We can help you with that as well! Either way, we’re so glad you stumbled onto our cute lil Scruffy City. We hope you have an absolutely wonderful time 😘