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Emilie Stooksbury

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6 Ways to Spend Rainy Days in Knoxville

Knoxville, Tennessee is an outdoor-lovers playground. There are endless options. We’re talking mountain biking and paddle boarding and quarry swimming and patio eating. BUT Knoxville also has a tendency to, well, rain… a lot. (In my defense, I moved here after about 5 years of living in a Texan draught so my opinion of “lots of rain” may be skewed but STILL πŸ˜‚) When the rain comes down, do not fear. You can still have a super fun-filled (not sun-filled) day exploring your new city. Here are 6 ways to spend rainy days in Knoxville!

1.) Ask Me About Axes πŸͺ“

Have you ever been axe throwing? It’s less terrifying than it sounds (trust us), while still allowing you to feel like a complete boss. You can take your shot at hitting the bullseye or mix it up with a handful of other games. Either way, it’s a unique way to get out of the house, stay out of the rain, and intimidate your enemies, hone your survival skills in the case of zombie apocalypses. Check out Craft Axe Throwing for themed days, leagues, and specials!

Knoxville Art Museum

The Knoxville Art Museum is a great way to spend a rainy day!

2.) Museum Maven

Impress all future visitors with your extensive Knoxville knowledge by spending rainy days at museums! As super fancy folks (clearly), our favorite kind of museum is the freeeee kind which means The Knoxville Art Museum and Beck Cultural Exchange Center easily top the list! We also love catching different displays at the East Tennessee History Museum right in the heart of downtown Knoxville.

3.) Reach for the Skies Ceiling

If you ask us, rain is just an opportunity to bring the outdoors into the air conditioning 😜 Head over to the Climbing Center inside RiverSports in the eclectic Marble City neighborhood to climb in a dry, cool environment all day long. After your rock climbing adventure, pop over to their neighbors Albright Grove Brewing Co. to rehydrate with a beer or The Boocherie for a slew of non-alcoholic cocktails!

4.) Bangin’ Basement Bowling

Why simply get out of the rain when you can forget the outdoors entirely by hanging out in Knoxville’s favorite basement? Maple Hall is a trendy basement bowling alley tucked right underneath the heart of Gay St. Enjoy aesthetic lounging areas, delicious drinks & food (the fried pickles and pretzel bites are our faves πŸ˜‹), and a day full of bowling with your buddies. (PS. Downtown Knoxville has a few other basement bars for you to check out too.)

5.) Brews & Boards

Let’s not overlook the classic (and ohhh-so-cozy) combo of board games and brews! Plenty of local bars and breweries have a stockpile of board games to help you fully take advantage of stormy evenings. We’re talkin’ full on hygge, y’all. Some of our favorites are Schulz Brau Brewing Co (we usually obsess over their biergarten, but the inside castle + fireplace situation is a dreeeam on rainy nights), Pour Taproom (the bevvy options are limitless – or as Cady Heron would say, “the limit does not exist”), and Crafty Bastard Brewery (we’ve spent many a rainy afternoon playing Sorry with a Hop Candy in hand #memories πŸ₯²).

If you want to advance to the next level, you can hit up the Maple Room (located right above Maple Hall) for larger-than-life board games on the walls. OR go old school and hit up Harrogate’s Lounge connected to Suttree’s Tavern for arcade games (oh HELLOoo Dolly themed pinball!). OOOoor get active at Hi-Wire Brewing Co with games like ping pong, foosball, or soccer pool (yeah, soccer pool is a thing πŸ˜‚).

Image from Renegade Yoga in West Knoxville

6.) Lights, Cobra, Action

Speaking of action, rainy days don’t necessarily have to mean full hygge. While we wouldn’t choose to go on a rainy hike for instance – we do love a relaxing yoga sesh. At Renegade Yoga Center, you can enjoy a zen yoga class while the rain pounds on the roof and outside the big garage door. At Blue Ridge Yoga, you can end your yoga class with snuggles from Theo the insanely adorable French Bulldog. (I mean, C’MON 😍) And at Glowing Body Yoga Studio, savasana can include staring up at the skylight while the rain comes down.


Okay, friend, there’s more where that came from, but it’s high time you get off your device to go splash in some puddles and sing in the rain. TOODELOO πŸ‘‹

PS. If you’re an Enneagram 9 and the idea of spending a rainy day rock climbing is just incomprehensible, don’t you worry. We’ve got a list of the Coziest Coffee Shop Corners where you can curl up with a book and pray the rain never goes away πŸ˜‰ Happy Hygge-ing!

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KUB Fiber is Here!

Have you heard? KUB Fiber has landed in Knoxville! Serving both businesses and residential so you can enjoy the fastest WiFi from your favorite coffee shop or the comfort of your home! Click below to see if it is available at your address yet!Β 

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