by Emily Stooks | Jan 13, 2024 | All Articles, East Knoxville, Emilie Stooksbury, Lifestyle
Amidst the sea of breweries and songs about whiskey, it can sometimes feel like all Tennessee activities revolve around drinking. And you’re not so very wrong – fun runs, trivia nights, and live music are often held at bars. However, we also know there are plenty of reasons to step away from the drinking scene for any length of time – so if you ever find yourself in need of a sans-alcohol experience, we’re here to help. Here are ten fun and sober activities to enjoy in Knoxville, Tennessee!
1.) MAKE STUFF!
West Knoxville
Knoxville is the Maker City, after all – it’s only appropriate to make some stuff!
If you’ve only experienced painting canvases, you, my friend, have been missing out. Liza Moz Pottery in West Hills allows you to paint functional items like plates, mugs, and figurines (yes, figurines serve a function – making your desk 10x more adorable). You can even bring-your-own snacks and non-alcoholic sips with you to enjoy while you paint!
Would you rather eat your creation that eat off of it? Sign up for a private cookie class with Goody Two Chews! Alex will guide you through different techniques resulting in some beautiful cookies. We do, however, suggest being just slightly bad at it – you never want to make the mistake of creating a cookie too beautiful to eat 😉
A few other places to make are: Mighty Mud or Painting with a Twist!
Image from Noble Kava
2.) NON-ALCOHOLIC BARS
North Knoxville & South Knoxville & West Knoxville
Yes, this is a list of sober activities in Knoxville. Yes, the word “bar” showed up about two seconds into your scroll. But yes, we promise it’s not alcohol! The Noble Kava Bar is open from noon to midnight and has seriously cool vibes for anyone who still wants a night-life experience. (We felt like we were momentarily transported to Asheville, NC when we stepped through their doors.) Kava is an herbal remedy that helps ease anxiety and makes your mouth feel all tingly and numb in a really fun way. This is such a unique experience for Knoxville (in fact, Noble is the first full service kava bar in Tennessee) so we highly recommend checking it out.
Just down the street from Noble Kava Bar on Sutherland Ave is The Boocherie! They’ve got a wide array of kombuchas and mocktails in a delightfully colorful & quirky atmosphere. They’ve also got a wide range of events happening week to week to keep things interesting. We hiiiighly recommend snagging a pint of their Pineapple Jalapeño kombucha tp sip on while swingin’ on their hammocks outside. The whole vibe? *chefs kiss*
Hummingbird Hemp Cafe is another “sober bar” open late, but this one has TWO locations! Check out their north location up N. Broadway by Lost & Found Records and Harby’s Pizza or head down south & check out their space near Baker Creek Preserve. With plenty of teas and mocktails, you won’t feel like you’re missing out at all. However, just to make extra sure you’re not missing out, ask the friendly and knowledgable owners about off-menu goodies!
3.) THE ZOO
East Knoxville
We all know what a zoo is. But did you know a ticket to Knoxville’s zoo is only $25? Did you know that you could ride a camel?? Or that they have fun events like Feast with the Beasts where you can sample from some of Knoxville’s best restaurants while hangin’ with monkeys?
Yeah, Zoo Knoxville is pretty awesome.
4.) MAPLE HALL
Downtown
Okay, we admit alcohol is served at Maple Hall – but it’s certainly not the main attraction! This bowling alley is oozing with hip vibes and historic ambiance. It’s an awesome place to bowl – and their fried pickles aren’t bad either. (Is it bad if we mostly go for the fried pickles? That’s normal, right? Right?)
5.) EXPLORE THE OUTDOORS
South Knoxville (mostly)
Knoxville is the place for outdoor adventures. You can hike up House Mountain, Sharp’s Ridge, or the Bluffs. Try your hand at mountain biking or simply biking through the greenways all over town (Baker Creek Preserve is AWESOME). Or why not swim in the quarries, climb rocks at Navitat Canopy Adventures, or see what’s going on at Knoxville Adventure Collective? There are basically endless fun things to do outside in Knoxville – so start explorin’!
puppy in a backpack omg like seriously are you kidding me
6.) YOUNG WILLIAMS ANIMAL SHELTER
Marble City
Three words: DOGGIE DAY TRIP. Yes! This is not a dream! Through Young Williams Animal Shelter, you can hang out with one of their adoptable pups all day long. All you have to do is fill out an application – then enjoy a day of hanging out at a dog park, taking him for a walk, or playing fetch – the pupportunities are endless!
7.) ESCAPE ROOMS
West & Downtown
In case you haven’t spent enough time over the last couple years dreaming up ways to escape small spaces, why not try an escape room? You can crack codes and solve mysteries at Breakout Games out west or Escape Room downtown. Both offer fun (or at least high-adrenaline-inducing😳) sober activities in Knoxville!
8.) FOOD TRUCK PARKS
South & West Knoxville
Food truck parks take the necessary daily and drab event of “eating stuff” and turn it into an experience. They offer many of the same activities as bars (trivia, live music, and letting you sit and chat without being rushed out, to name a few), but with no expectation of drinking. Click here for three of our faaavoritttes!
9.) AXE THROWING
North Knoxville
This trend sweeping the nation finally hit our favorite target: Knoxville, TN. Head northeast to 865 Axe Throwing for an outdoor space with lawn games and fire pits. Orrr head to Craft Axe Throwing in Cedar Bluff! Whether you’re brand new to the sport or throw axes all the time (should we be concerned…?😳) there are people on hand to teach, help, and demonstrate at both spots. Either way, this is definitely an activity to enjoy stone-cold sober 😂
10.) ICE CREAM
Downtown & East Knoxville
Whenever we decide to take a break from alcohol, there is always, without fail, a new vice waiting for us: ice cream. And while we’ll gladly enjoy ice cream of all sizes and qualities, our favorite places to get scoops are the Phoenix Pharmacy & Fountain and Cruze Farm on Asbury Rd.
The Phoenix Pharmacy and Fountain allows you to truly step back into time. The ambiance is great, it doesn’t hurt that they serve sundaes the size of your face, and you can snag some cold medicine on your way out! (Yes, it’s an actual, functional pharmacy – not just a cute backdrop😂) And while we also love Cruze Farm’s downtown location, their big old house on Asbury Rd. is a must-visit. It just feels right to enjoy an ice cream cone on their huge front porch on a hot summer evening. If you time it right, they also tend to have fun events at that location – our favorite is the series of drive-in movie nights during Christmas!
We hope this list of sober activities in Knoxville helps you have plenty of fun as you lose the booze! If you’re interested in switching one brew for another, head here to read about Knoxville’s Coziest Coffee Shop Corners!
by Emily Stooks | Jan 12, 2024 | All Articles, Emilie Stooksbury, Lifestyle
Let’s be honest – the last few years have allowed time for far too many documentary binges. We’ve had two hour deep dives on everything from dairy and sugar to aliens and sustainability. Since writing about aliens feels like a bit of a leap for this site (it’s New2Knox, not New2Earth, after all), we figured we’d share all things sustainable living in Knoxville instead. If you’ve watched a few documentaries yourself, or you’re simply feeling motivated to live a more waste-free lifestyle, here are 5 ways to live sustainably in the Scruffy City!
1.) Waste-Less & Mackle-More
That was a less-than-clever way to say that Knoxville is stuffed with awesome thrift shops! From furniture to clothing to whozits and whatzits galore, there’s no need to buy it new. And the hunt can be pretty fun! You can always stick to the classics like Goodwill and KARM, but definitely don’t stop there. Pop Weasel, Retrospect, Ladies of Charity, and French Fried Vintage are some (of many) fun places to thrift in North Knoxville. In Bearden, check out spots like Nostalgia and Four Seasons. Head to downtown Clinton for essentially an entire street of antique shops. Did you know there’s even a Netflix show about thrifting in East Tennessee? (Or that we lowkey binged said show in about two days?🙃) Basically, this town was made for thrifting. Go forth, you sustainable babe, you.
2.) That Refill Life
We only heard about KnoxFill this past year (which isn’t terrible, since she only launched this past year), but we quickly became obsessed. KnoxFill provides refills on sustainably-made (and legitimately good) cleaning products, shampoo, laundry detergent, you name it. They work with super intentional suppliers (shout out to Knox Girl Soap) and will literally come to your doorstep to take empties and leave refills. (Or you can opt to take advantage of their pick-up locations, thus having an excuse to hang out at Jack’s or CommonPlace. No judgement here 😉) All that and she whips out fun and educational reels on the ‘gram?! Sign us up.
3.) Ride On, Cowboy
There are actually a handful of ways to reduce the carbon footprint your car is leaving around here! First, Knoxville is riddled with connecting greenways and sidewalks. These can literally get you from one side of the city to the other on your bike (or a nice, inconveniently long walk). We’ve got a guide to greenways for you here or another great resource for navigating these is Outdoor Knoxville! You can even get a recycled and restored bike from Two Bikes to feel two times better about yourself.
If sustainable living in Knoxville was your New Year’s resolution but exercising was decidedly not, there’s still hope. Knoxville’s getting 12 new all electric city buses early this year! The trolley-clad buses downtown are even free. (I so hope you knew those adorable trolleys were actually buses pretending to be trolleys before this moment…😬)
4.) I Love Eat Earth
We all need to eat – so why not do so sustainably? In peak season, there are various farmers markets all over Knoxville where you can shop local and support people right in your community. We’re particularly excited that Nourish’s Winter Market is staying in Market Square this year! (Because supporting your community and shopping sustainably is even better after enjoying a mimosa downtown😉) Between markets, you can hit up spots like Three Rivers Co-Op in North Knoxville (also great for a quick lunch) or take advantage of things like Market Wagon (they basically can bring the farmers market to your doorstep).
5.) Do The Most & Compost
Remember when everyone was saying, “There’s an app for that”? Well, there’s a local Knox biz for that. If you’re new to the world of composting, the Green Heron is the local business you need. They’ll set you up with what you need to get started, personally pick up your compost throughout the year, and then distribute it straight to area farms. Boom. [Com]posted.
by Emily Stooks | Oct 9, 2023 | All Articles, East Knoxville, Emilie Stooksbury, Outdoors
Fall has finally hit Knoxville, Tennessee. Is she consistently a month late? Yes. Is she always gone too soon? Also yes. Because of this, we wanted to waste no time sharing our favorite local spots so you can go find them and throw colorful foliage in the air and spin around like the inner woodland fairy you truly are. (For the record, everywhere is gorgeous at the moment. Just driving to the grocery store evokes gasps of delights and choruses of “wows” even Owen Wilson would be proud of.) With all that being said, here are a few of our favorite spots for finding fall leaves in Knoxville, TN!
It really doesn’t get better than South Knoxville when it comes to all things outdoor adventuring. It’s no surprise she’s totally stacked with gorgeous fall views. From winding through backroads en route to Johnson University to hiking through Ijams Nature Center to snapping a pic at Fort Dickerson Quarry, the south side does not mess around.
A little further south lies the Foothills Parkway. As someone who stresses out about the commitment of Great Smoky Mountain and Cade’s Cove traffic during peak seasons (still traumatized by a multiple hour traffic jam while driving the loop after Christmas one year 😩), Foothills Parkway gives you the oh-so-sweet relief of being able to make a good old fashioned U-Turn any time you want while still getting views on views on views. Added bonus? It’s an excuse to explore the cutie city of Maryville before heading home!
Just one of the many streets to wander in Sequoyah Hills
An apartment in Sequoyah Hills was the original birthplace of New2Knox so we may be a tad biased, but this neighborhood just does seasons right. A stroll through Cherokee Blvd. offers plenty of eye candy ranging from fall foliage to river views to cozy bungalows and impressive mansions. Pro-Tip: Pop by neighborhood faves Treetop Coffee Shop for a latte and Plaid Apron for a biscuit before heading down to the riverside park. Talk about oozing cool Enneagram 4 vibes.
Y’all, Downtown Knoxville is a fall DREAM. The best spots for leaf peepin’ and pretending you’re in the opening scene of a Hallmark movie (don’t come for us – the plot always starts right before Thanksgiving😂) are Main St., Clinch Ave., and Depot Ave. When the downtown trollies roll through the street with foliage flanking on each side – pause while we compose ourselves. It’s just too beautiful *sob* We’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.
Alright now, pals, here’s the deal. The overlook at Sharp’s Ridge is such a gorgeous view of Knoxville. You can get a little hike in or drive right up to it. However, fun lil fact for ya: we’ve been noticing some real creepy activity the last few times we’ve been up there. So in full mom mode, we shamelessly declare, “Bring a buddy, please!”
So grab your buddy, grab your K Brew pumpkin latte, grab your camera, and grab your tissues because these views of Knoxville tucked between trees and mountains will inevitably make you tear up because you decided to live in the cutest lil city in the goshdarn planet. Good choice, pal 🥲
