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Knoxville, Tennessee is only an hour away from the most visited national park in the country, The Great Smoky Mountains. While the national park should be included on your national park bucket list, don’t leave Knoxville without exploring the city first.

There are so many cool things to do in Knoxville. With history, art, food, sports, and outdoor recreation, what more could you want from a city getaway? You don’t need to wonder what to do in Knoxville, the “scruffy city” has it all! 

This 2 day Knoxville itinerary includes the best things to do in downtown Knoxville. It is designed for a Saturday and Sunday, but can be followed most days of the week except for Mondays as most of the museums are closed.

Downtown Knoxville Itinerary

Day 1: Downtown Knoxville Itinerary

East Tennessee History Center

Start your first day in Knoxville at the East Tennessee History Museum. This is just the kind of museum I like with a main exhibit organized by chronological history of the region. It focuses specifically on East Tennessee from the early Cherokee who lived on the land, through the first fur traders and settlers, and into the Civil War.

Unlike most US states that were either for the Union or the Confederacy during the Civil War, Tennessee was heavily divided. At the Tennessee State Museum in Nashville I learned about the Civil War from the Confederate perspective. East Tennessee on the other hand was primarily for the Union. It was interesting to learn about the war from two different perspectives, but within the same state. 

The main exhibit continued with other topics such as mining, music, the Smoky Mountains, the Manhattan Project, and more. I also visited when a temporary baseball exhibit was on show. I’m not a huge sports fan, but there were a lot of interesting tidbits I learned from the exhibit. It just goes to show that a well curated exhibit is always interesting! 

After visiting the museum you will have an excellent overall history of the region. 

Blount Mansion 

History lovers will want to head a few blocks south to the Blount Mansion, former home of William Blount and the “Birthplace of Tennessee”. There are guided tours of William Blount’s home. While the mansion is a small home in today’s standards, the tour includes the house, the kitchen, and Blount’s office, all in separate buildings. 

Throughout the tour you’ll learn about William Blount’s fascinating life from US constitution signer, to governor of the Southwest Territory, to being impeached from the US Senate, and ultimately serving as a TN state senator. You’ll also learn about some interesting everyday objects of that time period found in the home. 

Tours start on the hour. Come early to look at exhibits in the visitor center. Before visiting the property, you’ll watch a short video in the visitor center (this is part of the tour). 

Brunch at Balter Beerworks

One of the best things to do in downtown Knoxville is try all the great food. It would be a shame to be in Tennessee and not have a southern brunch. This brewpub serves some southern favorites during the weekend brunch from 10am – 3pm. The chicken and waffles are a very good choice. The syrup is already on the waffle. Although I’m a syrup fan, there was way too much for my liking. I would definitely order the dish again, but ask for the syrup on the side.

All entrees include a complimentary brunch platter. Wondering what is included on the brunch platter? Stop reading and skip to the Knoxville Museum of Art if you like surprises as I’m about to tell you……. It’s an interesting combo of guac, chips, cookies, and fresh fruit. The cookies are made fresh every morning. They are soft and full of chewy goodness. I recommend taking them to go for a treat later in the day. 

Knoxville Museum of Art

The morning was filled with history. In the afternoon you can get your fix of art. The Knoxville Museum of Art is a free museum with small exhibits across three floors. 

The ongoing exhibit “Higher Ground: A Century of the Visual Arts in East Tennessee” showcases mid-nineteenth to late twentieth century art from Knoxville and the region. The local art scene is also featured in “Currents: Recent Art from East Tennessee and Beyond” with modern and contemporary art. 

The Knoxville Museum of Art has a collection of nine Thorne Rooms. These miniature dioramas were created in the 1930s and 1940s by Narcissa Niblack Thorne. They feature historically accurate settings, all in the scale of one inch to one foot. The Art Institute of Chicago and the Phoenix Art Museum have bigger collections. 

Sunsphere & World’s Fair Park 

You may be wondering why I referred to Knoxville as a “scruffy city” in the introduction. It was Wall Street Journal reporter Susan Harrigan that coined the term when writing about Knoxville’s bid to host the 1982 World’s Fair. She didn’t believe a “scruffy little city” could put on a World’s Fair to the level of other international cities like Paris and London. As the locals like to say, “the scruffy city did it” and drew over 11 million visitors. 

The original World’s Fair Site is now the World’s Fair Park with a festival lawn, performance lawn, splash pad, and a lake area. There are paved paths that connect the sections and connect to the Second Creek Greenway which goes to the Riverfront. 

Signs around the park explain what different areas were and how they were used during the fair. Today only two original structures from the fair remain. The first is the Amphitheater which hosts concerts, public events, and private events. 

The other is the iconic Sunsphere which symbolized the sun and its role as an energy source, the focus of the fair. During the fair visitors paid $2 to go up to the observation deck. It’s a little more than $2, but now over 40 years later you can still go up to the fourth floor observation deck for 360 degree views. 

Dinner at The Humble Hog

You had a southern brunch, now it is time for a southern dinner with BBQ! I ordered the pulled pork on a brioche bun. It is always nice having something other than a classic hamburger style bun. The meat was very good and even better with the 3 different BBQ sauces that are on the table. I chose a traditional southern side of turnip greens with smoked sausage. I love how even veggies in the south have meat in them!  

I really debated ordering the smoked lobster hush puppies as they were recommended. I also heard that the banana pudding is really good. I will definitely have to go back to try those two items. 

Dessert at Cruze Farm Ice Cream

Save room after dinner or plan another time in your Knoxville itinerary for Cruze Farm Ice Cream. I prefer hard ice cream, but even I had to say the fresh churned ice cream from a local dairy farm was delicious. I kept it simple with the sweet cream which is like vanilla. There are several different flavors everyday as well as dipped cones, shakes, churns, floats, sundaes, and affogatos. Plus you can add toppings to any dish or cone. 

Not only is the ice cream delicious, but the ice cream shop is really cool. I would describe it as a retro farm style ice cream parlor! It’s all red and white decor. 

Don’t let the long lines deter you. You don’t want to miss this ice cream.  Long lines means it’s really good. Besides, the line moves really fast too. After receiving your order from the counter, stroll around downtown or grab a seat at the back of the ice cream shop. 

Day 2: Downtown Knoxville Itinerary

Market Square & Downtown Shopping 

Most museums are closed or do not open until the afternoon on Sundays. If you’re following this downtown Knoxville itinerary on the weekend, Sunday morning is a good time to walk around and check out the shops. Most open by 10am or 11am. 

Downtown Knoxville is a walkable area with boutique shops, bookstores, specialty food stores, and other unique shops. Most shops are along S Gay St, Union Ave, and in Market Square. 

Market Square has always been a lively center of the city for shopping, dining, and gathering. In 1854 a market house was built. The public market originally sold local produce, but was rebuilt in 1897 and housed a variety of vendors. Rows of businesses framed the Market House on either side. Although the Market House was torn down in 1960, the square still has a similar appearance and purpose from years ago. 

Today Market Square has an open space in the middle, but is still lined with shops and restaurants. If you are following this Knoxville itinerary on a Wednesday or Saturday, there is a farmer’s market in Market Square. It runs from 9am/10am – 1pm May through November. Everything at the Market Square Farmers Market is grown, raised, and/or made by vendors within a 150- mile radius of Knoxville. Farmer’s markets are always a great way to shop local, but the Knoxville Farmer’s Market is extra special because of the location’s connection to the past. 

Alice in Appalachia is a boutique and cocktail bar with a cool Appalachia spin on Alice in Wonderland. Bibliophiles will want to head to Union Ave Books on Union Ave. Twice a year they design contests to search for Waldo (in summer) and Elf on the Shelf (in December) in local businesses. It’s one of the many fun things to do in Knoxville for the whole family. You get to check out local businesses while doing a scavenger hunt. Adults are welcome to do the search on their own too. Trust me I know 😉

Mast General Store is another store you shouldn’t miss. It’s a regional southeast chain from the late 1800s. The two level store has local gift items, specialty foods, clothing, outdoor wear, and a wide selection of candy. Save Mast General Store for last as that is the meeting point for the Knoxville Food Tour. 

Knoxville Food Tours

It’s hard to fully experience Knoxville in two days. Get a taste for everything Knoxville offers on a Knoxville Food Tour. Not only will you taste some of the best food in the city, but you’ll also see street art and learn about the city as you walk between stops. 

I’m not going to share all the specific food stops as that would take away the fun surprise. I can assure you that you will get plenty of food on the tour and you won’t walk away hungry. I also planned this downtown Knoxville itinerary to include restaurants that are not on the food tour. While the stops on the food tour can change, at this time none of the places are included in this post. 

The tour is 3 hours, but our tour ran over the scheduled time. While some food tours go at a really fast pace, I like this one because it felt more relaxed. We had time to sit at the restaurants and chat as we waited for our food to arrive. That’s the other plus of the tour, you get to connect with locals and other travelers. 

Plan accordingly, food tours do not run everyday. Book your tour today! 

Knoxville Street Art

Walk off all that food with a self-guided street art tour. Start by heading north of downtown all the way up Broadway to the Greetings from Knoxville mural. It’s part of the Greetings Tour, murals in the same style found in cities around the country. 

Then head back towards downtown and visit KnoxWalls, a collection of large scale murals. Stop inside Lilienthal Gallery and browse the contemporary art. In downtown don’t miss Strong Alley, which features murals from local and regional artists. 

The Knoxville street art scene also includes sculptures. Every year sculptors from across the country create pieces to be displayed in Krutch Park (and other locations around Knoxville). New works of art are displayed every year starting in September. If you have a few extra thousands of dollars lying around you can even purchase the art. 

Dinner at Stock and Barrel

Stock and Barrel is open until 10pm every night. As you’ll probably be stuffed from your afternoon food tour, you can have a late dinner at this burger spot in Market Square. 

I’m typically not one to choose a burger restaurant, but with rave reviews and intriguing burger options I had to give it a try. Although the restaurant was packed and I ended up sitting at the bar to avoid a wait for a table, I was not disappointed. I had the best service at a restaurant in Knoxville from the bartender here! 

I went with the salmon burger and it was a great choice. My only complaint is that burgers come with fries or onion rings. I wish there were other side choices. 

Other Things to Do & Places to Eat in Knoxville

Do you have more time in Knoxville? Great, add an extra day to your Knoxville itinerary with these activities and restaurants. You can also add or swap out anything above with one of these places if they interest you more. 

Daytime Things to Do in Knoxville

The following are primarily things to do in Knoxville during the day. 

• James White Fort Association – tour the first home in Knoxville, the 1786 residence of James White.
• Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame – exhibits and interactive displays about the history of women’s basketball. 
• University of Tennessee Campus – the main UT campus is in Knoxville southwest of downtown. There is the McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture and the UT Gardens. Of course UT is known for their sporting events, especially football. 
• Fort Dickerson Park – it’s a little farther south from downtown, but it’s a nice urban oasis. There are trails in the park. Swimming, paddle boarding, and tubing are available in Augusta Quarry. 

Evening Things to Do in Knoxville 

With most museums and attractions closing at 4pm or 5pm you may be wondering what to do in Knoxville in the evening. Consider one of the following activities. 

• Knoxville Cruise – Book a sunset sightseeing cruise or a sunset dinner cruise on the Tennessee River. 
• Ghost Tour – a 1 hour walking tour to learn about the eerie side of Knoxville. 
• Tennessee Theatre – a restored historic movie palace that hosts a variety of opera, Broadway, concert, dance, and film events throughout the year.
• Theatre Knoxville Downtown – this is a community theatre with a variety of performances. 
• Bijou Theatre – a historic theatre with live music performances. 
• World’s Fair Exhibition Hall – the venue in World’s Fair Park hosts shows, events, and conferences throughout the year. Check if there are any events when you are visiting. 

More Downtown Knoxville Restaurants

• Kaizen – an Asian fusion restaurant in the Old City. It has a cool vibe with colorful wallpaper inside and in the restrooms. 
• Southern Grit – Southern fare for brunch, lunch, and dinner. 
• A Dopo Sourdough Pizza – I ran out of time to try this pizza place. I really wanted to as it is on every single list of Knoxville restaurant recommendations.  
• Matt Robb’s Biscuits – I had breakfast included with my hotel stay, but if you don’t definitely come here. 
• Status Dough Donuts & Coffee – or have donuts for breakfast! 
• Yassin’s Falafel House – a casual counter serve falafel place that has a few locations and is highly rated. 
• Kern’s Food Hall – if you don’t mind the walk from downtown across the TN River, this food hall looks to have a lot of good options. 

Where to Stay in Downtown Knoxville

Everything in this downtown Knoxville itinerary is located in downtown Knoxville or in the surrounding neighborhoods. If you stay downtown you can walk everywhere. After an Uber or Lyft ride from the airport you don’t need a car in Knoxville. 

I’m so glad I stayed at the Hyatt Place Downtown. The location could not be beat across from the East Tennessee Museum and minutes from all the downtown restaurants, shops, and Market Square. I usually think of Hyatt Place as a mid-range hotel, but this one definitely felt more luxurious. The service was excellent and they honored my request for a top floor end room! 

Some other highly rated places to stay in downtown include: 

• Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown – indoor pool and breakfast included. 
• Residence Inn Downtown – breakfast included.
• The Tennessean Hotel – a luxurious 4 star hotel along the border of World’s Fair Park. 
• The Oliver Hotel – a luxury boutique hotel in Market Square. 

If you have a car and want to save on accommodations stay in the Paper Mill neighborhood at La Quinta. I was booked there originally, but without a car it wasn’t worth it to spend money on rideshares to/from downtown everyday. With a car it’s only a 10 minute drive, but be prepared to pay for parking downtown. 

I hope you know what to do in downtown Knoxville now! If I helped you plan your downtown Knoxville itinerary please consider supporting me by Buying Me a Coffee.

More About Tennessee

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