Knoxville TN is a Completely Hidden Gem!!
*This post contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission, or a referral bonus, for recommendations – at no cost to you. We only recommend products that we personally use, trust, and enjoy.
Recently, on a whim, we packed up our overnight bags and headed the short two-hour drive down Interstate 40, to Knoxville, TN. Our go-to place, when heading east, is always Gatlinburg, and the Great Smoky Mountains. We are avid hikers and waterfall chasers, so Gatlinburg seems like the logical choice. It never disappoints!
A quick little getaway!
This time, however, I wanted something a little closer to home, as we were just going for one night. Oh, and did I mention it was Labor Day weekend? And my birthday?
We had commitments through Sunday AM, so we couldn’t leave Nashville until 12pm on Sunday. Come see why Knoxville, TN is a completely hidden gem!
Where to go?
Fall Creek Falls, in Spencer, TN, became my destination of choice! Although we have been here before, it had been many years, and it seemed like the perfect day-and-a-half getaway.
Where to stay?
The next decision to be made was to find accommodations for the night. We have six people in our family, so staying in one room can be a pretty tall order. We usually almost always require two. I went to our Choice, Marriott, and Hyatt accounts to see how many points we had. Then I did a quick internet search to see availability in the area surrounding Fall Creek Falls.
Hyatt gets our vote!
As a result, the best value for a Sunday night, over Labor Day weekend, was the Hyatt Place, in downtown Knoxville, TN. This particular Hyatt charges 8,000 points per night, and according their website, the room was big enough for my entire family of SIX! And it included a hot buffet breakfast. SCORE!!!
Here’s our favorite things:
We spent all Sunday exploring this lovely city. Here is what we were able to see in a very short amount of time!! And note, we NEVER made it to Fall Creek Falls – Knoxville was just way too awesome!! Don’t worry, I got to hike and see a new waterfall. My people love me waaaaayy too much to miss out on my one birthday request. More on that in a minute.
Not to be missed destinations in Knoxville, TN:
Historic Market Square
Located right in the heart of downtown Knoxville, Market Square was a super nice surprise. Jam packed with restaurants, live music, fountains, and hula hoops (yep, you read that correctly), this quaint little square did not disappoint. If you visit Market Square, be sure to check out the food at Not Watson’s. The portions were huge, the flavors were robust, the service was attentive, and the prices were very reasonable. Chicken and waffles with bourbon maple syrup . . . need we say more?
World’s Fair Park and the SunSphere
Built for the 1982 World’s Fair, the SunSphere is the golden globe that you can’t miss when traveling through Knoxville on Interstate 40. At one point, back in the day, there was a restaurant at the top, and visitors could also pay $2 each to go up to the 4th floor observation deck. In 2014, after years of sitting vacant, the observation deck was reopened, free of charge, where the views of the Great Smoky Mountains, the Tennessee River, Neyland Stadium, and the World’s Fair Park are not to be missed!
Cruze Dairy
Cruze Farm Dairy, located on Gay Street, right on the main strip, was another great stop. The owners of this dairy milk Jersey cows and bottle their own pasteurized milk, along with churned buttermilk and cream. The employees wear red and white checkered attire, reminiscent of the 1950’s, complete with a headscarf. This was a tribute to the grandmother of the owners, who used to milk cows while wearing a very similar dress!
Well worth the wait
The line was out the door and down the street, and TOTALLY worth the wait. They presented me with a chocolate/vanilla swirl covered in rainbow sprinkles, topped with a candle for my birthday. Not quite sure who told on me! It was the creamiest and most delicious ice cream cone EVER!
Ijams Nature Center
Ijams (pronounced “eye-ums”) is a stunning little nature preserve, literally only a few miles away from the hustle and bustle of the city. When researching things to do in Knoxville, this came up as one of the top things. Initially, because we were so close to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, my thought was that there cannot be much to it. Boy was I wrong!! This place caused me to derail our entire plans for the remainder of the day.
A whole lot to explore
Ijams covers over 300 acres of protected land and features 12+ miles of walking trails. They literally built a boardwalk along the riverfront right along the massive limestone cliffs. You can explore Mead’s Quarry Lake, where visitors can paddleboard, canoe, kayak and swim. They also house Navitat’s Canopy Adventure – a high ropes course adventure for those that love to walk among the trees. Consequently, we didn’t have time to include this on this particular adventure, but it sure would be fun to return.
Boardwalk at the Ijams Nature Center
Sunrise walk over the Gay Street Bridge
I am a super early riser, and whenever I can, I like to take in the sunrise from destinations all over the globe. This beautiful sunrise over the Tennessee River DID NOT disappoint!
There are so many more options too
These were our top items to do while in Knoxville for only a day and a half. There are so many others, of course, but we made the very most of the time that we had.
And here’s a fun fact: Knoxville is within a day’s driving distance to two-thirds of the population east of the Mississippi. So, make plans for a weekend getaway to this completely hidden gem. Driving down I-40, I-75, and I-275 will get you there, as they all run right through downtown Knoxville.
I DID get to hike, after all!
Oh, and about that waterfall hike. We googled waterfalls close to I-40 on our way home (how did we survive without the internet, right?) The one that we chose was called Ozone Falls, in Rockwood, TN. It’s a short .3 mile hike down rocky terrain. Once you reach the bottom, however, you have a spectacular view, gorgeous scenery, and a very chilly swimming hole.
Just do it!
This one is absolutely worth the time, and would be a great stretching stop on a long trip. We were only there for a total of two hours, and it completely satisfied my need to see a waterfall. Definitely a five out of five!!
How we get to travel…
There are two credit cards that made this trip possible. Click on the links to learn more about them:
And if you would like to see our Top 10 in Tennessee, click HERE!
Let’s Get to the Point!
If you have questions about either of these cards, feel free to reach out to me at erin@letsgettotthepoint.com. I’m always happy to help if I can!
Knoxville is such a great place! I went to college there and return about once a year (: you definitely picked the most iconic parts of Knoxville for this post!
Thank you for the encouragement! We LOVED Knoxville and can’t wait to return. I didn’t expect to love it as much as we did and it totally caused us to derail our original plans. In fact, my daughter said, “I’d love to live here!!”
We visited Knoxville years ago and I’ve always wanted to make a return trip! You’ve inspired me to get it on the calendar!
Thanks Pam! We loved this precious little city and can’t wait to go back.
Knoxville has a special place in my heart because my family went to the World’s Fair in 1982. I had just finished first grade, and I remember the Sunsphere looked so magical towering over the fair. I vaguely remember some of the pavilions. China stands out the most in my memory. It was beautiful. I also remember a long line to get in. I remember Japan’s had a nice fountain outside. We’ve been to the Smokies twice with my own family, and I love the area.I need to do more exploring around Knoxville, though!
Such great memories Stacey! Every time we drove through Knoxville (to get to Virginia) we’d look over at that giant golden ball and wonder what it was. So glad that we decided to check it out!! We truly loved Knoxville!
What a perfect near-staycation getaway! I’ve never been to Knoxville, so would love to visit. I love how flexible you were to deviate from your original destination plans, yet found another waterfall on the way home.
Thank you Karen. We don’t deviate very often, so I’m glad that it all worked out…and we had a fantastic time!
Wow, that waterfall is incredible! So beautiful!
Thank you Lisa. There are so many waterfalls in that area – it’s a perfect stop for the outdoor enthusiast!
Knoxville looks incredible – what a great place to spend a couple of days. I’m glad you got to see your waterfall (incredible picture by the way) and enjoy some birthday ice cream at Cruze Dairy. So fun!
Thank you Alison! And we really had a delightful weekend getaway!
Wow! What a fun adventure. Knoxville wasn’t even on my radar, but it now is! And that waterfall… amazing.
Melissa, we felt the same way. Knoxville was definitely a terrific surprise!
What a great comprehensive guide. I haven’t been to Knoxville…mostly Memphis and Nashville.
Thank you Cindy. Honestly, I was most pleasantly surprised with Knoxville, TN. Everyone does think to come to Nashville and Memphis. This one was a great little bonus!
I love that you got to hike to the waterfall. We love waterfalls too!!!!
Missy, it was awesome! We know that anytime we get to see a new waterfall, it’s gonna be a great day!!
What a great getaway. I have heard great things about Knoxville. I should add it to my travel list.
Heather – it would be a great stop, especially on your way to Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, or the Great Smoky Mountains!
Knoxville looks like a fun place to visit. I’m headed to Gatlinburg this fall!
Cindy, you’ll LOVE Gatlinburg! There’s so much to see in that area. And Knoxville is only about 35 miles (about an hour away) from Gatlinburg. Have a wonderful time!