Knoxville

The Sunsphere dominates the Knoxville skyline. It was constructed for the World's Fair that was held in Knoxville in 1982. The World's Fair also gave birth to Petro's.

Visitors Guides

Here's a short list of online visitor's guides to Knoxville that might help you find information on what to do and where to go in and around Knoxville:

For more information on things to see and do in and around Knoxville, check out the Knoxville Tourism web site. They have a list of attractions and lots of other information that might be of interest.

Maps

Here's an all-in-one map of downtown Knoxville, including churches, hotels, exhibits/things to do, restaurants, etc. It should help you get around.

Mark's recommendations

If you've never been to Knoxville, it's a pretty cool town. They've been doing a lot of good restoration of the downtown areas, so there are some interesting things to see and do.

First thing to know if you're a Northerner: orange is a beautiful color, particularly if it's this color orange. Of course, that's because Knoxville is the home of the University of Tennessee Volunteers. Of course, everyone in the know calls 'em the Vols, so get with the program. Oh, and if you leave Tennessee without hearing someone sing "Rocky Top", well, you haven't really been to Tennessee at all.

OK, now that that's out of the way, here's some ideas of things to see, do, or eat in the Knoxville area:

Head to the mountains

Knoxville is relatively close to Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountain National Park, so if you're getting into town early you may want to head to the mountains. They're pretty spectacular and can provide quite a hike. For more information about the National Park, check out the Park's web site.

September 11th Exhibit

The Smithsonian Institution created a powerful exhibit, September 11: Bearing Witness to History, that allows visitors to reflect and remember the events of September 11, 2001. The exhibit is now on tour and will be at the East Tennessee Historical Society through June 6th. The Historical Society is in downtown Knoxville at 601 South Gay Street (Map).

Eat at Petro's

OK, this is probably not the thing that Knoxvillians would highlight, but everytime I got to visit Anne's folks I always make sure that we make at least one stop at Petro's. A "Petro" is a bowl of chili, Fritos corn chips, tomatos, sour cream, black olives, jalapenos, and cheese. It's real good, and it's even better with a big glass of sweet tea flavored with a hint of Orange. Oh, and Anne used to work at Petro's in high school, so tell 'em she says "Hi".

Say "Yee-Haw!"

If you're downtown, stop in to Yee-Haw Industries. Yee-Haw is a print shop, but it's so much more. They do old-fashioned letter-press printing with a very distinct look. They have a great series of prints and posters that celebrate old country, blues, and bluegrass musicians, plus all sorts of other great stuff that celebrates the cultural roots of Tennessee, the South, and Americana in general. I'm a big fan of their Evil Kenievel poster, their "Hank Williams: Disgraceland" poster, and their "Bill Monroe: Father of the Bluegrass Music" poster. Check 'em out.