Tour Itineraries
A stop in Knoxville makes it easy to fill your itinerary with shopping, history, art and music plus the entertainment and beauty of East Tennessee.
Below you'll find some suggestions for tours focusing on our history, our vibrant arts community plus fun for the young and young at heart. There's also some ideas for taking advantage of the wealth of activities that surround Knoxville.
Maybe you want a little of this and a little of that. No problem. Knoxville Tourism & Sports Corporation will customize an itinerary that fits the needs and interests and schedule of your group tour.
For more information, please fill out a Group Tour Request for Proposal. We look forward to welcoming your group tour to Knoxville!
Discover the Heritage of East Tennessee
Start your tour at the East Tennessee History Center. Following a three-year, $20 million expansion and renovation project, the Center reopened in the spring 2005. Space has been doubled for the East Tennessee Historical Society and the Calvin M. McClung Historical Collection, an affiliate of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and one of the south’s finest genealogy research facilities, as well as the Knox County Archives, established in 1792 and virtually intact (no war, fire or flood damage).
Improvements include restoration of the 1874 Customs House, the core portion of the building. A permanent signature exhibit, Voices of the Land: The People of East Tennessee, is scheduled to open in spring 2008.
From Frontier to Statehood
The path from American's first frontier to statehood can be observed on tours of James White's Fort, built in 1786 and Knoxville’s first pioneer structure. The home of James White, a politician and general during the Creek Indian War, is great resource to learn more about the life of early settlers.
Next stop is Blount Mansion, constructed from 1792-1830. This National Historic Landmark was home to Gov. William Blount, signer of the U.S. Constitution and veteran of the Revolutionary War. Then, tour Ramsey House Plantation, built from 1795-1797 of local pink and blue limestone for Colonel Francis Alexander Ramsey, who played a major role in the formation of the state.
Civil War to Gilded Age
This part of American history comes alive on a tour of the Armstrong-Lockett House and William P. Toms Memorial Gardens at Crescent Bend. Built in 1834, it's the oldest continuously occupied home in Knoxville. Nearby is Bleak House and the Confederate Memorial Hall. Completed in 1858, Bleak House headquartered Confederate General James Longstreet during the Civil War and now features a Civil War library and museum.
Enjoy Art, Music & More
The Knoxville Museum of Art is great place to begin filling your itinerary with stops offering beautiful art, music, culture and more. The museum includes a permanent collection exhibit showcasing contemporary art and is located adjacent to the Historic Candy Factory and the arts and crafts galleries in the circa-1900 Victorian Houses.
Next, tour the Frank H. McClung Museum, a Smithsonian affiliate, that emphasizes archaeological research in the Tennessee Valley region. See the award-winning permanent exhibit "Archaeology and the Native Peoples of Tennessee" which chronicles the Native American experience in East Tennessee. Also see the new permanent exhibit "UT Goes to Mars," which highlights the ongoing exploration of the Red Plant through the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity.
After lunch, groups will want to visit the newly restored Tennessee Theatre, the official state theatre of Tennessee. A grand movie "palace" from 1928 in the Spanish-Moorish style, interior details include Czechoslovakian crystal chandeliers and Italian terrazzo floors in the Grand Lobby, with Asian influences in the carpet and drapery patterns. Following a $23 million renovation and restoration, including a complete restoration of the Mighty Wurlitzer organ, the theatre now serves as the performing arts facility for the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Knoxville Opera Company, the Appalachian Ballet and City Ballet, among others.
And located just down the street is the Emporium Center for Arts & Culture, newly housed in the 1895 Emporium Building, and home to Knoxville's first true arts center. The Center houses more than 20 arts & cultural organizations. Groups can tour artists' studios and see exhibits displayed in the new Rodman Townsend Sr. Memorial Gallery.
A large of part of Knoxville's distinctive charm and character can be found by exploring the antique shops, galleries, coffee houses and "hip" shops in the Old City Historic District and the newly renovated Market Square area, including:
- Indigo in the Old City
- Bliss Home + Art
- Backroom Gallery
- Jackson Avenue Antiques
- John H. Daniel Company/Hunter & Lords
- Knoxville Cigar Company
- Village Marketplace
- Earth to the Old City
- Legacy Vintage Clothing
- Old City Market
- Sullivan Street Market Antiques
- Through the Looking Glass
- Vagabondia
- And more...
Discover Family Fun
A must-see is the Knoxville Zoo, renowned for success in breeding programs for rare red pandas, African elephants and southern white rhinos. See the newly-opened Kids Cove, a children's attraction based on life in Cade's Cove during the 1800's. Visitors can explore 33 acres and view 800 animals in a variety of natural habitats including the Black Bear Falls exhibit featuring rescued, native black bears.
Then, it's off to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, which opened in 1999 and celebrates the past, present and future of the women's game with interactive exhibits and displays. After hooping it up, it's time to relax and enjoy the scenic Tennessee River aboard the Star of Knoxville, an authentic stern wheel riverboat, or the Volunteer Princess, a multi-million dollar luxury yacht, and learn more about historic sites and points of interest along the river.
Both boats find safe harbor at Volunteer Landing, which is also the home of the Three Rivers Rambler railroad. Hop aboard for a 90-minute excursion and see scenic farmland, the Tennessee River and many historic sites. The Rambler is pulled by Linday, a 1925 2-8-0 steam locomotive.
For more natural beauty, groups should visit Ijams Nature Center, encompassing 150 acres of woodlands, meadows, nature trails and a boardwalk on the Tennessee River. Center resources include a knowledgeable staff and a variety of acclaimed educational programs.
Area Tours
Appalachia and the Atomic Age
Tour the most complete and authentic replica of pioneer Appalachian life at the Museum of Appalachia, located 16 miles north of Knoxville in Norris, Tennessee. The 65-acre complex includes dozens of authentic log structures, the Appalachian Hall of Fame building showcasing unusual mountain relics, the Mountain Heritage Room, live mountain musicians, traditional farm animals and an extensive craft and gift shop. Groups can see the newly opened Revolution-Era exhibit, showcasing 200 important artifacts from this period including Gov. John Sevier's family bible, printed in 1571 and reputed to be the oldest bible in the US; a rare American-made Revolutionary War musket; a copper bleeding bowl and "bleeding" instruments; and a Continental army sword. From pioneer life to pioneering science and technology, nearby Oak Ridge, Tennessee offers groups a variety of enjoyable and compelling experiences including the American Museum of Science and Energy. Through film and exhibits, the museum documents the story of Oak Ridge, constructed in 1942 during World War II, and the site of the historic Manhattan Project, where the US government developed the atomic bomb.
Sweet treats, natural beauty and more
About a half-hour's drive from Knoxville in Athens, Tennessee is the Mayfield Dairy, an informative and fun-filled stop that includes a 10-minute video followed by a tour of the production facility for milk and ice cream. Enjoy samples of delicious ice cream plus a visit to the gift shop.
Another welcome surprise is a tour of the Lost Sea, a registered National Landmark and America's largest underground lake (part of a historic cave system known as Craighead Caverns). Groups can take a one-hour glass-bottom boat tour of the caverns, encompassing four and one-half acres, with a focus on the cavern's history (from Cherokee Indian heritage through the Civil War) and geological development. Great lunch options are available at the Cavern Kitchen, too. It's easy to experience the beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains with a driving tour through the 2,500-acre sheltered valley of Cade's Cove, preserved as it looked in the 1800's. In addition to abundant wildlife viewing opportunities in a pristine cove setting, this tour encompasses numerous historic churches, cemeteries, pioneer cabins and the Cable Mill Visitors Center.
