Favorite Restaurants & Things To Do In Knoxville, TN
/
This post is longggg overdue and one that has been requested so many times! I am sharing my favorite places to grab a bite or drink, things to do, and everything in between here in Knoxville, TN! I have been living here for about 4 years now, so I’ve had plenty of time to check things out! (: If you are traveling to the Knoxville area, I hope this can be a great resource for you to plan your vacation in this beautiful city! If you are local, maybe plan a little staycation one of these upcoming weekends and go explore the area more! Summer is the perfect time to get out of the house and adventure around your town. It’s something Chris and I have been trying to do more and more of! I think sometimes we can get comfortable in our daily routines and forget what our own towns have to offer, so I challenge those of you that live here in Knoxville to get out and explore our fun city! (:
Alright, now for my favorite places! If you only had 96 hours to spend in Knoxville, these are the food & drink spots + a handful of activities I would check out! (I included a mix of locations located Downtown + other spots around the Knoxville area)
Brunch & Lunch Spots
Balter Beerworks (they offer such a yummy sat & sun brunch)
OliBea (breakfast/brunch)
SoKno Taco (sit out on the patio for lunch! and order a skinny marg 😋)
Cafe 4 (perfect for mimosas and brunch!)
The French Market Creperie (so cozy, good coffee, and the best crepes! I get the Nutella strawberry one)
Babalu Tapas & Tacos (the table-side guac is a must)
Pete’s Coffee Shop Restaurant (breakfast)
Dinner Spots
J.C. Holdway (located Downtown, grab drinks at the Library after!)
Lonesome Dove (a spendier date night spot)
Knox Mason
Stock and Barrel (best burgers!)
Nama Sushi (half priced nights on Mondays & Thursdays)
Chivo Taqueria (if you are craving street style tacos, this is a great spot)
Oliver Royale
Kefi (Greek restaurant with great food and craft drinks)
Emilia (classy Italian restaurant)
Places To Grab a Drink & Breweries
Schultz (brewery, they have a fun outdoor patio)
Hops & Hollars (a fun place to grab a craft beer + they have food trucks!)
Abridged (brewery, get the Abridged burger!)
Alliance (brewery)
The Library (a speakeasy located in the Oliver Royale Hotel. You’ll see a red light in the back alley of the Oliver, which is the entrance to the speakeasy!)
Oliver Royale (on the pricier side but they have amazing craft cocktails)
Chivo Taqueria
The Parlour and Maple Hall (the Parlour is located inside Maple Hall, which is a really cool boutique bowling alley)
Activities
Visit Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, TN - If you have a free day, I’d recommend making the drive over to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg to explore! Dollywood and Splash Country are super fun amusement parks to spend the day at. Also, make sure to stop by the Island for a ride on the Ferris Wheel and some outdoor shopping! They also have tons of restaurants. If you want to go putt putt golfing, Crave Golf Club is a candy-themed mini golf place that’s super fun.
Rent a boat and spend the day on Fort Loudon Lake!
Check out World’s Fair Park and the Sunsphere
Go bowling at Maple Hall, a boutique bowling alley!
Go to the Saturday Farmer’s Market in Market Square
Explore Knoxville’s breweries with Knox Brew Tours
Visit Ijams Nature Center
Attend a UT Football game (if visiting in the Fall!)
So, now that you have a big list of ideas for weekend plans, it’s time to get the perfect weekend outfit! Many of you already know I have a big love for Abercrombie and their new summer dress collection has the cutest pieces in it! I’m head over heels in love with this striped dress. It’s such a perfect summer dress and beyond comfortable. I love the length, that I can move around easily in it, and the cute tie around the waist (which makes it super flattering)! They also offer it in several other colors. I love the white version and the chambray too! I have this in an XS Regular, which fits me perfect. I would say it runs a little big as I am typically a small, so just keep that in mind when purchasing! They also offer most pieces in petite and tall which I love.
If you’re looking for the perfect summer weekend dress (or even romper!), Abercrombie has so many on-trend options. I linked several of my favorites (plus the one pictured) below for you gals to easily shop them! Pair your favorite with some cute summer sandals or even a fun pair of sneakers for an adorable weekend outfit (:
If you try out any of the places I recommended, let me know as I’d love to hear your thoughts! Hope you all are having a wonderful summer! xx Heather
Thank you Abercrombie for sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions are my own.
Photography by Erika Bentley