Knoxville has quite the range of tours available to adventurers who are open to seeing the sights and learning the culture of this wondrous city.
Here are a few of them:
The Great Valley Wine Trail
In East Tennessee, the Great Valley Wine Trail connects four independent vineyards. More than 40 wines are featured on the trail, with 30 of them winning honors at the 2015 Wines of the South Competition. Visit four wineries to receive a free wineglass and a chance to win a winemaker’s dinner for four and other goodies! Uncork the Great Valley Wine Trail’s heritage!
North Knoxville Historic Driving Tour
Starting at Fifth Avenue and N. Gay Street, just north of Downtown, this driving tour stops at Emory Place, visits two of the city’s oldest and most interesting cemeteries, travels a short distance along Broadway, and then continues north on N. Central Street through Downtown North to Happy Holler and beyond. Chickamauga Avenue connects to N. Broadway via the Lincoln Park neighborhood. Optional legs through Emoriland Boulevard and Sharp’s Gap Memorial Park before returning to downtown via Broadway to N. Central and ending at the restored Knoxville High School Building, which is close to where the tour began.
Cradle Of Country Music Walking Tour
Knoxville is one of America’s most musically vibrant cities, notable for its contributions to the creation of jazz, blues, and rock and roll, but also crucial to the development of country music. This self-guided walking tour of downtown Knoxville explains the city’s connections to Hank Williams, Elvis Presley, Howard Armstrong, Dolly Parton, the Everly Brothers, Roy Acuff, and others.
Civil War Driving Tour
Knoxville was a city ripped apart by the Civil War’s severe divisions. While combat raged between the North and the South, East Tennesseans were embroiled in their own civil war.
A self-guided driving tour, Knoxville’s Divided Loyalties Civil War Tour, gives visitors an insight into the difficult years of conflict and reconciliation. The Museum of East Tennessee History, Historic Homes, Market Square, Historic Cemeteries, Forts, and Museums are among the fifteen sites.
The French Broad Driving Tours
The French Broad is one of the world’s oldest rivers, estimated to be around 260 million years old. It begins in North Carolina, near the fabled Revolutionary War battle of Kings Mountain, and is one of only three rivers to penetrate through the Appalachian mountain range’s spine. It flows through Asheville and then Newport before merging with the Holston to form the Tennessee River in Knox County. Its peculiar name harkens back to the colonial era, when it was thought that it would flow away from the original English possessions and toward French territory.
The University of Tennessee Self-Guided Tour
The University of Tennessee was founded in 1794, two years before Tennessee became the 16th state. The University of Tennessee system’s flagship campus is in Knoxville. Ayers Hall on “The Hill” and Neyland Stadium are two of the most well-known buildings on campus. On this self-guided tour, you’ll explore the McClung Museum, John C. Hodges Library, the Volunteer “Torchbearer” Statue, the Student Union (check out the), and more. The Tennessee River Campus, which is just a short walk from downtown (or free by the Downtown Trolley Orange Line), is known for its natural beauty and many architectural styles, making this trip a fan favorite no matter who you root for! Here’s where you can learn more about the Smokey Statues on campus.