Knoxville Sights

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• Candy Factory. Currently undergoing conversion to condominiums, but still hosts a fully-functioning candy store. White chocolate dipped strawberries (fresh daily) are a treat for Valentine's Day.
• Fort Sanders neighborhood. A multitude of Victorian-era houses.
• Market Square. www.knoxvillemarketsquare.com A small, historic downtown square, home to dining, retail, a twice weekly farmer's market, and special events. Market Square takes its name from the Market House that once stood at its center. Farmers from surrounding areas would bring their wagons into Knoxville's Market House to sell their wares. Entering the the southern end of the square from Union Avenue, one may pass the bell from the old Market House as well as a statue commemorating Tennessee's role in the fight for women's suffrage. Dotted with benches and tables, Market Square is a lovely place to spend a few hours browsing the shops, dining with friends, or watching children play in the small fountain. A lucky square patron may happen upon anything from a pair of cellists playing Beatles songs to an ice cream give away. Market Square is home to the Sundown in the City concert festival, so someone looking for a leisurely evening would be wise to avoid the square on Thursday evenings in the summer. Unless an event is taking place in the downtown area, parking at the Market Street garage (on Walnut) is free on weeknights after six pm and all day on weekends. Event parking is usually five dollars.
• Old City. A lot of interesting architecture and a chief nightlife spot.
• Tennessee Theatre, on Gay Street in downtown. www.tennesseetheatre.com The state theater of Tennessee and is an interesting example of Moorish architecture.
• Volunteer Landing. Knoxville's riverwalk along the Tennessee River, complete with large, splashing fountains that were purosefully designed for you to play in!
• World's Fair Park. Site of the 1982 World's Fair Park and adjacent to the Knoxville Convention Center. Large, kid-friendly fountains. A big hit in the summer months.
• Sunsphere. A modernistic monument built for the 1982 World's Fair. The observation deck is open daily April - October 9 a.m. - 10 p.m. and November - March 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. There is no admission charge.
• The University of Tennessee (UT) Gardens. The UT Gardens have been open to the public at no charge every day year-round since 1982. The UT Gardens now serve an estimated 50,000 visitors annually. Over 1,000 woody plants are under long term observation and 2,000 varieties of annual herbaceous plants comprise the primary collections of this 12-acre urban public garden in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Gardens will celebrate their 25th Anniversary in 2008 with many new features and special events such as the 2008 Blooms Days Garden Festival and Marketplace, June 28th and 29th. Hours are 9AM - 6PM on Saturday and 11AM - 5PM on Sunday. For details on Blooms Days 2008, visit www.bloomsdays.utk.edu, email bloomsdays@utk.edu or call 865-525-4555. The Friends of the University of Tennessee Gardens, an 800-member nonprofit 501@3 organization founded in 1992,advocates, promotes, and raises funds for the Gardens from citizens on the university campus, in the community, and across the state. For additional information, call the Friends at 865-525-4555, visit friendsoftheutgardens@utk.edu or email friendsoftheutgardens@utk.edu.

Knoxville is located only 30 minutes from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park , one of the largest protected areas in the United States. With its ancient beauty and diversity of plant and animal life, the Smokies are a hiker's paradise with over 800 miles of trails.

• The Smokies and surrounding park areas offer a host of activities, including camping, fishing, auto touring, horseback riding, sightseeing, and more. If you enjoy bicycling, visit Cades Cove Loop Road, an 11 mile one way road surrounded by stunning landscapes and closeup viewing of wildlife and 19th century homesites.

• Fishing The Tennessee River's bass producing waters feature an abundance of fishing opportunities. From the lower end of Pickwick, legendary for world-class smallmouth fishing, the river pours through a powerful tailwater before winding many miles until backing into the Kentucky Lake basin. Kentucky Lake, covering 164,000 acres (109,000 in Tennessee), is legendary for its largemouth bass fishing. Whether you enjoy pure river fishing, open-reservoir structure fishing or casting to cover in creeks or backwaters, there's a Tennessee fishing experience waiting for you.

• Motorcycling Living in the Knoxville area puts you near America's number one motorcycle road: The Tail of the Dragon. If 318 curves over 11 miles sounds a little too exciting, enjoy the area's many other roadways. Loop through Smoky Mountain National Park or follow the backbone of the Appalachian Mountains on the Blue Ridge Parway.

• The Vols The Tennessee Vols are an integral part of the Knoxville lifestyle. Game after game over 100,000 Tennessee football fans pack Neyland Stadium to cheer on their favorite football team. Neyland Stadium first came to life in 1921 as Shields-Watkins Field with 17 rows seating 3200. Over the course of more than 80 years Neyland Stadium has become one of the country's most popular college stadiums. You'll know why when you hear the roar of the Tennessee fans and feel the energy that fills the stadium at every game!
• Holiday Express at the UT Gardens, University of Tennessee Trial Gardens (Just off Neyland Drive behind the UT Veterinary Hospital on the UT Institute of Agriculture campus), ☎ 865-974-7141, utgardens.tennessee.edu. See under description. Bring your family and friends and enjoy the new holiday event at the UT Gardens: the Holiday Express! The Holiday Express at UT Gardens is now open for the holiday season. Hours of operation vary: 5 to 9 p.m. Fridays, 1 to 9 p.m. Saturdays, and 1 to 6 p.m. Sundays through January 4, 2009. The display features 10 garden-scale model trains, thousands of lights and a miniature landscape with rivers, waterfalls and more than 100 buildings decorated for the holidays. Tickets are not required but can be purchased for gifts at https://web.dii.utk.edu/agStore/pc-2680-7-holiday-express-at-the-ut-gardens.aspx For more information, click on utgardens.tennessee.edu or call 865-974-7141. $5 per person, children under 4 are admitted free.

• www.knoxvillemarketsquare.com
• www.tennesseetheatre.com
• utgardens.tennessee.edu
• https://web.dii.utk.edu/agStore/pc-2680-7-holiday-express-at-the-ut-gardens.aspx
• utgardens.tennessee.edu