Knoxville, TN Travel Guide

My first time to Knoxville, Tennessee was over New Years this year for a friend’s wedding!

We went for five days, and here is what we saw, where we ate and what we did.

Hotel:

We stayed at the Hyatt Place Hotel in downtown Knoxville on Gay Street. It was the perfect location. 

All the restaurants, bars and spots to see were within a 3-minute walk from the hotel.

The hotel also provides complimentary breakfast.

Restaurants:

•Oliver Royale- we went here for the rehearsal dinner and for New Years. The food is delicious, and it is definitely a restaurant that would thrive in New York with its upscale cuisine and French bistro style interior.

•Not Watson’s Kitchen + Bar- a great spot for a burger and a football game! I grabbed a bite here before the wedding.

•Pete’s Restaurant- a classic diner in downtown Knoxville.

•The French Market Crêperie - authentic and delicious crepes!

•Tupelo Honey- delicious southern cuisine with all day brunch.

 

Things to do (within walking distance from our hotel):

•Walk around Market Square (a set of blocks that form a square with lots of restaurants)

•Movies at Regency Theater

•See the stunning District Courthouse

•Bowling at Maple Hall

•World’s Fair Park with the Sunsphere

•University of Tennessee

 

Bars:

•The neighborhood of Old City has a ton of breweries, bars and clubs.

•Peter Kern Library- a speakeasy behind the Oliver Royale hotel (The entrance is in the alleyway behind the hotel with the red lamp. The password is a series of numbers from the bar’s most recent Facebook page).

•Clancy’s- a good old fashioned Irish bar right next to our hotel. We went here every single night.

•Five Thirty Lounge- a rooftop bar on top of the Hyatt hotel.