McClung Museum on the UT campus, East Tennessee Historical Society downtown on Gay Street, Oak Ridge Museum of Science and Energy (the best), John Sevier home, James White's Fort, Norris Dam State Park, Cumberland Gap National Park visitor's center, Sugarlands Visitors Center just outside of Gatlinburg.
I don't suppose you want a list of karaoke bars too. :-)
I'm not from the area but I really like the Oak Ridge area....
(I'm geeky...)
Oak Ridge science museum (already on the list)
Learning about the town of Oak Ridge - the "secret city" (I think they have a driving tour -- there's nothing like a town created by science geeks.....)
If you have younger ones - the Oak Ridge Children's Museum is really cool - it is a "home grown" museum - mostly done by volunteers (rather than the "polished" one like in Chattanooga) and is my favorite children's museum in the Southeast (I'm partial to "homegrown") (i like this museum as an adult as well - it does a great job of presenting the history of the area......)
I also liked the Museum of Appalachia - it is a lot of outdoors so better with good weather.....
There is also a small museum near Norris Dam State Park - the Lenoir Museum that I like.
------ caveat - it has been 3 years or so since I was in the area but this part of TN is one we've visited a few times - it is a family favorite.
...which was kinda stupid of me, considering the fact that they've been a customer of mine and I stopped by there yesterday. Sandie, absolutely you should visit the Museum of Appalachia, as well as Norris Dam and the town of Norris which are just a few minutes away. The museum is only two minutes off I-75. Bring a loaf of bread to feed the goats and sheep.
NeverMo, since you've visited there, you might find this story funny. A few years ago, the LDS church rented the museum's fields to film exterior shots of "The Work and the Glory" series. Because of that, the museum carried some DVDs of the series for sale in the gift shop. One day, I asked a clerk how they were selling. She told me that they hadn't sold a single one to her knowledge. She also told me that when the movie came out in theaters, she and a friend went to see it because it was filmed there. She laughingly told me that they were the only two people in the theater.
We love the Lenoir Museum too. When we moved here in 1984, Mr. Lenoir was still alive, and he'd putter around the place in his overalls. On Sunday afternoons, local musicians gather in the museum and play bluegrass and gospel music.
randyj - While I don't know anyone from your area personally - it resonates with me because my mom was raised in the country (her dad sharecropped cotton and tobacco for a while)... there is something about making a living (or trying to make a living) from the land that shapes people and places.
One thing I really appreciate about the Appalachian museum is that they try to capture the stories and the spirit of people - not just their "things" .....
"One thing I really appreciate about the Appalachian museum is that they try to capture the stories and the spirit of people - not just their "things" .....
Yep, that's their greatest appeal. It's all about the people who settled the land and made the stuff---the hardy Scotch-Irish who crossed the mountains, cleared the forests, built the farms, mined the coal, etc.
In case you aren't aware, a few years ago the museum was brought into the Smithsonian Institute system. Not bad for a place that began as a highwayside tourist attraction. A couple of years ago, the show "American Pickers" came and did an episode with Elaine Irwin Meyer, the director.
If you have time, I think they still do the blue plate special on wdvx. Should be on Gay Street right before the old city. Downtown K-Town is gorgeous nowadays. Lots of great places off Market Square and Gay Street. You can go up in the sun sphere too. (No. There is not a wig store.) in South Knoxville there is a really nice park with hiking trails and a nature center. Knoxville is a great town to spend a couple of days in.
Market Square is awesome. My daughter works at a shop there. They have a farmers market there almost every Saturday and several festivals throughout the year.
Thanks. That's some great info. I'm going to drive up to the metropolis of Big Stone Gap (SW Va--talk about Appalachia) over Easter weekend to see my daughter-n-fam. Wanted to take an extra day and putter around Knoxville. Now I know some places to go.
I'll be going through Kingsport. I haven't been up there yet, they moved there last summer. But it has got to be beautiful. I'll definately have to go back in the Fall. I want to take my granddaughter to the National Storytelling Festival.
...prepare to be bedazzled by the dogwoods, redbuds, azaleas, laurel, and rhododendron. If you have time, try to swing through Jonesborough. It's the oldest town in the state, and it has a quaint main street with lots of shops etc.
I highly recommend the WDVX Blue Plate Special at the visitor's center. Ijams Nature Center is great for short hikes. Market Square has exploded in the past four years and has great shops and restaurants. The farmers' market is lots of fun if you're there on a Saturday in April-Nov.
...I recommend the Museum of Appalachia/Norris Dam/city of Norris tour. It's about 20 minutes north of Knoxville just off I-75. Get off at exit 122. You can tour the museum, and then drive up and over the dam, and come out back on the interstate at exit 128. If you want a memorable meal, drive on up to exit 134 to Cove Lake State Park and eat at Rickard Ridge BBQ.
We will have to do a K-town meetup sometime. There's a bunch of East TN folks lurking around here. I could probably get my daughter to come down from Hillbilly Hell (her words, not mine).
...a couple at Eric K's house, one in Gatlinburg, one at a local restaurant, and one at PapaKen's brother's house, which Sandie and her hubby came to. I haven't been involved with any more in several years because my wife works a full-time job now, and I've been busy running my business. We wouldn't mind getting together again, but I don't have the time to plan it or host it.
OK, I'll plan one in the Fall for Knoxville area, possibly over exmo conference in SLC weekend like we did with Atlanta last year. It'll be awhile until I can really think too much about it, but we'll get it put together.
I'll look at the UT Football schedule. I do know it's easier to get a place to stay for any who would want to when there is not a game that weekend.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/18/2014 02:22PM by NormaRae.
Good suggestions. I've been to some of those, but not others. Lived in the area for a while now, but have never been to the museaum in Oak Ridge. Agree about the MofA. Bookmarked Rickard Ridge BBQ for future reference. Thanks.
Meant to add, if you want something more active, there's some great rivers to raft or kayak. When the Olypmics were in Atlanta, they did river competitions on the Ocoee, which is just South of Knoxville about an hour. Also for a little tamer rafting or kayaking trying the Hiwassee. You can rent either in Reliance, TN.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/18/2014 03:22PM by The other Sofia.
...but Sandie says she's looking for something educational, too. This time of year, the only thing you'll learn from rafting is how to freeze your *ss off in two hours or less. :-)
If they want rides and amusements, they can go to Pigeon Forge. Dollywood opens for the season this weekend, so it'll be crowded from now until November.
...from the same interstate exit, you can drive about a half hour west on highway 61 through Clinton to Oak Ridge and visit the Science and Energy Museum. You can do all of those in one day. From Oak Ridge, take Pellissippi Parkway back to Knoxville and I-40.