Knoxville travel guide

Knoxville Tourism | Knoxville Guide

You're Going to Love Knoxville

With a population of 178 874, Knoxville is a must-see destination in Tennessee, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Knoxville deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Where to Eat in Knoxville

If you’re looking for affordable options, Cafe 4 (4 Market Square) and Knox Mason - Knoxville (507 S Gay St) are great picks.

Most popular restaurants in Knoxville

Steakhouse
Wonderful (524 reviews)
Steakhouse
Wonderful (354 reviews)
Contemporary Southern
Wonderful (302 reviews)
Steak
Wonderful (297 reviews)
Seafood
Wonderful (241 reviews)
$$$$
Contemporary Italian
Wonderful (211 reviews)
Steakhouse
Wonderful (524 reviews)
Steakhouse
Wonderful (354 reviews)
Contemporary Southern
Wonderful (302 reviews)
Steak
Wonderful (297 reviews)
Seafood
Wonderful (241 reviews)
$$$$
Contemporary Italian
Wonderful (211 reviews)

When to visit Knoxville

Knoxville in December
Estimated hotel price
$115
1 night at 3-star hotel
Knoxville in December
Estimated hotel price
$115
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Knoxville in July, when the average temperature is 78.8 °F, and the highest can go up to 87.8 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 30.2 °F, with an average temperature of 39.2 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in March, when precipitation is around 4.8″. In contrast, October is usually the driest month of the year in Knoxville, with an average rainfall of 2.7″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Knoxville

Plane

When flying to Knoxville, you’ll arrive at Knoxville McGhee Tyson (TYS), which is located 18 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Knoxville include American Airlines, Delta and WestJet. The shortest domestic flight to Knoxville departs from Orlando and takes around 1h 33m.

Car

Another option to get to Knoxville is to pick up a car rental from Atlanta, which is about 249 km from Knoxville. You’ll find branches of Hertz and Kyte, among others, in Atlanta.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Knoxville using FlixBus or Greyhound. From Atlanta, the bus ride to Knoxville takes 491 km and will cost you around $64. From Washington, D.C., the ticket costs about $37 for a journey of 1336 km. The most popular bus station is Knoxville Bus Terminal - 100 E Magnolia Ave, located 1.3 km from downtown Knoxville. Knoxville Walker Springs Plaza Shopping Center is also a commonly used station, and is 14 km from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Knoxville, you’ll arrive at Knoxville McGhee Tyson (TYS), which is located 18 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Knoxville include American Airlines, Delta and WestJet. The shortest domestic flight to Knoxville departs from Orlando and takes around 1h 33m.

Car

Another option to get to Knoxville is to pick up a car rental from Atlanta, which is about 249 km from Knoxville. You’ll find branches of Hertz and Kyte, among others, in Atlanta.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Knoxville using FlixBus or Greyhound. From Atlanta, the bus ride to Knoxville takes 491 km and will cost you around $64. From Washington, D.C., the ticket costs about $37 for a journey of 1336 km. The most popular bus station is Knoxville Bus Terminal - 100 E Magnolia Ave, located 1.3 km from downtown Knoxville. Knoxville Walker Springs Plaza Shopping Center is also a commonly used station, and is 14 km from the city center.

Airlines serving Knoxville

Lufthansa
Good (4,605 reviews)
KLM
Good (848 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,443 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,597 reviews)
Air France
Good (974 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,930 reviews)
Emirates
Good (2,124 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,480 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,719 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (226 reviews)
Finnair
Good (879 reviews)
Ethiopian Air
Good (395 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (5,513 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (1,609 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (776 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (1,346 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (775 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (460 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (957 reviews)
Avianca
Good (1,327 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Knoxville

Average rates range from around $201 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $351 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Comfort Suites East and Hampton Inn & Suites Knoxville-Downtown.

Where to stay in popular areas of Knoxville

Most booked hotels in Knoxville

Drury Inn & Suites Knoxville West
3 stars
Excellent (9.4, 1472 reviews)
$148+
Luxbury Inn & Suites
2 stars
Excellent (8.6, 373 reviews)
$81+
Hilton Knoxville Airport
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, 321 reviews)
$186+
Marriott Knoxville Downtown
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, 172 reviews)
$171+
Hilton Knoxville
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, 721 reviews)
$143+
Baymont by Wyndham Knoxville/Cedar Bluff
2 stars
Excellent (8.2, 2956 reviews)
$99+

Renting a car in Knoxville

Renting a car in Knoxville costs $69 per day, on average, or $139 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Hertz and Budget are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Knoxville is the Budget branch at 5535 Clinton Highway, which is 8 km from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 4% cheaper than airport locations in Knoxville.

Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Knoxville (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. Mini (Fiat 500 or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Knoxville, while also 46% cheaper than other types, on average.

Renting a car in Knoxville costs $69 per day, on average, or $139 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Hertz and Budget are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Knoxville is the Budget branch at 5535 Clinton Highway, which is 8 km from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 4% cheaper than airport locations in Knoxville.

Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Knoxville (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. Mini (Fiat 500 or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Knoxville, while also 46% cheaper than other types, on average.