Introduction
What to do
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

Athens travel guide

Athens Tourism | Athens Guide

You're Going to Love Athens

With a population of 13,458, Athens is a must-see destination in Tennessee, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Athens deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Activities & attractions in Athens

Movie theater
Art & Performing Arts•Entertainment

When to visit Athens

Athens in August
Estimated hotel price
$91
1 night at 3-star hotel
Athens in August
Estimated hotel price
$91
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Athens in July, when the average temperature is 77 °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 32 °F, with an average temperature of 41 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in January, when precipitation is around 4.7″. In contrast, October is usually the driest month of the year in Athens, with an average rainfall of 2.4″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Athens

Plane

Although Athens doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Knoxville McGhee Tyson (TYS), which is located 42 miles from Athens. Chattanooga Lovell Field is the most popular, with regular flights from Emirates, United Airlines, American Airlines and other airlines departing from the United States. The shortest domestic flight to Athens departs from South Bend and takes around 1h 20m.

Car

Another option to get to Athens is to pick up a car rental from Atlanta, which is about 117 miles from Athens. You’ll find branches of Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Turo, among others, in Atlanta.

Plane

Although Athens doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Knoxville McGhee Tyson (TYS), which is located 42 miles from Athens. Chattanooga Lovell Field is the most popular, with regular flights from Emirates, United Airlines, American Airlines and other airlines departing from the United States. The shortest domestic flight to Athens departs from South Bend and takes around 1h 20m.

Car

Another option to get to Athens is to pick up a car rental from Atlanta, which is about 117 miles from Athens. You’ll find branches of Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Turo, among others, in Atlanta.

Airports near Athens

CHAChattanooga Lovell Field
TYSKnoxville McGhee Tyson

Airlines serving Athens

Lufthansa
Good (7,076 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,344 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,909 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,951 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,451 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,744 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,236 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,576 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,369 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,364 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (352 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (10,075 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,282 reviews)
Ethiopian Air
Good (775 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (1,093 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (3,284 reviews)
Spirit Airlines
Good (8,002 reviews)
Avianca
Good (2,325 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (1,076 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (1,477 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Athens

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Athens and Days Inn by Wyndham Athens.

Where to stay in popular areas of Athens

Most booked hotels in Athens

See all
Holiday Inn Express Athens
2 stars
Excellent (9.2, 245 reviews)
$145+
View
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Athens
2 stars
Excellent (9.1, 172 reviews)
$152+
View
Comfort Inn Athens
2 stars
Excellent (8.3, 532 reviews)
$120+
View
Serenity Inn Sweetwater
2 stars
Good (7.8, 271 reviews)
$168+
View
Quality Inn West
2 stars
Good (7.6, 446 reviews)
$89+
View
Red Roof Inn Etowah - Athens, Tn
2 stars
Good (7.4, 414 reviews)
$75+
View

Renting a car in Athens

Renting a car in Athens costs $70 per day, on average, or $140 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 9% cheaper than airport locations in Athens.

Expect to pay $3.44 per gallon in Athens (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $41.34 and $55.12. Intermediate (Mazda CX-5 or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Athens, while also 13% cheaper than other types, on average.

Renting a car in Athens costs $70 per day, on average, or $140 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 9% cheaper than airport locations in Athens.

Expect to pay $3.44 per gallon in Athens (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $41.34 and $55.12. Intermediate (Mazda CX-5 or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Athens, while also 13% cheaper than other types, on average.

Find car rentals in Athens

Athens Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Athens city guide for the best Athens travel tips. To help you organize your Athens trip ideas, this Athens visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.