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 (544 reviews)
Steakhouse
Wonderful (378 reviews)
Steak
Wonderful (324 reviews)
Contemporary Southern
Wonderful (299 reviews)
Seafood
Wonderful (264 reviews)
$$$$
Contemporary Italian
Wonderful (216 reviews)
Steakhouse
Wonderful (544 reviews)
Steakhouse
Wonderful (378 reviews)
Steak
Wonderful (324 reviews)
Contemporary Southern
Wonderful (299 reviews)
Seafood
Wonderful (264 reviews)
$$$$
Contemporary Italian
Wonderful (216 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

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Knoxville, including FlixBus, Busbud and Wanda Coach. From New York, the bus ride to Knoxville takes 1135 km and will cost you around $101. From Fort Lauderdale, the ticket costs about $107 for a journey of 2116 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

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Knoxville, including FlixBus, Busbud and Wanda Coach. From New York, the bus ride to Knoxville takes 1135 km and will cost you around $101. From Fort Lauderdale, the ticket costs about $107 for a journey of 2116 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 (4,597 reviews)
KLM
Good (849 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,436 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,593 reviews)
Air France
Good (971 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,919 reviews)
Emirates
Good (2,122 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,482 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,699 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (226 reviews)
Finnair
Good (876 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (5,498 reviews)
Ethiopian Air
Good (394 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (1,615 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (775 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (1,345 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (774 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (458 reviews)
Avianca
Good (1,328 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (955 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Knoxville

Average rates range from around $199 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, 1473 reviews)
$148+
Luxbury Inn & Suites
2 stars
Excellent (8.6, 371 reviews)
$82+
Hilton Knoxville Airport
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, 321 reviews)
$187+
Marriott Knoxville Downtown
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, 172 reviews)
$172+
Hilton Knoxville
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, 726 reviews)
$147+
Baymont by Wyndham Knoxville/Cedar Bluff
2 stars
Excellent (8.3, 2949 reviews)
$98+

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.