11 Clever Ideas for Knoxville Families

Knoxville Tennessee is a town that punches above its weight. Don’t believe us? With a population of only 170,000 it’s the smallest city to ever host a World’s Fair–putting it in the ranks of Paris, London, New York and Chicago. It’s home to the Tennessee Valley Authority, one of the largest government projects in the world, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory which was instrumental in producing the first atomic bomb. And its impact doesn’t end with cheap electricity, atomic weapons and international events. Where would popular culture be without Quentin Tarantino, Johnny Knoxville, Kenny Chesney and Mountain Dew?

Knoxville is a youthful town as well thanks to the 27,000 students who attend the University of Tennessee there. And Knoxville is also a town blessed by geography. It sits between the Cumberland and Appalachian mountain ranges; seven lakes surround the city; and the headwaters of the Tennessee River begin in Knoxville. Close proximity to mountains and water make Knoxville a great place for outdoor activities and sports.

With so much to offer, it is no wonder that Knoxville attracts Clever Parents. To find out the inside scoop on Knoxville, Clever Parents caught up with Vicki Preston, president of a local moms club in the heart of Knoxville and uncovered “11 Clever Ideas for Knoxville Families.”

Ijams Nature Center
160-acre park located in Knoxville, encompassing woods, trails, meadows, and a spring-fed pond, enjoy preschool nature day camps, walking trails, searching for tadpoles in the pond, events range from Bug Nights to Day Camps, School Field Trips to River Rescue and everything in between, Ijams has the programs to excite and entertain you and your family.
www.ijams.org
865.577.4717

Knoxville Zoo
Besides seeing the amazing animals at the zoo, you may never make it out of Kids Cove! Kids Cove is the newest and most popular addition to the Knoxville Zoo. Kids can ride the wild animal carousel, slide through a waterfall, build a sandcastle in a giant sandbox, become a zookeeper or a farmer with costumes and toys, learn how to milk a cow, interact with the Kids Zoo animals in a new and fun environment, and climb into a giant bird nest with eggs. The Knoxville Zoo has been rated as one of the best zoos in America. It is open year round and offers special programs such as Bedtime with the Beasts. Bring your sleeping bag and spend the night at the Knoxville Zoo!
www.knoxville-zoo.org
865.637.5331

Knoxville Museum of Art
Founded in 1961, the Knoxville Museum of Art is a 53,000 square foot concrete and Tennessee pink marble building featuring five galleries. It has activities and exhibitions for the entire family. Each month they have a Free Family Fun Day with music, arts and crafts, and more for the kids. There is an arts and crafts center located in the lower level of the museum where kids can learn about the museum through interactive exhibits and make things to take home. 18 & under are free!
www.knoxart.org
865.525.6101

Three Rivers Rambler
The Three Rivers Rambler highlights East Tennessee’s unique history and beauty. Guests aboard the excursion train enjoy a ninety minute trip along the Tennessee River. Beginning the journey in Downtown Knoxville, the Rambler travels past historical sites to the “Three Rivers Trestle” where the French Broad and Holston Rivers join to form the Tennessee River. During the fall, they offer Railgate packages for football fans to have tailgate parties among friends and family. During October, enjoy the changing leaves and fall weather during a train ride. When December arrives, come aboard the Christmas Express train ride with story telling, holiday treats, and a visit from Santa.
www.threeriversrambler.com
865.524.9411

Fantasy of Trees
Wander through a magical forest of more than 300 beautifully decorated trees, holiday accessories, room scenes, fireplace mantels, swags, door designs, table centerpieces, topiaries, birdhouses, and “Adopt-a-Trees” decorated by local school children. There are tons of Christmas crafts for kids to make, an indoor carousel, tell Santa what you wish for, get your Christmas shopping done, and enjoy holiday entertainment all at the Knoxville Convention Center!
www.etch.com/fantasy.cfm
865.541.8385

World’s Fair Park
This historic park is the site of the 1982 World’s Fair. The big golden sphere still marks the spot! There is a performance lawn where great plays and musical events are held, as well as a festival lawn. You can throw a Frisbee, walk your dog, splash in the fountains, or enjoy a picnic under the many shade trees. Bonus: nice bathrooms are conveniently located throughout the park. Take a blanket to sit on or rest on the bench seating; friendly to joggers, walkers, and strollers; there is an events guide online, and many restaurant options within a five-mile radius of the park, several within walking distance.
www.worldsfairpark.com

Fort Kid
This elaborate play structure was built by volunteers during the city’s 1991 Bicentennial Celebration and is located between the Victorian Houses and the Knoxville Museum of Art. With its thousands of square feet of slides, rides, and swings, Fort Kid is a popular destination! It is located across from the Knoxville Museum of Art at the World’s Fair Park. A quaint little sandwich shop, McLain’s, sells ice cream and concessions from inside the playground. Open during park hours, a percent of the proceeds goes toward Fort Kid’s upkeep. Bathrooms are conveniently located with a diaper-changing station and kid-sized toilets. Picnic tables and seating are plentiful, too.

Volunteer Landing
A scenic one-mile paved riverwalk along the Tennessee River connecting a visitor center, attractions, restaurants, historical markers and refreshing waterfalls and fountains. Park visitors can meander paved paths, relax in a swing or climb an overlook tower to watch the University of Tennessee crew teams. Riverfront Park has a fountain that sprays from the ground, and the short “waterfalls” that get kids thoroughly drenched are fun…be sure to pack dry clothes! Feed the ducks and the fish from the decks of Calhoun’s Restaurant, and enjoy eating inside or outside while dining directly on the Tennessee River. Why not rent a boat while you are there at their full-service marina?
865.633.5004

Knoxville’s Market Square
The Market Square District is the site of the city’s original city market area founded in 1854. The Square has been revitalized with shops, restaurants and residences and frequently hosts outdoor concerts and other performances. The Market Square District has become the place to gather for events, shopping and dining downtown. From rock concerts to Shakespearean plays, farmers’ markets to exotic crafts, art shows to high fashion.. you’ll find it all in the heart of downtown Knoxville in the Market Square District. On their website you can find a calendar of events. The square also boasts beautiful fountains and lots of places to sit!
865.405.3135
www.knoxvillemarketsquare.com

East Tennessee Discovery Center
The East Tennessee Discovery Center is comprised of Science Discovery, a hands-on, fun learning adventure for children and adults, located in Chilhowee Park. There is the Discovery Space Shuttle where kids can enter the shuttle and explore the universe through interactive control panel switches, spacecraft dioramas and question & answer lightboxes. Step into the Space Room and find out how much you would weigh on another planet. The Computer Mini-Lab consists of five computers that will put the world of science at your fingertips. These computers feature science games for a variety of ages. Kidspace is an exhibit area designed to provide multiple experiences for young children. Touch, listen, build, create and learn while playing. Features include: Geoboard, Tangrams, Magic School Bus games, magnets and shape sorting. Lego Lab is a place where you can let your imagination go wild as you build simple machines, buildings, vehicles or whatever else you desire.
865.594.1494
www.etdiscovery.org

The Cove Concord Park
“The Cove” is by far the most popular spot in West Knoxville. It is a beautiful park located on Concord Lake. From the spectacular views, to the many things to do within the park, such as fishing and swimming to canoe and kayak rentals, there truly is something there for the entire family! From a sandy beach with lake swimming, two sand volleyball areas, large playground, a .7-mile paved walking trail, and a large picnic gazebo to accommodate 80 – 100 people, you can easily spend your entire day at this park. They also offer free concerts in the park during the summer months.
865.215.6604
http://knoxcounty.org/parks/park_shelters_cove.php