Lunch around Campus
Lunch boxes will be provided at the conference venue for those attendees who chose that option during registration. Many other options are available on and around campus within walking distance of the student union. You will find the most options along Cumberland Avenue, which locals call « The Strip ».
Dinner options and local attractions
Knoxville offers a diverse range of options for dining and more. Most areas of interest are an easy walk away from the conference venues and hotel, or a short Uber ride away. We recommend visiting the city center around Market Square and the Old City for abundant choices of food, drinks, and nightlife. Before heading downtown, make sure to walk around campus and see the Neyland Stadium, the 8th biggest stadium in the world with 101,915 places. Knoxville is also host to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame which honors those who have contributed to the sport of women's basketball, including our most famous local, Patt Summit who trained the Lady Vols for 38 years and led them to more than 1000 victories.
Market Square and Gay Street
We recommend walking around the center of downtown Knoxville and heading towards Market Square and Gay Street where you will find a large range of options for food and drinks.
For a high-end Appalachian culinary experience, we suggest visiting James Beard award winner Chef Joseph Lenn at J.C. Holdway or Chef Hoagland at Oliver Royale. Be sure to pass by Oliver’s speakeasy for a unique cocktail experience. French Chef Ben Tilatti at Lilou proposes a classic French menu with a southern twist.
You will easily find affordable options around Market Square and on the adjacent Gay Street. Be sure to visit the numerous breweries, cocktail bars, and venues where you will often find live music, or take in a play or movie at the historic Tennessee Theatre.
Old City
Down the hill from the city center, you will find the Old City. Head for the corner of North Central and West Jackson Avenues. In the surrounding area, you will find plenty of bars and restaurants. For a good BBQ, head to Sweet P’s on West Jackson Avenue. For whiskey, bourbon, and scotch enthusiasts, be sure to visit Boyd’s Jig and Reel for Scottish food and a selection of more than 1000 whiskies.
The Smoky Mountains
Knoxville is located at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, one of the largest and most visited national parks in the United States. It is the most biologically diverse national park in the United States. About 19,000 species of organisms are known to live in the park, and scientists estimate that as many as 80,000 to 100,000 additional species may also be present.
It is the home of Appalachian patron saint, Dolly Parton, and you can visit her theme park, Dollywood, in Pigeon Forge. The city of Gatlinburg is also a favorite tourist destination where you can walk and discover more about Appalachian culture in the numerous attractions in town, including the Ripley’s Aquarium and the Arrowmont Showcase Gallery which features local artisan crafters. The region is also historically well known for the moonshiners, whiskey distilled illegally during the prohibition. Make sure to visit one of the, now legal, moonshine distilleries to learn more about the era. For a hike in nature, we suggest heading to Sugarlands Visitor Center or Laurel Falls, where many trails and natural attractions await you.
Mountain Biking in South Knoxville
South Knoxville, just across the river from the UTK campus and downtown, hosts the “Knoxville Urban Wilderness”, one of the best freely accessible mountain bike trail systems in the southeast if not the whole US. The trail system encompasses over 30 miles of well-maintained, interconnected trails, spanning from (mostly) flat cross-country trails to double-black diamond downhill jump lines, from hand-built technical single trails to fast, wide machine-built flow lines.
Various parking spots serve as entrances into the trail system, but we recommend starting at Baker Creek Preserve, which is located most centrally, has the most parking spots, and is centered around a large all-weather asphalt pump track and jump line, with various skill course elements scattered throughout.
Bring your own bike, helmet (and other protective gear), or rent some (e.g. at Bear Paw Bikes right at the Baker Creek parking lot, or at Harper’s bike shop in Knoxville).
Before you go, check the trail status webpage. While many parts of the trail system are weather dependant, especially the Marie Myers "Year 'round get down" trails dry off very quickly and can be ridden almost any day.
