The Sunsphere

Spooky Hiking Adventures

Ghost House Loop Trail Visit the beautiful Big Ridge State Park to explore some local history during spooky season. The Ghost House Loop Trail is a 1.2-mile easy-to-moderate loop hike which begins near the group campsite and takes you deep into the history of this area's pre-1930s inhabitants…

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Best Outdoor Adventures to Do with Your Teenager

If you are trying to get your teenager outside for once, here are some local recommendations that will give teens exactly what they want in an outdoor adventure. We chose fun, local activities that provide instant gratification, great photo opportunities and sleeping late! Nighttime can be the right…

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Hiking for Small Kids

Hiking can be fun for the whole family! Here are four great hikes to get your child out on the trails. We picked easy hikes with fun trail elements to keep your little ones engaged. Ijams Nature Center Ijams has several great trails without too much elevation gain and educational signage to teach…

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10 Things to Do with Kids in the Winter

The ongoing struggle, right? You’ve got kids, the weather isn’t the greatest, but boy do they have some energy! What to do? That’s not too expensive? Without spending forever in the car??? We’re here to help. Today’s post will share all the fun things to do in Knoxville with kids - bookmark and…

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Guide to Knoxville Greenways

Outside recreation is BIG in Knoxville with more visitors enjoying the outdoors in every season than ever before. Bicycling in all its forms is a major attraction in and of itself: Knoxville has hosted the USA Cycling National Championships for several years with a final run in 2023; mountain biking…

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Trail Running in Knoxville

Knoxville’s Track and Field Club (KTC) is among the largest track clubs in America, so it’s no surprise that this is a great road running town. Races such as the Expo 10K and the Knoxville Marathon have invited thousands of people from all over the region to explore Knoxville’s roads, greenways…

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Hey, Come Out and & Play!

You’ve seen it once or twice: Knoxville is a nature-loving-adventure-kinda-town. So let’s focus on the nature part and head to the great outdoors with all options from casual to extreme! We’ll start off easy… with options to go walking along the river, through a park or on a trail. Take a…

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10 Things to Know About Market Square

Historic Market Square is the heart of downtown Knoxville. It’s a must-do for any visitor to our city, and we’re happy to tell you why! But you can’t know the present if you don’t know the past, so we’ll start with a brief history lesson to get your bearings. 1. Market Square History The history of…

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Salamander Saturday

East Tennessee could be called the Salamander Capital of the World! Our region is home to more salamander species than anywhere else. Over 70 species of salamander—14% of species on Earth— are native to Tennessee, with most of those living here in the eastern region. According to the National Park…

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Places to Find Wildflowers

From late March to the middle of May is the best time of year to go hunting for native wildflowers. It may surprise you all the fun and colorful species that pop up to welcome spring. Here are our top picks for hunting down native wildflowers in Knoxville. Ijams Nature Center The trails at Ijams…

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