If you haven’t explored East Knoxville yet, I’m hopeful this guide will give you some great ideas!
Most people consider East Knoxville to be east of First Creek or east of the Downtown Loop (Neyland Drive and James White Parkway). It is mostly concentrated along Magnolia Avenue, Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, and Dandridge Avenue. While I’ll use that as a guide, this is certainly a very unofficial guide, so I’ll walk you through many things on the east side of Knoxville. I’m also attempting to break things down by neighborhoods, but I may not get this exactly right! I hope it’ll give you a general idea of things that sit near each other.
Morningside and Parkridge
An adventure in the park is a great place to start in the area of East Knoxville closest to downtown. One of these is Morningside Park on Dandridge Avenue. As you walk into the park, you’ll find the Alex Haley Heritage Square which includes a 13-foot statue of the Pulitzer Prize winning author of Roots. A native of Tennessee, Haley spent the final years of his life living in Clinton. My kids can always be found climbing and jumping on the huge rocks around the statue. Morningside Park offers a playground, trails, picnic shelters, and a disc golf course. The play structure keeps my kids entertained for a very long time!
Caswell Park is located at the intersection of Fifth Street and Winona Ave, just off of I-40. The park has many baseball and softball fields and is also home to the Ashley Nicole Dream Playground, Knoxville’s first completely accessible playground. The size of the playground and the variety of climbing structures are what keep my kids coming back. The playground also has a shelter, accessible bathrooms, and connects to the First Creek Greenway.
Just next to Caswell Park is the Cansler YMCA which boasts everything from weight training and cardio machines to pickleball courts and a yoga studio. My family thinks the best part of this YMCA is the pool and the super fun slides.
A couple blocks away on Magnolia Avenue is the cozy and welcoming Likewise Coffee. It is one of my favorite places to grab a drink and sit to do some work, meet up with friends, or spend a little time with my kids. All proceeds from this coffee shop go to support the non-profit Raising A Voice which fights against human trafficking. Parking can be a little tricky so I suggest you check out this parking advice before you go!
Park City
If you continue east on Magnolia Avenue, or if you were to take exit 392A off I-40, you’ll arrive in the part of East Knoxville that houses some of the city’s best children’s activities: The Muse and Zoo Knoxville.
Our family has gotten its money’s worth with our membership to Zoo Knoxville. There are amazing animal exhibits, interesting events, and plenty of other things for kids to do. The two play areas, carousel, and train top my kids’ list. During the summer, we enjoy starting out on the splash pad before getting lunch and visiting the animals. Be sure to check out the zoo’s great summer camps — it was my kids’ favorite camp this summer!
The Muse is Knoxville’s science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) museum for children. With the outside playground, the exhibits, and the planetarium shows my kids are never bored. My four-year-old son’s favorite spot is the illumination station and my science-minded seven-year-old gal has fun exploring the STEM station. The Muse also offers a ton of camps in response to the increasing childcare challenges faced by families in Knoxville. The camps are affordable and the museum also offers free-of-charge childcare scholarships whenever Knox County Schools are closed. The Muse is such a gem!
Right around the corner from The Muse is one of my favorite coffee shops in all of Knoxville. Not only does Perk City have wonderful drinks and delicious food items, but their customer service is incredible and they make you feel at home. The coffee shop is dedicated to creating a sense of community in the Park City neighborhood so you’ll find many people working, hanging out, and getting to know one another. There are photos on the wall showing the history of the neighborhood and celebrating its life and culture. The owner has started a Pay It Forward board where customers can buy a drink or snack for someone who may not be able to afford it. Don’t miss the infamous Incredibite, the shop’s in-house baked monkey bread! Yum.
Just up from Perk City on Magnolia Avenue, you’ll find the drive-in Pizza Palace. A Knoxville staple for over 60 years, the Pizza Palace gained much attention after being featured in the first season of Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Crowd favorites include the spaghetti, onions rings, and of course, the homemade pizza. If you are in the area, this is a must-do item!
East Knoxville
From the Park City area, head east to the Knoxville Botanical Gardens and Arboretum. Plug 2743 Wimpole Avenue into your GPS to get to the parking lot of the VIsitor’s Center! The garden is 47 acres so we haven’t quite finished exploring all of it! A couple family favorites are the bamboo forest and the Secret Garden (inspired by Frances Hodgson Burnett’s book) both located near the parking lot. The Every Child Outdoor Garden allows children to explore growing fruits and vegetables during field trips, summer camps, or at the weekly Story Thyme. The gardens would also be a truly beautiful place for family photos!
Southeast from the gardens is Holston River Park, 44 acres of open green space, a playground, shelters, and walking/running/biking trails. If you are a water person, this park contains two fishing piers and a kayak/canoe launch. The Holston River Greenway runs through the park and there is also a natural surface trail. The views here are gorgeous and the air feels lighter. This is one of my favorite places to go for a walk and give my kids the chance to run around and explore.
Still on our list
We have only lived here for 15 months and our list continues to grow of other things we want to check out in East Knoxville:
- The Bottom is a locally-owned bookshop that is creating a space for community in a variety of beautiful ways.
- Kings Wings is located on Magnolia Avenue near Pizza Palace and I cannot wait to try these wings!
- Last Days of Autumn Brewery has a cool outdoor space right outside of downtown on Magnolia.
- The historic Mabry-Hazen House is located on Dandridge Avenue. Built in 1858, it housed three generations of the same family. The museum is home to one of the largest family collections with over 2,500 pieces.
- Just a little bit farther up Dandridge is the Beck Cultural Exchange Center. Born out of the Urban Renewal which displaced much of the city’s black community, the purpose of the Center is to be a repository for the contributions, history, and culture of African Americans in East Tennessee. Belk Cultural Exchange Center preserves and teaches Black history and culture while also creating a space to build community through the exchange of ideas and stories.
