Favorite Parks of Knoxville

Are you stuck in a park rut? Most of us probably frequent the park closest to us because, well, you know, kids, and it’s just so much more convenient than driving halfway across town to a park you have never been to. But here’s the thing momma! We are all always looking for free or inexpensive things to do with our kids, and guess what? The parks are completely free, and they all offer different things than the one down the street from you does — so put your kiddos in a car and go exploring.

I don’t know if you have looked at the Knoxville Moms Park Guide lately, but it is a pretty extensive list. While the cities and counties offer up a list of their parks, they might only have a small thumbnail of something that resembles a slide and a swing set, but you can’t quite be sure. Or they might not have any photos at all so you just have to rely on word of mouth that the park is great. Well, if you are in a rut going to the same old park or you just moved to town, I am happy to help share some of the favorite parks of Knoxville. And, wait for it…pictures are included! So you can actually get a feel for amenities and setting. For a full photo gallery of these 9 favorite parks, click here.

McFee Park

917 McFee Road
Knoxville, TN 37934

McFee has everything you could want in a park in more. It has an awesome splash pad (check), an enormous playground with something for kids of all ages (check), and they are just mere feet apart (check). There are two great pavilions available to rent, centrally located bathrooms, and nearby soccer fields if the kids just need to run off some energy. It’s also tucked away from major traffic or roads which is a plus in my book.  The only downside to McFee is that on scorching hot days, the playground equipment can get too hot for the kids, so just keep that in mind!

Victor Ashe Park

4901 Bradshaw Rd
Knoxville, TN 37912

Victor Ashe Park is about a twenty minute drive from where I live, and it wasn’t really on my radar until I met a friend there. This park kicked off my curiosity about all of the other awesome local parks I must be missing out on. While it doesn’t have a splash pad, it has a terrific playground for kids of all ages, a pavilion, an amazing walking trail that goes a little over half a mile around the playground and an enormous field in the middle (4 soccer fields worth — perfect for kite flying), as well as a dog park! Did I mention it also has an 18-hole disc golf course?! Seriously, it’s the park that just keeps on giving. It also has a volleyball court and a pond for fishing. If you really just want to get out and walk, the greenway passes by some horse and llama farms.

World’s Fair Park

963 Worlds Fair Park Dr
Knoxville, TN 37916

World’s Fair Park is an absolute must. Smack dab in the middle of downtown, it lends itself to entire day of activities beyond your typical park. The Knoxville Museum of Art is just across the street, and every kid should experience a visit to the top of the Sunsphere while growing up in Knoxville. It’s also not too much trouble to settle your kids into their strollers and wander up to Market Square for a snack and a stroll through Krutch Park too! But those are just some of the added bonuses of World’s Fair Park. The park itself has a hulking splash pad (can you really call it a splash pad? More like fountains in my opinion), a great playground, and a beautifully manicured lawn to picnic on. The only con in my book is that it is a well-trafficked playground so when I went to snap some shots, some of the playground equipment was out of order — but with so much to do, that’s just a minor detail. The bathrooms are also a small trek away from the playground and fountains, just to be warned!

The Cove at Concord

11808 S Northshore Dr.
Knoxville, TN 37922

While living in Tennessee is great, the only downfall is that we live in a landlocked state. The closest beach is about 6 hours away…or is it? While it may not be salt water, we do have our very own beach right here in Knoxville at The Cove at Concord. This gorgeous setting features a waterfront paved trail, a swimming “beach,” volleyball courts, public fishing areas, a playground, and picnic areas abound. The absolute best part? In the warm months, you can rent canoes, kayaks and SUPs from River Sports at the Cove. Honestly, this is the park that doesn’t end. If you are up for an adventure, there are other spread out areas to the park along Northshore, such as the dog park, baseball fields, soccer fields, the boat launch, skate park, etc. You might have to hop in the car and drive a little bit, but you can plan an entire day around at The Cove at Concord.

Anchor Park

11730 Turkey Creek Rd.
Farragut, TN 37934

Looking for a picture-perfect picnic setting? I highly recommend Anchor Park. It is beautifully situated on the water with two fishing piers, three different picnic facilities, a playground, a large sandbox, and even a set-up for horseshoes. There are basketball courts, a softball field, a volleyball court, and exercise stations to take the kids around for some good old-fashioned activity.

Island Home Park

Do you have a kid that loves airplanes? If so, then jetset on over to Island Home Park, situated on the water and in the cozy historic neighborhood of Island Home. With the Island Home Airport being nearby, planes and helicopters are constantly overhead. There is a great playground with plenty of shade and cover so the kids don’t get too hot, and a paved loop around the park connects to Will Skelton Greenway, which has an incredible display of sunflowers the first few weeks of July (can we say photo op?!) and also to Ijams Nature Center. There are also some tennis courts, a ball field, and of course a pavilion. And if by chance you happen to a canoe (or something like it), there is also a canoe launch. For a full gallery, click here.

Carl Cowan Park

Carl Cowan is another hit for us because it has such a great splash pad, and it’s right near the water as well so if they kids want to fish, they can fish right off of a pier. It’s also home to basketball courts, tennis courts, and a playground. There are both paved and natural paths to take the kids around. There is also a boat launch so it will be fun for the kids to watch the boats coast along the water. I won’t deny that this is one popular playground so the splash pad is always hopping in the summer (except apparently at 7 pm when I took these photos). Also, the playground and splash pad are separated by a high-traffic parking lot so it’s not convenient for the kids to run back and forth between the two unless they are older.

Lakeshore Park

This is a terrific park with stunning views of the mountains and Fort Loudon Lake, a playground, ball fields, soccer fields and picnic areas.  Not to mention, it’s also home to a Farmer’s Market on Fridays. But I will warn you, this park is HUGE so it’s easy to get lost (I did) driving around it. So a heads up, if you are a first-time goer, the playground is located toward the back of the park, past the ball fields.

The Hank Rappé Playground is an universal playground designed to be inclusive for children of every ability and includes a resilient surface, multiple play areas and special equipment. It is named in memory of Hank Rappé, the son of Dr. Matt and Brandy Rappé, who passed away on April 5, 2013 – two days before his first Knox Youth Sports tee-ball game at Lakeshore Park.

Mayor Bob Leonard Park

301 Watt Road
Knoxville, TN 37934

This mega sports complex supports both athletic and recreational activities. Mayor Bob Leonard Park hosts 10 playing fields, all but one having lights, along with concessions and restrooms. The sand volleyball court is lighted for those that want to play in the evening hours and you won’t have to fight for a net as there are 3 available. The lighted playground will keep children happy during evening games. The most unique feature of the park lies in its heart — the park centers around a beautiful wetlands area with a lighted trail, boardwalk and observation deck. There are 4 paved greenway trails that loop sections of the park, depending on where and how far you’d like to walk or run. Both the greenway and the playground are ADA accessible.

Karns Community Park

6618 Beaver Ridge Rd
Knoxville, TN 37931

Did we mention SHADE? This park has wonderful shade for those hot summer months and the reason it continues to be a favorite of our team.

Lenoir City Park

This playground in the heart of downtown on Broadway Street gives children of all abilities a wonderful place to play. The main play structures are under large awnings to give kids plenty of shade on hot summer days. The playground is also fenced in, which especially helps moms like me who have a runner on their hands! There are brand new restrooms and changing tables are in the works for them. You can access the playground parking lot via Rock Springs Road.

BlueCross Healthy Place at Town Hall Park

11408 Municipal Center
Farragut, TN 37934

The Town of Farragut was chosen by the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Foundation to receive a $750,000 play space in 2021. It is one of 10 play spaces that will be built across the state in celebration of the company’s 75^th anniversary.

It has a swing area, a 2-12 play area with ramped accessible play system with shade, slides, challenging climbing elements, merry-go-all, ground level musical play, sensory cove, and whirlwind seat.

 Which is your favorite Knoxville Park? Let me know for a future edition and so we can keep adding to our Favorite Parks Gallery!