This was a great little side trip that we had drove by and decided to stop and look around. They…read moreare only open certain days so check before you go. They have guided tours which cost ($5 for adults and $4 for kids), but worth it since you actually get some history and get to go in the different buildings. You can also just walk around and look for free, you just can't go in the buildings. Our tour guide was really informative and patient with my son who had a million questions. We plan on going back and walking around more since we only got to do the front part because of the time (we had somewhere else to be at a certain time). There is about 35 acres total. They also have a small gift shop and restrooms.

The Sunsphere is an amazing architectural wonder and remnant from the 1982 World's Fair in…read moreKnoxville. My visit to the Sunsphere made my day. The 342' steel structure was designed by Don Shell and completed in 1982. The glass on the 75' sphere is coated with gold dust. During the World's Fair, a small restaurant operated at the top and visitors could visit the observation deck for $2. We were passing through Knoxville and my daughter wanted to visit. Today, visitors can pay to go up to the observation deck of the giant structure. ($10 for adults). You can buy tickets on line or at the Sunsphere. When we arrived, the Sphere was closed until 1:30, so we did not go up in it. But we enjoyed walking around and taking photos. There is parking a block south and the walk through the park is lovely. There is a drop off circle near the Sunshpere as well. Let's are not allowed in the structure.

Knoxville wanted to do something truly special for the 1982 World's Fair. The result was the…read moreSunsphere. The theme for the fair was "Energy turns the world" and Knoxville showcased solar energy by creating a replica of the Sun. I was fortunate enough to visit the Sunsphere during their "free local days" and all you need to show is your license to prove you're local to Knoxville. More free local days will be announced throughout the coming year, so stay tuned. Definitely recommend elevating your view of our little city by visiting the Sunsphere. Know Before You Go: ~ $10 tickets per adult and also annual passes can be bought in person. $40 for an individual annual pass or $120 for a family pass. Both passes are good for a calendar year. ~24 kt. gold panels are actually glass layered with gold dust. ~The Sunsphere observation deck was re-opened on February 22, 2022. The floor offers a 360-degree view of the Great Smoky Mountains, World's Fair Park, the Tennessee River, and the UT Campus. ~There is a small gift shop offering everything from Sunsphere Christmas ornaments, tee shirts, Sunsphere coffee tumblers, stickers, postcards, and more.

An amazing and unforgettable experience - perhaps the crowning jewel of our entire trip. Olivia was…read morea knowledgeable and personable guide. I loved hearing about how the cave was discovered by little kids - brothers - who spent their childhoods playing in it, and how they later grew up to save enough money to buy it outright and keep it in the family thereafter (and it's still privately owned by the family to this day!) At the start, we were a bit concerned about the amount of walking - and in particular, the steps. Our youngest is at the age where he wants to be independent, but he needs extra time to manage stairs (and some of those passages were narrow and steep enough to where we didn't feel comfortable carrying him) but we needn't have worried. Our large group had some adults who needed extra time with stairs, as well as people who took full advantage of our pace to snap more photos (and I've been on another cave tour where we were rushed through and unable to take many photos at all); nobody seemed to mind. I was also worried about not bringing a sweater, as the cave is 58 degrees year round, but it's a little bit of a workout which keeps you warm. If you have any health issues like a heart condition or anything affecting the function of your lungs it might be too intense (I'm just fat, and it was mildly strenuous: just when your heart starts to pound and you're breath is coming in faster you've reached your next destination and you return to resting state - this happens a couple times.) The cave is like being on another planet. We snapped some amazing photos. When it was time to return to the world above, my kids were sad that it was over.

If you're heading to Townsend. Tuckaleechee Caverns is a must-do…read more This place is absolutely worth the visit. Pricing is reasonable, and the experience is unforgettable. We had Kash as our tour guide and he was fantastic, energetic, kind, and amazing with kids. He kept everyone engaged, answered every question, and clearly knows the caverns inside and out. Even in a large group, you could still hear him clearly throughout the walk. The tour runs about 1.5 hours and covers over a mile underground. Be ready for stairs, lots of them (around 87 steep steps on the way out), and this is not wheelchair or stroller accessible. The cave floor is wet, so good shoes are a must. You'll also duck in a few spots, but not constantly. The views are unreal: a waterfall, a stream, stalactites, stalagmites, and massive natural columns you get to see up close while learning the history behind them. It stays cool inside, but you'll warm up from all the walking. It's well organized even when multiple groups are passing each other, and everything flows smoothly. The gift shop is also a win: well stocked, fair prices, and they accept cards. Bottom line: if you love nature, caves, geology, or just want a unique family experience, this is 100% worth your time.

FORT SANDERS HISTORICAL MARKER…read more Nothing remains of the site known as Fort Sanders. Just a few years following the war, homes were being built on this historical site. However, I was determined to locate the historical marker and stand on the site that serves as a reminder of this famous . So as we are following the address in the GPS, we see nothing. We are clearly in a residential area and I know that I am looking for a marker. As traffic starts to back up, I decide to just get out and walk. I'm looking all over and eventually catch up to the car because there was nothing at the indicated address As we turn the corner, I see a sign. OMG, I tell my husband to pull over quickly and I literally jump out of the car. SCORRRRRRRRRRRRRRE!! I was so excited and a bit shocked to realize that the markers and monument are located in the most random spot you could ever imagine. It is literally in a mixed use area next to a side walk. If you didn't see the specific signs that actually border this landmark, you might assume that this is just a large misplaced rock. Fort Sanders has an important place in history because it represents a significant battle in Civil War history, and especially the city of Knoxville. On November 29, 1863, approximately 180 men were killed while hundreds more were injured during a battle that only lasted for 20 minutes. Next time you drive or walk by that big rock, THINK about that. ***The stone marker was erected by the Knoxville Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy on November 29, 1914. It is inscribed with the following words: Nor wreck, nor change, nor winter's blight, Nor Time's remorseless doom, Shall dim one ray of glory's light That gilds your glorious tomb.

Market Square in downtown Knoxville has so much to offer. There are numerous shops and restaurants…read moreto explore, or you can simply sit on one of the benches and watch life go by. I highly recommend a visit. The atmosphere is more lively and safe than some cities I've been to, and it gives big city energy with small hometown hospitality.

The square is really cute and has shops and restaurants all along the perimeter. It has a stage…read moreand hosts lots of different types of events.

I love historical places, and I have been drawn to this place each time I've driven by. It was…read moreempty for a long while, then purchased, restored and made into a B&B. I googled it, and saw on Zillow about a year ago it was purchased once again, maybe now a beautiful home for someone. The house bones need a family! The Wheatland Plantation grew wheat thus the name. Wheatlands, was established as a family farm by Revolutionary War veteran Timothy Chandler in 1791. Wheatlands had become one of the largest plantations in the county. Measuring 4,600 acres the farm produced oats, sweet potatoes, hogs, cattle, wool, and distilled 18,000 gallons of whiskey a year from its immense wheat crop. Wheatlands is an antebellum plantation in Sevier County, Tennessee. And is the location of the revolutionary war site "The Battle of Boyd's Creek." The present day plantation house was occupied during the Civil War as a field house and winter camp. There is a graveyard in the back yard. Still at the site are the Federal-style, three-story brick home that was built in 1825 as well as the separate kitchen and dining building to the rear, a loom building and a smokehouse. When the overgrown seven-acre property was recently cleared of years of overgrowth, they found Cedar Spring and a pond it feeds, the slave cemetery near Boyds Creek and the mound where it is believed that Cherokees were buried who were killed by John Sevier on his way back from King's Mountain. An archaeological team also found the thick stone floor of a shed that was believed to have held the distillery product. Also it is noted of many hauntings. One of the most famous ghosts of Wheatlands Plantation is Granny Jane, a former slave who allegedly practiced voodoo. Her spirit is said to protect the house from intruders, often making her presence known to those who mean harm. Another well-known ghost is Lucy, a young girl who died tragically on the plantation grounds. Lucy is often seen playing near the house, her laughter echoing in the air. Other spirits include a Civil War soldier, whose ghost roams the grounds, and several children who appear in old-fashioned clothing, playing games from a bygone era. Furthermore, each of these spirits has a story that adds depth to the haunted plantation's eerie charm.

I love to see historic structures and this one is within Great Smokey Mountain National Park, not…read moretoo far from Gatlinburg. The farmstead of Noah "Bud" Ogle is preserved and visitors are allowed to walk through the log house and wander the former property. There is no charge. Ogle was an early settler in the area. He owned 400 acres (well before the land was Park) and raised corn and apples. He built the cabin in the 1880's. A mill on the property was used to grind the corn. Parking is limited, maybe twelve spaces. A parking pass is required that can be purchased at any visitors center. There is a 3/4 mile nature trail leading into the forest with spring flowers in bloom.

Great short hike [less than a mile] but AMAZING views along the path of the nature. There are a…read morecouple of historic buildings [Bud Ogles Cabin and the Mill] along the walk. Even with the forest fire almost 10 years ago, these buildings are still standing today!!

This is an old cotton mill built in the early 1800s by the Lenoir family (lineage from…read moreRevolutionary War soldiers). During the Civil War's East Tennessee campaign it was almost burned down like other confederate supply buildings in the area. But it's claim to fame is that it was saved thanks to the passing of secret Masonic signs by the son of the mill's founder and union soldiers. Yup. Oh those good ol' ever-intriguing freemasons. Much of the damage you see now is due to age and actually to arsonist fire in the 1990s, apparently. Still, it's not much to look at. You'll have to use some imagination here. I wouldn't make this your primary destination or anything, but if you are in the area, this is worth a look.