knoxville bus tours 2022

The 10 Best Tours to Take in Knoxville, Tennessee

By: Author Laurin

Posted on Last updated: September 14, 2023

Categories Activities , Knoxville , Northeast Tennessee

Booking a tour from our list of best tours in Knoxville will have you exploring the city of Knoxville and beyond!

Tours can take away the stresses of decision-making on things to do while visiting a new city, giving you more time to explore.

Situated almost exactly halfway between the Great Smoky Mountains and the Cumberland Plateau, Knoxville has all the charm of a mountain town.

It’s also one of the largest urban hubs in Appalachia, drawing visitors with its scenery, abundance of restaurants, breweries and distilleries, shopping, live music, nightlife, hotels , and sports.

With so much to see and do indoors and out, one of the best ways to truly experience The Marble City is by booking some of the best tours in Knoxville .

Knoxville tours cover the gamut of interests, from moonshine and local craft beer to aerial helicopter tours and the stunning Great Smoky Mountains National Park, just an hour away.

Keep reading to see what tours are offered in and around Knoxville below!

Table of Contents

The 10 Best Tours in Knoxville, Tennessee

1. a taste of knoxville brew hop.

Knoxville is renowned for its craft beer scene , offering a vast variety of incredible settings to enjoy a brew. In fact, the city has its very own Knoxville Ale Trail , with more than 30 breweries!

This brew hop is unique among tours in Knoxville, allowing you to DIY your very own brewery crawl ! You can pick your starting and ending points, and spend however much time you’d like at each spot. Five local favorites including Printshop Beer Co. (try a sour!) and Elst Brewing Co. are included. 

Not only does this Knoxville tour offer a flexible schedule that you create yourself, but it also includes all five destinations at a fixed rate. In other words, hop on and off the bus visiting as many breweries as your heart desires, all for one flat rate!

Combined with free water and wi-fi on the bus, and free cancellation up until 24 hours before, it’s easy to see why this is rated as one of the best tours in Knoxville!

Book A Taste of Knoxville Brew Hop Tour Here 🍺

2. Knoxville Scavenger Hunt: Knoxville’s Perfect Blend

A real-life scavenger hunt is the perfect way to discover Knoxville’s rich history and cultural attractions.

This tour weaves through some of Knoxville’s most notable locations , all stitched together with super fun clues, riddles, and challenges. Interesting spots in the city, like Bijou Theater and Blount Mansion, are even more fun to explore when there’s a bit of adventure added!

Designed for a group of friends or family , the challenges range from taking silly pictures together to testing your knowledge with some tricky trivia.

Best of all, the scavenger hunt has a team-building energy and friendly competition element, perfect for bringing loved ones together — something not all tours in Knoxville can claim!

Everything is done through an app, so there’s no need to worry about scheduling an exact time. Simply check the forecast, wear comfortable clothing and shoes, and hit the streets!

This excursion involves walking but is also wheelchair- and stroller-accessible. 

Book the Knoxville Scavenger Hunt Here 🔎

3. Knoxville’s Country Music Heritage: A Self-Guided Audio Tour

Nashville may be more closely associated with music, but Knoxville boasts its own vibrant heritage.

Performers like Elvis Presley and Dolly Parton have done noteworthy performances in Knoxville! To get an authentic taste of this rich history, embark on a self-guided walking tour through the heart of the city .

For just $6, this low-commitment activity vividly tells the remarkable stories of various venues and historic buildings in pleasant downtown Knoxville.

It touches on how the city contributed to country music, through home-grown talent and performers who accelerated their careers here.

This Knoxville tour lasts up to 1.5 hours and weaves through several downtown blocks. Make sure to wear appropriate, comfortable footwear and check the forecast.

Book the Country Music Heritage Tour Here 🤠

4. Knoxville Food Tours

We couldn’t talk about the best tours in Knoxville without including Knoxville Food Tours !

In just a few hours on this fun and flavorful experience, you’ll get a literal taste of The South.

The diverse sampling of Knoxville’s best restaurants includes Southern and Appalachian classics, plus some surprises.

This is a walking tour (about one mile total), so it also presents an excellent way to get the lay of the land of downtown Knoxville.

Local historian and author Paula Johnson leads the tours through Market Square and Gay Street. You’ll visit 4-6 establishments, depending on the time of year and itinerary.

Tours are held Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and last 2.5-3 hours.

Please note that alcoholic beverages are available but not included in the tour price. Be sure to bring some extra money to cover that, as well as gratuity for your guide! However, tips for individual restaurant servers are included.

Other Tours Near Knoxville (Within an Hour’s Drive)

5. sharing nature with children.

Traveling with little ones and not quite sure how best to dive into Knoxville’s beautiful natural surroundings? This immersive tour pairs families with experienced, child-oriented guides!

The activities are hands-on and intuitive, leading to smiles from the kiddos and adults alike.

From face-painting with rocks to learning about settler history and salamander hunting, participants consistently comment that these tours thoroughly entertain everyone .

4-hour tours start at a highly-rated cafe (perfect for an adult caffeine fix!) and continue on to Great Smoky Mountains National Park . The guide does an incredible job selecting a trail that feels like an adventure but is also approachable for all ages and experience levels.

Keep in mind that getting a bit muddy is part of the fun (one of the things that makes this one of the most memorable tours in Knoxville!), so bring a change of clothes.

Book the Sharing Nature with Children Tour Here 🌱

6. Family-Friendly Floating Tour at the Smokies

When the infamous East Tennessee heat sets in, it’s time to hit the river! This rafting tour, led by a knowledgeable guide, combines just enough adrenaline to get the heart pumping with some excellent calm swimming holes.

Safety is paramount, as this tour near Knoxville is specifically for families with children three and older , so you can rest assured the trip isn’t too intense. The rafts each accommodate up to eight people, so they’re large enough for the entire family.

In addition to expertly navigating through class I and II rapids (gentle), the tour stops at a small island with games, nature trails, and excellent spots to kick back and relax. The entire float spans six miles of the river, plenty to see amazing scenery but also very manageable!

Many participants note they love the guides, who add a personable twist that makes the experience even more entertaining.

The tour departs from a launch point along the Pigeon River, just under an hour’s drive from Knoxville . Rafts go out rain or shine, but if the forecast looks especially bad, you can take advantage of free cancellation up to 24 hours prior.

Book this Floating Tour in the Smokies Here 🚣

7. Tickets to Paula Deen’s Lumberjack Feud Show

Want to witness a truly unique cultural attraction? Book a ticket to watch a lively event filled with talented lumberjacks sawing, hacking, climbing, and even jousting in front of a live audience!

The family-friendly show features 13 individual events over 90 minutes. Audience interaction is strongly encouraged and oftentimes, kids get to join in on the fun!

The show is in Pigeon Forge , a charming town 40 minutes from Knoxville. It’s filled with excellent options for dining and drinking, so you can make a whole night of it and hit the town before or after.

Like many other tours in or near Knoxville, there’s free cancellation up to 24 hours beforehand, so book your preferred date and time ASAP — tickets do often sell out.

Book Paula Deen’s Lumberjack Feud Show Here 🪓

8. Ridge Runner Helicopter Tour

Most tours hit the road…but how about one that flies the skies? This helicopter flight soars over the treetops of the Smokies, offering excellent vistas and adrenaline-inducing fun .

Referred to as the “Ridge Runner,” this 15-minute flight traverses the Chilhowee mountain range and offers a birds-eye view of Pigeon Forge and Sevierville.

In addition to flying the helicopter, the pilot points out fascinating details about the region, both in historical and natural aspects.

Although many people think sunny weather is best, misty days offer an unforgettable experience! Similar to other Knoxville tours, free cancellation means rescheduling is easy when the forecast is grim!

Book the Ridge Runner Helicopter Tour Here 🚁

9. Pigeon Forge Wine and Moonshine Tour

Knoxville may be known for its craft beer scene, but outside the city, it’s all about moonshine !

The Brewery Hop organizers, one of the tours in Knoxville mentioned earlier, also offer this highly-rated excursion to Pigeon Forge.

The bus stops at two wineries and two distilleries (so it’s especially handy that transportation is taken care of!). Between all four tasting rooms, you’ll try red and white wines, plus nearly a dozen varieties of locally-produced moonshine. 

After sampling a variety of beverages, the tour even includes a behind-the-scenes look at production. So while the experience involves a fair amount of tipsy fun, it’s also culturally enriching!

In addition to the personable bar staff, you’ll have an outgoing driver/guide who gives background on each stop.

Book this Pigeon Forge Wine & Moonshine Tour Here 🍷

10. Great Smoky Mountains National Park Self-Driving Tour

A trip to Knoxville simply isn’t complete without a visit to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park!

In an expansive park with many sections, it can be overwhelming to figure out what to see first. Instead, book a self-guided tour with a pre-planned route to take care of the details!

This Knoxville “tour” is actually an app with an itinerary and accompanying audio narration for a relaxing drive.

It even downloads offline, so there’s no need to worry about cell signal! Simply drive to the starting point and hit play. Best of all, it’s only $15 per vehicle! 

The narration covers Cherokee history, with added immersion through animated clips in the app. It also includes wildlife descriptions and stops at some of the park’s most breathtaking sights.

Think of iconic Clingman’s Dome and Rainbow Falls. With a starting point less than an hour from Knoxville, this tour is a totally doable day trip!

Book the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Tour Here 🚙

Which of these best tours in Knoxville intrigues you the most? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

Featured Image Credit: Brew Bus Knoxville

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Guided & Self-Guided Tours in Knoxville

We can’t wait to show you around Knoxville and share its many stories!  From fly- fishing to food , boos to brews , we have lots of options to educate and entertain. Knoxville is a very easy city to navigate, whether on foot or cruising around town. Add some entertainment and education to your day with one or more of these tours. For more information, contact the Downtown Visitors Center .

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Knoxville, TN 37912

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Love traveling with Knoxville Tours! You leave a customer and you return as family! There were so many additions to the itinerary like Standing on the corner in Winslow AZ, The Santa Monica Pier, Santa Barbara and more.... Our accommodations are excellent and the bus is equipped with tv screens, Wi-Fi, outlets, usb ports and the all important cup holders so you can build a nest for your trip. Where else do you get dropped off your coach near a door and picked back up in your AC cooled coach to travel on to your next excursion or adventure. Highly recommend Knoxville Tours and the Pacific Coast Tour!!

We traveled with Knoxville Tours and Travel for 20 years throughout the United States and Canada. The drivers and tour directors were always excellent. This company is exceptional.

This was a terrible experience!! The first bus driver we had do not tell us that are bus had some problems with over heating! When we got our new bus driver she didn't know that it had some problems. We had to pull over about 3 times on our way to the first stop. Then our second stop to our hotel it kept over heating! She went to 3 different places and known could fix it!! We had to get a new bus, just because of ONE PERSON! I do not recommend this tour center!

I've done several trips with Knoxville Tours (two of them were 9+ hour drives) and have thoroughly enjoyed them all. Going down the road to New Orleans, driving through Charleston, even the mountains of Tennessee. The drivers have always been friendly and courteous, and it's a great value for the money. This is a really great way to travel and see the country. Stewart, the owner, really gives you a lot of attention to detail to make sure thee experience is great.

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301 Church Avenue Knoxville, TN 37915

General Office: 865-215-7800

Office hours: Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Service Change

ALL BUS ROUTES

New Service Schedules in Effect

We are still operating on reduced service, but effective Monday, April 8, 2024, we are returning some service back to pre-COVID levels. Click here for more information.

For the most up-to-date information on short-term detours, download the Transit app .

Schedules & Maps

Bus & trolley routes.

Route 10: Sequoyah Hills

Route 11: Kingston Pike

Route 13: Beaumont

Blue Line: Knoxville Station, The Civic Coliseum and waterfront pathway

System Alerts

Transportation services.

Knoxville Area Transit provides a variety of outstanding services to get you where you need to go. KAT operates fixed route buses, trolleys, and paratransit service across the City of Knoxville. We carry around 3 million passengers each year and strive to provide a comfortable, safe and professional transportation experience.

As a result of our current workforce shortage, several bus routes are currently operating on a reduced service schedules. Click here for details on reduced service schedules.

Fixed Bus Routes

KAT’s Fixed Route service provides quality transportation throughout the City of Knoxville. We believe in safe and reliable public transit for all Knoxville residents and visitors. With 23 routes servicing over 1,100 bus stops, KAT reaches more than 80,000 Knoxville residents within a quarter mile of a bus stop.

Route 19: Lakeshore

Route 22: Broadway

Route 30: Parkridge

Route 33: MLK Jr. Avenue

Route 41: Chapman Highway

Route 45: Vestal

Route 16: Cedar Bluff

Route 20: Central Street

Route 23: Millertown

Route 31: Magnolia

Route 34: Burlington

Route 42: Fort Sanders/UT Hospital

Route 90: Crosstown

Route 12: Western Avenue

Route 17: Sutherland

Route 21: Lincoln Park

Route 24: Inskip

Route 32: Dandridge Avenue

Route 40: South Knoxville

Route 44: University Park Apartments

The Knoxville Trolley is one of the most popular symbols of our city, and it’s completely free for all passengers.

There are three trolley routes that serve Downtown Knoxville and the UT area. Trolley maps are available at several locations throughout downtown, including Knoxville Station Transit Center.

• Blue Line | Knoxville Station, The Civic Coliseum and waterfront pathway.
• Green Line | The Old City and Gay Street
• Orange Line | University of Tennessee and Downtown

Please Note: Trolleys do not run on Saturdays when there is a UT home football game or on Sundays.

Paratransit: The LIFT

KAT offers paratransit service for those who are unable to use regular fixed-route buses. The LIFT, a door-to-door service, is provided by reservation only, and passengers must be certified by KAT to use the service. All LIFT passengers must re-apply every two years in order to keep their certification current. The LIFT handbook (PDF) contains detailed information on using the service. Anyone wishing to apply for LIFT certification should read the handbook prior to filling out the application (PDF) .

Note: We are unable to accept electronic LIFT applications as a portion of the application must be filled out and signed by the applicant’s healthcare provider.

The fare to use the LIFT service for one ride is $2.

Trips must be scheduled by 4 p.m. the day before service is requested. In order to ensure your trip is arranged as close as possible to your desired schedule, we recommend at least 7 days advance notice. Trips may be booked up to 10 days in advance. On the day of your trip, be ready to go early and have your fare available. Cost for the service is $2 each way ($4 round-trip).

Visiting From Out of Town?

KAT will accept documentation from your home public transit entity that shows you are ADA paratransit eligible.Please submit your completed LIFT application by email to  [email protected]  OR by fax to 865-215-7820 .

If you have any other questions or need further information about the LIFT, please call 865-215-7850 .

Please submit your completed LIFT application by email to  [email protected]  OR by fax to 865-215-7820 .

Holiday Schedules

Holidays kat is closed.

New Year’s Day Independence Day Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day

Holidays KAT Runs Sunday Schedules

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Memorial Day Juneteenth Labor Day Day after Thanksgiving Christmas Eve

KAT’s administrative offices and the Customer Service Counter are closed on all the holidays listed above.

Football Service Options & Game Detours/Delays

Football shuttle service.

Every year, hundreds of Vols fans use public transit to get to the game and back home. KAT currently offers several options for passengers to enjoy football games at Neyland Stadium in a way that’s safe, easy and affordable.

KAT provides shuttle service to all Saturday University of Tennessee home football games during the regular fall football season. If you need more information, please call 865-637-3000 .

Using Fixed Routes to Get To (and From) a Vols Football Game

To help fans get to games using regular bus service, Knoxville Area Transit has created Passenger Playbooks : special color-coded cheat sheets to get to and from the game using five key routes. The special ‘Passenger Playbooks’ include information on travel time, where to catch the bus along the route, cost, and how to get back after the game.

Saturday UT Football Home Game Detours

On Saturdays when UT has a home football game, the routes listed below are scheduled to go on detour at the end of each football game. EXACT TIMING IS TO BE DETERMINED based on the scheduled game time, how long the game lasts, when Knoxville Police Department closes down roads, and game day traffic.

• Outbound: From Knoxville Station, left on Church, left on Hall of Fame, left on Summit Hill onto Western to regular route
• Inbound: From Western continue onto Summit Hill, right on Hall of Fame, right on Church into Knoxville Station
• Stops affected: ALL Downtown stops, ALL STOPS on 17th
• Outbound: From Church, left on Gay, right on Cumberland, left onto Henley to regular route
• Inbound: From Henley, right on Main, left on State, right on Church into Knoxville Station
• Stops affected: Church @ Walnut, Church EB @ Gay (inbound)

Route 42: Fort Sanders/ UT Med Centers

• Outbound: From Church, left on Gay, right on Cumberland, left onto US 129/Alcoa Hwy
• Inbound: From Cumberland, continue straight onto into Main, left on State, right on Church into Knoxville Station
• Stops Affected: Church @ Walnut, ALL STOPS on Clinch, ALL STOPS on 22nd, Locust @ UT Conference Center, Church EB @ Gay (inbound)

*Other routes may be affected if KPD shuts down additional roads.

It is possible these detours may begin earlier if KPD needs to shut down roads due to traffic or other safety concerns. This is especially likely on rivalry game days.

Game Day Delays

Please expect delays due to game day traffic on our fixed route service, especially on Route 11: Kingston Pike . We recommend you plan ahead and leave early for your destination. We also recommend you download our free app, Transit , to track your bus in real time.

For any questions, please call 865-637-3000 .

Snow Routes

Safety is our main concern, especially during winter, when the weather can create dangerous road conditions.

In the event of a snowfall, when road conditions become dangerous, KAT may operate on one of two service levels, “ Snow Routes ” or “ Severe Snow Routes ,” depending on how difficult the weather conditions become. Click the button below to learn how each KAT route is affected when operating on Snow Routes.

When weather conditions worsen, tune into a local radio station or TV channel to find out if KAT will operate on Snow Routes. The most current information can be found on our website, our Facebook page , our Twitter , or use our official app, Transit . For more information, call us at 865-637-3000 .

12 Day Fall New England

Price for this Tour

Single: $5,350

Twin: $4,350

Triple: $4,000

7 Meals Included

Additional information.

Tour# 24024

October 01-12, 2024

Overnight Stops

Chambersburg, PA

Danbury, CT

Kennenbunkport, ME

Bar Harbor, ME (2)

North Conway, NH

Burlington, VT (2)

Lake Placid

Tour Highlights

Tour us military academy, west point cadet chapel, lunch at hotel thayer, strawberry bank museum, tour the kennenbunks, view president george h. w. bush’s summer home, shopping ll bean freeport, lobster bake bar harbor, tour acadia national park, cadillac mountain summit, lighthouse cruise bar harbor, maine coast, castle in the clouds, new hampshire’s white mountains, scenic kancamagus hwy., lunch at tripp family lodge, tour trapp family lodge, ferry across lake champlain, view asuable river, wilmington notch, lunch at lake placid, tour olympic center lake placid, driver through adirondack mountains, dinner in skaneatels, corning museum of glass, if you would like to make a reservation for this tour, please fill out the form below and we will get back to you., important information, *if your tour travels outside the u.s. and/or involves cruise or air, we must have your full name as it appears on birth certificate, passport and/or driver license with photo..

*Please do not change boarding point without notifying ahead of time.

*See  General   Info  page for required deposit amounts.

*If you wish to use a credit card, after submitting your reservation, we will contact you by phone regarding credit card information. ​