Beautiful murals everywhere you look. Amazing coffee, delicious food, and fun drinks all within walking distance. Basically, Knoxville is amazing and I want to move ASAP. My best friend Greer moved to Knoxville a few months ago to start her job, and this weekend was my first chance to visit her! Our weekend in Knoxville was so fun, so if you’re looking to visit, save this post for my recommendations.
Friday Night
I arrived in Knoxville at 10PM, and Greer and I went to grab a quick drink at Jig and Reel. They’re known for their selection of whiskey, so we both ordered a single shot of their cheapest whiskey… It was cheap for a reason, but a fun memory! Because of the 11PM closing time, it wasn’t too busy — other bars nearby seemed very crowded though.
Saturday
On Saturday morning, we started with our favorite: crepes! We headed to French Market Creperie for a delicious brunch. I ordered the veggie crepes with spinach, avocado, tomatoes, and feta… YUM. The Market Square is full of cute restaurants and one of my favorite features, Mural Alley. We walked through and took tons of photos (obviously).
Knoxville is home to the University of Tennessee, so after brunch we walked around their campus! It is such a gorgeous campus—and it’s already made me one of those alumni who desperately misses college.
In the afternoon, we drove up to Greer’s office! On the way back, we had a few beers at the Blackberry Farms Brewery—we were able to sit outside here and masks were required to order.
Our final stops for the night were ramen and then a few drinks at Tern Club. Tern Club has a gorgeous patio in the back full of fresh plants and string lights. I highly recommend the Planter’s Punch—a drink with rum, citrus, and sweet spices.
Sunday
Sunday was my last day and it was the perfect way to end our weekend! We started with another brunch—this time at Oliver Royale. After our brunch and coffee, we walked around Market Square and then went to the 11:30 AM Mass at the local Catholic Church. I absolutely love attending Masses at different churches, and this one was one of my favorites.
After Mass, Greer and I walked through a fun downtown Art Market and picked up some art and a few thrifted pieces… which we immediately changed into. We still had a few hours before I was going to head out, so we took my go-to photos on the roof of a parking deck and ended our day with coffee.
This short weekend in Knoxville made me realize how much I’m itching to explore! My original plans were always to stay in Birmingham for about a year, and now I’m planning to move to Austin, Texas next fall. But honestly, seeing how much Greer enjoys her new city has only made me want to move somewhere new even sooner. COVID-19 has clearly changed some of those plans, but I’m keeping my eyes out for the future.
