The Best Activities Around Knoxville During the 2025 Summit

Which places to check out while you’re visiting Knoxville

If you’re traveling to Knoxville for the 2025 Global TapRooT® Summit, we highly recommend staying over the weekend! There are lots of events, attractions, and activities to try while you’re here.

Everything on this list is completely family-friendly and can be enjoyed with the ones you love most!

Activities In Knoxville

The following attractions are all walkable from the convention center. If you plan to fly to the Summit, you can still enjoy any of these activities!

Watch a Baseball Game at Covenant Health Park

The long-awaited baseball stadium has finally finished construction this year! Covenant Health Park spans over twelve acres and can host up to seven thousand guests. Attend a game and experience Knoxville’s rekindling love for the sport.

Located in Old City, the stadium is near plenty of shops, clubs, and restaurants, too!

Go Shopping on Gay Street

Gay Street is the shopaholic’s paradise. All ten blocks are filled with one-of-a-kind shops. Addison’s sells rare books you can’t find elsewhere. Spice & Tea Exchange brews gourmet teas with unique recipes. Gay Street is like no other!

If you aren’t a huge shopper, Gay Street offers other attractions. You can visit the East Tennessee Historical Society and Museum, the Tennessee Theatre, the Art Market Gallery, and more. There are also lots of clubs that host activities like bowling or karaoke.

Watch a UTK Football Game at Neyland Stadium

Join Knoxville cheer on the Volunteers at Neyland Stadium! The University of Tennessee is a beautiful campus with a great atmosphere that’s worth checking out while you’re here.

Click here for the 2025 football schedule.

Tickets sell out quickly, so don’t hesitate to order if you’re interested!

Activities Near Knoxville

The next events are a fifteen-to-sixty-minute drive from Knoxville but are well worth the distance. We strongly encourage anyone bringing family to try at least one of these activities!

Explore Oakes Farm in Corryton Village

Oakes Farm hosts several activities every Fall, including a pumpkin patch, photoshoot, animal exhibit, and much more. Its most popular attraction, moreover, is the corn maze.

Spanning eight acres, the maze is a challenging yet relaxing pastime. If that size sounds overwhelming, don’t worry! There are checkpoints with hints scattered along the way, but you’ll need to know Tennessee trivia to take the right path!

Corryton Village is a fifteen-minute drive from downtown Knoxville.

Attend the Medieval Faire in Harriman

DarkHorse Entertainment has hosted the Tennessee Medieval Faire every October since 2014. Musicians, actors, and stunt performers put on amazing performances all day throughout the park. Live in the age of Chivalry by witnessing jousts, dances, fire shows, and so much more!

The festival is located in Harriman, which is about a forty-five-minute commute from Knoxville.

Browse the Venues in Pigeon Forge

Pigeon Forge is a wonderful vacation town with bundles of attractions. You can easily spend the whole weekend in Dollywood, a surprisingly fun amusement park themed around Dolly Parton and her Southern upbringing.

There are plenty of other activities to experience, though! The town features museums, golf clubs, escape rooms, shows, and plenty more.

Pigeon Forge is about fifty minutes away from Knoxville.

Go Hiking in Gatlinburg

For those who love the great outdoors, Gatlinburg is a must-see. Nestled among the Great Smoky Mountains, the city’s view is nothing short of breathtaking. There are countless outside activities to try while you visit, too.

The Great Smoky Mountain Park is a great place to go hiking or biking. Zip-lining and water-rafting attractions are also available for any daredevils out there.

Gatlinburg is about an hour’s drive away from Knoxville.

Now is the Time to Register

There are plenty of fun activities to do around Knoxville. What attractions do you look forward to visiting? Let us know in the comments.

If you haven’t yet registered for the Summit, you can do so by clicking this image.