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Day One
Home » Tennessee » Knoxville: A Five Day Itinerary » Day OneStart your vacation with the Cradle of Country Music Walking Tour. After all, when you think of Tennessee isn’t country music one of the first things that comes to mind? This is a self-guided walking tour that begins downtown at the East Tennessee History Center and takes you through the beginnings of country music. The tour highlights many well known country music stars such as Dolly Parton, Hank Williams, and Roy Acuff. Pick up a brochure about this tour at the Knoxville Visitor’s Center.
After you have finished this tour you wander over to the Candy Factory and view the historic candy factory and sample the wonderful chocolates in the gift shop. Along the way to the Candy Factory take in some the quaint Victorian homes that house antique and curiosity shops as well as galleries and art studios.
Downtown Knoxville has many restaurants to choose from when you are ready for lunch or make your way over to the World’s Fair Park, where you will be spending the afternoon, and have lunch at one of the fine dining spots in that area.
Spend the afternoon at the World’s Fair Park and Festival Center where the World’s Fair was held in 1982. You will know you are there when you see the huge glass ball called the Sunsphere atop a round concrete tower. There is an observation deck in the Sunsphere where you will have a wonderful view of the area. This 52 acre park is made up of three major areas: the Festival Lawn, Lake Area and the Performance Lawn. The Festive Lawn is a centrally located lawn used for festivals. The Court of Flags Fountain is located at the west end of the lawn. The Performance lawn is larger in size than two football fields and provides a setting for concerts, festivals, and other special events. There is the HGTV Walk located at the Court of Flags Fountain donated by Home & Garden Network to commemorate their 10th anniversary in Knoxville. It consists of dual paths through a beautiful assortment of trees, shrubs, and flowers. The Rachmaninoff Statue is the focus of the Sergei Rachmaninoff Walk which commemorates the composers last public performance held at the University of Tennessee. The walks continue in and around the lawns allowing visitors to enjoy the scenery and water features throughout the park. There are interactive fountains, a geyser, man-made lakes, streams, and cascading waterfalls along with shops, galleries, and the Knoxville Convention Center on the grounds.
If you finish early and are looking for something else to do, take a stroll around the University of Tennessee.
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