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Knoxville, Tennessee was established in 1792, getting it's name from Henry Knox the Secretary of War for President George Washington. In the early 1900's, it was known as "the Marble City" due to it's booming marble industry.

Here's an interesting story: in 1901, Kid Curry, a member of Butch Cassidy's Bunch, shot 2 deputies in the area. He escaped out a window, and was caught a second time & put in jail. He managed another escape by stealing the sheriff's horse and riding off to freedom.

There are so many attractions that Knoxville is known for: like the Civil War Battle of Fort Sanders and several other popular places. See below: More Fun Things to Do.

Plan on a weekend, or go for more adventures all week long. Knoxville has a network of greenways along the river for scenic hiking & biking.

Great add-on trip: Red Clay Cherokee Power, Cleveland

Bicycle on Neyland Greenway

Our bicycle trip on the scenic Neyland Greenway started at TN Adventure Collective where we picked up bike rentals. The staff was friendly & helpful, and there's access to the riverfront greenway. However, the bicycle seats were cardboard thin.....and after 10 minutes you literally had a pain in the butt.

You can walk or ride bicycles for what seems like endless miles of connecting greenways, and it's a great way to start the day before the summer heat kicks in. We even brought our dog trailer for my daughter's elderly pooch. I'm dying to rescue another one since my last dog passed a year ago. I miss my Benny.

The stone statue left depicts the 1791 Holston Treaty meant to celebrate peace, and to set boundaries between the European settlers & the Cherokee.

Location = UT Gardens. UT stands for University of Tennessee. 2518 Jacob Drive, Knoxville TN. Free entry, open all year. Our bicycle tour was 5 miles roundtrip.

The UT Gardens are the State's Botanical Gardens and every year, their horticulturists have to inspect about 4,000 species of plants, herbs, trees, shrubs, flowers, and grasses. Well, that would suck all the fun out! We were going to continue on to another Greenway, but those bicycle seats were causing some serious pain.

The UT Gardens are both beautiful & peaceful with little surprises around every corner. The flowers & art sculptures are unique & interesting. The other artistic displays - like the rusty Pickup truck that created a striking contrast to the flowering shrubs, yet blended in perfectly - see photo up top. Have a peaceful & leisurely stroll thru the UT Gardens as you look for more hidden gems & great photo ops. Enjoy the pretty.

Psst - does anybody know what the heckins this creature is to the right? In case you thought my English sucks, somethings I just like to have fun & create new words.

Seriously, it looks like a tiny 1/64 inch wrench trying to put the squeeze on that leaf.... except that it's green & moving. Are those little feet.... or is that the mouth? So weird.

You know - I've seen more weird creatures and been bitten by more nasty bugs in Tennessee than any other state I've been to.

Location = Ramsey House. 2614 Thorngrove Pike, Knoxville TN. Small entry fee. Open Wed-Sat.

I was excited to see the historical Ramsey House since it's the oldest one we've seen so far in the USA - built in 1797. It's also the first home built in the area that used local pink marble & blue limestone. At the time, Colonel Ramsey's house was considered the finest around, so they often received & entertained diplomats & VIP guests.

While doing research, I was mortified to learn that Colonel Francis Ramsey was 1 of 16 children. Oh, the misery that woman endured - being pregnant for 16 years & giving birth 16 times. UGH. She was pregnant & raised children pretty much her entire life since the life expectancy was 29 - 39 years back then. I mean.... after 4 kids I would've put a lock on the bedroom door! LOL.

Construction of Ramsey House

Imagine if you can - building a house without power tools. And if you lived fairly close to a water powered sawmill, and you could afford cutting & hauling the wood - well.... weren't you lucky!

Look at the top of the horizontal beam - photo left. Every cut in that wood was made from hand tools to "hewn" a round log into a square beam. And that's after you cut them down & stripped the bark. After all that - who's got the energy to build the house?

Ramsey House & Furnishings

Originally, the Ramsey House property was used by the Cherokee for hunting grounds. The Cherokee were not at all happy about it. Colonel Ramsey had to put wooden side panels that closed & latched over the windows on the inside to keep the Cherokee from breaking into his home.

Colonel Ramsey & his sons all made significant contributions to history, often having 2 or more professions. Ramsay also kept slaves, even though he thought the practice might be unethical. When the Civil War started - he set them free.

Below left: deerskin chest under a bed. Middle: square piano. Right: chair with a lid in the center for indoor plumbing. Bottom: honey pot under the bed. Uh, gross. Couldn't they put it in a closet for a little privacy? Nope, closets weren't invented yet.

Location = Ijams Nature Park. 2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville TN. No entrance fee, just $5 to park. Open daily until dusk.

Harry & Alice Ijams were married in 1905 and were nature lovers, so much so they hiked all around the Great Smoky Mountains on their honeymoon. To get in tip-top shape, Harry hiked from Knoxville, Tennessee to Asheville, North Carolina. That's 116 miles by car today - except he had little to nothing in the way of roads. In 1910, they bought 20 acres of land to raise their children, and so Ijams began.

The Ijams Nature Park/Preserve is a beautiful wooded landscape & wildlife sanctuary which includes a museum/store, visitor center, hiking & mountain biking trails, and the only rock climbing crag in the area. The quarry lake & Tennessee River waterscapes offer fun-tastic water activities. It's also home to Navitat - a thrilling adventure high in the treetops.

Win a Prize = Be the first to email a photograph of you standing in front of this mine opening. Hint: it's in plain sight along a wooden trail - photo above right.

• The Ijams Nature Visitor Center - Live animal exhibits, gift shop, trail maps, and more. Over 40 animal species live here.

• Hiking/Biking - See their map of 14+ miles of natural hiking trails, plus 9+ miles of mountain bike trails.

• Primal Playground - This is your outdoor workout in stone, wood, and boulder for all fitness levels. Check out Stonehenge Challenge & Playground Challenge. There's also an Ijams Playscape area for kids.

• The Crag Rock climbing - The Crag has 30 different routes for beginners to skilled climbers. Pick up a Park waiver at the Visitor Center.

• Ross marble quarry - An interesting site to explore includes cut marble blocks & sheer marble cliffs.

The rock steps start at the river boat launch area and lead you back to the Visitor Center.

Water sports at Ijams Nature Park

Meads Quarry Lake - access via Pinkston Pt boat ramp. It's a really popular spot for swimming or paddling around in your choice of water toy. The only equipment allowed is rentals - kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, and tubes. Personal water equipment is allowed in the Tennessee River, not the lake.

Ijams River Landing - access via River Landing Access Rd. Bring your own stuff and launch at the public dock. There's islands to explore if you paddle out left or right.

Navitat Canopy Adventure

Location = Ijams Nature Park. Open 7 days/week, closed Christmas/Thanksgiving. I was disappointed this location didn't offer a separate zipline course. The zipline is part of an obstacle course package.

Navitat Canopy Adventure has 6 trails of increasing difficulty. I have a fear of heights, so I had to pass on Navitat.

How can anyone step onto the round ends of vertical logs suspended 100 feet up? And did I forget to mention they wobble.... a lot.

Or, what about the little wooden planks that aren't even as long as your foot. And they're separated by uh.... one foot of nothing but air? Obstacle courses make you focus on your feet.... which means you have clear vision all the way down, and down some more to the ground below. Ziplines at least let you focus straight ahead.

Location = Sunsphere. 810 Clinch Ave, Knoxville TN. Free to the public.

The iconic Sunsphere was built for The World's Fair held in Knoxville in 1982. The last time the USA participated in the World's Fair was in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1984, the year it failed miserably. The 1982 World Fair focused on solutions to our dwindling energy resources.

The Sunsphere is 266 foot high and you can climb the stairs inside the tower up to the sphere, and viewing platform. The sphere itself is a 75 foot tall glass sphere painted gold to represent the sun and it's energy.

The USA pavilion demonstrated the first touch-screen technology. Japan had a robot that could paint, and Rocket Belt Man showed off his jet-pack skills. The United Kingdom closed for 1 day during the World Fair because Princess Diana gave birth to Prince William on that day.

More Fun Things to Do

• Greenways - a scenic walk/bike route along the Tennessee river that connects 1 greenway to the next for miles upon miles of enjoyment.

• Scavenger Hunts - a popular activity around the city.

• Market Square - outdoor concerts/festivals and great dining/shopping.

• Knoxville Zoo - it's 1923 beginning was a play park for poor children.

• 1928 State Theater - lavish & ornate, properly described as a movie "palace".

• McClung Museum of Natural History & Knoxville Museum of Art.

• Clarence Brown Theater - great reviews with live performers.

• Lakeshore Park & Volunteer Landing Park - both on the river.

Vacation Travel Tips

• Average temps high/low = Summer 88/69 degrees F. Winter 47/30. TN ranks 7th for humidity. Expect snow in mountain regions.

• Backpack essentials - water, bug spray, sunscreen, whistle, flashlight, cell phone, pocket knife, and a light jacket.

• Winter Essentials - thermal blanket, waterproof boots, warm clothing.

• Hiking conditions - trails can be wet & slippery after summer rains. Prepare for snow in higher elevations.

• Vehicle safety – Keep a spare blanket, boots, jacket, gloves, and snacks in the car. Winter roads can be icy & snow covered - use “winter” tires. If you only have "all season" tires, take snow chains.

• Wild animals - black bears are becoming bolder in parks/campsite areas mostly due to food. Coyotes, cougar, bobcat are also present.

• Trash - Pack out what you pack in.

• Rivers/lakes – river shoes really help on the rocky bottom. Heavy winter rains mean deep, ice-cold & fast moving water in spring.

• Poison oak & ivy - always know before you touch. The common Oak has 3 leaflets per stem but can have more. Ivy always has 3 leaflets.

• Poisonous snakes - 4 types, found on land, water, and trees. They generally prefer to avoid humans, usually biting only if threatened.

• Wilderness areas – take a buddy & tell someone your travel plans.

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