Downtown Knoxville in warm late-day light, with the glass First Horizon Plaza tower at left and the Sunsphere in the distance

Visit Knoxville · East Tennessee

Downtown Knoxville is 32 minutes from your gate.

Market Square, the Sunsphere, the Old City and a 1928 movie palace on Gay Street, all inside a walkable mile. Here is the city for people flying in.

Build a 48-hour plan Explore downtown

Photo: Bohao Zhao, CC BY 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Short answer

Downtown Knoxville is 14.5 miles from McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS), about 32 minutes without traffic. The core sights sit within about half a mile of Market Square: the Sunsphere and World's Fair Park from the 1982 World's Fair, the Tennessee Theatre (opened 1928) on Gay Street, and the Old City around Jackson Avenue.

Checked October 19, 2026

14.5road miles from TYS to downtown.

266feet: the Sunsphere, built for the 1982 World's Fair.

1928the year the Tennessee Theatre opened on Gay Street.

$0admission at the Knoxville Museum of Art.

Downtown

The places that make Knoxville.

Since the 1850sMarket SquareFarmers market Wednesdays and Saturdays, May to October.

1982 World's FairThe Sunsphere266 feet, with a 4th-floor observation deck.

Opened 1928Tennessee TheatreThe Official State Theatre of Tennessee.

RiverfrontVolunteer LandingA park on the Tennessee River along the Neyland Greenway.

Game dayNeyland StadiumHome of the Vols, next to the river.

Interactive

How far is everything?

Pick a starting point and every other downtown stop re-sorts by distance, with its key fact.

Downtown distance explorerStraight-line distances

Measure from

Distances are straight lines between OpenStreetMap coordinates; walking times assume an easy 3 mph with 30% added for street layout, so treat them as estimates. Tap a dot or use the menu.

Gay Street

A 1928 movie palace, still in business.

The Tennessee Theatre opened on October 1, 1928, and is now the Official State Theatre of Tennessee. Check its calendar before you book; a show makes an easy first night.

Plan 48 hours

Photo: Wikionright, CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Know before you go

Hours and prices, verified.

DowntownMarket Square

Called Market Square since the 1850s. The farmers market runs Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., May through October.

DowntownSunsphere observation deck

The 1982 World's Fair landmark, 266 feet tall. Deck hours Mon to Fri 10 to 5, Sat 9 to 5, Sun 12 to 4 (closed 12:30 to 1:30 except Sundays). $10, kids 12 and under $5.

DowntownWorld's Fair Park

The Sunsphere and the Tennessee Amphitheater are the two structures left from the 1982 fair.

DowntownKnoxville Museum of Art

Admission is always free. Tue to Sat 10 to 5, Sun 1 to 5, closed Monday.

DowntownBlount Mansion

Built starting in 1792; it served as the capital of the Southwest Territory. Tue to Sat 10 to 4, Sun 12 to 4, last tour at 3. Adults $15.

DowntownTennessee Theatre

Opened October 1, 1928, and now the Official State Theatre of Tennessee. See a show: check the calendar for your dates.

DowntownThe Old City

Historic warehouses and 100-plus-year-old brick pavers along Jackson Avenue, with ghost signs on Jackson and Central.

DowntownVolunteer Landing riverfront

A park on the Tennessee River shoreline along the Neyland Greenway.

DowntownVisit Knoxville Visitor Center

301 S. Gay Street. Mon to Fri 8:30 to 5, Sat 9 to 5, Sun 12 to 4.

10 min from downtownIjams Nature Center

Grounds open 8 a.m. until dusk. Free entry, $5 daily parking. Part of the Urban Wilderness, about 1,000 acres with 50-plus miles of trails.

9 min from downtownZoo Knoxville

Open daily 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Adults $26.95, ages 3 to 12 and seniors $21.95, parking $5.

From each venue's official site, checked October 2026. Hours change, so confirm before you go.

The Tennessee River at Knoxville, with Neyland Stadium at left, the Sunsphere's gold ball and the Henley Street Bridge downstream

Day trips

The Smokies and the Secret City.

Knoxville sits between Great Smoky Mountains National Park (41.6 miles to Gatlinburg) and Oak Ridge, home of Manhattan Project National Historical Park (23.9 miles to the American Museum of Science and Energy).

Plan Oak Ridge Plan the Smokies

Photo: AppalachianCentrist, CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Request a nonstop

Where should Knoxville fly next?

Name the city. Every request is counted and the leaderboard goes to the airport's air-service team, the people who pitch new routes to airlines.

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Questions

How far is downtown Knoxville from the airport?

14.5 miles from McGhee Tyson (TYS), about 32 minutes with no traffic (OSRM). The airport is in Alcoa, south of the city.

How tall is the Sunsphere, and can you go up?

The City of Knoxville lists it at 266 feet. The 4th-floor observation deck is open Monday to Friday 10 to 5, Saturday 9 to 5 and Sunday 12 to 4, closed 12:30 to 1:30 except Sundays. Tickets are $10, or $5 for kids 12 and under (Visit Knoxville, October 2026).

Is the Knoxville Museum of Art free?

Yes. The museum says admission is always free. It is open Tuesday to Saturday 10 to 5 and Sunday 1 to 5, closed Monday.

When is the Market Square Farmers' Market?

May through October, Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. From November to March there is a Saturday winter market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Nourish Knoxville).

When did the Tennessee Theatre open?

October 1, 1928. It is now the Official State Theatre of Tennessee.

How far is Knoxville from the Smoky Mountains?

Downtown Knoxville to Gatlinburg is 41.6 miles, about 59 min without traffic.

Sources