Sara O

Ijams is a wonderful space that's free to visit located right on the border of Knoxville. All I did during my visit was walk the river trail and added a few of the shorter trails on as I wandered around the grounds. There's climbing, a canopy adventure area, kayak rentals, and children's activities. If you're just passing through like I was, this is somewhere I'd highly recommend even if it's just to stretch your legs. The grounds and trails are very well maintained and bathrooms were clean.

This is such a good stop to make if you're in the area. The greenhouse is filled with beautiful plants and there's even some educational placards you can read. I loved the orchids and cacti. The last room just feels like you're in a jungle because you're surrounded by absolutely massive plants.

The trails across the street are incredibly well maintained and the gardens are beautiful. I only had a short amount of time to wander after the greenhouse, but I'm sure I could spend an easy hour walking around everything.

The parking was a little confusing by the greenhouse because it looked like a strictly handicap lot, but there are designated spaces for the gardens there.

The museum is worth a visit if you're in the area. You can spend a good deal of time here, especially walking around the garden and grounds. The museum itself is fairly priced for what it provides and it's worth asking about discounts since they offer several for admission. It was interesting to see something from the not so distant past and learn a bit more about the tobacco business.

Solid coffee shop with a lovely outdoor courtyard. Their coffee is delicious and they also have a pretty large baked goods selection ("pop-tarts", muffins, bagels, etc). They also offer day-olds at the counter which are still very delicious. There's plenty of indoor and outdoor seating and the cafe is kept very clean. I'd gladly come here again if in the area.

Neat little state park to visit that you can tell is very well kept. This isn't somewhere I could imagine spending hours upon hours at, but it's good for a quick visit. There's an easy trail to follow which has several signs up with short educational reads. $3 for an adult to get in which you pay via cash envelope at the entrance. There are picnic tables available and trash cans. Plenty of parking available, dog friendly (on a leash). Bring bug spray!