In just 45 more days friends and family from around the states will come together for our wedding. We tried to pick a location that was sort of in the middle for most folks which landed us at a venue called Twin Cedar Farm. Twin Cedar Farm is 35 pristine acres located near Knoxville Tennessee. They have a small lake, a creek and two alpacas. That’s right. You’ll see two alpacas freely roaming the grounds. The owner, Brian, says they act just like dogs. They never leave the property, they show up when it’s time to eat, and each night they sleep on the porch.
So other than seeing the wedding most thought would never happen in an area under siege by alpacas, what is there to do? What can we do before and after the wedding? I’ve had several ask me this question, and always the planner, I have a few suggestions. Read below, plan accordingly and have a great time.
Keeping It Inside Knoxville
Sunsphere
The Sunsphere was constructed for the 1982 World's Fair. During the fair you would take an elevator to the top where there was a restaurant and observation deck, but after the fair was over the Sunsphere was closed for the most part until 2014 when it was renovated as a tourist attraction. Today you can visit the observation deck for a 360-degree view of the city and dine in the contemporary restaurant on the fifth level.
The Sunsphere resides in World’s Fair Park where you can see the Court of Flags Fountain and explore the amphitheater and water walks.
Tennessee Theatre
The Tennessee Theatre opened in 1928 and was described as the South’s most beautiful theatre. It has a Spanish-Moorish style interior that incorporates elements from all parts of the world: Czechoslovakian crystals in the French-style chandeliers, Italian terrazzo flooring in the Grand Lobby, and Asian influences in the carpet and drapery patterns. Over the years the theater’s popularity faded and it fell into disrepair until 1996 when it went through a $25.5 million renovation. The theater is now official state theatre of Tennessee offering classical music, vintage films, dance, plays, concerts, orchestra and opera.
Old City
The Old City was originally part of a wilder part of town known as "The Bowery" which was was lined with saloons and brothels, but has since been revitalized during the 1980s and 1990s as an offbeat urban neighborhood, home to several unique restaurants, bars, clubs and shops.
Want to Step Outside Knoxville
Pigeon Forge
Pigeon Forge, a mountain town and vacation area in eastern Tennessee, is the home of Dollywood, entertainer Dolly Parton’s Appalachian-themed park consisting of rides, an adjoining water park and a museum of her costumes and memorabilia. The city’s other family-friendly attractions include country music revues, magic shows, dinner theaters and outlet malls.
Gatlinburg
Gatlinburg, a mountain town in eastern Tennessee, is known as a gateway to the roughly 520,000-acre Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Many of its key attractions offer sweeping views of the neighboring park, including the 407-ft. Space Needle observation tower and the Sky Lift, a 2.1-mile aerial cable car that journeys from Downtown to the popular amusement park and ski resort Ober Gatlinburg.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Hike, bike or ride a horse through the Great Smoky Mountains, 41 miles southeast of Knoxville. In the most-visited national park, every road is a scenic drive, including U.S. 441. Travel to the 6,643-foot summit of Clingman's Dome, Tennessee's highest peak. The Sugarlands Visitor Center is closest to Knoxville and has park information, maps and exhibits. You also can drive the Cades Cove Loop, an 11-mile, one-way drive with historic buildings from before the park was established.
Norris Dam
Twenty-five miles north of Knoxville, Norris Dam forms the Norris Reservoir on the Clinch River. Fish, boat or ski the waters of Norris Lake, or hike trails. The Edge Path is accessible while the Songbird Trail is known for birding; at 3.1 miles, the River Bluff Trail is the longest. Stop by the Lenoir Museum, where exhibits recall Tennessee life during simpler times. The nearby Rice Grist Mill and Caleb Crosby Threshing Barn are open in summer.
Oak Ridge
America's "hidden city" during World War II, Oak Ridge has an American Museum of Science and Energy that explores through pictures and exhibits how the city became the "Manhattan Project" home. Other exhibits look at contemporary science projects like robotics, natural sources of energy and atomic safety. United States citizens over 10 are welcome to take a three-hour tour of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Buses leave from AMSE weekdays from June to September and stop at the Y-12 Plant, the Spallation Neutron Source and the Historic Graphite Reactor.