Kingsport, Tennessee is a small city located on the Holston River in northeastern Tennessee. The city and surrounding area is rich in history and natural scenic beauty. Visitors to Kingsport can enjoy the great outdoors or spend a day inside one of the cities galleries, museums, or restaurants. The following list will give travelers some great ideas on what to see and do on their Kingsport vacation.
Bays Mountain Park and Planetarium
Bays Mountain Park and Planetarium is the place to be for outdoor fun and education. Owned by the city of Kingsport, this nature preserve spans over 3500 acres and includes a 44-acre lake and 38 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and running. There are also on-site animal habitats where visitors can see bobcats, reptiles, birds, and more up-close. Adventurers can try out the park’s rope course, which includes a 300-foot zip line, then finish off the fun by taking in a show at the state-of-the-art planetarium. Bays Mountain Park is open daily. Hours vary by season.
853 Bays Mountain Park Road Kingsport, TN 37660,
Exchange Place
History comes alive at the Exchange Place! Throughout its 160-year history, the Exchange Place has served as a plantation, a stagecoach relay station, and a post office. Today, it is a 62-acre “living history” farm where visitors can see what life was like for settlers and farmers in the 1850’s. Guests can tour buildings such as the main house, school house, blacksmith forge, granary, and barns. The farm is also home to some unusual breeds of chickens, sheep, cattle, and horses. The Exchange Place is open from May through October, and it also hosts several festivals and special events throughout the year.
4812 Orebank Road Kingsport, TN 37664, Phone: 423-288-6071
The Inventor Center
Gets hands-on experience in various crafts like woodworking, fine arts, metalworking, animation, coding, and more at The Inventor Center. The goal behind The Inventor Center is quite simple: to cultivate a community of artists, craftsmen, and thinkers that can help improve their local communities and the region as a whole. Visitors can choose from several classes, and locals or long-term visitors to the area can also select monthly memberships that can give them various levels of access to The Inventor Center (Maker, Artisan, or Innovator) depending on their needs.
118 Shelby Street, Kingsport, Tennessee 37660, Phone: 423-765-0900
Kingsport Carousel
The Kingsport Carousel began as the idea of local resident Gale Joh. Mr. Joh recruited other local civic leaders, volunteers, and donors to share in his vision. In 2015, the dream became reality when the Kingsport Carousel finally opened to the public. With its thirty-two animals, twenty-four sweep animals, and two chariots, all carved and painted by hand, the carousel is truly a work of art. It is located inside Pat’s Roundhouse, which is available for rent for birthday parties and other gatherings. The carousel is open Wednesday through Sunday. Hours vary by season.
350 Clinchfield Street Kingsport, TN 36770, Phone: 423-343-9834
Kingsport Greenbelt
Become one with Nature at the Kingsport Greenbelt. The Greenbelt is an 8-mile scenic trail that runs through the city and surrounding forest. The trail is completely paved and is open for walkers, runners, cyclists, and rollerbladers. The trail is open year-round and the scenery changes with the seasons, meaning there is always something interesting to see at the Greenbelt! Along the trail, visitors will find a wetland preservation area, wildflowers and native trees, two historic sites, a natural spring, a skate park, and picnic areas. Access to the trail can be found at various other points throughout Kingsport.
Kingsport Art Guild
Discover and support the home-grown artistic talent of Kingsport at the Kingsport Art Guild. This art gallery and studio is dedicated to making opportunities for its members, and all of Kingsport's’ arts community, to showcase their talents through exhibitions, various events, and even hands-on classes or lectures. Visitors are welcome to explore the Art Guild’s two-room gallery, which is located in the Renaissance Center, to see works of art done in a variety of mediums.
1200 E. Center Street, Kingsport, Tennessee 37660, Phone: 423-246-1227
The Netherland Inn
The Netherland Inn has been a Kingsport landmark for over 200 years. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this quaint inn was once an important stop for those traveling west to Tennessee and beyond. The property has also served as boatyard and a stage coach stop and has hosted Presidents Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson, and James K. Polk. Today the inn has been restored and functions as a museum. A school house, kitchen wing, children’s museum, and pioneer transportation museum are also on the property. The Netherland Inn is open for tours on weekends in May through October.
2144 Netherland Inn Road Kingsport, TN 37660, Phone: 423-245-5449
Warriors' Path State Park
Named for the Cherokee War and Trading Path, Warriors' Path State Park is a 950-acre nature complex located next to the Patrick Henry Reservoir. The park contains 12 miles of hiking trails that take guests through the beautiful Tennessee wilderness. The park also contains an 8.5-mile mountain biking trail, a 134-site campground, an 18-hole golf course, picnic areas, and pavilions. Fort Patrick Henry Lake is located in the park, and it is an excellent spot for swimming, fishing, and boating. The park’s playground includes equipment and trails that are accessible for blind and disabled children.
490 Hemlock Road Kingsport, TN 37663, Phone: 423-239-8531
Kingsport Aquatic Center
Have a fantastic time splashing around at the Kingsport Aquatic Center, a state-of-the-art facility that welcomes locals and visitors alike all year round. The Aquatic Center is home to a 46,000 square foot indoor area with three amazing multipurpose pools, one of which is the only indoor Olympic-sized pool in the entire region. For those taking lessons or who want to get exercise in, there is a 50-meter lap pool with eight lanes for this purpose, while recreational swimmers can enjoy the indoor aqua obstacle course or the outdoor pool with its two water slides and water playground. As if that wasn’t enough, the center also has a 900-foot lazy river for those who just want to take a nice relaxing float under the sun.
1820 Meadowview Parkway, Kingsport, Tennessee 37660, Phone: 423-343-9758
Kingsport Farmers Market
The Kingsport Farmers Market finds its humble origins in 1977 when, due to a need for alternative approaches to providing fresh produce to customers, a group of farmers came together to participate in various food fairs. In the ’90s, this group of farmers officially formed the Kingsport Farmers Market and continues to provide incredible farm goods to the locals of Kingsport to this day. Apart from shopping for fresh produce and prepared food, there are also several programs that visitors can participate in such as cooking classes and baking programs. There are also events regularly held at the Kingsport Farmers Market, which are typically fantastic places to find great eats. Check out the Kingsport Farmers Market every Wednesday and Saturday from April through November.
308 Clinchfield Street, Kingsport, Tennessee 37660, Phone: 423-224-2821
Cattails at MeadowView
Bermuda Fairways, Bentgrass Greens, and fantastic picturesque holes await avid golfers of all levels at Cattails at MeadowView. The course, which was designed by Denis Griffiths, was opened in 1998 and quickly became a local favorite as well as one of the top public courses in the entire state of Tennessee. Golfers can look forward to teeing off amidst spectacular views of the Bays Mountain, and traversing rolling terrain, greenside mounds, bunkers, as well as a moderate number of sand bunkers, a lovely stream, and six marvelous lakes along the way. Golf lessons and tee times will need to be booked ahead of time.
1901 Meadowview Parkway, Kingsport, Tennessee 37660, Phone: 423-578-6622
Allandale Mansion
Stunning, gorgeous, elegant – these are just a few words that one might use to describe the Allandale Mansion, a key landmark in East Tennessee and a beloved jewel of Kingsport that was built in 1953. Although the mansion serves as a popular events venue, those who wish to simply explore the grounds are more than welcome to do. There is a lot to see within the Allendale Mansion itself, which has a sophisticated interior design and is often referred to as the White House of Kingsport. Apart from the mansion, however, the 25-acre grounds are also home to the picturesque Heron Dome, the Amphitheater, the restored Harvey’s Barn, and the rustic Brook’s Pavilion.
4444 West Stone Drive, Kingsport, Tennessee 37660, Phone: 423-229-9422
Renaissance Arts Center and Theatre
The Renaissance Arts Center and Theatre is managed by the city’s Office of Cultural Arts and is the community’s hub for all things arts. Many events are regularly held in the center including artistic and musical performances, making it a great place to visit for travelers or locals who want to catch some entertainment. The Renaissance Arts’ theatre can host 350 guests, while other features of the center include a lovely art gallery with new exhibits every month, a gymnasium, and a magnificent three-story sky-lit atrium that has 50 seats on each level for visitors to sit at and enjoy. Outside the building, there are also recreational activities and space to enjoy with your friends and family such as horse shoe pits, picnic tables, and green spaces.
1200 E Center Street Ste 224, Kingsport, Tennessee 37660, Phone: 423-392-8414
