August 2026 — A late-summer letter from the foothills

There's a particular kind of late-summer evening in East Tennessee, cicadas going, the air finally letting go of its grip a little after sundown, that makes you understand why people never really leave the foothills. We just got back from a few days split between Knoxville's Market Square and the high, green shoulders of the Smokies, and we came home with sunburned necks, a jar of sorghum syrup, and strong opinions about tomato pie. Here's everything you need to plan your own trip before the leaves turn.

TRAVEL LIKE A PRO

At the Airport

You'll land at McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) in Alcoa, a small regional field about 15 minutes south of downtown. It's short on frills — there's a Starbucks, a Ruby Tuesday, and a Tennessee Marketplace for grab-and-go — so don't plan a big meal inside security.

The real local secret: skip the airport food entirely and make the ten-minute drive to Northshore Brasserie for a proper first (or last) meal — hand-cut steaks and homemade Belgian frites in a spot most tourists never find. If you're rolling straight to the mountains, grab a biscuit and a jar of Benton's country ham before you go; it's East Tennessee's most famous export.

Getting Around

Rent a car. This is non-negotiable — downtown Knoxville is walkable once you're parked, but the Smokies are not accessible by transit at all. Downtown itself is compact and flat around Market Square and Gay Street, so once you've checked in, ditch the car for an evening and walk everywhere.

One scheduling quirk worth knowing: the 11-mile Cades Cove Loop Road closes to vehicles every Wednesday morning from early May through late September, so it's bikes and walkers only until 10am. If you want the loop by car, go any other day of the week and arrive at dawn — parking fills fast by mid-morning even in late summer.

NO MORE FOMO

The Must-Sees

• Cades Cove at sunrise — the classic Smokies loop drive, with 19th-century homesteads, a working gristmill, and your best odds at spotting white-tailed deer and black bears in the open meadows. nps.gov/grsm

• Kuwohi (formerly Clingmans Dome) — the highest point in Tennessee, reached by a steep half-mile paved path to an observation tower with 360-degree views. Renamed in 2024 to restore its original Cherokee name, meaning "mulberry place." Go early or at golden hour to beat both the heat and the crowds. nps.gov/grsm

• Market Square & the Sunsphere — downtown Knoxville's living room, ringed by restaurants and shops, with the gold-globed Sunsphere (leftover from the 1982 World's Fair) offering a free 360-degree view over the whole valley and the distant mountains. visitknoxville.com

Off the Beaten Path

• Cataloochee Valley — the park's remote elk herd (over 200 strong) grazes these meadows, and by late August the bulls are starting to size each other up ahead of the September rut. Stay by your car and use a zoom lens; these are wild animals, not park mascots. nps.gov/grsm

• Ijams Nature Center & the Urban Wilderness — 1,000 acres of trails, quarry swimming holes, and mountain biking minutes from downtown, for when the national park crowds are too much. ijams.org

GET STUFFED

Cheap Beer & Snacks

Balter Beerworks downtown pours a gold-medal Sunsphere Wheat that's about as Knoxville as beer gets. For something to eat with it, line up at Cruze Farm Ice Cream for soft serve made from a fifth-generation local dairy — the line moves fast and it is worth every minute of August heat you'll stand in it.

MOM: 'WE HAVE KNOXVILLE AT HOME.'

August and September in East Tennessee mean one thing above all: tomatoes at their absolute peak. This tomato pie shows up on porches and potlucks across the region all late summer long — it's the taste of a Smoky Mountain garden in a single slice.

East Tennessee Tomato Pie

Serves 6

• 1 pre-baked 9-inch pie crust

• 3-4 large ripe heirloom tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick

• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

• 3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• Black pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS: Lay the tomato slices on paper towels, salt them, and let them sit for 20 minutes to draw out excess water — this is the step that keeps the pie from turning soggy, so don't skip it. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pat the tomatoes dry and layer them into the pre-baked crust. In a bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, cheddar, Parmesan, basil, and garlic, then spread the mixture evenly over the tomatoes. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is bubbling and golden. Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing — it's best warm, not hot, with a cold glass of sweet tea alongside.

DO YOUR RESEARCH

• Suttree by Cormac McCarthy — McCarthy grew up in Knoxville, and this 1979 novel follows a fisherman drifting through the Tennessee River underworld of 1950s Knoxville. Dense, dark, and unmistakably rooted in this city's streets.

• Lonely Planet Great Smoky Mountains National Park Guide  — If you’re coming to Knoxville, you’re more than likely heading to this absolute stunner of a national park.  The Lonely Planet guides are our personal pick for boning up before you go.

• "Coat of Many Colors" by Dolly Parton (YouTube link) — Dolly grew up an hour southeast in Sevierville, and this song is as good an introduction to Smoky Mountain culture and pride as any documentary could give you.
  

WHAT TO TAKE HOME

• A jar of Benton's country ham or Tennessee sorghum syrup from a Market Square shop — pour it over the biscuits you'll be making at home to chase the trip feeling.

• A bag of local roast coffee and a bottle of hot chicken seasoning, for reliving the trip one spicy Sunday breakfast at a time.

• A piece of hand-thrown Appalachian pottery — the region has one of the country's deepest folk-pottery traditions, and a mug from a small studio beats a t-shirt every time.

And of course, our own Vagabond Heart Souvenirs Knoxville & Smokies collection — mid-century-modern patches and pins featuring Kuwohi's ridgeline and the Sunsphere's gold globe.

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Y'all come back now, ya hear?