This West Knoxville Hobbit House sleeps up to 10 guests — and it does happen to be pretty luxurious. | Photo via Airbnb
A recent report from RentCafe shows that our little slice of East Tennessee is one of the newest millionaire rental hotspots. That inspired us to look for some of the coolest luxury rentals in Knoxville, but we got sidetracked... check out the sheer number of “The Lord of the Rings"-esque rentals in the area:
Hobbit House, an earth-sheltered, dome-shaped home
Little Valley Kid Market | 9 a.m. | 8079 K Kingston Pike | Cost of purchase | Shop from local kiddos ages 10 and under selling their goods and products.
Tuesday, July 8
Jazz: Jon Hamar | 7 p.m. | The Emporium Center | Free | BYOB to this evening of jazz with bassist Jon Hamar and his group.
Wednesday, July 9
“Build your own Tea-rarium” | 6-8 p.m. | The Kraken’s Cup Tearoom | $60+ | Use a provided selection of plants, mosses, decorative rocks, and other materials to create your own terrarium — tea and cookies are included.
Thursday, July 10
Park & Play | 9:30-11:30 a.m. | Maloney Park | Free | Join this nautical, pirate-themed park pop-up with the kiddos.
Friday, July 11
Foodees Food and Culture Festival | Friday, July 11-Sunday, July 13 | Times vary | Chilhowee Park | Free+ | With over 40 food trucks and vendors serving gourmet dishes and sweet treats, and dozens of artisans showcasing handmade jewelry, art, and crafts, there’s something for everyone.
The “Sweet Caroline” Tour | 7:30 p.m. | Tennessee Theatre | $30+ | If you could spend “forever in blue jeans,” don’t miss this tribute show starring Jay White.
Saturday, July 12
Circus Under the Moon 2025 | 7-9:30 p.m. | Navitat Knoxville | $15+ | A troupe of local and regional performers will show off with acrobatics, aerials, juggling, fire performances, and more — food trucks and Ijams beer garden will serve food + drinks.
This 3,304-sqft Sequoyah Hills home boasts “total privacy,” and we can see why. Its architecturally unique exterior gives way to a bright and airy interior, complete with several tucked away nooks.
Outdoors
Going camping soon? Hipcamp allows you to browse campsites by location, date, and even party size. It looks like Ellis Cove in Pittman Center has availability this weekend — and a creek for wading.
Kids
No. 25. That’s where Tennessee ranked on Wallethub’s list of states with the highest cost of childcare. Allow us to help offset some of those costs with our guide to free activities around Knoxville.
Shop
Pre-coffee Costco run? Executive members now have that option, thanks to the supermarket’s extended hours that went into effect last week. Executive members in Knoxville can now access the Farragut Costco Warehouse at 9 a.m., Monday-Sunday. (Axios)
Ranked
Knoxville is one of the best cities for renters, according to a recent survey by RentCafé. The ranking used metrics ranging from cost of living and average apartment size to unemployment rates and average school quality. Make the most out of renting in Knoxville with our “Live” City Guides.
Answered
Looks like we stumped you with our trashy question last week. Only ~29% of quiz responders correctly guessed that the first dumpsters in existence were located in an alley alongside the modern-day Krutch Park. Read the grimy details.
Sports
Which SEC teams face the toughest road to the playoffs this year? Hear from the local experts on the SEC with Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
Jobs of the Week
Calling all digital nomads. Take a peek at these remote jobs:
Butter your biscuit and stack it high with special toppings at Matt Robbs Biscuits. | Photo by @knoxfoods
Whether you like yours doused in gravy, stacked sky-high with fried chicken, or simply served with a slick of local jam, we’ve got 14 biscuit spots in Knoxville that make the case for skipping your usual toast.
Not-so-hidden gems
Pete’s Restaurant & Coffee Shop, 540 Union Ave.
You know them, you love them. This downtown Knox staple has been slinging classic diner eats since 1986, meaning you can’t go wrong with one of its most popular items: the smothered, buttery Southern Breakfast.
Brunch heros
Gourmet’s Market & Cafe, 5107 Kingston Pike
Say it with us: Spicy. Nerdhead. Biscuit. This legendary $4 pick-me-up features a spicy cheddar biscuit slathered with tomato jam and butter. A little sweet, a little heat — a lot of flavor.
Southern hospitality, served warm
Southern Grit, 126 S. Central St.
This Old City gem dishes out Lowcountry love with biscuit sandwiches layered with items like fried chicken, bacon, pimento cheese, and pepper jelly.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
Confession time: I’m a Pillsbury Flaky Layers gal, myself. They’re just too darn easy to make. But the Pillsbury biscuit always has to be covered in something local, jam or otherwise — which makes this Tennessee Harvest Hot Pepper Jam the perfect condiment.
