Dog-Friendly Knoxville, TN: The Ultimate Weekend Itinerary

We checked in at Hyatt Place Knoxville/Downtown. The staff there was very friendly, always saying hello and a few “awws” whenever I walked through the lobby. The hotel is conveniently located within a seven-minute walk from PetSafe Downtown Dog Park. The 165 rooms have ample space, views of downtown Knoxville and include blackout curtains, luxury skin and hair care amenities from KenetMD and more.

We walked around Market Square where I spotted other pups on outside patios, zooming through sprinklers, popping into dog-friendly boutiques and shops and watching all the activity. My humans let me have a few bites of pizza at The Tomato Head. I was very tired, so we went back to the hotel for a snooze.

The Tomato Head logistics

• Leash rules: Dogs must remain on a leash at all times.
   
• Patio/indoor access: Pet-friendly patio with tableside service.
   
• Parking: Parking options include in the Market Square Garage, Langley Garage and Locust Street Garage. These parking garages offer free nights and weekends parking.
   
• Market Square Hours: 
  11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday
  11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday-Saturday
  11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday

Abridged Burger Company served up smash-style burgers on potato rolls with shoestring fries. My dad makes smash burgers at home, but Abridged was something special with the beef brisket blend they grind in house. You can find Abridged Burger Company parked at Xul Beer Co. on 5th Avenue. Enjoy a tasty, local beverage with a colossal burger.

Xul Beer Co. / Abridged Burger Company logistics

• Leash rules: Dogs must be on a leash at all times.
   
• Patio/indoor access: Patio access for dogs is available. Plenty of shade and water bowls are provided.
   
• Parking: Xul Beer Co. on 5th Avenue has a paved parking lot.
   
• Taproom Hours: 
  Noon to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday
  11 a.m. to 11 p.m. - Friday-Saturday
  11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday
  
  Abridged Burger Hours:
  Noon to 8:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday
  11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday
  Noon to 7:30 p.m. Sunday

Take in the sunshine and lounge out on the outdoor patio under the umbrella for lunch at SoKno Taco Cantina. I was a fan of the queso and specialty tacos.

SoKno Taco Cantina logistics

• Leash rules: Dogs must be leashed at all times.
   
• Patio/inside access: Well-behaved, leashed dogs are welcome on the outdoor patio with plenty of shade.
   
• Parking: There is limited parking in SoKno Taco parking area along with street parking.
   
• Hours:
  11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday
  11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday
  11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday brunch
  
  Happy Hour: 
  4-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday
  All day happy hour Sunday
   

Mom dipped over to the local K Brew for lattes and brought me back a pup cup. While the hotel does offer free breakfast, we decided to savor tasty crepes at French Market Creperie. We got there right when it opened so we could snag a table outside. 

K Brew logistics

• Leash rules: Dogs must remain on a leash at all times.
   
• Patio/indoor access: Patio access is provided at the North Knox, West Hills and Ebenezer locations. The downtown K Brew does not have patio access and, therefore, is not dog-friendly.
   
• Parking: Locust Street Garage, Main Avenue Garage and street parking are options when visiting K Brew downtown. 
   
• Hours:
  8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday
  7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Thursday
  7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday

French Market Creperie logistics

• Leash rules: Dogs must remain on a leash at all times.
   
• Patio/indoor access: Small patio with 4-6 tables. Well-mannered dogs can enjoy the intimate patio.
   
• Parking: You'll find parking at Locust Street Garage, Market Square Garage and Langley Garage. The three parking garages offer free nights and weekend parking.
   
• Hours:
  8 a.m. to 3 p.m.Monday-Wednesday
  8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday-Friday
  8 a.m. to 3 p.m., 4-9 p.m. Saturday
  9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday

I got the zoomies out off-leash exploring the small dog park at the PetSafe Downtown Dog Park. I even ran into two older beagles who looked just like me.

PetSafe Downtown Dog Park logistics

• Leash rules: Dogs can roam leash free. There are separate sections for small dogs and large dogs, ramps, exercise stations, dog and human water fountains, and benches.
   
• Patio/indoor access: The park is 100% outside
   
• Parking: State Street Garage and nearby street parking are near PetSafe Downtown Dog Park.
   
• Hours: Open sunrise to sunset

My humans and I took a short walk to explore World’s Fair Park and took several photos in front of the famous Sunsphere. World's Fair Park is a great walk where you can see the Tennessee Amphitheater which hosts concerts and performances throughout the year, Volunteer Landing where you can enjoy fishing, biking, water sports and more, and the Performance Lawn, a large green space that provides a natural amphitheater. The space hosts a variety of festivals, concerts, parties and more of the city's special events.

World's Fair Park logistics

• Leash rules: Dogs must remain on a leash at all times. Pick up after your pet.
   
• Parking: Free parking can be found at the Norht Lot, Fort Kid Lot and Blackstock Lot. The Locust Street Garage is nearby and offers free nights and weekends parking.
   
• Hours: 6 a.m. to midnight daily

Sunsphere logistics

• Indoor access: Only service animals as defined by ADA are allowed inside the Sunsphere. 
   
• Parking: Eleventh Street, Clinch Avenue and World's Fair Park Drive provide direct parking access to parking areas such as Fort Kid Lot, WFP North Lot, Blackstock Lot and Locust Street Garage.
   
• Hours
  10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday
  9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
  Noon to 4 p.m. Sunday
  * Closed 12:30-1:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday for employee lunch break
   
• Tickets
  $10 - General admission
  $5 - Children ages 12 and under
  Purchase tickets here.
   

We went inside to do some shopping at the local favorite Mast General Store. Even though I couldn’t go inside the market grounds, I walked around outside of the Market Square Farmers Market, where my humans took turns shopping for fresh fruits & vegetables, eggs, honey, pasture-raised meats, plants, flowers, bread, baked goods, jams, jellies, coffee and artisan crafts. Mom loves to read, so she took me inside to pick up a few books at the dog-friendly bookstore, Union Avenue Books. I personally loved the sniffs and smells more at the pet shop CitiFid-O.

Mast General Store logistics

• Leash rules: Well-behaved dogs are welcome and must be leashed.
• Inside access: Well-behaved, leashed dogs are allowed inside.
• Parking: State Street Garage, Market Square Garage and Langley Garage are steps from Mast General Store. These garages offer free nights and weekends parking.
• Hours
  10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday
  10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday-Saturday
  11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday

Market Square Farmers Market logistics

• Leash rules: Dogs are only allowed in some areas. Market Square is a pet-friendly venue, but pets are prohibited in the main center aisles of the Market.
   
• Parking: Nearby paid garages and street parking are available.
   
• Hours
  May-October
  10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays
  9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays
  
  November-March
  9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays

Union Avenue Books logistics

• Leash rules: Dogs must remain on a leash at all times.
   
• Inside access: Leashed dogs are allowed inside to browse books with their owners.
   
• Parking: Parking is available at the Langley Garage, Locust Street Garage and Market Square Garage. These garages offer free nights and weekends parking.
   
• Hours
  10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday
  10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday
  Noon to 6 p.m. Sunday

CitiFid-O logistics

• Leash rules: Dogs must be leashed at all times.
   
• Inside access: Dogs are welcome inside and may receive a treat.
   
• Parking: The Market Square Garage, Langley Garage and Locust Street Garage are steps aways from CitiFid-O.
   
• Hours:
  10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday
  10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday
  9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday
  11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday

My humans wouldn’t stop taking photos of me while I just wanted to sniff and explore at University of Tennessee Gardens. My mom said it’s the perfect spot to do watercolor painting.

University of Tennessee Gardens logistics

• Leash rules: Dogs must be leashed and remain on the pathways. Please clean up after them.
   
• Parking: There are entrances at Wimpole Avenue and Boyds Bridge Pike that lead to designated parking lots.
   
• Hours: The gardens are open from dawn until dusk every day. The Howell House Visitors Center and Gift Shop are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day.

The hiking trails at Ijams Nature Center are some of the best things to do in Knoxville with dogs. They can explore the 12 miles while leashed. Explore the Pink Marble trail to see beautiful lake overlooks and the Primal Playground as well as the Ross Marble trail to marvel at the towering limestone walls.

Ijams Nature Center logistics

• Leash rules: Dogs must remain on a leash at all times. Please pick up after your dog. Pet waste bag stations can be found near the Visitor Center and pet waste bags are for sale in the Ijams gift shop.
   
• Inside access: Because of state and federal regulations that allow Ijams to care fo animal ambassadors, pets are not allowed in the Visitor Center.
   
• Parking: Parking is available onsite and is $5 for daily parking. Yearly parking passes are $50.
   
• Hours: The Ijams grounds are open 8 a.m. to dusk
  
  Visitor Center: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday-Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday

In case of needing animal emergency services during your dog-friendly vacation in Knoxville, TN, the following centers are available 24/7:

• Animal Emergency & Specialty Center
  10213 Kingston Pike Knoxville, TN 37922
  865-693-4440
  For emergency care: Open 24/7
  For referral care: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday
   
• Knoxville Pet Emergency Clinic
  1819 Ailor Ave. Knoxville, TN 37921
  865-245-5386
  Open 24 hours Monday
  7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Tuesday-Thursday
  Open 24 hours Friday-Sunday