Kingsport

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,

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

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

If you are traveling with kids:

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

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.

Romantic Activities and Attractions:

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 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

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