ABOUT US
AN INTRO TO us
Why We Called It Knoxville Backyard And Beyond
There is so much to see in this area, that we had to come up with a way to organize it! We settled on splitting into 3 groups- Downtown, Backyard, and Beyond.
“Downtown Knoxville” includes all the things in the urban center of Knoxville (Gay St/ Market Square/ Old City) as well as the campus of the University of Tennessee (Gameday survival tips, parking guides, and hotel recommendations).
“Backyard Knoxville” includes all the things just outside of downtown up to about an hour away, such as the Urban Wilderness in south Knoxville, Museum of Appalachia just north of Knoxville, or places to see in Oak Ridge.
“Beyond Knoxville” is where we put all of our weekend getaway destinations, state parks that are more than an hour away, and of course, the blogs about our beloved Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Many are familiar destinations, but we’ve also made it a point to share some of our favorite, more unique experiences that make Knoxville and East Tennessee such a special place for us, whether the destination is an urban stroll downtown, an interactive museum, a hike in the Smokies, or the location of the perfect local picnic spot with a fantastic playground.
Whether you are visiting the area, just moved here, or your family settled in Appalachia before Tennessee was a state, we have places for you to discover.
Follow Us:
Email Us at info@backyardknoxville.com
A Little Bit More About Us
We are Amy and Amanda, two friends who both enjoy traveling, hiking, biking, and hanging out with our families with good food and good brews. We have not taken the proverbial year off to travel the world with kids in tow, and like many families, our vacations are squeezed in during the occasional free weekend, school breaks, and summers. When we are home, we try to get the kids off their devices and out in the world, so finding fun mini-adventures, day trips, and weekend getaways is always a goal.
We have always been the tour guides for our families and friends, you know, the ones everyone goes to because they always seem to know the best places to go and where to eat. Turns out we are both obsessive researchers who also enjoy writing so we decided to start our blog.
About Amy
Most Likely To…
Find The Best Local IPA And Family-Friendly Restaurant At Every Destination
I grew up in Knoxville and have lived the majority of my life in East Tennessee. My favorite activities include camping at Elkmont in the Smokies, paddleboarding on Chilhowee Lake, riding my bike on the local greenways, and finding fun towns to explore near Knoxville.
My trips tend to gravitate toward scenic beauty and good local food- I seek out the best of both.
All of the places we explore on Knoxville Backyard & Beyond have been approved by my family (husband and two daughters.) If they didn’t love it, you won’t see it here!
About Amanda
Most Likely To…
Stop At The World’s Largest Butter Sculpture (And Visit The Museum)
I love my East Tennessee. Even though I have traveled all over the world and lived in several places, this is where I have always called home.
The mountains are my happy place, and I love a good hike in the woods or a weekend camping. Whether finding a new place to explore or returning to an old favorite, traveling around Knoxville and beyond and writing about it is a dream job for me.
I especially like the quirky and unusual, and I am known for doing deep dives into places and their history. The kids will say I have never let a historical sign go by unread.
WHY We BLOG
Our Philosophy Behind Knoxville Backyard & Beyond
We know that families are busy but also that parents want to spend more time with their kids doing fun stuff. So we do the planning part for you, leaving you free to have the fun.
It’s All in the Details – Eliminate the Guess Work
We love to research places before we go and while we are there (you might call us guidebook and brochure hoarders and you would not be wrong).
If it is something we would want to know before taking a family trip, it has been included in our blog posts.
We have taken our own families to these museums, on these hikes, and eaten at these restaurants. We have found out, sometimes the hard way, what works and what doesn’t.
We Emphasize Getting The Family Outside
Many of our blog posts include easy hikes, bike rides, and float trips that have been selected for their kid-friendly length and ease of difficulty as well as their scenic beauty. (Always worth it!)
Restaurant Recommendations That Both Parents and Kids Will Love
If you travel with kids, you know that they are hungry approximately 24 hours a day. So we try to always include “where to eat” recommendations for all our destinations. Local dining establishments are highlighted because we always love something unique. This could mean a food truck, a pizza place, or a nice sit-down restaurant, but always delicious. If there are any local brews, wines, or coffee houses around, we’ll mention those too.
Unbiased and Honest Recommendations
When we started this blog and its sister blog, Simply Awesome Trips, we agreed to travel as we always have with our families—on our own dime. No free nights, no comped visits, not even any swag. We continue to feel good about that decision to offer completely unbiased recommendations.
We do participate in affiliate marketing with some of the companies that we personally use (Booking.com, Hotels.com, VRBO.com). They don’t pay us to write, we simply get a commission if you enter those sites through our “gate” as opposed to say a Google search. But we also recommend lodging, restaurants, and activities, where we don’t receive any commission, such as Airbnb or private rental companies.
“If it’s good; it’s good. We don’t change recommendations based on vendor.”
