We got to Knoxville, TN just after the front page story in The Tennessean (Nashville newspaper) celebrating Knoxville’s status as one of three completely economically recovered cities. Unemployed residents we met at a Tango Practica here, disagreed.

However, the Downtown area on a Sunday morning was thriving with locals and their dogs enjoying the pedestrian art park that runs for blocks with outdoor dining and a creek. There’s even a downtown dog park!

Old structures are preserved, and new amenities make it inviting. The University of Tennessee campus (400 acres) and the Tennessee Valley Authority (which oversees a regional network of over 20 dams) have shaped this city. Where else can you find a Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame?

Replete with 60 miles of dogwood trails, art laden bike paths, and free transportation on the Trolleys, it is easy to get around. We are just sorry we missed the Boomsday Festival on the river waterfront during Labor Day weekend, the largest fireworks show in the South.