2021 Family Vacation to Knoxville Area

[AZMotorgod]

My family and I are looking to visit Tennessee this coming year for a vacation. (And possibly even relocate to sometime in the future, if that is where the Lord leads us.)

The plan is to fly into Nashville and then spend the night with friends in Columbia. We will then spend the week in a time-share just off the I40 about an hour west of Knoxville. In our research, the Knoxville area is kind of the area that we may want to eventually relocate to. However, not in the city limits though as we would maybe like to have some property, chickens, other animals, etc.

Looking for any and all advice and wisdom you all have to offer. I am currently in the IT field but would consider remote work, or even other opportunities as well. We are just looking for a quieter lifestyle and get out of the hustle-bustle of a bigger city. We still love where we live, and I have a great job, but most of all just want to raise our kids (two kids in mid and early teens) in the best environment possible.

We are currently kind of looking at the August-September timeframe and wondering what the weather will be like, have the leaves started to change (fall), etc.

I have also been following Mellow's thread as well.

 

[Uncle Phil]

Being a 7th generation Tennessean (my family was here before Tennessee was a state) -

1. Knoxville? No
2. Nashville (where I live)? No
3. Memphis? No
4. Crossville? Yes
5. Cookeville? Yes
6. Maryville? Maybe
7. Chattanooga? Maybe
8. Columbia? Maybe

The first three are run by 'tax like crazy and spend' governments (Nashville 'rulers' just passed a 34% property tax increase)
Smaller towns tend to be a lot more fiscally conservative with small town values.
Leaves usually don't turn until October, August is often hotter than blazes and you can sometimes cut the humidity with a knife.
East past Cookeville toward Knoxville is not as bad as you get up on the plateau, but it can still be really hot.
Tons of great places to ride, things to see.

 

[AZMotorgod]

Uncle Phil-

Thank you for the input.

My family and I are excited about our trip (late summer/ early fall). Our goal is to just take everything in and explore as much of the area as possible.

I look forward to keeping an eye on this thread and the Tennessee page, in general, to soak up as much info as possible.

 

[Larry Fine]

If I had the chance to make a move like this, I'd look for something in, or at least closer to the mountains.

In other words, north-east or south-west of Knoxville. A nice mountain chalet with a 3-car garage. *sigh*

 

[Nashcat]

@AZMotorgod Give me a shout, when you get to Columbia. I’ve been living here since 1980. Great Place to live,

John

 

[Sadlsor]

Some may disagree, but life is better in the South.
I've been here, and I've been there. Haven't quite been everywhere.
I have lived around the world.
(TN is good - I love it, but I'm in 'bama and won't complain.)

 

[Tidrick]

TN will feel cool compared to AZ except for the humidity...

Cookeville was considered one of the top "retire to" communities by US News & World Report for several years. I lived there off and on for 15 years. College town, beautiful area. I miss it, honestly.

Love East TN for the more hilly (sometimes considered "mountainous" although a friend from Austria once assured me these were just hills... ha!) terrain and vistas.

One gentleman on this site ended up in Murfreesboro, TN (my home town) from either AZ or CA. However, beware the Rutherford County area has exploded in growth over the past 20+ yrs and is not the idyllic "small town" region it once was.

Pretty much the regions from about Lebanon on the east side of the Nashville metro area over to just west of Lenoir City, then east of Dandridge, TN will generally land you in quieter surroundings. Have fun with the hunt.

I want to make one more move in my career - back to TN!

If you DO end up in the region of Cookeville or Livingston, tag me. I have a couple of realtor references I would be happy to pass along that will genuinely work for you.

Best regards,

 

[TourNut]

I always enjoyed Tennesee , but I would stay way clear of the Oak Ridge area where they messed around early-on with radiation -related activities ; similar to the area 9 miles up-wind of where I grew up in northern Cincinnati , Ohio . Fernald there killed & screwed up a whole lot of people with radiation from their activities ; I know first hand ! ... I read that Oak Ridge was pretty radioactively hot too as well as a few other places in the country .

 

[jspringator]

I don't have any personal knowledge of this, but the Blue Ridge GA area seems to be popular with retiring motorcyclists. Right across the line. Not too hot; not too cold.

 

[AZMotorgod]

Well, it is a done deal! I relocated to just outside Maryville this past December, a year from my first post. I can't wait to get some riding in and meet some new folks.

So far I LOVE it and am proud to now be called a Tennessean!

 

[Uncle Phil]

If you get a chance you might want to wander over to FerryStoc in May.
It's a riding event about 200 miles or so west of you.
Welcome to the state!
Check out the Cherohala Skyway which is close to you - 411 down through Vonore then turn on 360 - that will get you to the west end of it.
Then you can take 129 back through Deals Gap to 411 and home - nice little loop.

 

[Nashcat]

You're just over 100 miles from Suches, GA, the home of the GA Spring Rally coming up in April.

John