Knoxville, TN: My Recent Trip and Savviest Recommendations!
I recently traveled to Knoxville, Tennessee, to watch my daughter Ellie compete in the CrossFit semifinals and had an absolute blast! I’m recapping our trip and sharing my recommendations for anyone planning a visit to Knoxville in the near future.
My husband Zane, our daughter Jud, her husband Owen, and I all had an incredible time watching Ellie compete and enjoying Knoxville. While we were there, we stayed at the amazing Cumberland House Hotel. The Cumberland House Hotel is a luxurious boutique hotel in the heart of downtown Knoxville. Our stay here truly took our trip to the next level in every way!
Where Did You Stay?
As I mentioned above, we were thrilled to stay at the beautiful Cumberland House Hotel for a couple nights! This was an absolute game-changer for our trip and elevated the whole experience. The Cumberland House Hotel is tucked into a beautiful, historic part of downtown Knoxville and is right across the street from The University of Tennessee. We stayed in a gorgeous and spacious suite, and our room had the most breathtaking view overlooking the downtown area!
The Cumberland House is pet-friendly and offers any amenity you can imagine, from a spacious fitness center to an incredible on-site restaurant. When we weren’t soaking up our time inside the hotel, we loved how close it was to restaurants and shops.
Every detail, down to the refillable water stations in the halls and the jar of pet treats at the front desk, was so thoughtful and intentional, making our stay comfortable and unforgettable. The hotel even makes its own soap! They save the leftover pork fat from the hotel restaurant and transform it into fabulous soaps.
My Top Three Favorite Parts About Our Stay At The Cumberland House Hotel:
- The top-notch service we encountered at every turn: During our stay, we were met with the height of Southern hospitality by everyone—from our waiters to our new friend David, the fabulous front desk concierge.
- The fabulous food: The Cumberland House Hotel is home to Tussie Mussie, a Southern-style restaurant with an Appalachian flair. We ate here several times during our short trip and couldn’t get enough!
- The convenient location: We loved being right across the street from the University of Tennessee and so close to an array of restaurants, shops, and parks! It was so fun to walk through these historic streets and get a true feel for downtown Knoxville. The hotel was also very close to the venue of Ellie’s competition, which was perfect for us.
Ellie’s Amazing Competition:
Our daughter Ellie Hiller is an incredibly talented athlete. (I still wonder if she got it from me or Zane—haha!) We were beyond proud to cheer her on at the CrossFit semifinals! This event is a high-intensity fitness competition that serves as a qualifier for the CrossFit Games. For three weeks, spanning the end of May to the beginning of June, top CrossFit athletes from around the world compete in the semifinals. This year, the semifinals were held in South Korea, France, Australia, California, South Africa, Brazil, and Knoxville. We had an absolute blast rooting for Ellie and celebrating all her hard work!
My Five Favorite Things We Ate During Our Trip:
The Tussie Mussie restaurant was a real highlight of our trip—so much so that we ate here multiple times during our short stay. I am ranking the top five dishes we tried, but it was so hard to narrow down our favorites!
- The Cumberland House Salad- This salad was so delicious that I had to order it twice! It’s their take on a traditional house salad and includes a deviled egg and the most delicious housemade buttermilk dressing. It was truly one of the most delectable, crave-worthy salads I’ve ever had!
- The Summit Hill Salmon- Buttery, flakey, and pan-seared to perfection, we all agreed that this was the best salmon we’d ever tasted!
- The Handcut Fries + Homemade Ketchup—For something so simple and basic, I can’t tell you how amazing these were! Our table couldn’t stop eating them, and we had placed several orders by the time all was said and done.
- The Steak and Potatoes- Zane ordered this and savored every bite of the tender filet and cabbage sweet potato hash.
- The Cumberland Burger- The addition of pimento cheese, onion jam, and candied jalapenos to this gourmet cheeseburger made it truly unforgettable.
To book your own unforgettable stay at the Cumberland House Hotel, visit their website!
