Knoxville is located on the beautiful Tennessee river and only 27-28 miles from Pigeon Forge/ Gatlinburg.  The downtown Market Square has 19th-century buildings with many shops and restaurants.  It also offers live music, festivals,museums, hiking, biking, zip-lining, the zoo, the river boat and so much more!   It is called the “Cradle of Country Music,” given that this genre of music finds its roots back in Knoxville. It is also called the “Marble City” due to marble having an important role in Knoxville's history.