Cartoon family car on a winding road, pumpkin-patch road trip scene

Next 6 weekends · Oct 23–25 to Nov 27–29

Weekend getaways from Knoxville with kids

The best trip within about five hours of Knoxville for each of the next 6 weekends, chosen for kids under 6. Every event links to the official page we checked it on.

6 weekends

4 cities

Closest: 1h 45m

Last checked Oct 18, 2026 against official pages. How we choose

Departures

From Knoxville

Oct 23–25GreenvilleBoo in the Zoo · 2h 45mGreenville ZooNap in the car Oct 30–Nov 1GreenvilleBoo in the Zoo · 2h 45mGreenville ZooNap in the car Nov 6–8NashvilleA Country Christmas and ice! featuring "Home Alone" · 3hGaylord Opryland ResortNap in the car Nov 13–15ChattanoogaEnchanted Garden of Lights · 1h 45mRock City, Lookout Mountain, Ga.Best at dusk Nov 20–22Stay in KnoxvilleDisney On IceStaycation is your best optionStay home Nov 27–29ChattanoogaEnchanted Garden of Lights · 1h 45mRock City, Lookout Mountain, Ga.Friday fun

How far is fun?

Everything within 5 hours

Each ring is one hour of driving from Knoxville. Under two hours is an easy day trip; past three, pack the pajamas.

Chattanooga1h 45m

Greenville2h 45m

Lexington · Nashville3h

Charlotte · Huntsville · Louisville4h

Cincinnati · Birmingham4h 15m

Orange dots are picks on this page. Drive times are normal driving times without traffic.

WEEKEND 1

Oct 23–25

2h 45m

DestinationWeekend of Oct 23–25: Greenville

about 2 hr 45 min from Knoxville

Boo in the Zoo with timed tickets, which keeps the paths from getting packed. Bring your own treat bag.

Boo in the Zoo

Timed tickets. Bring your own treat bag. New this year: a Halloween afternoon session.

Fri Oct 23, Sat Oct 24, Sun Oct 25 · 3–8 p.m. entry; Oct. 31 session 1–4 p.m.

Greenville Zoo

$15; members $12; $3 trick-or-treat add-on

Official page

Greenville city guide Visiting with little kids This week in Greenville

Also within reach

Cincinnati~4h 15m

HallZOOween is daytime trick-or-treating, noon to 5 on Saturday and Sunday, included with a regular zoo ticket. Kings Island's no-scares Tricks and Treats runs 11 to 5 the same days.

Birmingham~4h 15m

Hoots & Howls is Halloween in daylight, 10 to 4, and Dino Safari's robotic dinosaurs are in their last weeks. You'll be done before nap.

WEEKEND 2

Oct 30–Nov 1

2h 45m

DestinationWeekend of Oct 30–Nov 1: Greenville

about 2 hr 45 min from Knoxville

Boo in the Zoo has its last evening on Friday, and new this year is a Halloween afternoon session from 1 to 4, which works well for little kids.

Boo in the Zoo

Timed tickets. Bring your own treat bag. New this year: a Halloween afternoon session.

Fri Oct 30, Sat Oct 31 · 3–8 p.m. entry; Oct. 31 session 1–4 p.m.

Greenville Zoo

$15; members $12; $3 trick-or-treat add-on

Official page

Greenville city guide Visiting with little kids This week in Greenville

Also within reach

Nashville~3h

Boo at the Zoo's final three nights: 10 trick-or-treat stations for ages 2 to 12, free carousel spins, and Día de los Muertos activities on Sunday.

Chattanooga~1h 45m

Boo in the Zoo on Halloween, 4 to 8.

WEEKEND 3

Nov 6–8

DestinationWeekend of Nov 6–8: Nashville

about 3 hr from Knoxville

A Country Christmas opens Friday at Gaylord Opryland, with ice! featuring "Home Alone," ice tubing and more than 5 million lights.

A Country Christmas and ice! featuring "Home Alone"

Ice sculptures, ice tubing, skating and more than 5 million lights around the resort. Opens Nov. 6.

Fri Nov 6, Sat Nov 7, Sun Nov 8 · See Gaylord Opryland

Gaylord Opryland Resort

Tickets for ice! and activities sold separately

Official page

Nashville city guide Visiting with little kids This week in Nashville

Also within reach

Charlotte~4h

Pirates' Christmas Weekend at the Carolina Renaissance Festival in Huntersville, plus the last day of Tricks and Treats at Carowinds on Saturday, 11 to 5:30.

WEEKEND 4

Nov 13–15

1h 45m

DestinationWeekend of Nov 13–15: Chattanooga

about 1 hr 45 min from Knoxville

Rock City's lights open Friday.

Enchanted Garden of Lights

Nightly from Nov. 13; closed Dec. 24.

Fri Nov 13, Sat Nov 14, Sun Nov 15 · Nightly

Rock City, Lookout Mountain, Ga.

See Rock City for tickets

Official page

Chattanooga city guide Visiting with little kids This week in Chattanooga

Also within reach

Charlotte~4h

Time Travelers' Weekend at the Carolina Renaissance Festival: kids 5 to 12 get in free with a school-supply donation, and 4 and under are always free. Parking is free too.

Cincinnati~4h 15m

Holiday Junction opens Friday at Union Terminal: the Duke Energy holiday trains, included with museum admission and entirely indoors.

WEEKEND 5

Nov 20–22

0 min

Stay home: staycation is your best option

Staycation is your best optionWeekend of Nov 20–22: Knoxville

Knoxville is our pick for the whole region this weekend. Disney On Ice is at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum Thursday through Sunday.

Disney On Ice

In Knoxville Nov. 19–22.

Fri Nov 20, Sat Nov 21, Sun Nov 22 · See the tour page for show times

Knoxville Civic Coliseum

See the tour page

Official page

Knoxville city guide Visiting with little kids This week in Knoxville

If you'd rather hit the road

Nashville~3h

Glow Wild at the zoo and ice! at Opryland.

Charlotte~4h

Speedway Christmas lights open, and it's the Renaissance Festival's final weekend.

WEEKEND 6

Nov 27–29

1h 45m

DestinationWeekend of Nov 27–29: Chattanooga

about 1 hr 45 min from Knoxville

Rock City's Enchanted Garden of Lights on Lookout Mountain, lit nightly from Nov. 13.

Enchanted Garden of Lights

Nightly from Nov. 13; closed Dec. 24.

Fri Nov 27, Sat Nov 28, Sun Nov 29 · Nightly

Rock City, Lookout Mountain, Ga.

See Rock City for tickets

Official page

Chattanooga city guide Visiting with little kids This week in Chattanooga

Also within reach

Greenville~2h 45m

Disney On Ice is at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena over Thanksgiving weekend.

Cincinnati~4h 15m

Thanksgiving weekend has the most going on here: the zoo's Festival of Lights, Holiday Junction (Santa arrives Friday) and WinterFest opening at Kings Island.

Little-traveler checklist

Pack it before you go

Car snacksMore than you think. Then a few more.

StrollerZoo paths and light trails are long for little legs.

Time the napLeave right before nap so the drive does double duty.

Overnight bagPast three hours, pajamas beat a 9pm drive home.

Parking cashFree admission days often still charge for parking.

Rain planPick one indoor backup, like a museum, before you leave.

More trips

Every region, every weekend

Tennessee Valley weekends

All regions

This week in Knoxville

Good questions

Weekend trips from Knoxville: the FAQ

Where can we go for a weekend from Knoxville with little kids?

Over the next 6 weekends our picks from Knoxville are Greenville, Nashville, Chattanooga. Each one is chosen for what's on that weekend, with the dates, times and prices checked on the official pages.

Which cities are within an easy drive of Knoxville?

Chattanooga (about 1 hr 45 min), Greenville (about 2 hr 45 min), Lexington (about 3 hr), Nashville (about 3 hr), Charlotte (about 4 hr), Huntsville (about 4 hr). Times are normal driving times without traffic.

Why is the same city picked more than once?

Sometimes one city really does have the most going on two weekends in a row, like a holiday lights opening followed by a show. We don't rotate cities just for variety.

Are the times and prices current?

They're what each official page showed on Oct 18, 2026. Tap through to the official page before you go.