Things to Do in Cleveland

Knoxville Food Tours' squadron of knowledgeable guides pilots pedestrians through downtown Knoxville's eclectic cache of local eateries, introducing locals and visitors alike to a smattering of tasty cuisine during tours that have garnered press from outlets such as the Knoxville News Sentinel. Each two-hour walking tour leads participants to a rotating lineup of local haunts, where they'll enjoy drinks and sample local fare such as pastries, pizza, sushi, vegetarian cuisine, and produce from nearby farmers. At each stop on the excursion, chefs and restaurateurs proffer friendly, insightful culinary conversation to bolster the enlightening nuggets of historical information dispensed by the well-informed guides or their sentient atlases.

At Wheat Union Station, volunteers restore and maintain the Southern Appalachia Railway Museum's four diesel engines. Authentically outfitted conductors and staff keep one shiny shoe firmly in the past as air-conditioned coach cars and an open-air baggage car rumble past Poplar Creek, Watts Bar Lake, and Highway 327. The museum conducts seasonal rides and theme rides, including dinner trains and murder mysteries. Secret City Scenic Excursion train rides chug along rail lines that stretch out from K-25, a site of World War II's Manhattan Project.

Built in 1786, James White's Fort affords glimpses into the frontier lifestyles of America's forefathers while providing education on Knoxville founder and the fort's creator, James White. Each year, more than 10,000 visitors explore the residence, which was restored and opened to the public in 1970. Six cabins and a stockade wall surround the main two-story log house, where guests can experience hands-on interpretations of life as a pioneer by cooking on an open hearth or spinning retro cell-phone-charger cords on an antique loom. Special events held throughout the year keep a continuous line of visitors waltzing across the land of Tennessee's first capital, including an annual celebration of Cherokee heritage.

Certified yoga instructor Katy Branstetter's fitness career took off when she joined her high school's cheerleading squad. She continued encouraging athletes to b-e-a-g-g-r-e-s-s-i-v-e when she went to college, where she began developing an interest in yoga and Pilates. After discovering barre-based exercises and their ability to chisel toned glutes and abs, she decided to share her knowledge to help others whip into shape, while providing jobs for out-of-work ballet barres. At Neighborhood Barre, she and her team of dedicated instructors create a welcoming, judgment-free atmosphere as they lead students of all abilities through fast-paced, intense workouts that combine dance conditioning, Pilates, and yoga. They help both men and women carve their bodies into dancer-like sculpted physiques through low-impact isometric movements and stretches, emphasizing proper alignment to protect lower backs and spines.

The instructors at The Practice Yoga Studio come from diverse backgrounds: one is a classically trained symphony flutist, another is a massage therapist, and still another is a public-relations professional. But all of them are united by a common passion for yoga. On the hardwood floors of their spacious studio, the highly trained yogis guide students of all skill levels through a curriculum of classes including traditional Vinyasa yoga, hot-hatha yoga, and restorative yoga. During their signature Yogalates classes, the teachers combine yoga and Pilates movements to strengthen core muscles and enhance flexibility. Outside the classroom, the studio's onsite shop stocks yoga essentials ranging from professional mats and clothing to soothing audio recordings of Gandhi reading from his book, My Favorite Whale Sounds.