Things to Do in Kingsport

Former professional driver and expert instructor Randy Baker and his team have been guiding drivers toward greatness for more than 20 years; past pupils include Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Jeff and Ward Burton, and the shadowy pit mechanic known only as Racer X. At SpeedTech Auto Racing School, Randy combines a fleet of super-speedy rides—authentic, metal-bodied vehicles boasting 650-horsepower V-8 engines—with a serious emphasis on safety to prepare drivers for any mishap on the track. Gearheads, speed junkies, and people who still sleep in a racecar bed despite their adult children's protestations soak up Randy's knowledge during one of SpeedTech's many race programs, varying in length from 3 laps to more than 100. With the school's built-in HD video feeds, drivers can commemorate their laps or prove to the family car it's been cheating on them with the hotel's valet.

The guides who founded Better Tours of Asheville draw on experience leading excursions in far-flung locations in Puerto Rico, France, and Italy. Now, they accompany groups past the basilica and other historical buildings in the town, delivering stories developed through constant research and an ability to smell fossils. The guides divulge colorful tidbits of local history during pub crawls through storied taverns with group drink specials and allude to haunting tragedies along ghost tours that occasionally yield eerie photos of orbs, wisps, and buildings an inch from where they normally are.

Weather, sports, and the adorable antics of children. Too frequently these topics dominate dinner-table discussions. Seldom do diners dig into the important topics of the day, such as who is sending threatening letters to a famous country music family? How did someone end up dead on the set of an '80s trivia game show? And who could have possibly wanted a Roaring Twenties gangster dead?

These kinds of riveting questions swirl around the dinner tables at the Casbah Theater, where Two Pence Productions inspires intrigue with a lineup of dinner shows, many of which are murder mysteries penned by playwright Eileen Moushy. Her original whodunits follow the classic sleuth framework that begins with a prelude to a murder, progresses to the dastardly deed, and culminates in an epic revelatory scene.

As the actors circulate throughout the theater and among the tables, guests listen in on dialogue to pick out clues and root out motives. Each plot line unfolds in a rich, evocative setting––such as the glamorous '80s or the dapper '20s––and the theater encourages guests to dress in costume, often awarding prizes to those who stay in character and use their cell phones as lie detector devices.

C.O.R.E. krav maga––a threefold philosophy of self-defense that is ethical, pragmatic, and dynamic––serves as the foundation for Asheville Integrated's hands-on martial-arts classes, during which trainers teach students how to protect themselves in real-world scenarios while conditioning and strengthening their bodies. Using elements of the C.O.R.E. krav maga model, martial-arts instructors also host self-defense classes specifically catered to women and children, helping them build balance, coordination, and the wherewithal to defend themselves in the face of violence. Asheville Integrated Combatives' programs evolve based on feedback from the community, local law enforcement, and burgeoning muscles that pen thank-you notes to staff members.

In the 15 years since its opening, Adventure Rock has upheld its objective of granting guests of all ages and experience levels a chance to learn how to climb. The staff meticulously maintains amenities including 12,000 square feet of textured climbing surfaces, bouldering caves, and custom treadwall. Sculpted arêtes and cracks challenge forearms as intrepid wall-climbers chart a course up colored pathways to seek council with the sentient ductwork at the faux mountain's 35-foot peak. Under the helm of experienced instructors, students learn the ins and outs of ascension via climbing classes. As climbers scramble upward on more than 40 top ropes, air-conditioning keeps faux mountainsides from awkwardly perspiring geode sweat drops. While the indoor facility offers a controlled environment in which to learn and practice, Adventure Rock’s staff also unleashes patrons’ inner adventurers via private outdoor climbing classes held at Devil’s Lake as well as portable rock wall rentals for all manner of party or event.

Heralded by Cycle World, American Motorcyclist, and comedian Jay Leno, the Wheels Through Time Museum recently picked up even more exposure on an episode of History Channel's American Pickers. In "The Belly Dance," hosts Mike and Frank come to the museum in need—they've found a rare belly-tank racer, but unless they can get it to run, the find will have cost them more money than it's worth.

That's where museum founder and curator Dale Walksler, automotive enthusiast par excellence, comes in. In 1993, Walksler invited crowds and fellow bike buffs to join in the astonishing details of his obsession: more than 300 rare and historical classic motorcycles amid a collection of tens of thousands of related artifacts. Free from the ghosts of vengeful traffic cops, the double-decker garage resembles a fever-dream cycle showroom gleaming with vintage and contemporary models by Harley Davidson, Indian, and Excelsior, and one-of-a-kind machines that include the handsome Traub. The ahead-of-its-time machine was discovered bricked up inside a Chicago wall in 1967, built by a brilliant designer who apparently never built another bike before or after. Despite dating back to the 1910s, nearly all of the machines can still run—often zooming straight through the 40,000-square-foot museum floor¬—and lecture passersby on four-way intersection etiquette.