We're thinking about driving to Knoxville next year for the Classic.  I have no idea how it all works.  My understanding is it's centrally located on the UT campus, but I have no idea where to look for a hotel, if they offer any types of shuttle service into town, or what the parking situation is at the expo and weigh-in.  If anyone was there in 23 and can offer some advice, I'd appreciate it! 

 

@TnRiver46  Is the man to answer those questions.

 

I'll be driving up the Bait Monkey for a day and letting him run wild at the Expo looking for big swimbaits 😁

Parking downtown is an art form that takes a lifetime to master 😂 

 

By march the basketball season will be in tournaments and there’s no football so it will be easier. I’m sure they will open a lot of the garages for parking, the students don’t use too many spots after 3-4 pm. I know lots of secret ninja spots to park so holler at me if needed. Some of the hotels have parking garages within walking distance of everything 

 

I fished the whole time in ‘23 but I went in ‘19 to weigh ins and expo and it wasn’t too tricky 

 

I think @Glenn stayed at the Marriott in ‘23

 

weigh in is at food city center basketball arena, expo is at Knoxville convention center I believe, and take off is from volunteer landing. All walking distance from each other. Calhouns is a good restaurant to park at, might have to get a pork sandwich to make it look good 

It's a fairly compact downtown. Everything Classic is walkable.  I stayed at the Marriott last time, and walked to the convention center from there.  I was at the Hilton the time before, which is basically across the street.  Both places have their own parking garages for hotel guests.

 

I ubered everywhere else.  Most restaurants are within a 5 min drive of those hotels.  And frankly, it's far easier/faster to Uber than to drive around looking for parking.  There's plenty of Uber drivers there (it's a college town).

It’s the best town in the world. 

we go to concerts down there all the time. I second the notion that everything is close.

21 hours ago, Glenn said:

It's a fairly compact downtown. Everything Classic is walkable.  I stayed at the Marriott last time, and walked to the convention center from there.  I was at the Hilton the time before, which is basically across the street.  Both places have their own parking garages for hotel guests.

 

I ubered everywhere else.  Most restaurants are within a 5 min drive of those hotels.  And frankly, it's far easier/faster to Uber than to drive around looking for parking.  There's plenty of Uber drivers there (it's a college town).

*Also a solution, and a nice follow up to @TnRiver46 Thanks, Glenn!