Fort Sanders - Knoxville, TN Area Guide

When Fort Sanders was constructed in the late 1800s, it housed some of the area's wealthiest residents, including politicians and leading industrialists. It also housed professors and administrators at UT. As Knoxville spread west during the early 20th century, the city's elite began to eschew Fort Sanders for newer suburban areas, and the neighborhood declined.

Its renaissance began after World War II, when the GI Bill and other factors caused UT's student body to swell. Fort Sanders became a popular home for college students, and many neighborhood houses that had fallen into disrepair were fixed up and converted into student apartments.

Fort Sanders remains popular among both college students and young graduates who wish to remain in the center of the action. The Knoxville Museum of Art resides in the nearby World's Fair Park, and neighborhood annual events include the Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon.

Fort Sanders teems with restaurants easy to walk to, and residents certainly don't lack access to great nightlife. "The Strip," a term coined by locals for the segment of Cumberland Avenue that serves as the border between Fort Sanders and UT's campus, contains an abundance of restaurants, bars and clubs.

The Copper Cellar has been a Cumberland Avenue favorite for decades and consists of two restaurants in one--an upscale steak house downstairs and a more-casual burger-and-beer joint upstairs. This Knoxville staple serves as both a place to go for special occasions and a place to stop for a bacon cheeseburger and a couple of beers before making your way to the stadium on a Saturday in October.

Serving authentic Italian dishes since 1985, Oscar's Restaurant knows how to get creative, and this keeps locals coming back. Try a sizzling pizza topped with cheese steak or chicken Alfredo, or grab a basket of boneless wings with a side of Oscar's famous seasoned chili cheese fries. Calorie counters have no need to steer clear, as the menu also features an impressive selection of salads, wraps and pita sandwiches.

The only thing better than enjoying fresh, steaming Japanese meats, veggies, noodles and rice is watching flames shoot 10 feet in the air as expert chefs prepare your food right before your eyes. No one in Knoxville does hibachi better than Hibachi Factory, which features its most popular location right on Cumberland Avenue. If you plan to go on a Friday or Saturday night, get there early to avoid the crowds. Or, if you don't mind a bit of a wait, show up for a late dinner and then stick around for a few drinks.

Cumberland Avenue features abundant nightlife that includes live music venues such as Longbranch Saloon. Stop by Hanna's for karaoke and live DJs. Cool Beans features pool, darts and live music. Two more popular nightlife districts, the Old City and Market Square, sit within a mile of Fort Sanders.

The massive hill on which Fort Sanders sits serves as the biggest challenge to getting around by foot. Almost all of the streets feature sidewalks. This allows many college students in the neighborhood walk to campus to avoid UT's draconian parking enforcement. Many residents do not chose to bike, the neighborhood fails to provide bike lanes, On weekend nights, you can find hundreds of Fort Sanders residents walking to and from the nightlife offerings on Cumberland Avenue.

Otherwise, Knoxville is a car-centric city. Getting from Fort Sanders to other points of interest in town proves easier with a car. The neighborhood sits in close proximity to numerous major highways. Parking your car in Fort Sanders can be a challenge, particularly when school is in session and especially on the Saturdays when the Vols play at home. Most residents, however, are able to establish a suitable arrangement.

Those who prefer not to drive have several alternatives. You can't hail a cab in Fort Sanders, but you can call numerous taxi companies for a pickup, or you can try Uber, a popular ride-sharing service. Knoxville Area Transit, a public bus system, also provides service to Fort Sanders.

Fort Sanders sits right next to one of the most popular parks in East Tennessee, the World's Fair Park. This park was the site of the World's Fair when it was held in Knoxville in 1982. Afterward, the site was converted into a park that features green space, trails for walking, biking or rollerblading, dozens of fountains and the unique Sunsphere with an observation deck offering spectacular views of downtown Knoxville, the Smoky Mountains and the Tennessee River.

Although the World's Fair Park doesn't have exercise facilities, visitors can get in shape by walking or jogging on its expanse of trails. The park is free and provides limited free parking, along with multiple pay garages providing ample parking.

The park hosts dozens of yearly events, which include the Brewers' Jam all-day concert series and a huge Independence Day fireworks show.

Because the close proximity of a large university creates high demand for housing, the cost of living in Fort Sanders runs slightly higher than the Knoxville average. Residents pay an average of $670 for a one-bedroom apartment. Expect to pay $2.75 for a beer in a local pub. A ride into downtown Knoxville on a public bus costs a $1.50 for a single ride. Area gas prices typically hover 8 to 11 percent lower than the national average.

Fort Sanders sits equidistant to two large shopping malls in Knoxville: the Knoxville Center Mall and the West Town Mall. Both feature several big-box retailers; West Town has more high-end stores, while Knoxville Center contains more discount shops.

Numerous locally owned boutiques and specialty stores sit near Fort Sanders in downtown Knoxville. These include Nothing Too Fancy, a boutique that, as its name indicates, carries only casual clothing and fun home decor that includes lots of UT keepsakes. Fans of the Vols love to shop there for T-shirts, koozies and car flags emblazoned with their team's logo.

Mast General Store carries casual clothing, comfortable footwear and hundreds of unique gifts, including candy cigarettes and other anachronistic treats hard to find.

For large grocery shopping trips, most Fort Sanders residents head across Interstate 40 to the Food City. Numerous smaller markets also serve the neighborhood and include Go Vols 13th Street Grocery and Deli. Less than a mile from Fort Sanders, the Market Square Farmers Market carries meats, eggs, baked goods and produce. It even opens in the winter.