Knoxville consists of 16 distinct neighborhoods. The neighborhoods located closest to the UTK campus are to the north of campus and include Marble City, Fort Sanders, Downtown Knoxville, and Old City heading from west to east respectively. Many UTK students live in these neighborhoods, which are all within walking distance of campus.

Marble City is located to the northwest of The University of Tennessee, Knoxville campus. Apartment complexes in this area that are within walking distance of the UTK campus include The Social Knoxville, Kingston Place Student Condos, and Keystone Condominium. There are also several parks located in Marble City such as Tyson Park, John Tarleton Park, and Third Creek Greenway Park.

The Fort Sanders neighborhood is located between Marble City and Downtown Knoxville just north of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville campus. Fort Sanders extends from Metron Center Way to 11th Street and from Grand Avenue to Cumberland Avenue, often referred to as “The Strip.” The Strip is highly popular among UTK students, with restaurants, bars, coffee shops, bookstores, movie theaters, and an active nightlife scene lining the streets of this area. Access to The Strip makes Fort Sanders a popular neighborhood for UTK students and faculty members. Fort Sanders contains a mix of historic homes and more modern condominium buildings. Fort Sanders Manor, The Standard at Knoxville, and Aspen Heights Knoxville are apartment complexes located in Fort Sanders and are within walking distance of campus.

On the northeastern side of the UTK campus lies Downtown Knoxville. The Downtown area runs from 11th Street to South Central Street and from West Vine Avenue to Neyland Greenway. There are many apartments available in this area, including Woodgrove Apartments, Marble Alley Lofts, and Summit Towers. Market Square is also located within Downtown Knoxville. Market Square is host to frequent festivals and concerts, includes many trendy bars, restaurants, and stores, and is home to the Knoxville Farmers Market which offers fresh produce, baked goods, and crafts.

Old City is another neighborhood option near the UTK campus. Old City runs from North Gay Street to James White Parkway and from East Jackson Avenue to Summit Hill Drive. Apartment complexes in this neighborhood include JFG Flats and The Daniel on Jackson.

In addition to these neighborhoods, there are several neighborhoods in Knoxville that are slightly further away from the UTK campus. Other neighborhoods include West View, West Knoxville, Western Heights, Beaumont, Fourth and Gill, and Five Points. These neighborhoods similarly offer a wide variety of housing options for UTK students.

Dining

Many restaurants and dining options are available to students in Knoxville. On the University of Tennessee, Knoxville campus itself, students frequently use dining dollars and meal equivalencies to purchase food from the dining halls or from the Student Union. Some popular options there include Starbucks, Qdoba, Panda Express, Subway, Einstein Bagels, and Chick-fil-A.

Fieldhouse Social is a great place to grab a burger and beer near campus. Most other restaurants and bar options are located along The Strip. Happy Taco is a Mexican family-style restaurant with delicious tacos. Chipotle Mexican Grill is another popular choice for those craving something spicy. Stefanos Pizza, Zaxby's Chicken Fingers & Buffalo Wings, Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers, McDonald’s, and Poke Bros are all great options for hungry UTK students! These are all located along The Strip.

There are also many dining options in Downtown Knoxville. Cafe 4 serves refined Southern classics, wine, beer, and coffee in a comfortable dining room area. Chesapeake's Seafood Restaurants is a seafood house that offers classic Eastern Shore-style dishes. The Hill Bar and Grill serves burgers and beer served in a lively pub setting with music, trivia nights, and sports broadcasting on a large TV. These dining options are popular among Knoxville residents and UTK students alike.

Transportation

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville offers students complimentary rides on the T (Transit). The T runs throughout the UTK campus and portions of the Fort Sanders neighborhood. T rides operate with continuous, frequent service, arriving at a given stop every 6-12 minutes. There are four fixed routes and two on-demand routes. All services are fare-free.

Students may also take advantage of the Knoxville Area Transit (KAT). KAT rides consist of three trolley routes and 23 Fixed Routes servicing over 1,100 bus stops. KAT’s three trolley routes serve the Downtown Knoxville and UTK area while KAT's Fixed Route service provides quality transportation throughout the City of Knoxville. Fare types and costs can be found on the KAT bus website.

UTK also offers evening shuttle services and late-night rides. The T: Link runs nightly between 6 pm and 7 am and will transport students at night to their destination. Students can request On-Demand service through the UTK mobile app or the TransLoc app. Students can also call from any campus Blue Phone or call the T: Link directly (865-974-4080). The T: Link services UTK’s main campus, the Ag campus, and the Fort Sanders neighborhood to Grand Avenue. The T: Link does not include the Cumberland Avenue Strip.

Alternatively, the T: Bus is available for nighttime services. The T: Bus operates every 10-12 minutes each night Sunday-Thursday from 6 pm to 2:30 pm and on Friday-Saturday from 6 pm to 3:30 am. The T: Bus service area includes the UTK campus and the Fort Sanders neighborhood.

Parking

UTK students and faculty members are required to register their vehicles with Parking and Transit Services to park on the UTK campus. Registration tags are available for free; however, registration alone does not provide parking privileges. Students must obtain parking permits in addition to registration tags to park in designated campus lots.

Parking permit types and prices vary. Non-Commuter parking permits are nearly $300 per semester while Commuter parking permits are closer to $200 per semester. Fraternity or Sorority parking permits are $269. Students living on campus in Residence Halls are considered Non-Commuters. All other students and faculty members are considered Commuters.

The UTK campus has three gated garages and eight non-gated garages. Non-Commuters may park in student-designated parking garages at any time. However, parking is not permitted in the Student Commuter Parking Areas nor in the RecSports Parking Area (RPA) between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. except by special permit. Students may park in unreserved staff and commuter areas from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. during the week and on the weekends.

Safety

The University of Tennessee Public Safety team is dedicated to the safety and security of the Volunteer community. In addition to late-nite transportation services, UTK also has an alert system and campus safety app to enhance communication and keep students safe. The UT ALERT system notifies students in the event of an emergency.

Meanwhile, students can use the campus safety app, LiveSafe, to conveniently access campus resources and services. LiveSafe allows students to place an emergency call to the nearest 911, contact UT Police via emergency call or text, report any incidents or suspicious activity to the appropriate campus offices, and access resources such as emergency procedures and safety maps. The LiveSafe app turns smartphones into personal safety devices to keep UTK students safe.

Shopping

Various grocery stores, convenience stores, and shopping centers are located near the University of Tennessee, Knoxville campus. There is a Publix Super Market located at University Commons as well as a Kroger located to the east of campus just outside of Marble City. Publix and Kroger are large grocery stores with a wide variety of options to choose from.

Clothing stores such as Urban Outfitters, Nothing Too Fancy, and Fizz can all be found in the Downtown Knoxville area near Market Square. Mast General Store Knoxville and The Market are also located in this area.

Many other stores are located a bit further away from campus in Marble City. These stores include the Western Plaza Shopping Center, Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe's, Sam's Club, Walmart Supercenter, Walker Springs Plaza, Market Place Shopping Center, and more.