Johnson City
Around Johnson City
Photo: Lwowen18 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Metro area · Tennessee · 214k people
Johnson City
Locals say Tri-Cities · “Little Chicago”
Mountain charm, Appalachian spirit
Navy blueOld gold
Welcome to the Tri-Cities! Whether you're here for the mountains, the music, or the barbecue, you'll find a friendly community with deep roots. Come explore our trails, catch a Bucs game, and enjoy the slower pace of life.
Clubs for Johnson City
No clubs for Johnson City yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Johnson City. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Johnson City. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- East Tennessee State University Home of the Bucs, with a lively campus and athletic events.
- East Tennessee State University Home of the Bucs, with a lively campus and athletic events.
- East Tennessee State University Home of the Bucs, with a lively campus and athletic events.
- Outdoors Hike to the top of Buffalo Mountain
- Outdoors Float the Watauga River
- With kids Picnic and paddle at Winged Deer Park
- With kids Ride bikes on the Tweetsie Trail
- Evenings Live music at downtown bars
- Evenings Bluegrass jams at local pubs
- Locals love Bluegrass jams
- Locals love Farmers markets
Through the year
- Blue Plum Festival June June music and arts festival in downtown Johnson City.
- National Storytelling Festival October October storytelling event in Jonesborough, Tennessee’s oldest town.
- Jonesborough Days July July 4th weekend celebration with music, food, and history in Jonesborough.
- Appalachian Fair August August county fair in Gray with livestock, rides, and exhibits.
- Johnson City Christmas Parade December December holiday parade through downtown Johnson City.
Johnson City enjoys four distinct seasons with mild winters and warm summers. Spring and fall are the best times to be out, with blooming dogwoods and crisp mountain air. Summers can be humid, but the mountains offer cool escapes; winters bring occasional snow and ice. Best: Spring and fall are the best times to be out, with blooming dogwoods and crisp mountain air.
Talk like a local
- “Tri-Cities”
- The local name for the Johnson City–Kingsport–Bristol metro area.
- “Bucs”
- Short for ETSU Buccaneers, the local college teams.
- “Pals”
- Pal's Sudden Service, a beloved local fast-food chain.
- “Holler”
- A small valley or hollow in the mountains.
Getaways
- Asheville Arts, music, and mountain views in the Blue Ridge.
- Boone Outdoor adventure and Appalachian State University.
- Greeneville Historic downtown and Andrew Johnson National Historic Site.
- Kingsport Bays Mountain Park and the riverfront.
Local flavour
Teams
- ETSU Buccaneers NCAA Division I
Eat and drink
- Biscuits and gravy Southern breakfast staple, often served with country ham
- Country ham Cured and salted ham, a regional specialty
- Pinto beans and cornbread Classic Appalachian comfort food
- Sweet tea Iced tea sweetened with sugar, ubiquitous in the South
- Tennessee barbecue Pork-based, often with a vinegar or tomato-based sauce
- Pal's Sudden Service Local fast‑food chain known for its burgers and sauce, beloved in the Tri‑Cities
Where people go
- Appalachian Mountains The defining landscape, with rolling ridges and forests
- Cherokee National Forest A vast public forest with hiking, fishing, and scenic drives
- Jonesborough (oldest town in Tennessee) Historic streets, storytelling, and small‑town charm
- Blue Ridge Parkway Scenic highway through the mountains, popular for leaf‑peeping
- Moonshine distilleries
- Bluegrass music venues Live music in bars, festivals, and community gatherings
Heritage and traditions
Locals are proud of their Appalachian heritage, the oldest town in Tennessee, and the storytelling tradition that makes Jonesborough the storytelling capital of the world.
This time of year in Johnson City
- Apple picking and apple butter making Fall Fall harvest in Unicoi County.
Say it like a local: “fixin' to” — about to
Festivals
- Rhododendron Festival June Celebrates the blooming rhododendrons on Roan Mountain.
- Covered Bridge Celebration September Celebrates the historic covered bridge with music and crafts.
- Siege of Fort Watauga Reenactment July Reenacts the 1776 attack on Fort Watauga.
Landmarks with a story
- Fort Watauga Site of the 1776 siege, reconstructed at Sycamore Shoals.
- Carter Mansion Oldest frame house in Tennessee, built in 1780.
- Elizabethton Covered Bridge One of the oldest covered bridges in the US, spans the Doe River.
- Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site A farm with 18th-century buildings and a pioneer cave.
Food traditions
- Soup beans and cornbread A staple Appalachian meal of pinto beans and cornbread.
- Ramps Wild leeks foraged in spring, celebrated in local festivals.
- Apple butter Made in fall at community gatherings.
- Sorghum molasses Sweetener made from sorghum cane, used on biscuits and cornbread.
- Fried apple pies Hand pies sold at festivals and markets.
Music and arts
- Old-time and bluegrass music The region is a hub for traditional Appalachian music, with venues like The Down Home.
- Storytelling Jonesborough is the storytelling capital, with the National Storytelling Festival.
- Appalachian crafts Quilting, weaving, and pottery are traditional.
- Cherokee arts Basket weaving and beadwork are part of the local heritage.
A little history
- 1769 William Bean settles in the Watauga area
- 1772 Watauga Association formed, an early self-governing community
- 1776 Siege of Fort Watauga during the Revolutionary War
- 1780 Men from the Watauga area fight at the Battle of King's Mountain
- 1784-1788 Jonesborough serves as capital of the State of Franklin
Rivalries
- ETSU vs. Western Carolina SoCon football rivalry.
- Science Hill vs. Dobyns-Bennett High school football rivalry across the Tri-Cities.
- Johnson City vs. Kingsport Friendly debate over barbecue and city pride.
- Game day ETSU Buccaneers tailgating
- Game day Friday night lights
- Outdoors Hike Roan Mountain
- Outdoors Canoe or kayak on Watauga Lake
- With kids Visit the Covered Bridge in Elizabethton
- With kids Pick apples at a local orchard
People speak with a Southern Appalachian accent, often using phrases like 'y'all' and 'fixin' to'. They might say 'warsh' for wash, 'holler' for hollow, and 'crick' for creek.
Only here
- Jonesborough is the oldest town in Tennessee and the storytelling capital of the world.
- The Watauga Association was one of the first self-governing communities in America.
- The Elizabethton Covered Bridge is one of the oldest in the US.
- The region is home to the largest rhododendron gardens in the world at Roan Mountain.
New here? A few tips
- Be prepared for four seasons, with snow in winter and hot summers.
- Get used to curvy mountain roads.
- Try a local biscuit and sweet tea.
- Learn to say 'Tennessee' with the accent (Tenn-a-see).
- Explore the small towns like Jonesborough and Elizabethton.
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Part of Tri-Cities area
Nearby
Every areaKingsport–BristolTennesseeWhere the mountains meet the music, and the race never stops.GreenevilleTennesseeWhere the hills hold the history.BurnsvilleNorth CarolinaMisty peaks, quiet hollows, and mountain time.Mountain CityTennesseeHigh country charm and mountain air.BooneNorth CarolinaHigh country air, mountain town heart.LebanonVirginiaMountain hospitality, coal country pride.MarionNorth CarolinaWhere the mountains meet the riverAshevilleNorth CarolinaWhere the mountains meet the arts.
Johnson City, TN. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.