Cozy Weekend in Johnson City: A Relaxing Getaway in East Tennessee
Looking for a cozy mountain getaway that’s family-friendly and affordable? Johnson City, Tennessee makes for the perfect weekend getaway!
I got to spend a December weekend in Johnson City, but whether you are there for the holiday activities or a different time during colder weather, you’ll find plenty to do!
Thanks to Visit Johnson City for inviting me to Go All Out in Johnson City and for sponsoring this post! All opinions are my own of course!
Cozy Weekend in Johnson City Itinerary
Friday Afternoon
Start out with tea at The Philosopher’s House. This was one of my favorite experiences in Johnson City!
This nonprofit teahouse is located in downtown Johnson City. It opened in 2022 and has quickly become a community touchstone, offering not just tea but a gathering place for local students, artists, gamers, and more. They have TONS of events and classes going on every month (usually over 50!) ranging from yoga classes to poetry workshops to language classes.
The Philosopher’s House has almost 50 teas that can make over 100 drinks. My advice? Tell them what kind of tea you like and they’ll help you find the best choice for you!
And if you can I highly recommend having your tea poured in a traditional style. I had a Chinese gong fu style tea and found the whole experience fascinating!
After tea, head over to King Commons Park and Founders Park for a bit of time in the fresh air. During Christmas they have the Candyland Christmas tree trail here, but even at other times of the year you’ll find it a lovely place to take a stroll with multiple bridges and pathways across the creek.
By now you can probably check into your accommodations. Where to stay? We’ve got more recommendations below but here’s the tl:dr: The most popular place to stay is the Carnegie Hotel. But (since it’s so popular and was all booked up during my visit) I stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott Johnson City and thought it was perfect!
Friday Evening
For Friday evening, head to downtown Johnson City to eat. There are some great restaurants in the walkable downtown blocks of Johnson City. Here are a few recommendations:
- Freiberg’s — A German restaurant with authentic German food and beers on tap.
- The Black Olive — An Italian restaurant with pizzas, pastas, salads, and more.
- White Duck Taco — A casual eatery with inventive tacos with all kinds of flavors.
- Label Restaurant — A steakhouse that also has a wide selection of burgers and other entrees.
Saturday Morning
Start your morning off with breakfast at Wellington’s Restaurant in the Carnegie Hotel. If you’re staying at the hotel, then it’s super convenient! But if you’re not, you’ll still want to check out this space.
Wellington’s is full of rich woods and ornate decor and cozy booths, perfect for a warm breakfast spot. The food is great too! I especially loved my breakfast potatoes dipped in some of my sausage gravy.
While you’re here, be sure to check out some of the beautiful spaces in the Carnegie Hotel if it’s not where you’re staying!
After breakfast head to the Johnson City Railroad Experience! Because what better way to bring some joy to your day than to feel like a kid again? (And especially if you are traveling with kids you WILL NOT want to miss this spot!)
The Johnson City Railroad Experience is a new museum that opened in 2024. It showcases model railroads and train history, and it’s so amazing! I love miniature anything, so I had so much fun looking at all the creative detail here!
Here are a few things you’ll want to see at the Johnson City Railroad Experience:
- A model railroad based on Knoxville
- A track that models every stop on a nearby railroad
- Live video corner with train cameras from cities around the US
- Learn about hobo culture and how they communicated with fencepost signs
- If you’re traveling with kids, you’ll want to check out the children’s activity room
This is the prefect place to spend a couple hours in the morning before heading out for lunch and shopping!
Saturday Afternoon
For your Saturday afternoon, head to Jonesborough, Tennessee. This small town near Johnson City is known as Tennessee’s Oldest Town AND the Storytelling Capital of the World, but I also think it should claim to be Tennessee’s friendliest town!
Jonesborough is truly the most Hallmark-movie like town I have ever been to. Main Street is full of historic buildings, boutique shops, and some great restaurants.
For lunch, head to Main Street Cafe. This is THE place to eat lunch, and on a Saturday you’ll likely find the line out the door. It’s worth it though! The wait shouldn’t take too long though before you can order at the counter and find a spot to sit and enjoy your meal. They have all kinds of sandwiches and I had a great burger.
After lunch, spend the rest of your afternoon explore Jonesborough. Here are a few things you’ll want to check out:
- Visitor’s Center — The Visitor’s Center is just a block away from Main Street and it’s a great place to stop for more info and to shop for local goods.
- International Storytelling Center — Jonesborough is the Storytelling Capital of the World and you’ll find the International Storytelling Center on Main Street. If there’s an event going on while you are visiting, I highly recommend seeing if you can get tickets!
- Downtown Shops — There are so many amazing shops along this little Main Street! Gabriel’s Christmas celebrates the holidays year-round, The Lollipop Shop is a kid candy wonderland and has retro candies adults will love, and I found some of my favorite French Broad Chocolates along with some other fun treats in McLeod Organics.
- Historic Buildings — There are some beautiful historic churches and buildings in downtown Jonesborough, and they have some amazing stories to tell. Andrew Jackson had quite a history here! AND Jonesborough was home to the first abolitionist publications.
- Historic Jackson Theater — If you want to catch a movie, the historic Jackson Theater has recently been renovated and it’s beautiful inside. It’s so cool that they were able to reimagine this space that was once so important to the community and revitalize it so the community can use it again.
- Tennessee Hills Distillery — Located in the old Salt House from the Civil War, Tennessee Hills Distillery makes some amazing spirits. You can visit her to shop and do a tasting. (I picked up a couple small bottles for Gerrit for Christmas and he loved the different flavors!)
- Historic Walking Tour — To learn more about the history of Jonesborough and the local buildings, take a historic walking tour!
Jonesborough really is such a gem. Even just from eating in the restaurants and strolling through the streets, I could tell that community means everything in this small town. They are all about supporting each other and their town, and it gives even a casual visitor like me a feeling of warmth and welcome.
Saturday Evening
For Saturday Evening, have dinner in Jonesborough. My recommendation? The Opposum’s Tale. This cozy British pub is Jonesborough’s only public house. You can grab a pint and some food and enjoy the atmosphere of this neighborhood establishment.
While I’ve heard everything is great, the fish and chips I had were FANTASTIC. So crispy and flavorful!
Sunday Morning
Start your morning with some breakfast and coffee. I really loved sitting with some hot chocolate and reading at Dos Gatos Coffee Bar. But there are lots of other options too like Open Doors Coffeehouse and The Moon Coffee and Tea House.
After a light breakfast and some chill time at a coffee house, head out to do some shopping. I really love that so many of Johnson City’s downtown shops are open on Sunday mornings, which doesn’t always happen in the South!
Here are some of my favorite Johnson City shops I checked out:
- The Generalist — This “general” store has sections for different local vendors. They sell everything from handmade jewelry to clothing to quirky gifts. There’s even a little corner bookstore inside run by Atlas Books inside, which you know I loved! (What’s better for a cozy weekend than a good book?!)
- Terrarium Plant Store — Oh, how I aspire to be a better houseplant person. And this is the place to go for inspiration and instruction! They had so many beautiful plants and they offer fun classes like Terrarium Building.
- Get Bricked — An entire store devoted to LEGO! There are SO many LEGO sets to choose from here, plus they have some amazing already-built pieces to admire.
- West Main Antiques — Perfect for all the antique lovers! I loved browsing through here.
More Things To Do in Johnson City
Have more time in Johnson City? Here are some more great things to do there!
- Tweetsie Trail — A rails-to-trails project that offers almost 10 miles of paved running/walking/biking paths.
- Buffalo Mountain Park — Beautiful area with hiking trails and mountaintop views.
- Gray Fossil Site and Hands On! Discover Center — An exhibit of fossils that were uncovered locally along with an interactive science museum.
- Appalachian Caverns — Take a guided cavern tour about 30 minutes from downtown Johnson City.
- Pal’s Sudden Service — A regional fast-food spot known for their burgers, hot dogs, and “frenchie fries.”
Where to Stay in Johnson City
As I mentioned before, the most popular spot to stay is the Carnegie Hotel. It’s located near East Tennessee State University on State of Franklin Road just about one mile from historic downtown.
It’s a boutique property, modeled after the original hotel from the late 1800s that burned in a fire in 1910. And the whole place feels so luxurious, with rich woods, leather chairs, and a warm lobby fireplace.
There are some other great options in Johnson City though too!
I stayed at Courtyard by Marriott Johnson City and loved it! It was such a convenient location to get to both Johnson City and Jonesborough and was a super comfortable stay.
Also bonus to coffee drinkers: There is a Starbucks in the lobby of the Courtyard!
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