Guidebook for Bluff City
Food Scene
Open 24 hours!! The best baked goods around. We order their specialty cakes for all of our family celebrations! Free WiFi, homemade pastries and fresh coffee makes this place a favorite hang out with big comfy couches and a fire place.
87 locals recommend
Blackbird Bakery
188 Piedmont AveOpen 24 hours!! The best baked goods around. We order their specialty cakes for all of our family celebrations! Free WiFi, homemade pastries and fresh coffee makes this place a favorite hang out with big comfy couches and a fire place.
Large variety for everyone! Best babyback ribs for the price. Great sides and veggies. Yes, they serve Chicken and Waffles, but also fresh fish, pasta and steaks. Very reasonably priced nice restaurant with ambiance.
7 locals recommend
Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen
2004 N Eastman RdLarge variety for everyone! Best babyback ribs for the price. Great sides and veggies. Yes, they serve Chicken and Waffles, but also fresh fish, pasta and steaks. Very reasonably priced nice restaurant with ambiance.
They do have greek food, but we actually love it for the best Italian food around. Calzones are amazing, anything Alfredo is to die for, big selection of local beer and the biggest selection of homemade cakes on display when you walk in. Everything they make is fresh and from scratch. Definitely go to the one in Johnson City and not the one in Bristol. They are owned by the same person, but the food is so much better at the JC location.
7 locals recommend
Mad Greek international cafe
4217 W Stone DrThey do have greek food, but we actually love it for the best Italian food around. Calzones are amazing, anything Alfredo is to die for, big selection of local beer and the biggest selection of homemade cakes on display when you walk in. Everything they make is fresh and from scratch. Definitely go to the one in Johnson City and not the one in Bristol. They are owned by the same person, but the food is so much better at the JC location.
Best little secret in town. Real downhome bar b q, winning awards for best in the country and it's right here in Bluff City. Travelers return for repeat visits every time they are in town. Not a fancy place, but the food is amazing. Homemade and delicious. Get there early, as they close at 7:30pm M-Th, 8:30pm Fri & Sat., Closed on Sunday.
47 locals recommend
Ridgewood Barbecue
900 Elizabethton HwyBest little secret in town. Real downhome bar b q, winning awards for best in the country and it's right here in Bluff City. Travelers return for repeat visits every time they are in town. Not a fancy place, but the food is amazing. Homemade and delicious. Get there early, as they close at 7:30pm M-Th, 8:30pm Fri & Sat., Closed on Sunday.
It's a family style restaurant that has friendly workers, and less than a 5 minute driving distance from our house. Their walls are decorated with pictures of Bluff City landmarks from the past, and the atmosphere is very homely. With daily specials and breakfast all day, it's one of our favorite spots to eat. All the food is home cooked, the pancakes are amazing, and they make a mean omelet. Monday-Saturday, hours are 6am to 8pm. Sunday is 9am to 3pm.
7 locals recommend
Bluff City Diner
4267 Bluff City HwyIt's a family style restaurant that has friendly workers, and less than a 5 minute driving distance from our house. Their walls are decorated with pictures of Bluff City landmarks from the past, and the atmosphere is very homely. With daily specials and breakfast all day, it's one of our favorite spots to eat. All the food is home cooked, the pancakes are amazing, and they make a mean omelet. Monday-Saturday, hours are 6am to 8pm. Sunday is 9am to 3pm.
A family run cafe. They make homemade bagels, pastries, soups, and sandwich's. If you're looking for a quiet place to study or visit with friends, then this is the place for you. They are open Mon – Fri: 7:00AM - 5:30 PM
Sunday: 9:00AM – 3:00PM
Saturday: Closed
14 locals recommend
The Manna Bagel Co.
634 State StA family run cafe. They make homemade bagels, pastries, soups, and sandwich's. If you're looking for a quiet place to study or visit with friends, then this is the place for you. They are open Mon – Fri: 7:00AM - 5:30 PM
Sunday: 9:00AM – 3:00PM
Saturday: Closed
Parks & Nature
This beautiful park is complete with a playground, two sand volleyball courts, some scenic trails, and an 18 hole disc golf course. Great for families who love the outdoors, or want to have a nice picnic.
25 locals recommend
Winged Deer Park
4137 Bristol HwyThis beautiful park is complete with a playground, two sand volleyball courts, some scenic trails, and an 18 hole disc golf course. Great for families who love the outdoors, or want to have a nice picnic.
The park features a nature center and outdoor native animal displays including a bobcat, raptor center, river otters, a waterfowl aviary, wolf pen and free-roaming white-tail deer.[1] Wolf howling sessions are held regularly, where people are allowed to howl with the wolves, spurring the wolves into howling even more. There is also a herpetarium with snakes and amphibians.
The Steadman Heritage Farmstead Museum is a 19th-century period living history farm museum.
One popular activity is called the Barge Ride. This attraction features a ride through the Bays Mountain Reservoir on a pontoon boat while learning about the nature around you. The park also features a freeze-drying laboratory
92 locals recommend
Bays Mountain Park & Planetarium
853 Bays Mountain Park RdThe park features a nature center and outdoor native animal displays including a bobcat, raptor center, river otters, a waterfowl aviary, wolf pen and free-roaming white-tail deer.[1] Wolf howling sessions are held regularly, where people are allowed to howl with the wolves, spurring the wolves into howling even more. There is also a herpetarium with snakes and amphibians.
The Steadman Heritage Farmstead Museum is a 19th-century period living history farm museum.
One popular activity is called the Barge Ride. This attraction features a ride through the Bays Mountain Reservoir on a pontoon boat while learning about the nature around you. The park also features a freeze-drying laboratory
Sightseeing
It is the perfect destination to experience amazing natural beauty located deep beneath the Earth's surface. The site features guided tours of the caverns, a campground, picnic area, gem mine, and gift shop.
31 locals recommend
Appalachian Caverns
420 Cave Hill RdIt is the perfect destination to experience amazing natural beauty located deep beneath the Earth's surface. The site features guided tours of the caverns, a campground, picnic area, gem mine, and gift shop.
Dates from 7 to 4.5 million years ago
The current dig at the Gray Fossil Site was determined to have been the location of a semi-circular sinkhole that once harbored a pond environment over a long period of time and is now yielding the remains of the ancient plants and animals that lived, watered, and died within the then watery sinkhole. Among the many vertebrate fossils found at the Gray Fossil Site are those of frogs, snakes, turtles and tapirs and recovered fossil records represent finds from approximately one percent of the total area of the Gray Fossil Site that has been explored --- and future fossil recovery from the entire site is projected to continue on for one hundred years.
46 locals recommend
Gray Fossil Site
1212 Suncrest DrDates from 7 to 4.5 million years ago
The current dig at the Gray Fossil Site was determined to have been the location of a semi-circular sinkhole that once harbored a pond environment over a long period of time and is now yielding the remains of the ancient plants and animals that lived, watered, and died within the then watery sinkhole. Among the many vertebrate fossils found at the Gray Fossil Site are those of frogs, snakes, turtles and tapirs and recovered fossil records represent finds from approximately one percent of the total area of the Gray Fossil Site that has been explored --- and future fossil recovery from the entire site is projected to continue on for one hundred years.