Taking a ride on Knoxville's free KAT trolley

We like to see as much of a new city as we can. One way to do that is to climb to the top of something like Knoxville's Sunsphere and take it all in at once. Another way to see Knoxville in a hurry is to hop on the free trolley and take a 15-minute lap around the downtown area.

A park between Gay Street and Market Square.

We spotted a couple waiting at a Gay Street station for one of Knoxville's free KAT (Knoxville Area Transit) trolleys, so we grabbed some shade on the edge of the adjacent park and waited there, too.

A few minutes later, the trolley arrived and we started down Gay Street. Around the first bend, we found ourselves overlooking the Tennessee River on one side, and passing the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame on the other.

The route eventually took us by the entrance of a downtown Hampton Inn & Suites hotel. More than anything, the free ride was perfect for tourists at this hotel who wanted a lift to Gay Street, Market Square or Knoxville's other downtown attractions.

The Rowing Man sculpture in Knoxville, Tennessee. Sculpted in 1988 by David L. Phelps.

A few minutes later, we were the only passengers left on board, and the friendly driver checked in with us and let us know the trolley wouldn't be running much longer.

This worked for us, though, because we soon turned the corner back onto Gay Street, passed the Knoxville Visitor's Center and arrived back at the station where our tour began.