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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Newport, Tennessee
Newport
Skip unless you need a cheap bed on I-40 between Knoxville and Asheville, or you want to visit the Bush's Baked Beans visitor center. Half a day is enough.
Newport is a small Appalachian town on I-40, best known as a stopover for travellers on the Knoxville–Asheville route. The main draw is the Bush's Baked Beans Visitor Center in nearby Dandridge. The town itself has a short riverwalk and a quiet downtown, but no major sights. Most visitors pass through in under an hour.
- Country
- United States
- Local name
- Newport
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot and humid), Dec–Feb (cold, occasional snow)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $60–90 excl. bed · Mid $90–140 excl. bed · High $140+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police 911 · Fire and ambulance 911 · Newport Police Department (non-emergency) 423-623-5555
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (diner) | $2–3 |
| Lunch at a diner | $8–12 |
| Dinner at a sit-down restaurant | $12–20 |
| Beer (domestic, bar) | $3–5 |
| Gas (per gallon, regular) | $3.00–3.50 (check) |
| Motel room (I-40 corridor) | $65–140 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- TYS · McGhee Tyson Airport (Knoxville)
- About 1 hour west via I-40; the nearest commercial airport.
- AVL · Asheville Regional Airport
- About 1 hour east via I-40.
Typical fares
- Knoxville (TYS) → Newport, taxi/rideshare
- about $60–80 (check)
- Asheville (AVL) → Newport, taxi/rideshare
- about $70–90 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
You need a car. I-40 runs east–west through town; US-25/US-70/US-321 intersect here. Parking is free and easy.
See and do
Known for
- Bush's Baked Beans Visitor Center
- Newport Riverwalk
- Pigeon River
- I-40 stopover
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | I-40 west, about 45 min | About 1 h |
| Pigeon Forge | US-321 south, about 30 min | About 40 min |
| Great Smoky Mountains National Park | US-321 south to Gatlinburg, about 45 min | About 1 h |
| Asheville, NC | I-40 east, about 1 h | About 1 h 15 min |
Sleep
- I-40 corridor
- Chain motels near exits 432 and 435; convenient for a one-night stop.
- Downtown Newport
- A few independent inns and B&Bs; quieter but fewer dining options.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hellohello |
| Thank you | Thank youthank you |
| How much? | How much?how much |
| Where is the bathroom? | Where is the bathroom?where is the bathroom |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- No Uber or Lyft coverage is reliable; plan to drive yourself.
- Downtown restaurants close early, often by 8–9 PM.
- The Bush's Visitor Center is in Dandridge, about 15 minutes west of Newport.
Newport is generally safe. Standard precautions apply: lock your car, don't leave valuables visible. The main risk is traffic on I-40, especially in bad weather.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Newport, Tennessee yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Bush's Baked Beans Visitor Center
- Newport Riverwalk
- Pigeon River
- I-40 stopover
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Bush's Baked Beans Visitor Center: www.bushbeans.com/en_US/about-us/visitor-center
- Wikivoyage: Newport (Tennessee), revision 4999505 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4999505
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Newport, TennesseeNewport
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police911
- Fire and ambulance911
- Newport Police Department (non-emergency)423-623-5555
The nearest US embassy is in Washington, DC. Consulates in Atlanta and Nashville serve Tennessee.
English is the only language you'll need.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/newport-tennessee). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.