If you’re looking for an unusual escape from reality for a night and love all things whimsy, then Ancient Lore Village is the place for you! This place has been on Kayla’s bucket list to visit for a while, and Ancient Lore Village graciously hosted us for a day in December. We got to participate in their fun activities, eat a delicious brunch, and tour a few of their fantasy themed dwellings.
In this post, we’re sharing everything you need to know to plan your own visit to Ancient Lore Village in Knoxville Tennessee.
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Location
Ancient Lore Village is located on an off the beaten path road in Knoxville. It is considered a rural retreat. One of their mottos is that they are a place to “disconnect to reconnect”, and their secluded location allows you to do just that. This is a place to unplug from technology and your phones and spend quality time with the people around you.
Ancient Lore Village makes for a great overnight stay if you are visiting Knoxville or the bustling areas of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge and want a quieter and lesser known place to visit. The resort is small, so one night is all that’s needed to allow you to enjoy it to its fullest extent unless you are wanting to use it as a base for other activities in the area.
Theming of Ancient Lore Village
The resort is fantasy themed and draws inspiration from the founder’s book, Bokee’s Trek: Outcasts to Inner Earth. Each of the dwellings are inspired by characters from the book with some of the fun options including the Gremlin Dens, Fairy Cottage, Leprechaun Lair, Orc Home, and Elven Treehouses.
Other theming can be found in the naming of the gathering spaces that are designed to foster togetherness and unity where peace and positivity are the focus. Guests of the resort can enjoy beautifully designed hangout spaces such as the Ground Elf Burrows, Tree Elf Nest, and the Unity Fire Pit.
If you’re a lover of fantasy books or movies like Lord of the Rings, chances are you’ll enjoy this resort.
Are you a fellow bookworm? We have several posts filled with book recommendations and literary sites around the world!
Dwellings at Ancient Lore Village
While day passes are available for the resort activities, you will get the most out of your visit by staying in one of the thoughtfully designed dwellings. As of 2024, the resort can house just under 50 guests in total. There are dwellings that are suitable for couples as well as larger groups. We had the opportunity to take a tour of a few of them and each one had unique theming and color schemes that correlated with the name of the dwelling.
The fairy family cottage was decked out in pinks and purples (even the kitchenette had pink and purple cabinets!). Floral sconces were mounted on either side of the bed and there was a little fairy hiding in a cubby. It felt light and airy. In contrast, the neighboring Orc Family House had warmer tones with natural woods, animal print pillows, and animal horns mounted above the bed.
The original dwelling was our favorite that we saw though. Bokee’s Bungalow has a large stone fireplace that serves as the focal point of the ground floor with the chimney extending up to the second level. The mantle is topped with a painting from the book that the resort is based off. The second level also has a large window seat and built-in bunk beds that kids are sure to enjoy.
All of the dwellings have attractive, whimsical fronts that make for fantastic photo opportunities. A lot of the doors are oversized and round, giving the impression that when you step through them, you are stepping into another realm.
We visited in the winter, so most of the plants were not in bloom. However, on our guided tour, we learned that the plants outside each dwelling go with the theming of the cottages. For example, the fairy cottage has a plant that has beautiful pink blooms. Our guide said that early spring is the best time to visit to see the plants in full bloom!
If you like staying in unique places, you’ll love the accommodations listed in our post on The Best Places to Stay in Edinburgh!
Activities to Enjoy at Ancient Lore Village
The most popular attractions at Ancient Lore Village are the axe throwing and archery. We enjoyed 30 minutes of each, and it was the highlight of our day!
The axe throwing has a handful of stalls divided by protective fencing. There is a large target at the end of each stall for you to aim. The neighboring archery area also has a handful of stalls to shoot from with targets at varying distances to aim for. Don’t worry if you’ve never tried either of these activities before – the guides do a great job explaining everything beforehand and also give helpful advice during the activity to help your chances of hitting the targets.
The Gremlin Gameyard has cornhole, Connect 4, and a little ring toss game to keep you entertained as well as a few chairs for those looking to relax. There is also a public hangout space called the Ground Elf Burrows that has a small collection of games you can play at large round tables.
For those wanting to practice their golf swing, Bokee’s Golf Challenge is a small area with 2 tees where you aim to land your ball on a little island in the distance. If you are able to land anywhere on the green, you win a ticket to one of the resort’s signature events. If you are lucky enough to land your ball within the smaller red circle, you win a stay in a king dwelling!
Other activities that are available that we didn’t get to personally experience are a couple of nature trails and a trek up a steep incline called Yeti’s Summit, where you can reportedly have a great viewpoint of the Smoky Mountains.
Periodically throughout the day, guided tours are offered – and they are usually led by a fairy guide! These tours leave from near the guest registration building and take you throughout the resort. This is an excellent way to learn more about the history of the resort and the easter eggs you might not otherwise notice.
If you wish to dine at the resort, there is an area by the registration building where brunch and other specialty meals are served on select days. We enjoyed the buffet brunch which had several yummy offerings.
Before you leave, be sure to stop by the gift shop for high quality souvenirs. They had beautiful Christmas ornaments, fairy doors to install in your home or fairy garden, pottery, nic nacs, fairy ears, and more to choose from! We were impressed with their selection, and Kayla couldn’t resist buying a moon shaped ornament for her travel tree!
Final Thoughts on Ancient Lore Village
Ancient Lore Village is a great place to visit for a one night stay for anyone looking for a unique escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life. It is perfect for lovers of fantasy movies and books and anyone who likes whimsy.
The resort has only been open since 2021, so parts are still in progress, but they are off to a fantastic start! We are excited to see what additional activities and dwellings might be added in the future and look forward to staying overnight for our next visit!
Thank you for hosting us, Ancient Lore Village!
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