Plan your trip

Travel & Stay

October 12–13, 2026 · ETSU Brinkley Center, Johnson City, TN

Here is everything you need to get here, find a bed, and eat well while you are in the mountains.

The venue
ETSU Brinkley Center
2001 Millennium Pl, Johnson City, TN
Open in Maps →
Closest airport
Tri-Cities (TRI)
About twenty minutes to downtown · Allegiant, American, Delta
Book a flight →
Parking
Brinkley Center garage
Levels 3–6 · the private lots nearby tow
Directions & parking →

Flying in

Tri-Cities Airport is twenty minutes away

Tri-Cities Airport (TRI) is the closest airport and puts you in downtown Johnson City in about twenty minutes. Allegiant, American Airlines, and Delta fly nonstop from Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Orlando, and St. Petersburg.

Why waste the precious hours of your trip driving from another airport? When you touch down at TRI you begin your adventure a few steps off the plane; rental cars are at baggage claim and Uber and Lyft both serve the airport.

Book a flight to TRI

Where to stay

Book early — October is peak season in the mountains

We are not holding a room block this year, so rooms are first come, first served. Leaf season fills East Tennessee hotels fast, so lock in your stay as soon as your ticket is set. Distances below are driving time to the Brinkley Center.

Closest to the venue

The Carnegie Hotel & Spa

A boutique property named for the original 1891 Carnegie, and the only hotel you can walk to campus from. Every other option means a drive.

1216 W State of Franklin Rd — walk to ETSU
Wellington's Restaurant — Southern Appalachian, on site
Austin Springs Spa

For special rates, call the hotel and let them know you are coming to the Startup Mountain Summit.

Book at the Carnegie

Hotels in Johnson City
Closest first. Driving distance to the Brinkley Center, without traffic.
- Hampton Inn Johnson City2.0 mi · ~5 min
- DoubleTree by Hilton Johnson City2.9 mi · ~8 min
- Holiday Inn Johnson City3.7 mi · ~9 min
- Home2 Suites by Hilton Johnson City3.8 mi · ~8 min
- Courtyard by Marriott Johnson City4.2 mi · ~9 min
- Fairfield Inn & Suites Johnson City4.2 mi · ~9 min

Stay in an Airbnb

Find a unique location or share an entire place with your whole team. Johnson City has unique Airbnb options for your stay.

Browse all Johnson City listings →

Eat & drink

All within five minutes of the venue

Both Summit days start early and run late. Here is where to find breakfast, lunch, coffee and a beer afterwards — with driving time from the Brinkley Center and the places that are closed on Monday flagged.

Restaurants in Johnson City
All within five minutes of the venue.
- Timber!$$$~3 min · closed Mon
- White Duck Taco Shop$~4 min
- Label Restaurant$$~4 min
- Juan Siao$$~4 min
- Juniper$$$~4 min · closed Mon
- Sahib Indian Restaurant$$~5 min
- The Olive Downtown$$~4 min
- Holy Taco & Cantina$~4 min
Breakfast
Both Summit days start early — these open by 7am.
- First Watchwalkable · 7am daily
- Fearless Coffee & Kitchen~3 min · 7am
- Maple Street Biscuit Company~8 min · 7am
- Olde Towne Pancake HouseJonesborough · ~18 min
- The French Honeybee~4 min · 8am till sold out
Coffee Shops
Three downtown, two worth the short drive. Times are from the Brinkley Center.
- The Moon Coffee and Tea House~4 min
- Fearless Coffee & Kitchen~3 min
- Dos Gatos Coffee Bar~4 min
- Still Waters CoffeehouseGray · ~15 min
- Neuma CoffeeJonesborough · ~18 min
Breweries & Nightlife
Tipton Street, Numan's and Yee-Haw are open Monday. The rest start midweek.
- Yee-Haw Brewing Co.~4 min · open daily
- Tipton Street Pub~4 min · open daily, 21+
- Numan's Cafe & Sports Bar~4 min · till 1am
- Atlantic Ale House~4 min · closed Mon
- Capone's~4 min · closed Mon
- Johnson City Brewing Co.closed Mon & Tue
- Hound Dogs~4 min · Wed–Sat only

Between sessions

Get outside, or get some work done

Parks & Outdoors
Some of the prettiest scenery in the country is an hour from downtown. Four of these are in town; the last two are worth building a day around.
- Founders Parkdowntown · ~4 min
- Tweetsie Trail9.6 mi rail-trail
- Jacob's Nature Park at Sinking Creek~10 min
- Buffalo Mountain Park~12 min
- Roan Mountain State Park~45 min
- Beauty Spot, Unaka Mountain~40 min · gravel access
Co-Working & Places to Get Work Done
There will be dedicated working space at the Summit itself. If you need somewhere off-site, the library runs latest — open till 8pm both days.
- Spark Plazadowntown · ~5 min
- Johnson City Public Library~4 min · till 8pm
- Johnson's Literary Depot~4 min · opens 10am
- The Philosopher's House~4 min · closed Mon

Getting around

Getting Around

Park in the Brinkley Center garage, levels 3–6. Do not use the private business lots nearby — ETSU warns they tow.

Evening experiences

Hiking Trails
Hiking trails, mountain biking, and parks are within an easy 10-20 minute drive from the venue. Keep an eye out for special curated opportunities.
Brewery Tours
Enjoy the creative and tasty brews on tap at one of our many local breweries and pubs.
Mountain Biking
Local trails offer multiple exciting options for beginners and advanced riders alike.
Local History
Founded in 1856, Johnson City's rich history is alive with Appalachia's creativity and heritage.