Tri-Cities Airport (TRI) sits between Bristol, Johnson City, and Kingsport in the Appalachian highlands where northeast Tennessee meets southwest Virginia, and a rental car is the easiest way to move between these three distinct cities and the mountain scenery surrounding them. The region takes its identity from the three-cities name, but each has its own downtown and character, from Bristol's famous state-line Main Street to Johnson City's university-driven energy and Kingsport's planned-town layout, and they sit close enough together that a car makes hopping between them simple. The airport itself is a mid-size regional facility with rental desks operated by international and local companies rather than a single dominant brand, and pickup is generally quick given the airport's manageable passenger volumes.
From TRI, Bristol is roughly twenty to thirty minutes northeast, straddling the Tennessee-Virginia state line down the middle of its downtown street, while Johnson City lies about twenty minutes south and Kingsport around twenty-five minutes northwest, forming a loose triangle that is easy to drive between in a single day. Beyond the three cities, the Appalachian highlands open up quickly in every direction, with the Blue Ridge and Cherokee National Forest within an hour's drive for hiking, waterfalls, and mountain overlooks that draw visitors well beyond the metro area itself.
Driving is on the right throughout Tennessee and Virginia, and while the main roads connecting the three cities are wide and well maintained, routes climbing into the surrounding mountains narrow and curve considerably, with grades that call for a bit more caution than flatland driving. Fall brings heavy leaf-peeping traffic on scenic routes, and winter can bring occasional snow and ice at higher elevations, so checking conditions before a mountain drive is worthwhile. A standard sedan comfortably covers the three-cities loop, while anything higher into the surrounding hills benefits from a bit more care on tighter curves and grades.