Our Blog
Check out these trending topics, area news, editorials & reviews in the Smokies
Top Five Can’t Miss Things in Bryson City, NC
Western North Carolina offers all of the best of the Smokies, plus trains I am a Tennessee Volunteer fan. Therefore, I am thankful to Bryson City for the gift that…
Battle Royale: Pitting the Smoky Mountains Best Eateries Against Each Other
The Peddler vs. The Greenbrier vs. The Appalachian: Which Sevier County top end restaurant is the best? This is a contest in which – in the end – everyone walks…
What’s in a Name? The History Behind the Famous Smoky Mountain Peaks
From Mount Le Conte to Meigs Mountain, the stories behind some of the people who had peaks named for them in the Smokies What do a Swiss photographer, a Missouri…
Rare and Strange Animals in the Smokies and Beyond
From Blue Ghosts to White Squirrels, you never know what you might find in the mountains From Big Foot to Feral People, there are plenty of tall tales of strange…
The Top Five Things You Must Do at Dollywood
These are the things you have to do to make your visit to Dollywood a success In its 40 years of growth, Dollywood has transformed from a kitschy theme park…
The Art of the Sandwich in the Smokies
The 10 best bites of bits between two pieces of bread in the mountains Is there any food that is as ubiquitous but underappreciated as the sandwich? It’s a utilitarian…
Top Five Things Not To Do in Sevierville
Once a forgotten part of Sevier County, Sevierville is now a key piece of the larger Smoky Mountain pie Back in the old days of the early 1990s, Sevierville was…
Dolly Parton Talks Grieving and Moving Forward
Speaking with the AP, Parton reveals her thoughts on faith in wake of husband’s death In early March, Dolly Parton’s husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, died after what…
Top 5 Can’t Miss Activities in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Beyond
From exploring the park to dining out to shopping, here are the things you can’t miss in the Smokies The Smokies and surrounding regions are massive. You could spend decades…
Timeless Beauty of the Smokies
Looking back over the last 90 years in the Smoky Mountains As the managing editor of an Associated Press newspaper – as my day job – I have access to…