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 is and was Heath Shuler. Before Shuler was a U.S. Congressman, before he was an unfortunate bust for Washington football, before he was a Heisman runner up quarterback for the
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 that you could knock out in less than a day – or even an afternoon – to a massive, sprawling park that is bordering on the precipice of becoming a
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 exploring the region and still not see everything. I should know. I’ve been here more than 30 years and keep finding new surprises and places I haven’t yet explored. But
Local reviews the Biltmore experience at Christmas I’m not what you’d call an upper-crust kind of guy. The few times I’ve tried to make my way into the more structured world of the elite, I didn’t like it. But what do I like? I like the trappings. I love the tapestries and giant fireplaces and everything that came with being
The sights and sounds of the mountains in Tennessee inspired this one-of-a-kind attraction Growing up just a few miles north of Pigeon Forge and all its area attractions, I am no stranger to adventure. I practically grew up in Dollywood. I’ve always had a sort of affinity for theme parks – waterparks included. And I’ve experienced just about every type
I walked the track of the Blazing Fury with the lights on, this is what I learned You’d be hard-pressed to find a local in the Pigeon Forge area who doesn’t have a special place in their heart for Dollywood’s dark ride Blazing Fury. You see, Blazing Fury is part of our heritage. It’s more than a ride. It’s a
The Smoky Mountains are a popular destination for celebrities, these are some of the locations where they’ve been sighted I’ve lived in the area for more than 30 years. So I’m not surprised at this point when I hear about a celebrity visiting the Smokies. Over the years massive stars like Channing Tatum, Jason Momoa, Katie Perry and Nicole Kidman
A local’s honest review of the WonderWorks museum in Pigeon Forge TN The bend of the Parkway from Sevierville to Pigeon Forge is one of the more surreal stretches of land in the Smoky Mountains. As you cross the Hard Rock Cafe, things get weird quickly. There’s the looming silhouette of the Titanic museum rising above the hill ahead. Across the
Our Guide to Memorial Day in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge 2025 Memorial Day weekend often serves as the unofficial kickoff to summer and offers many folks a three-day weekend. If you’re planning on enjoying your Memorial Day weekend 2025 in the Great Smoky Mountains area, there will be plenty of outdoor fun, shopping and dining opportunities in store for you.
A guide to some of the best cascading water in the Smokies and beyond One of the blessings of living in or near the mountains is access to beautiful waterfalls. To be clear, you don’t necessarily need mountains to have a great waterfall. However, rapid changes in elevation do increase the frequency and availability of the natural wonder of falling