A Buc-ee’s fanatic imagines what it would be like if Buc-ee’s built a theme park Now that the Smokies AA baseball team has officially absconded from Kodak to return to Knoxville, the Sevier County entranceway at Exit 407 has a problem. Namely, there’s a gigantic parking lot and a good-sized baseball stadium going to waste. Considering the possibilities, I jokingly
Rumors are starting to get in the way of recovery efforts post Hurricane Helene. In this article, we set the record straight It was late Friday morning, the 27th of September, and the world – at least the world in the mountains – was under siege by a torrent of rainfall that was nearly apocalyptic in scope. Leaders on all
Should you travel to the mountains? The complicated answer: It depends While it’s not the first concern on anyone’s mind – people and their livelihoods and property will always come first – those who have booked vacations for the mountains of Western North Carolina and East Tennessee are left in a bit of a quandary about what exactly they should
A timeline of events that outlines what happened in Tennessee, North Carolina during Hurricane Helene and how you can help As someone who once lived in South Alabama, just outside the danger zone when Hurricane Katrina came ashore, I thought maybe the comparisons were a tad hyperbolic, at first. But as someone who once again lives just a few miles
The No. 1 missed attraction won in a landslide, while the others were a close race In his treatise on faith, the power of the past and perception, the great Long Island philosopher William Martin Joel said, “The good old days weren’t always good and tomorrow ain’t as bad as it seems.” It’s a sentiment that rings true in the
The days of seeing cars lined up with ‘For Sale’ signs along the Parkway are over In my 30 years in the area, Rod Runs meant classic cars lining the parkway adjacent spots in Pigeon Forge. Some were there to ogle the classic cars. Others were there to trade, dicker and deal. But now, Pigeon Forge officials at the request
A look at the Farmhouse Grill and how it differs from the Farmhouse Restaurant The Apple Valley complex, located on the Sevierville-Pigeon Forge line, is a multi-purpose facility. It is designed to fill all of your apple-based tourism needs. In addition to the hotel, the Apple Valley Creamery, the Christmas and Candle Shop, the Apple Barn and the Cider House,
East Tennessee local shares list of best food and snacks at Pal’s Sudden Service Pal’s Sudden Service – the regional fast-food chain in Northeast Tennessee with a cult-like following – is an institution for some and a total mystery to others. It was founded on an ideal of rapid service – hence the name. There’s a fairly basic menu with
A white Christmas is rare in Sevier County, but it can happen. The county may even occasionally see a snowstorm on Christmas Day. That said, snowstorms can create serious problems for tourists and residents alike. In years past after winter storms, power outages have affected tens of thousands of people, leading to car accidents and stranded motorists on icy roads.
This massive general store in Tennessee allows guests to see live bears How the times have changed. Back in 1979 – when the store that would become the Three Bears General Store opened – the treatment of animals in zoos and circuses and the like was very different than today. How different? Somewhere in my grandmother’s picture collection is a 5-year-old