Editorial

people taking pictures in the cove

7 Things You Shouldn’t Do in Cades Cove According to a Local

An area Smoky Mountain resident asks visitors to use common sense Cades Cove is the crown jewel of the Smokies. It is a confluence point of natural beauty, mountain history and conservation. However, there are many days I’d rather go to the dentist than risk a trip around the Cove. It’s not the Cove itself mind you. I consider it a sacred, almost

Johnny Cash's Museum in Nashville, TN

Why Does Tennessee Have So Many State Songs and Why Are So Few of Them Good?

How many state songs does Tennessee have? Nobody seems to know Tennessee has HOW many state songs? Even the state’s official website doesn’t seem to know for sure, listing 11. However, further research reveals three songs that were reportedly added to the list in 2023 and 2024 that don’t make the state’s list. And perhaps two more that may have

What Is a Holler and Why Do the Mountain People Say It That Way? 

Breaking Down the Dialect That Led to the Mountain Term, Holler When I was young and still new to Tennessee, I got a job working at a local grocery store. In those days, grocery stores employed three kinds of people. That would be middle-aged adults for whom the grocery business was their career and youngsters for whom the store was

person holds trash lid over head to avoid rain

10 Things Not to Do While Visiting Pigeon Forge, From a Local

An insider’s guide on what not to do when visiting Pigeon Forge, the surrounding area As someone who frequents Pigeon Forge, I know too well that when planning a vacation, in the words of a musical maestro, it’s about knowing when to hold them and knowing when to fold them. When you plan your next trip to the Smokies, I want

20 Best Things To Do in Gatlinburg TN for Couples

The Best Couples Activities in the Smokies Gatlinburg and the surrounding Smoky Mountains are often considered to be a family vacation destination. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t have a romantic getaway in the Smokies. Here are some of the best ways to spend time in Gatlinburg and the surrounding areas for couples: 20. Enjoy some shopping You don’t

cars with for sale signs line the parking lots along the parkway in pigeon forge during rod runa

A Popular Rod Run Tradition Has Been Banned in Pigeon Forge

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. However, Pigeon Forge officials, at the request of

How Do You Say Appalachian?

A Local Breaks Down the Correct, Approved and Appropriate Way To Say the Name of the Mountain Range in Which the Smokies Are Located I’m a little sensitive about how I pronounce things. I was a big reader growing up – I believe I may be legally obligated to use the term voracious. So, I developed what would be considered

6 Bizarrely Out-of-Place Attractions, Restaurants in Pigeon Forge

Unusual Popular Attractions in the Smoky Mountains It was the Great Smoky Mountains that turned Sevier County into a tourist mecca. But, the locals found out early on that tourists needed more than motels, restaurants and the great outdoors. As it turns out, there’s only so much nature one Midwestern family can absorb before they need a different level of

Soaky Mountain vs Splash Country, Which Water Park Is Better?

Which Smoky Mountain Water Park is Best? We’ve written about several of these head-to-head battles in Sevier County before – including The Peddler vs Alamo, Anakeesta vs Ober Mountain, Pirates Voyage vs Dolly’s Stampede and Lumberjack Feud vs Hatfield and McCoy. But today, we want to compare two of Sevier County’s most popular summertime attractions: Dollywood’s Splash Country and Soaky

Inventors Mansion at Dollywood

Dollywood Inventor’s Mansion: The Mysterious Lost House on the Hill

Remembering an attraction that used to be the centerpiece of the park, now permanently erased It’s appropriate that in a theme park dedicated to mountain life, the remnants of a mostly forgotten relic are fading back into the scenery. Or at least, they were fading. Now, it’s nearly all but erased. This is Dollywood. It is never long until lost