The Rampant Lion: An honest review It’s easy to forget that there’s more to Gatlinburg than the strip. That there’s more to the mountain village than celebrity restaurants and various activities associated with the Ripley’s Believe It or Not enterprise. It’s actually not hard to get off the beaten path in Gatlinburg. When you do, you can frequently discover that
Red Oak Bistro: A local’s honest review There are several ways the Red Oak Bistro stands out. For instance? Its (669) Glades Road location is not in the traditional areas of the Gatlinburg culinary scene. Beyond that, the menu – based on what is available through local farmers and producers – changes so often, they don’t even bother trying to put it up on
A guide to not getting attacked, eaten, arrested, or infamous on the internet while on your trip to the Smokies There are a lot of sentences I never thought I’d have to type, but right there at the top of the list is the following: Don’t touch wild bears. We learn a lot of things in our lives, but one
East Tennessee icon Calhoun’s is facing a challenge from BBQ legend Myron Mixon BBQ Co. in Gatlinburg Before there were reality cooking shows and competitions in grocery store parking lots, there was a single restaurant in West Knoxville with a handful of smokers and a dream. It was the fall of 1983 and Calhoun’s was about to take off like
We tried the “Design Your Own” kiosk at Goo Goo Clusters on the parkway and we’d do it again I couldn’t help but think of Willy Wonka.The kids had finished designing their candy bars at the kiosks in the next room and were ready to watch the Goo Goo artist, like a Subway sandwich artist, but with candy – bring
An itinerary for the perfect long winter weekend in the Smoky Mountains Winter travel is reserved – chiefly – for the holidays. After all, getting over the river and through the woods to Grandma’s house can take up a fair amount of vacation days. And we don’t want to use up all our precious time off of work when the
A Smoky Mountain local reveals his top picks for the best hole-in-the-wall restaurants in Gatlinburg In a world filled with chain restaurants and expensive dining options, sometimes you find the best restaurants where you least expect them. We call them hole-in-the-wall restaurants for lack of a better term. However, we use it with affection. Often, the best places to find
Beginning in the middle of November, the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee begins the Winterfest celebration, when the Smokies are covered in millions of lights. Visitors and guests from all over come to visit and enjoy the festivities. But if you’re on a budget, you may have put a bit more planning into your vacation. Sevier County is no place
Local lists the best things to do in Gatlinburg this winter Most people don’t know that Gatlinburg has five seasons. There’s spring, summer, fall and two winters, one pre-Christmas and one post-Christmas. If you come for Gatlinburg’s first winter, it is joyful but tinged with a hint of seasonal melancholy. People are hustling and bustling – and possibly rustling –
Local lists favorite Winterfest activities in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg The Smoky Mountain Winterfest celebration is Sevier County’s annual cities-wide festival that takes place during the holidays. Also, here’s a fun fact: Did you know that the tradition began in 1989 to boost the slower winter tourism months in Sevier County? As a local, I’ve seen first-hand what a success it