East Tennessee’s premier fantasy world destination – Ancient Lore Village is Expanding My introduction to the fantasy world came – as I suppose it did for many in my generation – sitting in a darkened elementary school English class. Our teacher would roll out an AV stand. On the stand was a TV with a screen so small that kids
Choosing your home base for your Smoky Mountain vacation There can be a lot of planning that goes into your Smoky Mountain vacation, and the choices are so vast that it can quickly be overwhelming. Cost. Location. Occupancy. Comfort. These are just a few of the dozens of factors that go into where you decide to stay. But the first
We’ve spent 30 years blundering our way around the mountains of East Tennessee, and now you can learn from our mistakes We spend a lot of our time on this Earth being reminded that mistakes – and learning from them – are part of the human experience. In fact, the great Canadian Philosopher Alanis Morrisette once told us: “You live, you
A local breaks down what may be the biggest season of change since tourists started flocking to the mountains Turn, turn, turn. Change comes to the mountains faster than the seasons. Governed by the unforgiving judgement of those who vote with their wallets, pocketbooks and – probably – a variety of apps, everything in the Smokies is in a state of
Exploring the out of the way places off the strip and beyond in the Smokies We start with some parameters. In Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, the strip is a quite literal designation. Both the Pigeon Forge – Highway 321 – and the Gatlinburg – Highway 441 – strips hold dedicated demarcation of space, often marked by excessive traffic. The strip
Navigating the place in Pigeon Forge where the Christmas spirit is in full swing all year long In the heart of Pigeon Forge is an unlikely complex – split in half by the parkway – in which the spirit of Christmas is alive and well all year long. The Incredible Christmas Place shops as well as the Inn at Christmas
A look inside these magical glamping tipis and wagons The road to Smoky Hollow – a “glampground” located in Sevierville, TN – was a long one. More than five years ago, Rebecca Turner and her husband sold their Central Florida home and packed up with their kids to live life on the road full-time in an RV. “We would not
An Inside Look at a Hidden American Castle There’s a place of opulence in the mountains of North Carolina, offering the chance to view the majestic beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains while enjoying the height of luxury. It is a grandiose vision rendered in luxuriant reality as if the architects viewed the massive wonder of God’s creation around them
Did you know an entire rentable Harry Potter-inspired village is hidden near Gatlinburg, TN? In the Smokies, we have a grand tradition of thumbing our noses at things like laws. We have traditionally eschewed the idea that outsiders can come here and tell us what to do. Especially up in the mountains where we are free and hard to find.
Ancient Lore Village in Knoxville cuts ribbon on its latest expansion As I drove up the winding driveway of Ancient Lore Village, I passed a golf cart in which the person behind the wheel had elf ears. I knew I had arrived at the right place. Ancient Lore Village is something out of a fairytale with cobblestone lining the houses