The minds behind the Ark Encounter in Kentucky are set to bring a “flood of reality” to East Tennessee I’ve done religion-based tourism since I was a kid. As a result, I can say I view each new project with a certain degree of hesitation. For every positive experience – like the youth group trip to the Ozarks to see a
Regardless of whether or not you’ve visited Pigeon Forge once, or a hundred times, you’ve probably made at least one of these common mistakes As someone who has been knocking around Pigeon Forge for more than 35 years, you wouldn’t think I’d be prone to making mistakes. But I still do. You get complacent and forgetful. In other words dear
You’ve probably driven past it a hundred times and never thought a thing about it. This is the untold story of Dollywood’s third historic train: The Slow Poke and Easy For most people in Tennessee, the community of Vestal in South Knox County isn’t on the way to anywhere. But for me, growing up in nearby Blount County, Vestal was
Dollywood’s only real local competition for an all-day attraction is The Island in Pigeon Forge. But how does the Island stack up to the reigning champ? As someone who has been prioritizing our family’s vacation budget for nearly 20 years, I understand the equation. You only have so much allotted and gas and food are going to take a portion
We analyzed over 200 local Google business listings to come up with this list of the best, and worst, reviewed attractions in Pigeon Forge I have lived in the area for more than 30 years and first visited almost 40 years ago. So I felt like I had a pretty good handle on the best and worst attractions in Pigeon
A local reveals his picks for the best wings in Pigeon Forge, TN I’ve dined in Pigeon Forge eateries for nearly 40 years. I certainly know the nature of the beast. Change is the buzzword in the mountains. Except for the rare few, popular restaurants come and go. One day, a restaurant can be in high demand, it’s impossible to
Dollywood recently announced a “game-changing” attraction will debut in 2026 – does this mean a new indoor coaster is on the horizon? If you’ve watched the park grow at all from the days of Silver Dollar City, you know there is one immutable fact at Dollywood: Change is coming. As someone who remembers the days before Dolly partnered with the
Now I live in the Smokies. But my first trip to Dolly Parton’s theme park surprised me My first visit to Gatlinburg was in 2011. With every trip, my family and I always vowed to go to Dollywood in Pigeon Forge. However, we would change our minds, or something would happen causing us to put it to the side yet
Come for the food, stay for the … singing animatronic chickens? I’ve been around these mountains for a long time. I’ve seen the hooks, the gimmicks, businesses use to entice tourists to spend their dollars with them. Usually, I get it. Our go-karts are faster. We’ve got Pirates. Hey, remember the infamous Kentucky family feud that caught national attention 160
How the tourist town of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee is running out of water and what the city is going to do about it When you think of infrastructure issues in the Smokies Mountains you think about backed-up traffic clogging the arteries of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville. But what if I told you city leaders are facing another challenge that