The Giant Dollywood Sign About To Take Shape at Dollywood I don’t remember when I first heard about Dollywood coming. It might have been in 1986 as the media covered the park opening or it might have been earlier when the coming of the park was announced. Either way, I was around 11 and I was a hater. I can
A local’s take on why Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains have such lasting appeal Humans – quite frequently – are creatures of habit. Sure, we’ll try new things. But we often find comfort in the tried and the true. For instance, do you have a favorite Mexican restaurant? Do you have a favorite order there? Maybe it’s not something you
A local’s advice on the top 7 things to do on spring break What does spring break mean to you? If, like me, you’re of a certain generation, it’s living vicariously through MTV’s sun-drenched beach houses while sitting on your couch, waiting for the Midwestern winter to break. Of course, places like Daytona, Cabo and Panama City conjure up ideas
A Smoky Mountain local shares his favorite spots for all-day breakfast and brunch Folks at the Pancake Pantry struck gold in the form of flapjacks when they came to the Smokies in the 1960s, and then pancake houses began popping up like weeds … if weeds were buttery and delicious, that is. But what’s that? You want to eat breakfast
A Virtual Tour of a Local’s Favorite Historic Places in the Smoky Mountains Traveling is about a lot of things. It’s about getting away from the daily grind and freeing yourself of the responsibilities that come with work. Additionally, it’s about bonding with friends and family. It’s also about seeing other parts of the country and world and absorbing cultures
There Are Secret Messages Hidden in These Dollywood Signs IN THIS ARTICLE American amusement parks have taken to creating little scavenger hunts for their guests. I don’t know why, but many do. Sometimes it’s organized like the Wilderness Explorer program at Animal Kingdom. Other times, it’s a bit more random, like the ongoing hunt for hidden Mickeys across the Disney
The little-known story of how the Smoky Mountains nearly had two theme parks, instead of one There are many great figures who shaped the path of the Smoky Mountains, Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge over the years. Some are well-known and some mostly forgotten. From Dolly Parton, to the first Ogles who set foot in White Oaks Flats, later known as
Dollywood has big things planned for the future. Here’s what we know so far If the 40-year history of Dollywood has taught us anything, it’s that the park’s leadership does not believe in allowing the park to stagnate. When Dolly Parton partnered with Herschend Family Entertainment, Silver Dollar City, as the park was known, received an instant investment infusion of
A local ranks his favorite Restaurants at The Island in Pigeon Forge The Island in Pigeon Forge is like a self-contained vacation destination within a vacation destination. In other words, it’s like the movie Inception, but with celebrity-backed eateries instead of dreamscape mind capers. Of course, I like a vacation where I can park the car and not have to
Who is responsible for creating the GSMNP? The one-hundredth anniversary of the founding of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park is approaching on the horizon. It’s nearly impossible – or at least for me – to truly understand life in the mountains before the national park. Imagine a time when interested parties across a wide-ranging spectrum of experiences and ideals