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cades cove cabin smoky mountains

Top 5 Can’t Miss Activities in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Beyond

From exploring the park to dining out to shopping, here are the things you can’t miss in the Smokies The Smokies and surrounding regions are massive. You could spend decades exploring the region and still not see everything. I should know. I’ve been here more than 30 years and keep finding new surprises and places I haven’t yet explored. But

Christmas Place

Things Not To Do at the Incredible Christmas Place

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

The Island from above in Pigeon Forge

What You Can Skip at This Popular Smoky Mountain Tourist Destination

Top 5 things not to do on The Island at Pigeon Forge Having grown up around the chintzy neon glow of Pigeon Forge, I feel like I’ve got a pretty good handle on how this top-tier tourist destination works. You give the people what they want. Does that mean we end up with repetition more than innovation? Yes. Are we

Memorial day in Gatlinburg 2025

What’s Going On in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg Memorial Day Weekend 2025?

Our Guide to Memorial Day in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge 2025 Memorial Day weekend often serves as the unofficial kickoff to summer and offers many folks a three-day weekend. If you’re planning on enjoying your Memorial Day weekend 2025 in the Great Smoky Mountains area, there will be plenty of outdoor fun, shopping and dining opportunities in store for you.

apple barn winery in sevierville

6 Things Not To Do at the Apple Barn According to a Local Superfan

Do your best to avoid these common mistakes during your next trip to the Apple Barn With its shops, restaurants, hotels and stores, the Apple Barn Cider Mill & General Store essentially becomes its own little village on weekends, especially in the fall. Parking spaces are a premium commodity. The waits for both of the Apple Barn complex restaurants can

scene of gatlinburg with image of hulk hogan

Is a Wrestling Legend About To Deliver a Leg Drop to the Smokies Retail Scene?

Is Hulkamania about to run wild in the mountains of East Tennessee? A cryptic social media post seems to point to yes Gone are the days when Cooter – of Dukes of Hazzard fame – was the second biggest celebrity operating in the Smokies. Celebrities of varying degrees of success have always tried to find a way to use their

moonpie with background of chattanooga

The Strange History Behind This 100-Year-Old East Tennessee Snack Cake

The fascinating story of the MoonPie and how East Tennessee played a role My first experience with the idea of a MoonPie didn’t involve tasting one. As a youngster who loved music and comedy, I had a Dr. Demento tape of silly songs that I listened to repeatedly with the same reverence I would for the Beatles or the Stones.

A Casino May Be Coming to Sevierville in the Near Future

A rumored casino may be on its way to Sevierville after Cherokee land purchase Is a casino on its way to the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee? I wouldn’t bet against it. The Tennessee Smokies are leaving Sevier County and returning to East Knoxville. Thus, a rather prominent piece of real estate is sitting empty in Kodak, on the West

original buc-ee's gas station

The Ongoing Controversy Around the Buc-ee’s Fire

The real original Buc-ee’s is not destroyed, despite media reports As the self-proclaimed preeminent Buc-ee’s journalist and scholar East of the Mississippi, I pride myself on keeping up with the latest in the world of Buc-ee’s business. And so, I was shocked by the recent headlines proclaiming the original Buc-ee’s had burned to the ground. My co-worker and fellow Buc-ee’s

The Village Shops in Gatlinburg

The Frozen-In-Time European Village in the Smoky Mountains You Need To See

The little European village in the Smoky Mountains you need to see As someone who has visited Gatlinburg since the middle ’80s, I’ve never known a time without The Village. But what is The Village? It’s a collection of shops featuring European-style architecture. Along with the Pancake Pantry, The Village Shops has set the mood for anyone coming to Gatlinburg