A guide to putting winter in the rearview in the mountains After a long, cold – possibly lonely – winter, spring is on the horizon. The prospect of returning to the outdoors without bundling up like an arctic explorer is alluring and enticing. If you’re like me and winter feels chiefly like being grounded for three months, anticipation overflows. I watch
From Arbor Day to Presidents’ Day, we rank the best holidays to spend in the Smokies We don’t think about it much. But for many of us, the big clock of our lives is set to the coming and going of holidays. It started for many of us in school. From Labor Day to Memorial Day, our lives were set
The plan to revive a historic site and beloved state park When Hurricane Helene arrived in the Smokies, it unleashed a torrential hell that claimed dozens of mountain lives. Communities were wiped out because some mountain waterways had been rerouted. It was an unprecedented combination of storm and timing. It hit on the heels of what would have been, under normal
Exploring an internet-driven passion while in the Smokies The truth is that I prefer my crime fiction. Why? Maybe because it’s safer. It could be that after years of working in newspapers, I’ve had enough of the real thing. Or maybe it’s because I have my own True Crime story in my past, and that’s enough for this lifetime. The
Best places to take in celestial wonders in the Smoky Mountains I don’t know that we can fully comprehend the beauty that exists in, above, and below the Smoky Mountains. From the wonders of the cave formations below the mountains, to the natural beauty of the deep greens of summer, the cornucopia of color in the fall, the view of
Sky Pirates of Mermaid Bay: An honest review For years, the quality of mini-golf courses in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg – to a lesser extent, Sevierville – were on the decline. Other than the Ripley courses, most of your options were afterthoughts, mediocre destinations that existed only to give a little “added value” to the arcade ticket bunder. Others were
A Smoky Mountain local shares a few hidden gems and things to do in and around Pigeon Forge, TN Pigeon Forge, Tenn., isn’t exactly a place for subtlety. The competition for tourism dollars is fierce. To be relevant and successful, you need to stand out from the cacophony of neon lights and the dazzling array of sound and fury. However,
Is a Nashville comedian ready to challenge Dolly for celebrity theme park dominance? The announcement seemed like a bit. Comedian Nate Bargatze – generally considered one of the best touring comedians in the country – is working to build a theme park near his hometown of Nashville. If you know Bargatze’s work – a mostly dry with filled with self-deprecation
Artist’s unique creatures to make U.S. debut at The North Carolina Arboretum There are a lot of strange creatures in the Smoky Mountains. Some of them are real – we’re looking at you Hellbender salamander – and others are rumored – we’d look at you feral people if we could see you. But a Danish artist is bringing something no
The Dollywood theme park attendance in numbers Consistently ranked among the best park in America by the Golden Ticket Awards, Dollywood has over the course of its 40 seasons risen to be a player on the national scene. Dollywood has made the transition from a chintzy regional theme park to one of the best amusement/theme parks in the United States.