Breaking down two favorite restaurants that have underwhelmed recently I can’t imagine what it’s like running a restaurant in the Smokies. I know a lot of places have competition and the restaurant business is notoriously hard. But in the Smokies where new competition arrives seemingly weekly and any success is met with a dozen copycats, the work of sustaining excellence,
Are car shows, invasions and runs becoming too much for Pigeon Forge and the Smokies? Let’s start with this. Trouble with groups of car show enthusiasts in the Smokies is nothing new. Back in 1978 – during the inaugural Shades of the Past event in Gatlinburg – tensions were high between police, area car clubs and a large crowd of
The GSMNP warns visitors about disturbing this mostly unseen residents’ habitat Before we moved to the mountains of East Tennessee, I spent a significant time knocking around the woods of rural Southern Indiana. It was the ‘80s and I was given freedom to roam that would be considered shocking these days. I certainly wouldn’t give my own kids that sort
When planning your dining for your Smoky Mountain Vacation, these are the places to miss in Pigeon Forge The truth is I’m a pretty easy date. I like to like things. When I spend a night on the town or at the movies or a local restaurant, I don’t like to go in with a critical attitude. I look for
Between Townsend and Pigeon Forge, these are the things you shouldn’t do in this under-appreciated part of the Smokies Growing up in Blount County, not far from Townsend, I had three routes from which I could choose when heading to Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg. Which route I chose often depended on my destination. We could cut through Seymour and head
Top six don’ts on your visit to the busiest road in the Smokies I wish that the thought had occurred to me when I was younger to keep a little chart of my time on Highway 321 – aka the Great Smoky Mountain Parkway – in Pigeon Forge. Just a little Excel Spreadsheet that I could have kept up with
Don’t make these mistakes when dining at Sevier County’s best restaurant If you grew up in East Tennessee in a certain era, there wasn’t much reason to stop in Sevierville or ever visit downtown. I suppose if you needed something from the Kmart, you’d swing by. Or maybe you had a home improvement project and preferred one of the downtown
Avoid these common dining mistakes at America’s favorite theme park In March, at the annual, season-opening celebration with passholders and members of the press, Dolly Parton was joined by Eugene Naughton, Dollywood president, for a scripted “conversation” about the upcoming 40th anniversary season. How do I know it was scripted? Instead of shelling out for one of those politician teleprompter
Gatlinburg’s main street is a world class tourist destination; here are some things to avoid on your visit For decades, I have been running up and down the strip in Gatlinburg – the stretch of Highway 441 that runs from Ole Red all the way up to Ski Mountain Road. I’ve had some of the best days – and evenings
Dollywood fan offers tips on what not to do when visiting the Pigeon Forge theme park I love going to Dollywood. As a kid, I was lucky enough to grow up within an hour of the theme park. Nostalgia and bias aside, even as a now-adult I must admit – Dollywood still holds its own even when compared to some