The Best Things To Do in the Smoky Mountains in the Summertime Ah, summertime in the Smoky Mountains – the kids are out of school, the temperature is hot and humid, and the mosquitos are out to play. Families are packing up their minivans and attempting the impossible, aka, trying to please everyone for the annual summer getaway. But the
A list of the best things to do in Pigeon Forge with kids, according to a local You’ve brought the family to Pigeon Forge. Now what? Great news, person who doesn’t do a heck of a lot of planning for family vacations! There are quite literally hundreds of fun things to do in the area. And certainly, not all of
Record-holding attractions in the Smokies and beyond When it comes to attracting attention in the Smokies, you’ve got to try … hard. Any angle or idea. In other words, any possible thing you can trumpet that will attract the public’s attention – and folding money – is what is necessary to succeed. It’s not enough to provide a mountain coaster. It
How a Hoosier With a Dream – and a Surprising Amount of Financing – Found the Largest Underground Waterfall in the Country and Opened It to the Public As a former Hoosier myself, I often joke about the effect that the siren song of the mountains of East Tennessee has on the people of Indiana. Time and again, when researching
A Local Shares Absolute Top-Tier Bucket List Items You Must Do in the Smokies at Least Once When I think about my bucket list of things to do in the Smokies, the checklist naturally tumbles into a handful of categories. For instance, there are things to do in the mountains, like seeking out a distant waterfall. And there are things
Cumberland Gap National Park Is a Must-Visit for Anyone Who Truly Loves the Majesty and History of the Appalachians Where do we start? Well, in a literal sense we start in a massive tunnel that runs under the mountain at the Tennessee-Kentucky Border. The Cumberland Gap Tunnel is a two-bore, four-lane work that carries U.S. 25E under Cumberland Gap National
A Local Offers Tips for Creating the Perfect Smoky Mountain Picnic While I appreciate the value of a good walk through the woods or a scenic drive through Cades Cove or along the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, my favorite thing to do in the mountains is a good family picnic. When I was kid, my stepfather’s family would come
A Great Smoky Mountain National Park Fanboy Ranks His Favorite National Parks If you think about it, it’s a bit strange to grow up with the most visited national park in the country in your backyard. Last year, 12.2 million people visited the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I could be there in 45 minutes, 30 if I get good
A Local’s Guide to Finding Bugs Whose Butts Light Up in the Great Smoky Mountains I was an adult man, young but fully adult, before I found out there were parts of the United States without lightning bugs. I suppose I’d just never really thought about it. Lightning bugs were just a part of summer. I remember being a youngster
A Smoky Mountain Expert Weighs In on Which Mountain Park Is Most Deserving of Your Money The best views in the Smokies remain free. You can drive up to Kuwohi – formerly Clingmans Dome – and soak in the natural wonder that made our ancestors see the mountains as something worth preserving. A drive along Newfound Gap Road offers several