A Buc-ee’s fan offers advice on what not to eat at the popular travel stop Even in paradise, a little rain must fall. Buc-ee’s, aka the most magical place on the interstate, is a jewel for road trippers, commuters and travelers everywhere. Europeans make the trip over the pond just to marvel at the wonder of a gas station with
A local offers tips on what not to do at Gatlinburg’s popular pancake spot The Pancake Pantry is an iconic Gatlinburg institution. It was born in 1960 when a pair of Hoosiers decided to move to the mountains and open the first pancake palace in East Tennessee. They were quickly able to acquire the building and the land and then
A Smoky Mountain resident talks about experiences he wouldn’t try twice at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge While I can’t lay claim to being the world’s biggest Dollywood fan, I’ve been visiting since the first year it transitioned over from Silver Dollar City. I’ve watched in awe and appreciation as it has grown through careful planning and execution from a kitschy
You can now eat, drink, sing and play in the same theater where Dolly Parton performed her first-ever paid gig in this cozy, historic town in Tennessee In 1956, a then-unknown 10-year-old with a uniquely beautiful voice named Dolly Parton stepped onto the stage at The Pines Theater, a small music and entertainment venue in Sevierville, TN, with seating for
Here’s how to enjoy Cades Cove sans the annoying crowds, according to a local Cades Cove is among the most popular tourist spots in the country, if not the world. With its wide sweeping vistas of the mountains across the valley, wildlife viewing, historic settlements and trails, the Cove offers all that is great about the mountains in one, condensed
A Smoky Mountain resident talks about experiences he won’t revisit in Pigeon Forge, TN I like to like things. When it comes to movies, TV shows, books, food and experiences, I go in with a pretty optimistic viewpoint. I want to enjoy them. The only real place where I am an especially discriminating consumer is music. I have enough songs
These are the 10 commandments of Buc-ee’s, as imagined by a Buc-ee’s superfan Society doesn’t have rules because of the easy times. Rules are born of chaos, strife or stress. For example, the guy who invented speed limits didn’t come up with them because everyone was driving a serene 55 mph. Society saw the outliers, the speed demons weaving in
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
A local shares his favorite meals at the Apple Barn complex As someone with more than 30 years of experience sampling various down-home style meals in the Smoky Mountains, I can attest that the Apple Barn complex restaurants, the Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant and the Applewood Farmhouse Grill, offer some of the best options in the area. But navigating a down-home-style
Local offers the top 6 don’ts of going to a Rod Run car show event in Tennessee Twice a year in the Smokies, classic car collectors, dealers and enthusiasts flock to Pigeon Forge for the Rod Runs. It’s a multi-tiered event that all but takes over the Appalachian tourist town with wheeling, dealing, cruising and more. If you’ve been coming