An honest review with prices, location and parking information from a TN native I’ve lived in East Tennessee for most of my life, and I have fond memories of spending my weekends and summers roaming around the Smoky Mountains. I’ve tried almost every attraction at least once. Except, that is, Earthquake the Ride. Earthquake the Ride is a theme park-style
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,
Looking for something unique you can’t do anywhere else while in the Smoky Mountains? Let me be your guide We come to the Smokies – or any vacation destination – for different reasons. Some of us want the familiar. We want to go back to the places our parents took us or revisit the spots where our family made its
Local offers a sample itinerary for the perfect trip to Gatlinburg I get asked about the ideal length of a Gatlinburg trip a lot. And it’s an important question. All the money in the world is meaningless without another, more ephemeral, resource: Time. Ticking away from the moment you start the car, time is finite. Once you’re out, it’s time to
Local talks about what it’s like to walk across this famous glass bridge in the sky When I was a teen in the early 90s, certain things outside the grunge culture were considered cool. For example, there was the “No Fear” athletic brand trend that sold shirts and bumper stickers in a righteously extreme font. It was an ethos inspired by
Local lists favorite Winterfest activities in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg The Smoky Mountain Winterfest celebration is Sevier County’s annual cities-wide festival that takes place during the holidays. Also, here’s a fun fact: Did you know that the tradition began in 1989 to boost the slower winter tourism months in Sevier County? As a local, I’ve seen first-hand what a success it
A Smoky Mountain local shares his favorite things to do in Wears Valley, Tennessee Growing up, I mostly treated Wears Valley as a negative space. It was a scenic drive at best, connecting the entrance as the quiet side of the Smokies near my home, with Pigeon Forge and Dollywood. It was a place you drove through to get to other
The 11-mile Tail of the Dragon features 318 curves along the side of a mountain When we moved to Blount County, Tennessee and I discovered we had a road known as The Dragon, my interest was piqued. What I found was that The Tail of The Dragon – a section of U.S. 129 – more than lives up to its name.
Local lists the best things to do in Gatlinburg this winter Most people don’t know that Gatlinburg has five seasons. There’s spring, summer, fall and two winters, one pre-Christmas and one post-Christmas. If you come for Gatlinburg’s first winter, it is joyful but tinged with a hint of seasonal melancholy. People are hustling and bustling – and possibly rustling –
How Goats on the Roof got its start, and why we can’t seem to get enough Look, I’ve lived in the Smokies for a long time. I’ve seen a lot of attractions and tourist attractions come and go. Everything from restaurants to rides to places selling ice cream, homemade fudge and tourist trinkets. In this town, if you want to