General Information

A Casino May Be Coming to Sevierville in the Near Future

A rumored casino may be on its way to Sevierville after Cherokee land purchase Is a casino on its way to the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee? I wouldn’t bet against it. The Tennessee Smokies are leaving Sevier County and returning to East Knoxville. Thus, a rather prominent piece of real estate is sitting empty in Kodak, on the West

Douglas Dam in Tennessee

The Tennessee Valley Authority Controversy: The New Deal’s Divisive Initiative

How the TVA brought progress – and controversy – to the South When Tropical Storm Helene brought historic flooding to the region, an agency that has chiefly been a simple fact of life for many of us in the mountains came a little more sharply into focus. With overwhelmed dams threatened to fail, the Tennessee Valley Authority suddenly found itself

dolly parton in a parade at dollywood

10 Celebrity Sightings at Dollywood – See If You Recognize These Stars

Dollywood is a hot spot for celebrity sightings – here’s a roundup of some of the biggest stars known to frequent the park The Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the surrounding area are among the most visited tourist destinations in the world. In the mountains, there are surely few places that are more popular than Dollywood. I’ve watched over

paula deen restaurant with a bowl of chicken and dumplings

These Are the 3 Best, and Worst, Things To Eat at Paula Deen’s

A local offers his advice on the best and worst dishes at Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen in Pigeon Forge, TN Over the years, I have at times been hard on Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen. But in fairness, the eatery is battling expectations vs reality. While having the Deen name atop the restaurant is certainly a draw, it also leads to

animatronic singing chicken

These Are the 3 Weirdest Restaurants in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg

Just because they are ‘weird’ doesn’t mean we don’t love them! Here are 3 strangely themed restaurants in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg Like anything, weird is in the eye of the beholder. When considering weird restaurants in the Smoky Mountains, the first thing that pops to mind is there is a seafood place named after a mentally challenged character and

jungle boat ride animatronics with mannequin arm on the ground

These Are 3 Things I Won’t Ever Do Again in Pigeon Forge

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

upside down buc-ee's billboard

What’s the Deal With Buc-ee’s Upside-Down Billboards?

A Buc-ee’s fan investigates the bizarre, sudden appearance of upside-down Buc-ee’s billboards Buc-ee’s massive gas stations broke through the Texas border years ago and now the company is expanding beyond the South. As Buc-ee’s grows, new people are exposed to the Buc-ee’s way. That goes from massive stations with dozens of gas pumps, to spacious and clean bathrooms. It also

an aerial view of tail of the dragon

6 Things Not To Do on the Tail of the Dragon in North Carolina

A local offers words of wisdom on what not to do while riding the Tail of the Dragon There’s a road through the mountains of Tennessee into their North Carolina counterparts. Over its 11-mile stretch, it features 318 curves. It’s known as the Tail of the Dragon – or U.S. 129 to those less poetically inclined – and it is

buc-ee's entrance in sevierville, tennessee

Buc-ee’s Etiquette: You Might Be Annoying Others if You’re Breaking These Rules

Hey, we didn’t make the rules. Actually, we did. Here they are… Whether it’s your first or 100th time inside a Buc-ee’s, it’s always the same dose of sensory overload. There’s so much to do, so many bathroom stalls, so much to see and eat. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and forget that we live in

mama's farmhouse restaurant with plate of food

An Honest Review of the All-You-Can-Eat Mama’s Farmhouse From a Local

An honest review of a fan-favorite, family-style restaurant in Pigeon Forge: Mama’s Farmhouse I sometimes struggle to review family or farmhouse-style restaurants. Why? My grandmother, who we called Nanny. A tiny Hoosier from Southern Indiana, she was an excellent cook who made down-home classics like chicken and dumplings and meatloaf that you could have served to any food critic in