Gatlinburg captures the hearts and minds of millions of visitors every year. Many folks dream of moving to the Smoky Mountains, thinking it will be the breath of fresh air they need. While that is certainly true in my case, it doesn’t come without its costs. Of course, vacationing here gives you an idea of what to expect in terms
It is believed that Cades Cove is named after a real-life historical figure I can remember taking an elementary school field trip to Cades Cove back in the late 1900s. I can’t say for sure that it was my first visit because my grandparents frequently took us on weekend getaways to the Smokies, and we spent a lot of time
A local talks about how to safely hike in and around Gatlinburg and recommends three of his favorite trails I’ve never had a safety issue and I’ve been around the Smoky Mountains for more than 30 years. So, I don’t think of the Smokies as dangerous. But as someone who has also lived on this planet for nearly five decades,
These are the biggest tourist traps in the Smoky Mountains, according to a local We certainly didn’t invent the tourist trap here in the Smoky Mountains. But we’ve dang sure come close to perfecting it. For 35-ish years, I’ve given more than my fair share of money to Sevier County tourist traps. I’ve paid money to low-rent museums celebrating the
There’s a waterfall in the Smoky Mountains you can walk behind and it looks like something straight out of a fairy tale Having lived in and around the Smoky Mountains for three decades, I understand there is beauty in the park just about anywhere you look. But I also understand some places transcend beauty. For instance, there are places infused
A local compares two popular mountain towns, Gatlinburg, TN and Asheville, NC While we don’t want to speak in generalities, there are some pretty obvious differences between the cultures of East Tennessee and Western North Carolina. As someone who has lived in East Tennessee and driven across the mountains to visit North Carolina, I find those differences stark. In this
The Smoky Mountains can be a dangerous place, even when you know what you’re doing I don’t think of the mountains as dangerous, and I’ve been around them for 30 years. Generally, I think as long as you exercise even a modicum of judgment, you’ll be fine. However, that doesn’t mean the Smokies are without danger. In this article, we
Get ready to officially say goodbye to an area icon: The Smoky Mountain Opry As someone who has knocked around the Smoky Mountains for more than 30 years, I remember the heyday of Pigeon Forge music houses. Various country stars tried to use the mountain vacation venues as a place to set up residencies – something like Sinatra or Celine
A local gives his honest opinion on whether or not Gatlinburg is still “worth it” As someone who has been living and working around Gatlinburg for three decades, I understand that the Gatlinburg that most people see isn’t real life. Downtown Gatlinburg – most of what people think of as Gatlinburg – is Potemkin Village, a construction put on for
Here are three things not to do when you’re visiting Sevierville, TN As someone who has lived in the area for decades, I can remember when Sevierville was the boring part of Sevier County. If Sevier County was a mullet, Sevierville was the business in the front part. But things have changed over the years. Sevierville is now a destination