The Great Smoky Mountains National Park launched its Park it Forward program on March 1, 2023. The new program is meant to help generate revenue to improve visitor services and address maintenance needs. While the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has been historically free to enter, visitation has put a strain on management and upkeep. For example, the park experienced its
The long-awaited 74,000 sq foot flagship Buc-ee’s Family Travel Center, complete with 120 fueling positions, EV charging stations and a car wash over 250 feet long in Sevier County opened in 2023. And along with the arrival of Buc-ee’s, came the congested traffic. Is Buc-ee’s at Exit 407 a bad idea? It is not. Buc-ee’s is a wonder. But the question we all had was if the infrastructure was
I woke up early on a recent Sunday morning to the familiar rattling of my cell phone.I shook the cobwebs away and reached out, wondering what vastly important fantasy football alert I had just received. Instead, I was met with an image that quickly grabbed my attention. It was a structure fire in downtown Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The pictures showed flame
I don’t play the lottery often. However, if the prize gets up to enough money to start getting reported on the news, I’ll give it a chance. There are stories of people who win life-changing amounts of money only to fritter and waste it away. I would like to tell you that I’d be better than that. However, that would
Hi. My name is John and I have a parking problem. Well, it’s not so much a parking problem as it is a competition problem. I like to pull into a full parking lot and get the best spot in the lot. I’m also willing to waste a ridiculous amount of time to get it. I say all that to
One of the true delights of going to a theme park is treating yourself to the local, popular dishes. Of course, theme park food is usually not healthy. However, it can make for a delicious treat while on vacation. For example, Disney offers the famous Dole Whip. Universal Studios Wizarding World of Harry Potter has Butterbeer. And in Pigeon Forge, it is
I was a teenager when I moved to my adopted home state. And I was full of opinions and inherited attitudes toward mountain people based on stereotypes propagated through the media. And I didn’t want to be from the mountains. In other words, I didn’t want to be … tacky. I’ve spent a lot of time in small mountain communities,
Theme park ride restrictions can be a stressful topic for the plus-size community. It’s never a great feeling to be told that you’re too big to ride. Since we often get the question, “Is Dollywood fat friendly?”, we decided to create this handy dandy guide to give you an idea of what to expect before you arrive at the Dollywood theme park.
Welcome to part two of our Moonshine Mixin’s series. Last week we were mixing up some tasty moonshine margaritas. This week, we’re going to get a little caffeinated. This is another simple recipe and easy to make with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. Quick disclaimer: this recipe will involve a bit more planning ahead than the last recipe
Did you know that Gatlinburg, Tenn., is considered the official honeymoon capital of the South? Love is always in the air in Gatlinburg. But for couples looking to wed at one of the many cute mountain chapels, the options can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming. With this in mind, we’ve put together this handy list. It features some of the