Between Townsend and Pigeon Forge, these are the things you shouldn’t do in this under-appreciated part of the Smokies Growing up in Blount County, not far from Townsend, I had three routes from which I could choose when heading to Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg. Which route I chose often depended on my destination. We could cut through Seymour and head
Choosing among the best BBQ in the Smokies The thing about competition is that most of the time, someone has to come out ahead. Rarely in life can we put something head-to-head – or in this case head-to-head-to-head – and walk away with everyone involved winning. But, when it comes to comparing BBQ joints in the mountains, it is very
Don’t make these mistakes when dining at Sevier County’s best restaurant If you grew up in East Tennessee in a certain era, there wasn’t much reason to stop in Sevierville or ever visit downtown. I suppose if you needed something from the Kmart, you’d swing by. Or maybe you had a home improvement project and preferred one of the downtown
These Gatlinburg eateries will satisfy your vacation sweet tooth One of the points of vacation is live a little and splurge a little. Do some things that you might not normally do in your daily life. Judging by the propensity of dessert-only restaurants and candy shops in Gatlinburg, one of those indulgences is incredibly sweet, delectable dessert offerings. How important
Avoid these common dining mistakes at America’s favorite theme park In March, at the annual, season-opening celebration with passholders and members of the press, Dolly Parton was joined by Eugene Naughton, Dollywood president, for a scripted “conversation” about the upcoming 40th anniversary season. How do I know it was scripted? Instead of shelling out for one of those politician teleprompter
Exploring the out of the way places off the strip and beyond in the Smokies We start with some parameters. In Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, the strip is a quite literal designation. Both the Pigeon Forge – Highway 321 – and the Gatlinburg – Highway 441 – strips hold dedicated demarcation of space, often marked by excessive traffic. The strip
Gatlinburg’s main street is a world class tourist destination; here are some things to avoid on your visit For decades, I have been running up and down the strip in Gatlinburg – the stretch of Highway 441 that runs from Ole Red all the way up to Ski Mountain Road. I’ve had some of the best days – and evenings
From the mountains to the attractions, how to have a great vacation with the littles Mountain coasters, ziplines, moonshine distilleries – so many of the new, hot attractions in the Smokies aren’t what you’d call toddler friendly. And while the Smokies are extremely family friendly, a lot of the things you can do are better built for kids five and
Ranking the best places to eat when you’re visiting America’s favorite theme park How you tackle Dollywood’s many dining options depends somewhat on what you want to achieve on your park day. Are you marching up and down the various hills and hollers? Then you’re gonna wanna carb up a little. Beware the quick sugar fixes brought on by places
A showdown for Smoky Mountain seafood supremacy When my grandparents retired to Florida’s Nature Coast back in the early ’90s, I developed a standard for fresh seafood that is hard to replicate. Their next-door neighbor was a professional crabber. He’d return from a day on the Gulf and hand a sack full of claws over to my grandparents for that