Regardless of whether or not these tales are to be believed, they continue to be passed down from one generation to the next As someone who grew up slightly obsessed with ghostly phenomena, I spent much of my youth chasing ghost stories in the mountains. From the supposedly dark rituals at God’s Pocket in Blount County to the rumors of a ghastly glowing tombstone, I so very much want the scary stories of the mountains to be true.  The people of the mountains grew up on folk stories of haints and phantoms and dark spirits like goblins. In the days before being goth was cool, they told fabl ..read more

I’ve dined at dozens of eateries in Gatlinburg, these are the best mom-and-pop restaurants in the area Nowadays, the term “mom and pop” is code for a restaurant that isn’t a chain or is owned by a single restauranteur or family instead of a restaurant group. But we’re still attached to the idea of a certain kind of place. Take, for instance, a soda fountain and a burger grill. The employees wear paper hats and striped shirts and everybody looks like they’re auditioning for a revival of “Grease”. As a culture, we do a lot of nostalgic longing for an idealized version of the past. You may not al ..read more

These are a few famous faces that have been known to make an appearance in and around the Smoky Mountains When you live near a popular tourist destination like the Smoky Mountains, you must keep your head on a swivel. You never know when the person behind you in line at the Salt and Pepper Museum might be a famous person going incognito. The fact is you never know who is going to show up for a bit of the mountain experience.  While Dolly Parton is the queen of the Smokies, she’s not the only famous person you might encounter during a visit to Sevier County. Big-name stars of music and mov ..read more

SkyPark officials announce new SkyBridge, viewing area, restaurants and more With its 70th-anniversary celebration approaching, Gatlinburg SkyPark is preparing for its next 70 years. Having first gone up the mountain nearly 40 years ago, I’ve personally watched and marveled at the competition to be Gatlinburg’s top dog. SkyPark is certainly firmly entrenched in a three-way competition to be Gatlinburg’s premier mountain-top destination. With Anakeesta growing each year and new investments at Ober Gatlinburg, SkyPark is working to double its experiences. SkyPark officials have outlined the park ..read more

Here’s what you should know about the Land of Oz before you go Many entrepreneurs bring their visions to the mountains, and sometimes only a handful of businesses survive. While some are left to rust and be reclaimed by the mountains, others rise from the ashes and offer folks like me a rare glimpse into the past. And sometimes, if you’re really lucky, that rare glimpse can be a fully immersive experience. That’s exactly what the Land of Oz offers with its annual Autumn at Oz festival in September. The dates for this year’s festival are Sept. 6-8, Sept. 13-15 and Sept. 20-22, 2024. Tickets com ..read more

Look, I’ve lived on this Earth long enough to know that nothing has a 100 percent approval rating. There are people – if you can believe it – who don’t like pizza or Star Wars movies. But as someone who left the Smokies for a brief period in the early 2000s and was desperate to return, I can say the mountains are one of my favorite places on Earth. Still, I know somewhere out there are people who don’t like the Smokies and have no interest in the National Park.  There are many reasons to visit the Great Smoky Mountain National Park but for some people, there are also many reasons not to ..read more

How the tourist town of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee is running out of water and what the city is going to do about it When you think of infrastructure issues in the Smokies Mountains you think about backed-up traffic clogging the arteries of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville. But what if I told you city leaders are facing another challenge that is going to require a very expensive fix? According to multiple reports, three times last year the city of Pigeon Forge ran out of water and had to buy it from Sevierville. Pigeon Forge City leaders are working to address the issue before it becomes ..read more

TN native lists top attractions in the Smoky Mountains, with coupons No trip to the Great Smoky Mountains is complete without checking out at least a couple of museums and walk-through attractions in the area. With so many to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to spend your vacation dollars. Remember that any pricing mentioned in this article is subject to change and may vary by season. Here is a comprehensive list of some of my favorite attractions: The Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge is one of the best and most popular museums in the Smokies. However, there are several other great ..read more

Carl Dean has more than one cute nickname for his famous wife Dolly Parton is known by a myriad of nicknames. Some nicknames reference her incredible career in country music, like the Leading Lady of Country and the Queen of Nashville. Other names refer to her East Tennessee roots, such as Smoky Mountain Songbird, Backwoods Barbie and Appalachian Queen. Additionally, she’s also known as The Book Lady for her charitable work in early childhood literacy.  Dolly Parton has several other names given to her by the wider world. Some refer to her incredible career in country music. She’s also kn ..read more

Local offers tips for spending spring break in the Smoky Mountains When visitors plan a vacation to Gatlinburg, most of them don’t realize that spring break can be just as busy as the summer months. I live here in Gatlinburg and I can tell you that it’s quite a shock seeing the flock of tourism during this time. This year was a first for me as a resident, and I can say, without a doubt, you’ll need to prepare for all the things I’m about to mention. It may just ease your pain around the Easter holiday. Spring break is when the crowds show up in Gatlinburg, TN. The busiest time is during the Ea ..read more