TheSmokies.com

When we created TheSmokies.com, our goal was to establish a platform that serves both residents and visitors. Unlike other tourism websites in the region, ours is not managed by a government body or a big corporation. Instead, it is run and developed by the people who were raised in, currently reside in, and have a deep affection for the area.

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English

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#412488

United States

#85327

Food and Drink/Restaurants and Delivery

#1366

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Articles

A local offers tips for creating the perfect Smoky Mountain picnic

1 week ago | thesmokies.com | John Gullion

While I appreciate the value of a good walk through the woods or a scenic drive through Cades Cove or along the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, my favorite thing to do in the mountains is a good family picnic. When I was kid, my stepfather’s family would come down from Indiana and we’d plan small family get-togethers or larger family reunions in the mountains, preferably next to a picnic spot with a nice mountain stream suitable for wading or even tubing.
A Great Smoky Mountain National Park fanboy ranks his favorite national parks

1 week ago | thesmokies.com | John Gullion

If you think about it, it’s a bit strange to grow up with the most visited national park in the country in your backyard. Last year, 12.2 million people visited the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I could be there in 45 minutes, 30 if I get good traffic. As a kid, I went to high school with the granddaughter of the last person to live in Cades Cove – maybe even the park itself, Kermit Caughron, aka the Bee Man.
A local’s guide to finding bugs whose butts light up in the Great Smoky Mountains

1 week ago | thesmokies.com | John Gullion

I was an adult man, young but fully adult, before I found out there were parts of the United States without lightning bugs. I suppose I’d just never really thought about it. Lightning bugs were just a part of summer. I remember being a youngster with a mason jar with air holes poked in the lid, running around at dusk and catching as many as possible. I also remember kids smushing them. They used the phosphorescence to make a briefly glowing ring around their fingers.
Many Smoky Mountain attractions sell themselves as historic or use historic theming, but the Old Mill is the real deal

2 weeks ago | thesmokies.com | John Gullion

In the Smoky Mountains, history sells. Countless attractions try to grab visitors’ attention by overplaying their connections to history. They may borrow the history of someone or something local or create a theme around a historic figure or place that has nothing to do with the modern-day attraction. But the Old Mill in Pigeon Forge has an ironclad historical link dating back to 1830. Its roots go back to the founding of Pigeon Forge.
7 Gatlinburg Scenic Overlooks: Best Scenic Routes for Beautiful Views

2 weeks ago | thesmokies.com | John Gullion

If we start a discussion of the best scenic overlooks near Gatlinburg TN, we should begin with a caveat. You don’t have to leave Gatlinburg at all for great mountain views. To illustrate, there are several great views located just a short walk from downtown Gatlinburg. Anakeesta offers majestic views of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park as well as Gatlinburg.
The Best Mountain Parks Ranked: Anakeesta vs Gatlinburg SkyPark vs SkyLand Ranch vs Ober

2 weeks ago | thesmokies.com | John Gullion

The best views in the Smokies remain free. You can drive up to Kuwohi – formerly Clingmans Dome – and soak in the natural wonder that made our ancestors see the mountains as something worth preserving. A drive along Newfound Gap Road offers several scenic overlooks with views that make you revel in the splendor of the natural world. But you know what every single one of them lacks? A mountain coaster powered by gravity and a place where you can get a good hamburger steak and a beer.
Why Are the Smoky Mountains Smoky? Are They Always Smoky?

2 weeks ago | thesmokies.com | John Gullion

I was driving west through the mountains to cover a football game. I crested a hill and found myself awestruck by the beauty below. The sun was behind the mountaintops which stood out dark against the strokes of yellows, reds, oranges and pinks in the sky. There was no time to stop for a picture, I couldn’t miss the kickoff. But in retrospect, stopping probably would have been worth being a couple of minutes late to the game.
A local explains the allure of Blount County’s somewhat secret tourist attraction

3 weeks ago | thesmokies.com | John Gullion

When we moved to Blount County in the summer of 1990, we got a lot of advice from locals. The best places to visit in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the secret spots where you can enjoy the mountains away from the throngs. We were told never to stop in Cocke County under any circumstance, even if you had to get gas on the interstate.
Kiss My What? An Honest Review of Mel’s Classic Diner, Pigeon Forge’s Budget-Friendly Diner

3 weeks ago | thesmokies.com | John Gullion

There is a reason the classic American diner has endured from its heyday in the 1950s into modern times. And it goes well beyond nostalgia. You give the right person a griddle and a few classic ingredients, and magic happens. There are a lot of great dining options in the mountains, including some truly fantastic, high-end choices. But sometimes, you just want a classic burger and crispy French fries. Also, if you’re feeling indulgent, a classic banana split for dessert is the way to go.
The Formerly Abandoned Brushy Mountain State Pen in East Tennessee Is Now a Distillery

3 weeks ago | thesmokies.com | John Gullion

In Morgan County, near the tiny community of Petros – right in the shadow of the Cumberland Plateau- they’ve taken hell on Earth, shined it up and used it to market a peculiar concoction of horrid history, fabricated ghosts, mountain likker and classic Southern café dining. For more than 100 years, Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary was well known as one of the worst places on Earth. For instance, something akin to the remote Siberian prisons in Russia but with presumably milder winters.