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You have already heard about outlet shopping. You may be familiar with the outstanding arts and crafts community. You might even have visited the Bavarian-styled retail spot called the Village. This blog is for the guys. Not to say that women would not enjoy these locations, but let's find some purchase opportunities that might help with the man cave. So while you map out a shopping route plan on your GPS before leaving your rental cabin in Pigeon Forge, consider these stops for your list. Some are chains, some are locally-owned, independent establishments.
Ready to try something different for Thanksgiving Weekend 2019? Come to the Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge area in Tennessee's Great Smoky Mountains.
Anyone familiar with down home cuisine is acquainted with both the persona and recipes of celebrity chef Paula Deen, also known as the “First Lady of Southern Cooking”. Though healthfully tempered in recent years, her rich ingredients are enhanced with farm-grown flavors and sometimes surprising seasonings. Recently opened, Paula Deen's the Bag Lady Cafe at the Island in Pigeon Forge takes Paula's cooking back to its origins.
It's time for that rare experience: a leisurely, hot pancake breakfast. Not cooked by a family member at your Smokies rental cabin, but served to you in a restaurant-where no one on vacation has to make everything and then clean up afterwards. Eat it all, and then walk (or waddle) away. Here are some out-of-the-ordinary breakfast treats you really should try while in our area. All of them are locally owned establishments. There are more locations, and some excellent chain choices available, but consider starting with these.
The downhill slide. Great fun if you're a child on a sled with a clear run ahead of you. Not so thrilling if your family vehicle is headed toward the outer edge of that hillside curve. You may be a true flatlander from the sandy coast, or have grown up with several layers of lingering snow all winter. No matter--we are all in this together when a beautiful snow comes to the mountains of east Tennessee. So why does everyone here make a milk and bread run when the forecast predicts winter precipitation? And what do you do when you need to drive in it? Here are a few key tips to get you down that hill from your Gatlinburg rental cabin to safely make it to the grocery store (or restaurant if you prefer)!
To be sure, there are so many different reasons to visit the Smoky Mountains all throughout the year. Yet those who are in the know always realize that there are special moments to savor during the off season. Let's discuss some special winter joys!
If all things locomotive interest you, there are multiple opportunities in East Tennessee to explore train history in our area. Some favorites are mentioned here, starting closest geographically to your Smokies rental cabin, and moving outward.
Enjoying a Smoky Mountains vacation in your Sevierville cabin rental affords you time to indulge in pastimes that you can't stop for in your daily routine. Don't miss these two transportation museums in Sevierville. Full disclosure: trains will be the next blog, this writing takes a spin past the airplanes and automobiles.
Bar none, on a clear day, the best view anywhere is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park at Clingmans Dome. But it is often literally in the clouds, and the paved hike, though short, is surprisingly steep.The best reward of hiking is that panoramic vista of rolling tree-covered mountaintops, that so beautifully burst into multicolored hues this time of year. Sometimes though, after unwinding a bit at your Wears Valley rental cabin, your energy for hiking tends to wane. So I provide here today the path of least resistance:
Being together with the entire family on vacation is one of the joys of getting away. Sometimes it is also one of the biggest challenges! After another one of my impromptu surveys of the pros (parents of teens and teens themselves), here are the essentials for having a great Smokies vacation with teenagers on board (both physically and mentally).
Whew! After that last blog, I felt it only fair that I give a few more sane and serene alternatives to coasting, rolling, zipping, and flying downhill. If relaxing is more your style, let's play with just a little more chill, to get in those last few laid back activities before the rush of the school year begins again.
For those in your crowd who don't really like it tame! We have beautiful mountains to admire from afar, and certainly to hike upon (that's a different type of thrill I'll save for another time). We also have many rolling foothills, with action chasing that is only found where the terrain is more than horizontal. So what can you do once you are at the top of the hill? Here are four thrill-satisfying ways to reach the bottom.
Talk about surviving the season! These sultry, summer days immediately whet my family's appetite for a cool, sweet treat, and not just any ice cream will do. Of course, there are multiple locations of scoop servers like Baskin Robbins, Ben and Jerry's, and regional Mayfield stores if you just want a simple fix. However, there are better options, where the frosty concoctions are made fresh in house, and not delivered by truck in frozen containers. Let's review some preferred locations as listed by those unbiased, professional tasters on our staff.
Rest assured that we who live and work in the Smokies are also relieved that the school year has ended! It helps to slow down daily, as the vacation industry ramps up in our area. So in between job duties, errands, and kids' sports events, where do locals go for a quick break during the work week?
Southern hospitality is defined as your hostess insisting on feeding you when you enter her home. Paula Deen has built her career on successfully feeding millions her homestyle Southern cooking from her original home base in Savannah, Georgia.