The Smoky Mountains are a beautiful and exciting place to visit any time of the year, but the beginning of fall is especially chock-full of great things to do. The air is cooling, the leaves are changing, and the water is chilly but invigorating. Bears, deer and other wildlife are active, making for fascinating sight-seeing. There is always plenty of food, music, arts and crafts, and at the end of September, the Smoky Mountain Trout Tournament will be making its 12th annual splash into Gatlinburg. This is a wonderful opportunity for father and son or for the whole family to

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As I walked into my favorite hometown restaurant last Sunday, I quickly came to the realization that fall is upon us. In fact, I have found that in many restaurants and stores, the beginning of fall decorations- -changing leaves, scarecrows, cornucopias and the like- -have actually been completely skipped over in favor of cute kids’ costumes and black and orange Halloween decorations. I have even spotted the errant Christmas tree, tucked in a not-so-inconspicuous corner of the store! I am a consumer, and I am not fooled by this flit skip of the pure enjoyment of fall, in the absence

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Every year on September 11th, thousands of ceremonies and memorials are held all across the country for those who lost their lives in the World Trade Center attacks and related attempts.  This year, on the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks, the City of Gatlinburg will be holding a 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony at the Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies Plaza. [caption id="attachment_700" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="The Freedom Tower in NYC 8/20/11."][/caption] Beginning at 8:30AM on Sunday, this ceremony will be led by Ripley’s Entertainment Executive Terrylynn Battson. Battson’s son, Paul, was working at a building adjacent to the World Trade Centers

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The Smoky Mountains on almost any given night are going to give visitors to the area a beautiful sky gazing opportunity. The picturesque nature of the area allows for such sights to be taken in and enjoyed. On a few special nights of the year the sky becomes excessively clear and is perfect for star gazing activities. The Great Smoky Mountain National Park and the Smoky Mountains Astronomical Society (SMAS) hosts events called Star Parties, which are open to any and all who are interested in taking part in absorbing the beautiful mountain night sky. The SMAS hosts start parties

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The Smoky Mountain region carries with it a rich heritage and culture. Likewise, the communities around the Smokies have helped establish the rustic, down-home atmosphere and mountain culture that hold strong throughout the region. Pigeon Forge is one such community, and with the upcoming Heritage Day event at the city's Old Mill landmark, this is one area that is showcasing some of the culture that has helped to make the Smokies such a unique place! This year the 8th annual Old Mill Heritage Day is set for September 24th. From 10 in the morning until 6 in the evening, there

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