From the Peaceful Side of the Smokies
Written by: Emily Huffstetler On the Peaceful Side, the start of the school year doesn’t have to mean the end of summer fun. Your family won’t want to miss out on these exciting weekend adventures planned for August and September. Great Smoky Mountains Hot Air Balloon Festival Celebrate the start of the school year with…
Written by: Emily Huffstetler From pool parties to scenic hikes, the Peaceful Side of the Smokies offers a variety of dog-friendly activities. Whether you’re a local resident or just vising the area, there are plenty of opportunities for your furry friend to play, socialize and enjoy the great outdoors. Paws in the Pool – Springbrook…
Written by: Emily Huffstetler The Great Smoky Mountains continues to be the most-visited national park, welcoming over 13 million visitors in 2023. This immense popularity can strain the environment and wildlife. Fortunately, you can reduce your footprint by supporting these local nonprofits. Appalachian Bear Rescue In the past decade, an average of 339 negative human-bear…
Written by: Emily Huffstetler On the Peaceful Side, date night doesn’t have to be same ol’, same ol’. And it doesn’t just have to be for singles. Consider these ideas when you and your significant other want to spend quality time together. Active Adventurers – Townsend Start the morning off exploring Tuckaleechee Caverns, the highest-rated…
The sixth annual Autos Through the Ages car show is set for July 20 at the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center (123 Cromwell Dr.) in Townsend, Tenn. Organized by the East Tennessee Region of the Antique Automobile Club of America, this distinctive gathering features over 150 vehicles on display from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., regardless of…
The Peaceful Side of the Smokies is a renowned cycling destination. Over the past 30 years, the local Tour de Blount has attracted thousands of cyclists from across the nation. With scenic mountain roads and quiet countryside rides, discover why so many visitors love cycling on the Peaceful Side.
From June 17-21, 2024, the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont is hosting Naturalist Week, a free virtual event designed to connect people with nature from wherever they are. Kids and adults are encouraged to explore their backyards, local parks, or any green spaces to notice the nature around them. Naturalist Week features the Level…
Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont is pleased to announce the second annual Tremont Writers Conference, an intensive five-day retreat for writers of fiction, nonfiction and poetry coordinated in partnership with Smokies Life, formerly Great Smoky Mountains Association. Applications to participate in the event may be submitted online now through April 30 at writers.gsmit.org. From…
Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro, nestled in the heart of East Tennessee at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, has been honored with the distinction of being named one of the Top 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in the USA by OpenTable. This exclusive recognition was officially announced on January 31st, 2024, solidifying Dancing Bear Appalachian…
The American Pickers are excited to return to Tennessee! They plan to film episodes of The History Channel hit television series throughout our area in March 2024.AMERICAN PICKERS is a documentary series that explores the fascinating world of antique “picking” on The History Channel. The hit show follows skilled pickers in the business, as they…
Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro is honored to announce that it has been awarded with TripAdvisor’s prestigious Top 25 Fine Dining Restaurants in America for 2023. This accolade is bestowed upon a select few restaurants in the world who have consistently received outstanding reviews and opinions from the TripAdvisor community over a 12-month period. Dancing Bear…
As a gateway to the Smoky Mountains, Blount County ranked eighth among Tennessee’s 95 counties in 2022 visitor expenditures at $544 million, a 14-percent increase from $477 million in 2021, according to the Economic Impact of Travel on Tennessee Counties report issued by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and Gov. Bill Lee. Visitor spending…
