From the Peaceful Side of the Smokies
Written by: Emily Huffstetler Great Smoky Mountains National Park has been the most visited U.S. national park since 1944. With the right stops, the park’s views, history and wildlife can be enjoyed by visitors with a wide range of abilities. Here are our top picks for an accessible summer vacation on the Peaceful Side of…
Written by: Emily Huffstetler Maryville, nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, has a growing list of upscale dining options. From a MICHELIN-recommended dining room to a downtown steakhouse with caviar service, these seven restaurants are worth a reservation. DSB Provisions DSB Provisions, recently opened, brings an intimate Italian dinner experience to Greenway Village. Pasta is made from scratch by hand,…
Written by: Emily Huffstetler Quiet is a luxury. The Peaceful Side of the Smokies has everything you need, minus the noise. McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) connects the region to more than 30 nonstop destinations. From the airport, it’s roughly a 13-minute drive to Maryville, 25 minutes to Walland and 34 minutes to Townsend, depending on traffic. From full-service destination resorts to lodge-style retreats, these are the Peaceful Side’s top luxury stays. Destination…
Written by: Emily Huffstetler Still looking for a Valentine? In Cades Cove, you might have started with a corn husking. Cades Cove’s first permanent Euro-American settlers arrived in 1818, and the community grew steadily through the mid-1800s. By 1850, the Cove’s population was in the high six hundreds. In a working valley, neighbors relied on each other.…
Written by: Emily Huffstetler On the Peaceful Side, winter date night doesn’t have to mean staying cooped up at home. From downtown dinner and cocktails to a heated sauna workout, these ideas make it easy to spend quality time together, no matter the forecast. Classic Romantics – Downtown Maryville Start with dinner at Bella, a downtown spot with…
Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro has been named to OpenTable’s 2026 Top 100 Romantic Restaurants in America, earning the distinction as the only restaurant in East Tennessee to appear on the national list. Based on more than 14 million verified diner reviews, the honor recognizes restaurants that consistently deliver exceptional food, service, and atmosphere. For Dancing…
Written by: Emily Huffstetler Love is in the air! Valentine’s on the Peaceful Side is for couples, families and friends alike. From pop-ups and brunches in Maryville to prix-fixe dinners and overnight getaways in Townsend and Walland, here are the local events and specials happening February 6 through 15. February 6–7 – Love Local Market Two full days…
Written by: Emily Huffstetler On the Peaceful Side, it’s not unusual for a longtime-local’s basement to feel like a mini history museum, filled with practical pieces, family heirlooms and other treasures. That tradition of holding on to things and taking good care of them makes the area great for antiquing. Here are 10 shops worth exploring in Walland, Rockford, Louisville and Maryville. Walland Cook’s…
Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont is pleased to announce the fourth annual Tremont Writers Conference, an intensive five-day retreat for writers of fiction, nonfiction and poetry coordinated in conjunction with Smokies Life. Applications to participate may be submitted online now through May 15 at writers.gsmit.org. Held Wednesday, Oct. 21, through Sunday, Oct. 25, the…
Written by: Emily Huffstetler The Peaceful Side of the Smokies gets even quieter in the wintertime. If you like a slower pace and a little more breathing room, this is the season for you. Here are five reasons off-season trips feel easier. Off-season days usually come with fewer cars on the road, which means less time sitting…
Written by: Emily Huffstetler Long before DoorDash and Instacart, rolling stores delivered essentials to Blount County residents who couldn’t make a quick run to town. Trucks or retrofitted buses followed regular routes, stocked like a compact general store. America had traveling merchants long before the term “rolling store” existed. But the model changed once motor vehicles became more common. A driver could carry more goods than…
Written by: Emily Huffstetler Feeling cooped up after the holidays? Kick off the New Year with fresh air and a fresh start. Here are five gentle ways to get outside on the Peaceful Side. Dogwood Arts’ Art in Public Places brings outdoor sculptures to spots around Maryville and Alcoa, and several are easy to pair with a walk on the Maryville-Alcoa Greenway. The greenway…
