Tennessee

Lightning bugs—or fireflies, depending on whom you ask—remind everyone of a dissolute childhood spent in pursuit of the blameless insects. The bugs are actually beetles which, following a larval stage lasting one or two years,  achieve brief fame by flying around flashing a cold light from an organ called the “lantern” which forms part of […]

Set on 4200 acres at the foot of the Smoky Mountains, this award-winning resort has been getting guests back to nature in luxurious style since its opening.

Every August, the World’s Longest Yard Sale snakes its way 690 miles from Gadsden, Alabama to Hudson, Michigan. With such an embarrassment of riches, the shopper may not know where to start. (The stopping part is easy: you run out of money and/or room in the car). Here’s a suggestion: the southernmost part of the route follows the scenic Lookout Mountain Parkway 93 miles from Gadsden through a corner of Georgia to Chattanooga, Tennessee. Since the Alabama portion of the route alone boasts some 1000 vendors, you will probably be throughly over the whole experience by the time you hit Chattanooga. If not, no problem. Just keep following the U.S. Highway 127 Corridor from Chattanooga for another 600 miles.

Moore County, Tennessee is probably best known for its most famous resident, the Jack Daniels Distillery. But the small town of Lynchburg and the surrounding countryside offer up charm, history and other “spirits”. The JD Distillery The Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg is the nation’s oldest registered distillery, producing the #1 selling whiskey in the […]

Fall in the Smoky Mountains are a popular time of year with people coming to view the gold and red leafy splendor.  But this area has much more going for it than pretty fall foliage. Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountain Parkway can be clogged with traffic jams so it’s a perfect time to discover the […]

To me, Knoxville was a city that I’d driven through but had never really stopped to explore until a recent trip took me into the downtown area. Located near both the Appalachian and Smoky Mountains, Knoxville is well-known for its plethora of outdoor activities but it also boasts a hip downtown area with arts and […]

The quaint town of Leiper’s Fork Village is located just minutes from Franklin, Tennessee but seems miles and decades away.  Located on the Natchez Trace Parkway, the crumbling walls aligning the roadway seem to transport you back in time.  Upon arriving in the village, we passed an old police car on the side of the […]

Nestled along the banks of the Tennessee River, Chattanooga is a place of scenic beauty. It’s easily accessible, affordable, walkable and with plenty of things to do, it’s the perfect destination. Plus, you just can’t go wrong visiting a place where the Moon Pie was created. The Chattanooga Bakery has been in operation since 1902 […]

Aquariums never cease to fascinate the young and old alike.  They give us a glimpse into a world in which we rarely or never venture; from beneath the rivers to the world beneath the waves, a peer into the watery world in which fish dominate is endlessly fascinating. Once dubbed by Walter Cronkite as the […]

Lightning Bugs Light Up in the Smoky Mountains of Gatlinburg, TN It’s one of nature’s odd shows and it only happens once a year. Hundreds of real fireflies that light up in unison. And it all happens in Gatlinburg, Tennessee For two weeks around the middle of June each year, Gatlinburg, Tennessee hosts one of […]

There are a plethora of cabins to rent in the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area of Tennessee but because there are so many, the options are almost overwhelming. Renting a cabin is a great family-friendly, kid-friendly vacation option. Whether it’s for a weekend stay, a week long trip or even longer. Here’s some advice on sorting through […]