Clayton is an East Tennessee native who worked in TV news for 15 years. Whether it's the Great Smoky Mountains or Cumberland Gap, he never grows tired of discovering the region's wonders. You can reach him at knoxdaytrips@comcast.net.
There are countless reasons Dollywood is Tennessee’s number one private attraction. Music, food and family fun reign supreme at the Smoky Mountain theme park. However, thrill rides are becoming a much bigger part of the picture. ...
Showers of confetti weren’t the only things falling from the sky Friday night as the 2012 Dogwood Arts Parade began its journey down Gay Street in Downtown Knoxville.In front of the entrance to Krutch Park, folks in...
On a bright spring day thirty years ago, President Ronald Reagan stood at a podium in Knoxville to welcome the world to East Tennessee. The 1982 World’s Fair opened on May 1st and ran through October 31st...
As soon as you approach the entrance to Dollywood it is difficult to miss. Looming high above the trees giant blue steel tracks soar toward the sky, a seemingly appropriate tribute to the “Land of Blue Smoke&rdquo...
Prohibition remains one of those periods of history that has just about everyone shaking their heads. While moonshiners kept the brews flowing and the treasury folks running, one group of men looked to East Tennessee to turn a &ldquo...
Proving the sky is not the limit, Dolly Parton joined thousands of fans Friday, March 23rd to kick off the theme park’s 27th season.This year’s star attraction is the $20-million Wild Eagle roller coaster...
Creating a legacy everyone can enjoy is no easy task. Seventy-five years ago Tennessee lawmakers passed a law creating what is now regarded as one of the nation’s best state park systems. Stretching from the...
Whether it is a stroll along the Tennessee River or a boat ride on it, there are countless ways to enjoy the outdoors in Knoxville. Nestled between the Great Smoky Mountains and the Cumberland Plateau, Knoxville has long been...
Cities catering to tourists often have special tours providing an overview of what the city has to offer along with more on its history and a glimpse of its character. However, few cities offer the kind of tour you...
A lonely one lane road, mostly gravel, leads up to a small cemetery deep in the hills of Pickett County along the Cumberland Plateau. While this may seem like an ordinary place it borders the extraordinary when you realize...