Being a huge country music fan, and of Dolly Parton herself, I jumped at the chance to visit her hometown, Sevierville, and my ultimate pilgrimage, Dollywood, last December. And it did not disappoint!

 

 

Sevierville

 

Located between Knoxville and Pigeon Forge, this mountain village is a great base to explore the Smoky Mountains. Much quieter than it’s neighbours, and offering a great taste of local life, Sevierville pleasantly surprised me. It is also the original home of Dolly Parton, and many of her family still live in town. We were fortunate enough to stay in our own log cabins, but there is a great range of accommodation here, including Treehouse Retreats.

 

One of my highlights was visiting Shine Girl, a Moonshine company created by Dolly’s niece, Danielle Parton. Danielle has a fascinating story to tell as she is a trained pilot, but she has struck gold with her moonshine as it was so delicious! She has a range of flavours, but I fell in love with the Rosé (pairs very well with a Pink Lemonade) and the Coconut (great for a Pina Colada or baking). The favourite of the day among our group though was most certainly the Red Velvet. Imagine a Red Velvet brownie, and I can honestly say, the moonshine tasted exactly the same! Danielle’s philosophy is that alcohol should not burn and she has found the perfect balance with her moonshine so I highly recommend a visit (and leaving some space in your suitcase as like me, you will come home with some – not as expensive as you think!).

 

In town, there are so many murals dedicated to the ‘Queen of Country’, including her iconic statue in the town square which makes for a great photo op! I was fortunate enough to be here for the Christmas Tree lighting and there was a great display of community spirit. Here, I would recommend dining at ‘Appalachian’ (which is Dolly’s favourite restaurant apparently). Voted as one of the best restaurants in Tennessee and showcasing Smoky Mountain fare, it is a comfortable setting with incredible food.

 

 

Dollywood

 

Whether you are a Dolly fan or not, Dollywood is an amazing destination. There are now 2 resorts on site and my personal favourite was HeartSong. DreamMore is for the ultimate Dolly fan, with plenty of memorabilia and Dolly-themed features, while HeartSong is more like a lodge retreat and showcases Dolly’s rock-chick era memorabilia. Either way, free shuttles between the 2 and the park is available with a stay here, and they are set back from the hub-bub of Pigeon Forge.

 

Dollywood, is ultimately, a theme park with plenty of attractions to choose from. But there are also shows and some great local artisan shops and at Christmas, there are 2.5million lights so it is a spectacular sight (Santa even makes an appearance at the end of the night!). The newest attraction is The Dolly Experience which is a great introduction to the icons life, and has some great features including the original ‘Coat of Many Colours’, a room for her famous wigs and some great stories of her life.

 

Tourists from around the world head to the parks and I was so surprised at how busy it was right up until closing – people were still queuing for the famous Cinnamon Bread for an hour after closing! All in all, Dollywood was a dream come true for me and it will be a great addition to a Smoky Mountain holiday.

 

 

Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg

 

Both towns were not what I expected, and Pigeon Forge was certainly more touristy than I expected. This is why I would recommend staying at one of the Dollywood Resorts as they are just outside of town, or heading into the mountains themselves for a lodge experience. As the Smoky Mountains is now the most accessible National Park, weekends are very busy so I would recommend weekday stays where possible to avoid this, especially when wanting to visit the mountains ranches.

 

I was fortunate enough to visit Skyland Ranch and to ride their coaster, as well as head to the attractions at the top via the cable car where we were treated to a great performance by Dolly’s banjo player. There is a Go Ape style play area up here as well as shops and restaurants, so plenty for the whole family to enjoy while admiring incredible views! Additionally, I recommend heading to Alkeetna in Gatlinburg which is a swiss-style alpine resort from Gatlinburg for a different experience to Skyland, with plenty more attractions to choose from. At Christmas, they also have a light trail through the mountains to enjoy.

 

For a mountain experience, there are plenty of ATV and jeep tours to experience. We set off early and the cool, crisp air plus the last remnants of fall colours was definitely a sight to remember. There are also hiking trails to explore and plenty of other outdoor activities so for those that want to escape the hustle and bustle of the towns, there is so much to explore as well.

 

 

Chattanooga

 

Located near the border with Georgia, Chattanooga is a great middle-point between Atlanta and the cities of Tennessee. With plenty of history, this is a great little gem to break up your fly drive adventure and there are plenty of great little boutique properties in Downtown to fully experience this fascinating region.

 

In addition to the historic Choo Choo, there is the Incline Railway to Lookout Mountain and Rock City to explore. Again, great for mountain views and for some unique experiences, including the incredible backstory behind Lovers Leap waterfall at Rock City, plus the See Seven States monument. For outdoor enthusiasts, this area is stunning and here are some great boutiques and foodie experiences as well – I recommend STIR at the Choo Choo station for some great local fare and southern hospitality (but have a drink in the pub next door first as they do a great pub quiz!).

 

 

 

Overall, Eastern Tennessee and the Smoky Mountains has stolen a piece of my heart. I had high expectations being such a fan of the State and always having a dream to go to Dollywood, and I certainly cannot wait to go back to experience what I missed. So I am very pleased to share our new ‘A Smoky Mountain Christmas’ holiday with you all so that you can experience for yourselves my incredible trip.