What to Do – Page 5 – Smokies Guide

Sweet Fanny Adams Theatre

Quicksilver Nonsense!

Are you looking for the oldest live show on the Tennessee side of the Smokies? Look no further than Sweet Fanny Adams Theatre (SFAT)! Since 1977, they have been producing and staging brand new works of musical comedy, year after year after year. They are located in one of the most intimate venues in the Smokies and if you are looking for that something that is completely out of the norm, you are looking for SFAT, you may just not know it yet.

Don and Pat MacPherson opened the Sweet Fanny Adams Theatre, still at its original location, in 1977. They had been in the movies and on stage as writers, actors and entertainers for years and when their family began to grow they fled to the Smokies to have a haven in which to raise their children. And now, those same children that grew up in and around the theater are running this madhouse and making people laugh and roll in the aisles. In fact, sometimes you can catch three generations of MacPherson in the theater. This wonderful history and the family environment shine through in all their performances. And if you go more than once, you will find that even the audience has become part of the family.

Something that sets the shows at Sweet Fanny Adams Theatre apart from the rest of the shows in town is the fact that each year, SFAT brings a new show to stage each season. They write, produce and mount a new show each spring that brings in the funny and the bawdy humor that people have come to expect each season. Usually they run two shows a week. One is a brand new production while the second show is a follies-style show. The original show lasts through the first half of the night. The follies show is a collection of short pieces that are all tied together, however loosely that may be. Each season at SFAT gives you the opportunity to experience brand new , live entertainment in a music hall atmosphere.

If you are looking for Sweet Fanny Adams Theatre, you don’t have to search very hard. They are located in the middle of Gatlinburg at traffic light #3. Also at traffic light #3 is a parking garage, so finding parking for SFAT is not very difficult either. Look for the smiling faces of the people welcoming their guests into a vaudeville theatre, barking to fill the house and you have found Sweet fanny Adams.

Experience tradition in Gatlinburg. Experience the wonder of a turn of the century music hall right in the heart of Gatlinburg. Make sure that Sweet Fanny Adams is on your list ‘to do’ while you are in the Smokies.

Sweet Fanny Adams Theatre
461 Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN
(865) 436-4038

State Parks

Around the Great Smoky Mountain area there are numerous state parks that offer hours of recreational activities and educational opportunities. Whether the state parks are dedicated to a natural wonder in the park itself or attached to a historic event that took place, the state parks on both sides of the Smokies are remarkable.

Tennessee State Parks

From Roan Mountain at the top of one of the highest points in Tennessee to the birthplace of Davy Crockett, the Tennessee state parks cover lots of history and lots of territory, from the northern part of east Tennessee to the area near Chattanooga. The parks also range in size and activities that are offered – camping, historical monuments, hiking, swimming, fishing and much more.

North Carolina State Parks

Celebrating both the wonders of nature and historic people from Western North Carolina, the state parks on the eastern side of the Smokies are spectacular. New River State Park celebrates the New River area which was labeled as one of the National Scenic Rivers during the country’s bicentennial. Great mountain scenery and plenty of wildlife make this a gorgeous park. Mount Mitchell celebrates something else all together. Mount Mitchell, at 6,684 feet is the tallest point east of the Mississippi River. Majestic and beautiful this is the best way to enjoy the wonder that is Mount Mitchell.

Spend some time at one of the state parks, either in North Carolina or Tennessee. Learn more about the area you are visiting, appreciate the natural resources that the government has set aside and protected for future generations and of course enjoy the activities and services that are added by these state parks.

Go-Kart Tracks

Who doesn’t like to ride go-karts. For small children this might be their introduction to driving. For young adults this is the height of competition, racing around the track at breakneck speeds trying to see who can cross the finish line first. For the older ‘kids’ in the group this is a chance to be a kid again. To climb into the go-kart and race your friends, no matter how old they might be or to chase your kids around the track , this is the thrill of racing a go-kart, this is the reason that you will find go-kart racks and other family adventure venues all over the map in the Smoky Mountain area.

You will also find that there are several different types of tracks in the Smokies:

Slick Track – Slick tires on a track that has been oiled. You will find yourself slipping and sliding around every turn. Not for the timid, the slick track is harder to find then it used to be but a lot of fun.
Wooden Track – These became big in the Smokies in the early 2000s. Wooden tracks allowed the owners of these tracks to take the go-kart tracks ‘up’ instead of out. Climbing around a tight circle before a steep descent is the norm with these tracks.
Kiddie Tracks – Designed for those younger kids in mind. You can probably find a track in town that will let all but your youngest children drive around and around and around.
3/8 Scale Tracks – The fastest tracks that you will find. These are almost half scale cars that go FAST.

The Track – This is one of the biggest family fun parks and go-kart locations in Pigeon Forge. Along with the go-karts you can play in the bumper boats, bungee jump, ride the Skyflyer or play in the Kid’s Country.

NASCAR Speedpark – This might be the premier place for go-karting in the Smokies. With a 3/8 scale track that gets you as close to NASCAR action as you are apt to find.

Cherokee Fun Park – Located in beautiful downtown Cherokee, NC, this fun park has a little bit of everything. Go-karts, an arcade, rides and more. Walk around downtown Cherokee and then spend a little time in the fun loving atmosphere of the Cherokee Fun Park.

Hatfield & McCoy’s Dinner Feud

Everyone loves a dinner show. You get to see world class entertainment and you get to eat a great meal at the same time. One of the most successful dinner show locations in the Smokies is the Hatfield & McCoy’s Dinner Feud. Taking its story from the mountain families of the Hatfields and McCoys, there is lots of comedy, lots of music, lots of dancing and lots of food. This is the perfect evening in the Smokies – good family fun in the Smokies with great people and great food.

Most people know the story of the Hatfields and McCoys. Two mountain families that found themselves embroiled in a feud that lasted generations. The show takes a tongue in cheek look at this feud and add a competition between the families to see who can entertain the people at the show more. Singing, dancing, clogging and lots of comedy are brought to you by one of the best casts in Pigeon Forge. This multi-million dollar production brings the fun and the glitz of a live show to thousands of families each season.

It is a dinner show so, of course, we have to talk about the food. Here is what they bring each and every person that comes to show each night:

Feudin’ Fried Chicken
Open Pit Pulled-to-Pieces Pork Barbeque
Southern Style Creamy Soup
Smashed Mashed Taters
Bust Y’er Jeans Pinto Beans
Keep It Comin’ Cornbread
No Tellin’ What’s In It Coleslaw
Granny’s Famous Specialty Dessert

You will have a table full of food. You will find that you are full by the time you are halfway through with your chicken. Arrive hungry and prepared to eat because there is no shortage of food at the Hatfields and McCoys Dinner Feud.

And talk about easy to find. When you first pull into town at traffic light ‘0,’ you can see the Hatfield and McCoys theater at the top of the next hill. Look for the Titanic and turn before you get to it and you are at the Hatfields and McCoys Dinner Feud. Call and make reservations so that you get the best seats possible. Let the courteous staff help you plan your evening and get you prepared for a great night out in the Smokies. If you have been coming to the area for a number of years, you will know this location and theater as the old home of the Black Bear Jamboree. The same folks still own the theater and they are still bringing the funny and the talent to the stage each and every show. Come feud, come eat, come enjoy!

Hatfield & McCoy’s Dinner Feud
119 Music Rod
Pigeon Forge, TN
865-908-7469
http://www.hatfieldmccoydinnerfeud.com/
https://www.facebook.com/hatfieldmccoy

Cades Cove

Cades Cove is the most popular auto tour and the most popular spot in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. As an auto tour, Cades Cove is second to none. As a place just to go experience the beauty of the Smokies and hang out in nature, there might not be a better place in the southeast. Formerly a thriving Appalachian community, Cades Cove quickly shows you why people chose to call this area home.

Before the founding of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cades Cove was a typical mountain community. Small farms, cattle herds, churches, all of the usual buildings and community areas that a valley community might need were located in Cades Cove. The first settlers to the area were the Oliver’s. John Oliver, a War of 1812 veteran, came to the area. And while he and his wife Lucretia had a rough first winter the fertile land and the protected nature of the valley brought in many more settlers. At its height, in the early 1800s, the population of Cades cove was more then 650 people. There were quite a few farmsteads and there was even a post office with the Sevierville Post office running a weekly route to the cove for mail service.

The people of Cades Cove farmed the land, fellowshipped with each other and were happy for the most part. Then in the early 1900s, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park went from being an idea to being a reality. The people of Cades Cove were the most resistant to the creation of the park and to their inclusion in the park. In 1927 the General Assembly of the state of Tennessee declared that Cades Cove would be included in the GSMNP. The residents of the Cove fought the inclusion but in the end they were forced out of the area. In the end, some of the residents were given a lifetime lease. In fact the last resident out of Cades Cove was Kermit Caughron who passed way in 1995 and his home was dismantled soon after that.

Today you get to tour a Cades Cove that looked much as it did in the early 1900s. The eleven mile loop road around the Cove gives you access to all the historic structures, hiking trails and of course the wildlife that the cove is famous for. Before you enter the Cove you come to the riding staples, a picnic area and the campground and store. Cades Cove has it all.

A few tips for visiting Cades Cove

Bring a picnic. You may find you are there longer then you thought.
Allow yourself at least two hours to go around the loop road during season and on the weekends. It is only 11 miles but it can take a long time when it is crowded.
Stop at the Campground store and get ice cream if they are open.
On Wednesday and Saturday morning the loop road is closed to cars to let the bicyclists have fun on a closed course.

Grandfather Mountain

Grandfather Mountain near Linville, NC is a North Carolina state park. It’s one of the highest peaks at 5,946 feet in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Blue Ridge Parkway passes by the south side of the mountain.

Grandfather Mountain operated as a nature preserve and tourist attraction until 2008. Known for its mile-high swinging bridge, the bridge links the mountain’s two rocky peaks.

On September 29, 2008, the state of North Carolina Governor announced that it had agreed to purchase 2,600 acres of the undeveloped portions of Grandfather Mountain from the Morton family for $12 million. It has since been added to the North Carolina State Park system, becoming the 34th North Carolina state park.

The Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation was established by the Morton family to continue to operate Grandfather as an educational nature park. In addition, the Morton family agreed to form a new non-profit organization and transfer ownership of the attraction. This arrangement was made as an alternative to the state acquiring the entire mountain.

Grandfather Mountain rises 5,946 feet above sea level, and due to the considerable elevation gain the mountain boasts 16 distinct ecological communities. The mountain is famous for its rugged character, and is home to many hidden caves and significant cliffs.

Two rivers originate on Grandfather Mountain, the Linville River, flowing east, and the Watauga River, which flows west. Many lesser streams also originate on the slopes of Grandfather, including: Upper Boone Fork, Little Wilson Creek, Wilson Creek (North Carolina), Stack Rock Creek, and others.

Like many other mountain peaks above 5000′ in North Carolina, an “island” of Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest grows on top of Grandfather Mountain. Though once thought to be on the verge of dying out during the 20th century, the forest has flourished despite intrusion of a non-native species. You’ll notice that a number of fir trees have been permanently bent by the high winds. In addition to fir trees, these “mountaintop islands” are a valuable and threatened habitat for many other flora and fuana that grow and thrive in higher elevations like that found on Grandfather Mountain.

Besides the Mile High Swinging Bridge, numerous other attractions now make up the mountain is via an entrance road, marked at 2050 Blowing Rock Highway, Linville, NC 28646. To get in you must pay a fee at the main gate, and are as follows: adults – $18, seniors – $15, children 4–12 – $8, and children under 4 are free. On occasion, the park gives discounts due to certain activities and times of year.

“Backcountry” hiking and camping are FREE and can be accessed via areas marked with the state park sign. In years past when the whole mountain was privately owned, hikers and campers were required to pay fees and still are today.

Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center

Want to learn more about life in the Smoky Mountains before the turn of the 20th century? Then you need to pay a visit to the Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center (GSMHC).

This museum and living history location teaches visitors about the people that settled the area and made their homes in the Smokies during the 1800s. The GSMHC has three separate exhibits: Native Americans of East Tennessee Museum, Pioneer and Mountain Culture & Tennessee on the Move.

Native Americans of East Tennessee

Before the first European settlers came to the area, native people like the Cherokee dwelled in the mists of the Smoky Mountains. These people had more then just a hunting and gathering culture. They had a society that had trade and infrastructure, they had political meetings and communities that stretched from the valleys to the hillsides. This museum celebrates those people and their way of life before they were moved on by the European settlers that found this area to be so similar to the homes they left in Europe.

Pioneer & Mountain Culture

As the pioneer moved into the Southern Appalachians, they founded farms and homesteads. They developed small communities that traded with each other and helped each other make it through the good times and the bad. This part of the museum picks up the story of these mountains after the Native Americans had moved out of the mountains and the settlers and pioneers had made this land their own. From the type of farming they did to the commerce they practiced. Included in this part of the GSMHC is a living history farming display. During the warmer months of the year and the harvest you can go see how these people lived, farmed and harvested their crops. Included in the living history section are:

The Caldwell Log Cabin
Granary
The Montvale Station
Sawmill
Set-Off House from the Little River Lumber Company
Smokehouse
Two Cantilever Barns
Underground Still / Shed
Wheelwright Shop
Wilder Chapel

Tennessee on the Move

This is a collection of various forms of transportation that have gotten Tennesseans on the move since the 1800s. Included in this exhibit is a freight wagon, a postal wagon, farming vehicles and turn of the century road construction equipment.

Spend a day in Townsend next time you visit the Smokies. Learn more about the people that inhabited this region before the establishment of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Get your kids into history by letting them experience it first hand. And be sure to check with the GSMHC before you arrive and see what special events they have going on. You might find that this becomes a place you visit on every visit to the area.

Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center
3/4 miles east of the traffic light
at the intersection of Hwy 321 and Hwy 73
Townsend, TN
865-448-0044

Lumberjack Feud Dinner Show

Lumberjack Feud is now Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Adventures. Information is maintained below for historical purposes.

One of the newest entertainment venues in Pigeon Forge, TN is the Lumberjack Feud. The Lumberjack Feud is one of the first non-musical shows in Pigeon Forge and it’s a dinner show to boot. Their state of the art theater is located right off the parkway between traffic lights 3 and 4. The theater is divided into seats for the dinner and show and seats that are just for the show. As you enter the theater, you get your picture taken with your entire party and then you are escorted to your seats. You will find that the cast you will see in the show later is helping to seat the audience. There of course is an opportunity to get plenty of snacks at the concession stand, if you chose not to do the dinner and show, as you make your way to your seats.

As the lights go down and the show starts, you are entertained by Danny Black – the ‘world famous lumberjack of the Smokies.’ Danny is the host for the show and helps move the action along and make sure that everyone is following the plot. Besides that he is extraordinarily funny, a talented juggler and physical comedian and he masterfully works the crowd. The crowd interaction starts immediately as well, with people in the crowd being brought onto the stage and made part of the show.

The plot is a feud between two logging families in the Smokies. The show takes place right around the time that the Great Smoky Mountain National Park has been created by President Roosevelt. The time of logging in the Smokies is almost over and the two families can see that they are not going to be logging in the Smokies anymore so there is a competition to decide which family has the best lumberjacks and lumberjills in the Smokies.

The competition portion is great. These are professional lumberjacks that are participating in traditional lumberjack sports. The events that are featured include: the standing shop, cross-cut saw pull, log rolling and much more. The hot saw is a crowd favorite. They fire up the saws, let the engines warm up and then make two of the fastest cuts you will ever see made at a dinner show. Of course, seeing lumberjack games at a dinner show is a little odd anyway. They even get their family pets into the action with a series of dog games including a long jump into the pool that is the center of the stage.

The main action in that pool is the log rolling event that ends the evening and decides the winner of the nights show. As you cheer on your family (the audience is divided in two halves to cheer on the different families) two of the lumberjacks take to the log and began to roll against each other. The feet are flying and the water is splashing and you are waiting for someone to go into the drink. They do a best out-of-three competition and it really is the highlight of the show.

Make sure that you check out the Lumberjack Feud in Pigeon Forge. It is brand new, it is completely different and it will make memories for your family that you will never forget. The facility is amazing; there is a great cast and something completely different from the traditional variety show that you usually see in Pigeon Forge.

International Friendship Bell

During World War II Oak Ridge, TN was known as the Secret City. It was and still is the host city for a government lab that is dedicated to researching all things atomic. During the war, this research was designed to create the nuclear bombs that helped to end the war. The bombs that they helped create were dropped on two Japanese cities: Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In the early 90s, in celebration to the 50th anniversary of the founding of Oak Ridge and its part in the Manhattan Project.

Why the International Friendship Bell:

The bell was designed to fit into the theme of the City’s Celebration – Born of war, living for peace, growing through science.
The bell incorporates dates that reflect the workers in Oak Ridge with the Manhattan Project. The role they played in helping to end WWII and the Cold War.
The bell, due to its traditional Japanese design is designed in a hope to focus on the peace between nations and promote understanding between the nation of Japan and the United States.

After a community wide exploration of what to do to celebrate the 50 year anniversary, it was decided to tie in the destruction to the two cities in Japan to the monument and the International Friendship Bell was commissioned. The bell itself is a traditional Japanese bell. It measures almost 5 feet wide at the base and is over 6 feet tall. This impressive item is housed in a Japanese style enclosure and is made of bronze. The outside of the bell is decorated with Japanese characters and is a work of art. The two main panels on the bell were designed by Oak Ridge citizen Suzanna Harris. The panels are covered in the natural characteristics of both Tennessee and Oak Ridge. The official flowers, birds, and trees of each of these locations are etched into the bronze itself. The basic goal is to extend that hand of peace to the people over the years that will see the bell and remind them of the past and to look to the future.

Next time you are in Oak Ridge, look for Bissell Park. The bell itself is hard to miss. It is a very large structure and a focal point in the park. Stroll around the park and spend sometime with the International Friendship Bell. Run your hands over the bronze figures and reliefs. Grab the ringer and give it a go and listen to the tone that the bell makes. Take your children and let them learn some history. Let them learn about Oak Ridge and its connection to World War II and the world.

Davy Crockett Birthplace State Park

Tennessee has some great historic sites. Being a territory during the Revolutionary War, becoming a state soon after left Tennessee as a border state of a burgeoning country and many American heroes passed through the area. From Sam Houston to Daniel Boone, these early American’s left there touch on the Tennessee side of the Smokies. Another of those people that passed through the area was Davy Crockett. In fact, he was born in the area that would become the town of Limestone, TN. His birthplace has become the site of a great state park: Davy Crockett Birthplace State Park.

The state of Tennessee has preserved this area and the cabin that sits in its heart as a legacy to the past and to the personage of Davy Crockett. Limestone, TN is the closest town to the state park. As you travel through East Tennessee along I-81 you will see an exit for 11E. Take that exit and you are going to wind through beautiful landscape back to the state park. Follow the signs, it is easy to find and the drive to this state park is only part of the fun.

Davy Crockett was born August 17, 1786 in the Limestone community of Tennessee. The cabin that is sitting on the site is not the original cabin but it is a replica of what the Crockett cabin might have looked like. It is the same size and shape of the cabins that were customary during that time. Crockett grew up in this area and of course would eventually go on to become a representative of the state of Tennessee and would even be touted in popular culture on the 1950s TV show that bore his name.

Part of the fun of coming to the Davy Crockett Birthplace State Park is being in the setting, on the site where Davy Crockett grew up. The Nolichucky River that he fished in when he was young is a stone’s throw from the cabin. The gentle roll of the landscape is probably the same as what he helped his family farm on and part of the reason that his parents choose this piece of land to settle on. When you are done exploring the cabin, go to the Crockett Monument located in front of the cabin. Find the natural stone from your state of origin. Go to the Davy Crockett museum and learn not only about Davy Crockett the man but Davy Crockett the legend.

Or maybe you are looking for a great place to camp for the night or the weekend. The Davy Crockett Birthplace State Park has a great, full service campground. The have a swimming pool complex that is open during the season. A pavilion by the river and a boat ramp offer plenty of opportunities to play in the water or do some serious fishing. Get out and explore the state parks of the great state of Tennessee, spend some time analyzing the past of our nation and the state. Visit the Davy Crockett Birthplace State Park.