RELAX IN THE HEART OF PIGEON FORGE AT NORMA DAN MOTEL

Late Spring is a great time to visit the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. Spring break is over and the summer season has yet to kick-in, so life is a little less hectic in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevierville, and visiting the Smokies is a more relaxing time.



There are always things to do in the Smokies due to the dozens of fun attractions and rides that offer mini-golf, go-carting, ziplining, horseback riding and the newest craze, the Alpine Coaster. And shopping is always great with Tanger Outlet, Old Time Pottery, Smoky Mountain Knifeworks, The Island, The Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community and the hundreds of unique shops that line the miles of Parkway that bring visitors to the area from I-40.

The Great Smoky Mountains are always open and available for hiking, picnicking, camping, horseback riding or just sitting on a deck admiring the beauty of this primeval forest. And a good place to stay while you visit the Smokies is Norma Dan Motel located in the heart of Pigeon Forge.

Norma Dan is family owned and operated and offers private balconies, fireplaces, whirlpool baths and an indoor and outdoor pool. They are close to Dixie Stampede and restaurants like Shoney's, and are conveniently situated on the Trolley Route for Pigeon Forge.

THERE'S FIGHTIN' AND FEUDIN' IN PIGEON FORGE AND IT'S ALL IN GOOD FUN!

When you are spending a few vacation days in the Great Smoky Mountains be sure and include an evening at the Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Feud. If this sounds like a big heap of redneck fun and good, down home cookin', you are right.


The Hatfields drove their jalopies into Pigeon Forge a few years ago looking for a place to settle down, play some music, do some dancing and take a taste from a ceramic jar now and again. They found their way to Music Road where they were promptly signed to entertain in the former Black Bear Jamboree Theater. Little did they know that their biggest rivals and sworn enemies, the McCoys, were also making the journey through Gatlinburg and down the Parkway. The McCoys, being hill people, were amazed and awed by the Titanic ship that had come to ground at the Parkway's edge, so they sat in the field next door and picked, sang and danced and generally enjoyed themselves.

Now the same fellers who signed-up the Hatfields heard the McCoys and signed them up to entertain at the theater also. Now he didn't know about the feud but he found out rather quickly when the guns came out and everybody started shooting! After the gun smoke cleared and not one person had been injured, the quick-thinkin' feller declared, "You folks are going to be the area's newest theater attraction. I'll call it the "Feudin' Feast", no, the "Shootin' Supper", no, but he eventually got the name right, the "Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Feud!"

Of course he replaced their guns with props and blanks and every day since that day of discovery, the Hatfields and McCoys have been play feudin' on the stage of the Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Feud Theater. Of course Granny has to feed everyone that comes to the show and guests are treated to fried chicken and pork bar-b-que, a mess of fixins and Granny's specialty dessert. Folks are eatin' it up - the show I mean.

So plan a night for some good old down home fun and food at the Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Feud Theater on the Parkway in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

SPRING ROD RUN DRIVES INTO PIGEON FORGE

You know its spring in the Smokies when you can hear the blast of dual pipes from a beautifully restored muscle car making its way gracefully down the Parkway in Pigeon Forge, TN. The Pigeon Forge Spring Rod Run brings in the finest examples of four-wheeled artistry and dedication with hundreds of highly-polished American cars and trucks on display along the Parkway in Pigeon Forge.

The Spring Rod Run also ushers in another season of fun in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee where you can enjoy indoor attractions and top quality shows like the Impossibilities Show in Gatlinburg, Country Tonite and Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Show in Pigeon Forge. And there are many more great live entertainment theaters in the Smokies.

If you are looking for outdoor activities, the Smokies have an abundance of traditional fun and eco-tourism and extreme outdoor attractions. There is ziplining, whitewater rafting, horseback riding, rope courses, ATV trail rides, tubing, hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains and zooming down the mountain on an Alpine Coaster. And of course there are go-kart tracks, miniature golf courses, petting zoos, and the newest attractions in the area, trampoline parks!

Spring in the Smokies is also a good time to explore the Spirits Trail that will lead you to moonshine distillers, home made wine makers, cider brewers and whiskey distillers. The Smokies are home to the original, illegal moonshine makers, but now that it is legal Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville and Kodak are now popular areas to see how the distilling process is done and to get a free 'taste' and take home a few jugs and moonshine and wine souvenirs.

Accommodations are varied and plentiful in the Smokies but making reservations is recommended. In Gatlinburg one of the hotels that has been providing convenient, clean rooms and a great experience is the Best Western Twin Islands, right on the Parkway in downtown Gatlinburg. There are plenty of dining opportunities near by like Blaine's Bar & Grill, a long-standing Gatlinburg dining tradition.

So drive into the Smokies for great springtime fun and adventures and get your road map for coupons and information at  www.bestreadguidesmokymountains.com/.

WORLD'S GREATEST HAMBURGERS AT HOME IN THE SMOKIES

Burgers are America's great go-to food and Fuddrucker's in Sevierville is the go-to place in the Smokies to get your burger fix. Their slogan is "The World's Greatest Hamburgers" and they seek to make the world happy, one hamburger at a time. Hamburger obsession? Maybe so and that means that every time you go to Fuddrucker's you are guaranteed a great hamburger.

Great hamburgers start with quality meat. Fresh, never frozen, 100% USDA All-American premium cut beef. They offer 1/2, 1/3 and 2/3 pound burgers grilled just the way you want it. Great hamburgers can't go on ordinary buns so Fuddrucker's bake their sesame seed bun from scratch every day in their own bakery to get that crisp outside, melt-in-your-mouth, fresh-from-the-oven taste that compliments your grilled burger.

Then you top off this great burger at the Build Your Own fresh produce bar with a variety of fixin's and toppings to suit your taste. And nothing compliments a great burger than your favorite drink or a hand-blended, rich and creamy shake. And for dessert try some other great American goodies like home-baked cookies, brownies or pastries from their bakery. Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin, White Macadamia Nut, Sugar Cookies and more.

Stop in at Fuddrucker's on your way to see Loretta Lynn in Concert at Country Tonite Theatre, The Tennessee Smokies Baseball home opener, or the Smoky Mountain Winefest. Or just stop in if you are refueling between activities like Go-Karting, Ziplining or hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You can win a gift certificate to Fuddrucker's in Sevierville if you go to www.facebook.com/SmokyMountainsLodgingGuide/ the Smoky Mountain Lodging Facebook page at . There you can "Like" the Fuddrucker's Contest Photo and Share and Comment on the picture or contest.

To help you plan your trip to the Tennessee Smokies, go to www.smokymountainslodgingguide.com/ to check out the deals for area accommodations in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville.