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Articles Camper's Corner On the Road
SEVIERVILLE, TENNESSEE, USA – I wonder if when she was a little girl growing up in the tiny town of Sevierville (pronounced Seveervil), superstar Dolly Parton ever envisioned the tourist and entertainment hot spot her humble hometown would become in the new millennium.
To be sure Parton had and still has a huge hand in the development of the region where she grew up. Her theme parks, Dollywood and Dollywood’s Splash Country are major employers in Sevier County as is Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede Dinner Theater.
Dolly Parton graduated from Sevier County High School in 1964 and moved to Nashville, became famous, and the rest is history. But she never forgot her roots. Three thousand songs, seven Grammy awards, and countless other industry awards later, Dolly continues to give back to the town that started her career (she was appearing regularly on WSEV radio in Sevierville before she was ten years old).
In addition to giving tourism a major boost, Dolly’s landmark literacy program, The Imagination Library, has given books to every child in Sevier County from birth until kindergarten, since it began in 1996. The Imagination Library has now expanded to include many US States as well as parts of the UK and Canada. Dolly has also been a major supporter of healthcare in Sevier County. She is the honorary chairperson of The Dr. Robert F. Thomas Foundation, named for the doctor who delivered Dolly and helped establish adequate healthcare facilities in Sevier County. Today, this organization carries on Dr. Thomas’ goal of improving the range and quality of healthcare available for Sevier County citizens. Dolly has helped make possible many new facilities and services including The Dolly Parton Birthing Unit at Fort Sanders Sevier Medical Center, which has provided top quality care for many years, and the new Dolly Parton Center for Women’s Services, which will soon be under construction.
With Dollywood as its anchor, Sevierville grew and sprawled. Yet a visit to downtown reveals a quaint historic district that looks much like it did decades ago. Its centerpiece pays homage to its most famous daughter, as a bronze statue of a young Dolly on the courthouse lawn welcomes visitors and poses for even more photos than even the ever gracious real live Dolly Parton can.
Each May the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce sponsors a Dolly Parton singing competition here. At the Mountain Soul Musical Competition, held during the Bloomin’ Barbecue and Bluegrass Festival contestants can choose to perform any of the 3000 plus songs written by Dolly…except one. During the contest’s first year over half the contestants chose to offer their renditions of the Parton classic I will Always Love You. Says event organizer Amanda Maples Marr “We want to highlight a wider range of Dolly’s writing so we’re asking contestants to choose something different, and with over 3000 songs to choose from, it isn’t difficult.”
A word of caution to those considering entering with Jolene – do it quickly! With I Will Always Love You out of the running, so many contestants are choosing to belt out Jolene that event coordinators are considering banning it as well. Another insider tip -- it’s important to do your chosen song in your own style (country, rock, rap, bluegrass, etc.) – DO NOT TRY TO LOOK OR SOUND LIKE DOLLY!
Contestants may enter in the 13 and up age division or the 12 and under division for this competition. To be considered, you must submit an audition tape in advance and make the judges cut, so plan accordingly. There are 30 finalists who ultimately perform live, (20 adults and 10 kids). Winning competitors take home cash and prizes including a recording session in Nashville, Tennessee.
Sevierville Beyond Dolly
In order to reach the Mayberry-like downtown Sevierville anchored by Dolly’s statue, you will have to drive through the other face of Sevierville. This chain restaurant and strip mall laden landscape dotted with tourist attractions set amongst humongous family dinner theaters, mini golf courses, water parks and the like almost completely obscures the fact that you’re just 12 miles from the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The nation’s most popular National Park (and the only one that doesn’t charge admission fees) offers visitors over 800 square miles to explore (in both Tennessee and North Carolina), 720 miles of fishable creeks. Over 10,000 species have been discovered in the National Park, which is just the tip of iceberg as scientists estimate there are over 90,000 more yet to be discovered. About 1500 bears in still live in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It’s also the salamander capital of the world, with over 30 different kinds of salamanders residing with the park’s borders.
Beyond The Park in Sevierville
After you (or the kids) have had your fill of the natural attractions, you’ll find no shortage of more touristy attractions and activities to fill your time. There are interesting interactive museums, games, shows, amusement and water parks, and more, including Forbidden Caverns where you’ll see the largest wall of white onyx in the world.
Families with kids might to especially want to consider staying at the Wilderness Resort whose three on-site water parks are available for guest use only. While the room itself might be more expensive than other Sevierville lodgings, families can make up for it by getting unlimited water park use included with their lodgings (click here for a full article on the Wilderness Resort). Your family may be tempted to never leave. I say tempted, because there is so much else going on the Sevierville/Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area, you’ll have to get off the water slide and dry off eventually.
To get a bird’s eye view of the area and its many attractions – both natural and man-made, take a tour with Scenic Helicopter Tours. You’ll soar like a bird over main roadways lined with theaters and tourist attractions before banking off towards the brilliant green forested mountains mysteriously clouded in the hazy grey-blue “smoke that gives the Smokies their name. Nine different helicopter tours are offered to suit your needs and budget and all pilots are FAA certified.
Couple the fact that Sevierville is only a day’s drive away from over half of the United States’ population with its diversity of attractions, it makes a perfect, affordable, fun family getaway that has something to offer everyone in the group. Some of our favorite area things to do, see, and eat in and around Sevierville can be found below in the Related Travel article links so check them out before planning your Sevierville trip.
For information about visiting Sevierville in general visit the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce website at www.VisitSevierville.com.
Dollywood is located at Dollywood Lane in Pigeon Forge, TN 37876. Visit the Dollywood website at www.Dollywood.com.
The Mountain Soul Music Competition is held each year in May. Interested vocalists may obtain an application online at www.bloominbbq.com/bloominbbqmtnsoul.aspx or by calling the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce at 1-888-889-7415. Note you must submit an audition in advance to be considered. For a complete list of Dolly’s songs, competitors – and those that are interested – should visit www.dollymania.net.
For more information about the Great Smoky Mountains National Park visit the National Park Service website at www.nps.gov or call 865-436-1207. You can also get lots of great information about the park by visiting the Friends of the Smokies website at www.FriendsOfTheSmokies.org. This non-profit organization was founded to preserve and protect the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, one of the nation’s greatest treasures.
Forbidden Caverns is located at 455 Blowing Cave Road in Sevierville, TN 67876. Call them at 865-453-5972 or click to www.ForbiddenCavern.com.
Scenic Helicopter Tours’ headquarters is located at 113 Helicopter Ride Blvd. in Sevierville, TN 37876. Phone 865-428-6929 or visit their website at www.scenichelicoptertours.com for more information and reservations.
The Wilderness in the Smokies Resort and Waterparks are located at 1424 Old Knoxville Highway, Sevierville TN 37862. For more information or to make reservations 877-325-9453 or visit their website at www.WildernessAtTheSmokies.com. Note: waterparks are available ONLY for resort guest use; you cannot buy a day pass.
Articles Camper's Corner On the Road
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SEVIERVILLE, TENNESSEE, USA – I wonder if when she was a little girl growing up in the tiny town of Sevierville (pronounced Seveervil), superstar Dolly Parton ever envisioned the tourist and entertainment hot spot her humble hometown would become in the new millennium. To be sure Parton had and still has a huge hand in the development of the region where she grew up. Her theme parks, Dollywood and Dollywood’s Splash Country are major employers in Sevier County as is Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede Dinner Theater.
Dolly Parton graduated from Sevier County High School in 1964 and moved to Nashville, became famous, and the rest is history. But she never forgot her roots. Three thousand songs, seven Grammy awards, and countless other industry awards later, Dolly continues to give back to the town that started her career (she was appearing regularly on WSEV radio in Sevierville before she was ten years old).
In addition to giving tourism a major boost, Dolly’s landmark literacy program, The Imagination Library, has given books to every child in Sevier County from birth until kindergarten, since it began in 1996. The Imagination Library has now expanded to include many US States as well as parts of the UK and Canada. Dolly has also been a major supporter of healthcare in Sevier County. She is the honorary chairperson of The Dr. Robert F. Thomas Foundation, named for the doctor who delivered Dolly and helped establish adequate healthcare facilities in Sevier County. Today, this organization carries on Dr. Thomas’ goal of improving the range and quality of healthcare available for Sevier County citizens. Dolly has helped make possible many new facilities and services including The Dolly Parton Birthing Unit at Fort Sanders Sevier Medical Center, which has provided top quality care for many years, and the new Dolly Parton Center for Women’s Services, which will soon be under construction.
With Dollywood as its anchor, Sevierville grew and sprawled. Yet a visit to downtown reveals a quaint historic district that looks much like it did decades ago. Its centerpiece pays homage to its most famous daughter, as a bronze statue of a young Dolly on the courthouse lawn welcomes visitors and poses for even more photos than even the ever gracious real live Dolly Parton can.
Each May the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce sponsors a Dolly Parton singing competition here. At the Mountain Soul Musical Competition, held during the Bloomin’ Barbecue and Bluegrass Festival contestants can choose to perform any of the 3000 plus songs written by Dolly…except one. During the contest’s first year over half the contestants chose to offer their renditions of the Parton classic I will Always Love You. Says event organizer Amanda Maples Marr “We want to highlight a wider range of Dolly’s writing so we’re asking contestants to choose something different, and with over 3000 songs to choose from, it isn’t difficult.”A word of caution to those considering entering with Jolene – do it quickly! With I Will Always Love You out of the running, so many contestants are choosing to belt out Jolene that event coordinators are considering banning it as well. Another insider tip -- it’s important to do your chosen song in your own style (country, rock, rap, bluegrass, etc.) – DO NOT TRY TO LOOK OR SOUND LIKE DOLLY!
Contestants may enter in the 13 and up age division or the 12 and under division for this competition. To be considered, you must submit an audition tape in advance and make the judges cut, so plan accordingly. There are 30 finalists who ultimately perform live, (20 adults and 10 kids). Winning competitors take home cash and prizes including a recording session in Nashville, Tennessee.
Sevierville Beyond Dolly In order to reach the Mayberry-like downtown Sevierville anchored by Dolly’s statue, you will have to drive through the other face of Sevierville. This chain restaurant and strip mall laden landscape dotted with tourist attractions set amongst humongous family dinner theaters, mini golf courses, water parks and the like almost completely obscures the fact that you’re just 12 miles from the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The nation’s most popular National Park (and the only one that doesn’t charge admission fees) offers visitors over 800 square miles to explore (in both Tennessee and North Carolina), 720 miles of fishable creeks. Over 10,000 species have been discovered in the National Park, which is just the tip of iceberg as scientists estimate there are over 90,000 more yet to be discovered. About 1500 bears in still live in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It’s also the salamander capital of the world, with over 30 different kinds of salamanders residing with the park’s borders.
Beyond The Park in SeviervilleAfter you (or the kids) have had your fill of the natural attractions, you’ll find no shortage of more touristy attractions and activities to fill your time. There are interesting interactive museums, games, shows, amusement and water parks, and more, including Forbidden Caverns where you’ll see the largest wall of white onyx in the world.
Families with kids might to especially want to consider staying at the Wilderness Resort whose three on-site water parks are available for guest use only. While the room itself might be more expensive than other Sevierville lodgings, families can make up for it by getting unlimited water park use included with their lodgings (click here for a full article on the Wilderness Resort). Your family may be tempted to never leave. I say tempted, because there is so much else going on the Sevierville/Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area, you’ll have to get off the water slide and dry off eventually.
To get a bird’s eye view of the area and its many attractions – both natural and man-made, take a tour with Scenic Helicopter Tours. You’ll soar like a bird over main roadways lined with theaters and tourist attractions before banking off towards the brilliant green forested mountains mysteriously clouded in the hazy grey-blue “smoke that gives the Smokies their name. Nine different helicopter tours are offered to suit your needs and budget and all pilots are FAA certified.
Couple the fact that Sevierville is only a day’s drive away from over half of the United States’ population with its diversity of attractions, it makes a perfect, affordable, fun family getaway that has something to offer everyone in the group. Some of our favorite area things to do, see, and eat in and around Sevierville can be found below in the Related Travel article links so check them out before planning your Sevierville trip.
Practicalities
For information about visiting Sevierville in general visit the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce website at www.VisitSevierville.com.
Dollywood is located at Dollywood Lane in Pigeon Forge, TN 37876. Visit the Dollywood website at www.Dollywood.com.
The Mountain Soul Music Competition is held each year in May. Interested vocalists may obtain an application online at www.bloominbbq.com/bloominbbqmtnsoul.aspx or by calling the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce at 1-888-889-7415. Note you must submit an audition in advance to be considered. For a complete list of Dolly’s songs, competitors – and those that are interested – should visit www.dollymania.net.
For more information about the Great Smoky Mountains National Park visit the National Park Service website at www.nps.gov or call 865-436-1207. You can also get lots of great information about the park by visiting the Friends of the Smokies website at www.FriendsOfTheSmokies.org. This non-profit organization was founded to preserve and protect the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, one of the nation’s greatest treasures.
Forbidden Caverns is located at 455 Blowing Cave Road in Sevierville, TN 67876. Call them at 865-453-5972 or click to www.ForbiddenCavern.com.
Scenic Helicopter Tours’ headquarters is located at 113 Helicopter Ride Blvd. in Sevierville, TN 37876. Phone 865-428-6929 or visit their website at www.scenichelicoptertours.com for more information and reservations.
The Wilderness in the Smokies Resort and Waterparks are located at 1424 Old Knoxville Highway, Sevierville TN 37862. For more information or to make reservations 877-325-9453 or visit their website at www.WildernessAtTheSmokies.com. Note: waterparks are available ONLY for resort guest use; you cannot buy a day pass.
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