The Smoky Mountains of Tennessee

Have you ever visited a place that you loved so much, that you would be willing to relocate your entire family there even if you had to work in a dead end, low paying job? A place that calls you back, year after year and never gets old or boring?

That is how I feel about the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.

It all started a few years ago. It was the end of December 2005 and I had just lost my job. I guess I was in need of a little pick me up since I was feeling a bit low, so I started spontaneously planning a getaway. Probably not the wisest time to plan a vacation when you've just lost your means of income, but years later I can honestly say it was one of the smartest decisions I've ever made for my family.

I honestly am not sure how I came up with the idea to visit there. But I started looking on-line for rental cabins in the mountains and it all seemed so peaceful and nostalgic from the start. I can remember when I first told Carlos we should go there, a place neither of us had ever been and his response was oh so very, well, Carlos. "Tennessee? Why the hell would I wanna go to Tennessee?"

He was uninterested and needed to be convinced. At the time, he was not at all interested in "the country lifestyle". Now here we are just a few years later and he not only loves it there, but is totally gung-ho about the idea of relocating there, and is even wanting to live in the country. Yes, that's right..I said country.

So what is it about this place that is so appealing to us? In some ways it's hard to explain, because you have to be there to experience it for yourself. You have to go out into the woods and breathe the fresh air and see how it revives your spirit and makes you feel alive. Walk a trail to a magnificent waterfall and experience the energy and tranquility. You have to feel what just being there can do for your soul. But if I had to try to put it all into words, I would start by saying that in addition to the appeal of the nature aspect, there is the charm.

Somehow they manage to keep a slightly frozen in time appeal to the area. Rich in history and preservation of culture, this place has lots of country charm, southern hospitality and a way of making outsiders feel at home. A slower, more relaxed environment makes it easy to forget about to-do lists and agenda's.

In a world where we are all about our gadgets and the modern conveniences of everyday life, you find yourself appreciating the chance to be somewhere that isn't so current and up to speed. You're grateful for the slower pace instead of feeling inconvenienced by it.

We live in Orlando, Fl and work in the hospitality industry. The touristy gift shops and theme parks that line our city streets and make our area one of the top vacation spots in the nation are all great perks to living in this area. But at the same time, it is exactly that same commericialized environment that we find reprive from when we visit Tennessee and we so appreciate it for all it's worth. 

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park doesn't charge us $85.00 per day to visit, in fact~ it doesn't charge at all, yet it gives so much more than a day spent waiting in long lines and paying for overpriced food in a theme park.  Yes, our children hopefully share a few fond memories of their visits to the theme parks over the years, but I can almost certainly guarantee you they can tell you a list of things they love and remember about their visits to Tennessee and why they would rather go there than to any theme park.