You Feel Like a Gatlinburg Local When...

I’m speaking to a group of many. You know who you are. You’ve taken vacations here for years, and you can’t imagine spending this sacred time anywhere else in the world. Why? Well, that’s a riddle tucked inside a simple answer for many. The mountains and fun for all ages come up often, but our emotions are tapped in ways we can’t easily comprehend and explain. The point is, we the frequent Gatlinburg visitors have fallen into its supernatural web, and when you feel like a Gatlinburg local, this is what we and I’m sure many others think about and do.

1….You Only Want to Eat at Local Establishments

I cringe when I see people walk into national chain places in Gatlinburg. Sure, familiarity and comfort win the day in your normal life, but when you’re on vacation, for heaven’s sake, please try to go outside your comfort zone. You’ll be glad you did. Locals get a pass, especially when they’re working and know they can get food in a short amount of time at said places. However, you feel like a local when you frequent the establishments that feature scratch-made meals your grandma would be proud of. The hospitality at most of these places is second-to-none, and your mind and stomach will be rewarded.

2…You Shop in Off-the-Beaten-Path Places

You don’t feel like a local in shops that carry the same types of souvenirs and knick-knacks. Venture outside the main drag and drag yourself to the Arts and Crafts Community with expansive one-of-a-kind items made locally. If it’s not made specifically in Gatlinburg, you can be assured it’s a product made in Tennessee or neighboring states. These are types of things I’d want in my home, and I’m sure many locals would agree. Now, I know they probably don’t make it a habit of buying often from these shops, you know, because discount stores are attractive, due in large part to their prices. But anytime you don’t mingle in the typical tourist-heavy areas, it gives you a sense of taking the high road, in a manner of speaking.

3…You Find and Take the Back Roads to Get Around

This is a hot button issue, so I’m not going to risk offending the locals by keeping quiet on this topic…for now. When you come here often, you start to get curious about ways to get around high traffic areas. We’re glad we discovered a few, and it makes us feel more like locals knowing them. With technology, it’s easy to find them for yourself, and that’s all I’ll say on the matter.

4…You Enjoy Quiet Times Without the Tourist Crowds

We were initiated with crowds on our first visits to Gatlinburg in the summer, but we notice how much quieter it gets during certain stretches on weekdays and during certain months of the year. Peace, comfort, and our overall well-being provide the basis for our desire to become locals. We’ve been here so many times now, we look at others and think to ourselves, “those crazy tourists,” sometimes forgetting that we ARE technically tourists. The negative connotation with the word makes us uncomfortable. I call us visitors, instead.

5…You Have More Pride for Tennessee Than Your Home State

We were born and raised in Ohio, but we understand why so many people are proud to call Tennessee their home. Look, the Buckeye State will always be home to me, but I look forward to the adoption papers for the Volunteer State. Our favorite sports teams will still follow us, but our hearts say we belong here.

6…You Have a Clear Vision of Making it Your Home

It’s something that pulls many of us into this dream-like mindset. We know what the Smoky Mountains do for our overall outlook on life, and know that it affects us in ways nothing else can do. We always think about what it would be like if we actually called it our home, and for many, including us, thought it would never happen. For some, the reasons are legitimate and difficult to overcome in not making it a reality. In our case, we are making the jump. I will have more of this in future posts; some of which will be for paid subscribers only. I hope you come along for the ride!

Thank you all for reading!