Blog
November 10, 2022
Buckhorn Inn Guests Can Get Wild at Zoo Knoxville!
The 53 acres of Zoo Knoxville is about an hour’s drive from Buckhorn Inn. It is part of the largest species conservation movement on earth. Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the zoo participates in a collective Species Survival Plan. The goal of AZA is to maintain a healthy, genetically diverse population in zoos. Because so many wild populations are in peril, zoos play an important role in ensuring we don’t lose species to extinction. Part of each Zoo Knoxville ticket sold is donated to conservation organizations to fund programs worldwide.
Yellow-backed duikers live in a habitat similar to its native open rainforest.
The initiative to create a zoo in Knoxville began in 1923 with funds collected to create a park for poor children. The first four-acre plot was purchased in 1935. In 1951 the city took over the park and renamed it the Municipal Zoo. The first animal welcomed to the zoo was Al the alligator, donated by a local family. On Al’s first day, about 4,000 people came to see him.
Zoo Knoxville Firsts
In 1963 the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus donated a seven-ton Bull elephant called Old Diamond. The modern Zoo Knoxville was born in 1971. In 1978, Old Diamond was successfully mated with a younger female, Toto. Their daughter was called Little Diamond. Her birth was a huge achievement for the zoo as this was the first African elephant born in the eastern Hemisphere.
The zoo also was the first in the world to hatch critically endangered northern spider tortoises. Knoxville also was the first zoo in the world to successfully breed the second generation of captive-born Arabian forest turtles and common spider tortoises.
It is noteworthy that the zoo is home to more red panda births than any other zoo in the world.
Fun Activities
Families will enjoy animal encounters, behind-the-scenes tours, twilight tours and night safaris, and a zip line. Dining options include: Beastro’s, Safari Smokehouse, Al’s Rockin’ Cantina, and Tennessee Dogs. Additional information is available at http://Www.zooknoxville.org
August 5, 2021
Day Trip from Buckhorn Inn to the Biltmore Estate
My brother, Herb Galbreath, and his family invited me to join them on a day trip to the magnificent Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. The estate is about an hour and 40 minutes from Buckhorn Inn. I recommend this highly as a day trip when you are staying with us.
The magnificent Biltmore Estate is a short drive from Buckhorn Inn.
A Brief Biltmore History
George Washington Vanderbilt II built the estate between 1889 and 1995. His daughter Cornelia opened the house to visitors in 1930 to help the area get through the Great Depression. The French Renaissance-style house was designed by Richard Morris Hunt and was modeled on various grand chateaus. Among its more than 250 rooms, the house features a bowling alley, an indoor swimming pool, and electric elevators.
The 10 square miles of grounds were designed by Frederick Law Olmstead. Vanderbilt was interested in the environment and the surrounding forest was the site of the first forestry education program in the United States.
Here are my nieces, Megan and Jessica, posing by a stick work sculpture by Patrick Dougherty.
Tips for Visiting the Estate
1, Be sure to buy your ticket in advance as they sometimes sell out.
2. If you can, plan your trip for a weekday when it will be a bit less crowded.
3. All tours of the house require a timed reservation. The peak crowds arrive in the morning, so you may want to visit the gardens, conservatory, winery, and other areas first and plan your house tour for 2:00 pm or later.
2. Don’t forget to visit the amazing gardens—you will be glad you did.
3. The regular tours through the house are self-guided. They offer an audio guide which tells you facts about the house, the family, and history of the time. It is very informative.
4. Allow about 2 hours to tour the house.
Timing your visit for non-peak hours will provide a more intimate experience.
5. Allow time to explore Antler Village with its crafts demonstrations, Vanderbilt museum, shops, and winery. It is about five miles from the house.
For more information, visit http://Www.Biltmore.com
April 22, 2019
Great Golfing in Sevier County Tennessee!
Do you enjoy golfing? If so, you need to pack your clubs the next time you visit Buckhorn Inn! We have several beautiful courses that you should not overlook.
Our moderate climate makes golfing possible all year.
Gatlinburg Golf Course
Golf Digest named this course the “Best Municipal Golf Course in Tennessee”. With its breathtaking views of the Great Smoky Mountains, the course has been celebrated as one of the most picturesque courses in America. The natural landscape lends itself to quite a few unique holes. Hole #12 is known as “Sky Hi”. It is 194 yards in length and drops 200 feet from tee to green. It is one of the most dramatic holes in the country! The 529-yard, par 5 hole #3 is aptly called “Long Lane”. The course is open year-round and features a fully-equipped pro shop and food services area. http://www.gatlinburg.com/to-do
Golfing Challenges at Sevierville Golf Club
The River Course is a par 72 that plays along and across the Little Pigeon River. The Highlands Course is a par 70 course that winds through lush, rolling hills and fresh water mountain ponds. If you are short on time, you can play the Highlands Front Nine Course, which is a par 37. You may book your tee times online http://www.seviervilletn.org Additional amenities include a driving range, a putting green, and a chipping area. The club also boasts Mulligan’s Bar and Grill.
Creekside Golf Course and Practice Facility
Creekside is located in Seymour, TN. This nine-hole course provides challenge for every golfer’s skill level. It has gained a reputation for its comfortable environment to play a quick and satisfying round. The course is open 8:00 am to 8:00 pm on Monday through Saturday. It is open 10:00 am to 8:00 pm on Sunday. The clubhouse has a pool.
Bent Creek Golf Course
This Gatlinburg course is a par 72 designed by Gary Player. The front nine hugs the valley floor while the back nine offers a challenging mountain course. A beautiful sparkling mountain stream meanders throughout the entire course. Southern Living Travel Guide named Bent Creek one of the “Top Fifty Golf Courses in the South”.
January 14, 2019
Gatlinburg Goes for World Record in Number of Scarecrows
Did you know that Gatlinburg is set to attempt a world record for having the most scarecrows in one display? The record has been held since 2014 by an English city, Burton-upon-Trent, which is innkeeper John’s birthplace! Cincinnati held the most recent U.S. record. John also lived there. If Gatlinburg succeeds, we think John could hold a world record for living in the most cities that held the record for scarecrows! Sounds like we will have an exciting fall 2019!
Will Gatlinburg be able to bring the record back to U.S. soil?
The Battle for the World Record
Burton-upon-Trent’s record is 3,812 scarecrows in one display. Photos of their scarecrows can be seen at http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-28956395. The population of Burton is approximately 76,000. The display was erected on the National Forest Adventure Farm. According to the director, visitors brought many of the scarecrows. Some even made them on-site. In fact, guests added more than 100 scarecrows every day. Seeing thousands of scarecrows in one place is a stunning visual. Some of the mannequins had plain white cloth heads. Meanwhile others bore the faces of celebrities.
Jim Downs, director of events at the Gatlinburg Convention and Visitors Bureau, says that local businesses are encouraged to purchase scarecrows. Other ideas include having a scarecrow drive. Individuals could make a scarecrow in exchange for a donation to a local charity. Or residents could donate scarecrows. The population of Gatlinburg is about 4,100. Will being so much smaller than Burton impact our chances? According to an article in the Knoxville News Sentinel, Gatlinburg began the effort in the fall of 2018. Many local businesses displayed scarecrows and visitors were charmed. For example, Anakeesta had about 35 scarecrows, and The Holler had nearly 60. The two tallest scarecrows so far are 9-foot ones in downtown. In 2019 the efforts will intensify. The organizers feel that whether they ultimately succeed or not, they are doing something positive for the community. For more information, contact Jim Downs at [email protected]
October 15, 2018
Harvest Festival Comes to Gatlinburg
The City of Gatlinburg is celebrating autumn and the harvest September 7 through November 25, 2018 with the Smoky Mountain Harvest Festival. This is a fabulous time of year to visit Eastern Tennessee. You can enjoy the beautiful fall colors, visit talented artists and craftsmen, enjoy the whimsical decorations, or take in one of the area’s special events. Many of our guests have marked their calendars for the November 8 Chili Cookoff. More information on this and other events is available at https://www.gatlinburg.com/event.
Gatlinburg is embracing the season with brand-new autumn-themed displays, life-size scarecrow people, and scarecrows created by individual business establishments.
Scarecrows Have Long History as Harvest Helpers
Scarecrows are used by farmers to protect their crops from birds. Historians tell use that people the world over have used scarecrows for more than 3,000 years. The first record of scarecrows is by the Egyptians who used them to protect their wheat fields along the Nile. Each culture designed their scarecrows differently. Greek scarecrows looked like one of their gods, while German scarecrows are distinctly witch-like.
Gatlinburg is celebrating the season with whimsical scarecrows.
Most scarecrows in the U.S. are human in form and dressed in old clothes. Some farmers use aluminum strips tied to the scarecrow to catch the light and scare away birds. Inflateable tube men have also been used in this fashion.
The scarecrow has been a powerful symbol in literature. Nathanial Hawthorne’s short story “Feathertop” features a scarecrow brought to life by a witch in Salem, Massachusetts. Whether you prefer Ray Bolger’s scarecrow in “The Wizard of Oz” or Michael Jackson’s in “The Wiz”, we all root for the scarecrow who bemoans “If I only had a brain . . .”. And Indiana-born John Mellencamp featured the agricultural anthem “Rain on the Scarecrow” in his 1985 album “Scarecrow”.
Some of the most colorful names for scarecrows come from the United Kingdom. There the figure may be called hay-man, murmet, hodmedod, tattie bogle, mommet or mawkin.
By whatever name, we find scarecrows to be the iconic decoration of the harvest season!
June 18, 2018
Anakeesta Offers Magic in the Mountains
We have just discovered Anakeesta! As busy local innkeepers, we rarely take the time to enjoy the many attractions that appeal to our out-of-town guests. We are so glad that we recently had the opportunity, thanks to the Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce, to explore our area’s new aerial theme park. Anakeesta is a Cherokee word referring to high ground. It literally means “place of the balsams”. The word also refers to the massive rock formation that encompasses many of our local mountain peaks: Charlie’s Bunion, Chimney Tops, and Mount Kephart. The aerial park is designed to be a mountain playground for all ages. Bob and Karen Bentz and their family bought more than 55 acres of pristine mountain land in 2014 and proceeded to create their vision. They are environmentally sound stewards and the attraction offers a family-oriented experience.
What to Do at Anakeesta
The canopy walk is 40 to 60′ from the forest floor.
We entered via an open-air four-person chair lift. The other option is an enclosed gondola with a capacity of six. The ride up 600′ to the summit was beautiful! We were enchanted by the canopy walk through the trees. A series of 16 connected sky bridges, 40 to 60′ above the forest floor, offered spectacular views. While we did not try it out on this visit, we enjoyed watching others on the dueling zipline. There are several options for dining. We chose to try out the Cliff Top Grill and Bar. We enjoyed lingering over our drinks on the outdoor pavilion and admiring the mountain peaks that were the backdrop to our dining experience.
The south side of the park is located in an area that was badly scorched by the 2016 fire, the most devastating in the state’s history. A memorial walk pays tribute to the brave men and women who fought the fires and to the resilience of those impacted by the tragedy.
As we strolled to the chair lift to back down the mountain, we admired the cute shops and vowed to come back soon. For more information, visit http://www.anakeesta.com
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