Which Tennessee Smoky Mountain Town Is Your New Home?

If you love the water, you'll love Dandridge. This picturesque town starts at the edge of a large mountain lake (a dammed portion of the gorgeous French Broad River) with many coves and fingers. Just on the other side of the lake is Forbidden Caverns, if you'd rather explore underground. Dandridge rivals with Rogersville for 'Second Oldest Town' in Tennessee. Dandridge is full of older homes and buildings, some that date back to its inception in 1783. There's a drugstore lunch counter where you can get a 'Bible Burger.' Hear live music every Thursday at the town hall.

Get out your toothbrush because this town with just over 5,300 people is so candy that you'll get cavities just looking at it. They have a chocolate festival--a whole festival. It's also Tennessee's oldest town, founded in 1779. Blue-green hills and mountains envelop the colorful main street. The town boasts several historic buildings, an old inn, a distillery, and lots of beauty. Every year, they have a large storytelling festival. This place might just be right out of a storybook itself.

So it's not really a town, but that's kind of what you want anyway: seclusion. The only thing in town is a Harley Davidson dealership for those bikers who dare to ride 'The Dragon,' one of the Smokies' windiest mountain roads. Tallassee is located deep in the mountains, alongside a gorgeous river, and is just down the road from Happy Valley. If you start to miss civilization, there are several small towns around and Knoxville is less than an hour away.

This is the town from which Davy Crockett sprang. His grandparents were original settlers here back in 1775. There's a lot of history and natural beauty in this small town of 4,300. It's also the home of the state's first newspaper, and you can visit the printing and newspaper museum. Experience fine dining at the state's oldest continuously operated inn, Hale Springs Inn, built in 1824. Rogersville is also a stop on the Appalachian Quilt Trail. If you love history, this is your place.

Located in Johnson County, Mountain City is the perfect place to go if you want real mountain living. Johnson County is home to 30 miles of the Appalachian Trail, Backbone Rock, Watauga Lake, and the Fiddler's Convention. The Doe River Gorge Trails are full of breathtaking scenery for mountain bikers, hikers, and ATV riders. Motorcyclists will love 'The Snake,' 33 mountain miles with 489 curves. In addition to all of that wonder, Mountain City is a pleasant small town that has everything you would expect, from good food to a farmers' market.

Come home to Dolly's hometown. It's near Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, so you're close to all the action while staying out of the traffic. If you want to try a small town but haven't ever lived in one, Sevierville is a good foot in the door. It has all the amenities of suburbia and two world-famous outlet malls. You're also close to one of the entrances to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.