Gatlinburg, TN: The Tourist Trap I Walked Into

I thought Gatlinburg would be kitschy in a fun way—like a roadside attraction you laugh about later. But standing in a sea of fudge shops and Ripley’s billboards, I felt more like I’d wandered into a fever dream of what people think vacation should be. I kept looking for a moment that felt real: a quiet trail, a local diner, something that wasn’t engineered for my wallet. Instead, I got crowds, overpriced pancakes, and a weird sense of loss for a place I’d never known. Maybe the real confession is this: sometimes you travel somewhere hoping for escape, and end up feeling more trapped than before. #TouristTrapTruths #TravelLetdown #NotWhatIExpected #Travel