It seldom happens that a name really does describe a restaurant. Certainly Taco Bell tells you what to expect and McDonald’s has come to be an icon, but Best Italian in Gatlinburg, Tennessee not only tells you what to expect but it also lives up to its name. For over 30 years Best Italian has been providing both pizza and Italian cuisine to locals and visitors alike in Gatlinburg. Their pizza is astounding, their Italian cuisine is incredible and their garlic knots are breath taking. Make sure to include Best Italian in your next trip to the Smokies.
New York style pizza in the Smokies, thin crust, big, and made to order, only at Best Italian. Their pizza is different and they have some toppings you don’t see in the chain stores: Pesto, feta cheese, artichoke hearts and more. Their pesto pizza is a green monstrosity with a whole different kind of pizza goodness. The Brazilian Béchamel is a white sauce pizza that will leave your mouth watering even after you are done. Or just order the size you want and keep adding toppings until you have the perfect made-to-order pie. Or try the same thing with their pizza dough used as a calzone. The calzone is enormous. Pizza at Best Italian is simply the… Best.
Loads of pasta. If their pizza is the best then their Italian cuisine is even better. Traditional Italian fare mixed with something special here and there. They carry all the favorites you might be looking for: spaghetti, fettuccine alfredo, eggplant parmigiana. But they have some signatures dishes that you shouldn’t miss. Chef Paul’s seafood medley is wonderful, enough seafood to sink a shrimp boat and a wine sauce that is simply decadent. And their wilted spinach side dish is beyond compare. Spinach wilted and served with fresh tomatoes. The Italian cuisine at Best Italian ranks up there with posh restaurants you would find in some of the greatest ‘foodie’ cities in the world.
Garlic knots! This is the basic side that comes with every meal. These little balls of heaven melt in your mouth and they are served almost floating in a garlic oil mixture and covered in parmesan cheese and bits of garlic. One recommendation is to always try and get the last one. When you get the last one, break it in half and let it soak in the garlic oil before you eat it. Best Italian is one of the little known eateries in Gatlinburg but it is out of this world. They are located in the Elks Plaza shopping center between traffic lights 8 and 9. Best Italian, their name really says it all.
The Guinness Book of World Records originated out of an argument that Sir Hugh Beaver (managing director of the Guinness Breweries) had with friends over what was the fastest game bird in England. Beaver soon found that there was no book, as of 1951, that contained that information. Through research, he decided that there had to be discussions about facts in pubs and bars all over the world. So to that end, he decided that a world record book might be a very popular book, indeed. Fact finders Norris and Ross McWhirter compiled the first book and it was just released in the British Isles as part of a marketing campaign. In 1956, the book was released in the US and became a household name by the 70s. The publishers of the GBoWR soon fell into a pattern of publishing an update every year. Needless to say the idea of putting in museum dedicated to this tome of knowledge was not far behind the success of the book.
When you go inside the Guinness World Record Museum, you are going to literally find yourself face to face with world records on every wall and surface. Displays, videos, interactive games and galleries change constantly to bring the newest records to the museum. If you want to see how the tall the tallest man and woman really were you can stand next to representations of them and see if you measure up to their height. Stand by the Batcar, see the most tattooed person in the world, check out what the longest fingernails might have looked like, this and much more await you inside the Guinness World Records Museum. Make the kids happy, brighten your own day, live the book at the Guinness World Record Museum.
I recently had the opportunity to go to Ripley’s Marvelous Mirror Maze. As this was the first mirror maze that I had been to, I didn’t quite know what to expect. We parked the car on River Road near the 
We stepped into the maze area and we were both amazed. I knew the concept and that I would be in a room full of mirrors but I was unprepared for how disorienting it would be. You are literally lost once you step away from the light coming through the main entrance. As the door shut we were all of a sudden left to figure our way through a maze where we saw images of the same thing and of mirrors reflecting the image of other mirrors. The lights are low, the mirrors and some of the walkways are framed with faux-stonework that seems to repeat forever. As you begin to work your way into the maze you get a sense that you are in a much bigger place then you really are. The illusion of size and of extra passages is held up the entire time you are in the Mirror Maze.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not Oddirorium is the most centrally located of all the Ripley 
A stroll through the Odditorium is like taking in Ripley’s Believe It or Not TV show in real life. You will find yourself face to face with the Fiji Mermaid. You will find your self standing mere feet from an actual electric chair. You can see the death mask of John Dilinger. But not everything is frightening. You will get to see creations made out of matchsticks, stroll along the rooftops of a Victorian era English city or explore the world of optical illusions. One of the highlights for any first time visitors is the worm hole.