We're talking about a vacation this summer so we can plan ahead. My mother (who will pay for it) said she'd love to go to Yellowstone, but it looks like it's about a 24-hour drive for us. Still, I like the idea of going to a national park. We're in Indiana, so this image shows about the limits of where we're willing to drive. Maybe 14-15 hours at most, which puts most of the ones in the image in range.
However-
• We've already been to Indiana Dunes and Gateway Arch.
• My daughter is scared of caves, so Mammoth Cave is out.
Out of the rest, which would you most recommend so I can suggest it to my mother?
Is there anything not in Indiana that is within this area that you think is more worth visiting than a national park that also would take a decent amount of time to visit and see different things? (Not a city, obviously.)
Any advice appreciated. Thanks!
My partner and I have a goal to visit all the national parks, so we've done almost all of these recently.
Mammoth cave is by far my favorite, but I'm a computer nerd, and a giant hole in the ground is my natural environment, so there may be some bias.
Gateway arch is okay, but not worth a long drive in my opinion.
Got springs was very neat. It has a different feel than the other parks I've been to. It is a bit "touristy".
New River Gorge is amazing. Be aware that any hiking there is going to take a lot of vertical travel, a 1 mile trail there is more like a 3 mile trail in a flat area. That being said, it has a lot of wildlife, picturesque views, unique structures (big ass bridge) a cozy little town (Fayetteville reminds me a lot of downtown Bloomington) and plenty of activities (hiking, rafting, zipline, tree top obstacle course, history, shopping). Easily a top recommendation.
Congaree. Probably the most wildlife I've seen at a park. Snakes, salamanders, pigs, owls, fish, skinks and a shit ton of fuzzy caterpillars. Very buggy, but honestly the mosquitoes weren't as bad as everyone said they would be. Also highly recommend. The park has a long boardwalk as it's "main" attraction, which is very accessible. Saw lots of wheelchairs while I was there. I'd recommend taking a kayak tour as well.
Great Smoky Mountains is a great choice as well. Has that authentic "National park" feel. Very big (for an East of the Miss. park) Gatlinburg is nearby for lodging and other activities. You could easily spend a week here between the two. I like more unique "unique experiences" but GSM would be an awesome choice if your family isn't very adventurous.
Don't forget some state parks while driving through. Red River Gorge in KY is one of my favs, and easily worth the trip on its own. You've got Natural Bridge State Park right there, and the skylift is the best way to get to the top. Shout out to Daniel Boone coffee shop, best breakfast burrito I've ever had, but the line goes out the door, so be prepared to wait a little. FYI, this area had a bad fire last year, not sure about the extent of the damage.
All in, I'd say do GSM. Solid pick, easy to get lodging, lots to do if the weather doesn't cooperate. On your way over, hit up Red River Gorge on the way if it's not too far out.
Thanks for all of that! I appreciate it! I think based on your and everyone's recommendations, I'm going to suggest the Great Smokey Mountains.
My wife and I really wanted to do Mammoth Cave either last year or the year before, but my daughter said absolutely not. We've offered since to take her to closer-by Marengo Cave or Blue Springs Caverns, both of which are also terrific, but she says she is never going into a cave as long as she lives. She didn't even want to go into the tunnel at the Niagara Falls Power Station when we went to the Falls earlier this year and that wasn't even a real cave. And, of course, she hates it every time we drive somewhere and have to go through a car tunnel.
It's weird because she's not otherwise claustrophobic. She just doesn't like the idea of rock over her head.
GSM is a great choice! There are a few mountain-side tunnels you have to drive through in the park, very short, maybe 50 yards at most. Hope your daughter is okay with that.
Shame about the caves. I know it probably won't help comfort her, but more people are going to die in car wrecks in Indiana today than have ever died from cave-ins at Mammoth cave.
Clingman's dome at GSM is (or was) the highest point in the Appalachian mountains. Def visit in the evening if you want amazing views. Cades Cove usually has bears and is a driveable trail. We saw 2 bears and a bear cub, plus some deer and Elk on the drive.
I saw in another post that your fam like aquariums, there is the Ripley's aquarium in Gatlingburg, which was a little expensive IMHO, but it is a decent aquarium.
Skybridge is a ton of fun, but very touristy.
There is a little GSM trail at the edge of Gatlinburg that my wife and I walked at night. We frequently do this in parks. Bring red lights to preserve your night vision, and a black light because there are tons of centipedes that glow a ghostly blue when hit with a blacklight. We also blinded the shit out of a few mice. Try not to do that....
Also, depending on the time of year, do some road cruising in the morning or early evening. You'll see lots of wild turkeys, deer, and snakes. Please be careful not to run over the snakes.
Thanks for all the info! She'll be fine with short tunnels like that.
Also-
My wife will never even set foot in the park if she hears that there are tons of centipedes, so I think I'll leave the blacklight at home as cool as that sounds.
You'll see them in the day too. There are yellow and pink varieties.
I'll just keep her in the dark about that.