chicago to smoky mountains road trip stops

. A good way to break up this drive is to stop for the night at a hotel along I-75 past Lexington, KY. Jays Potato Chip factory. After doing an availability search for your desired vacation date, our site will produce a list of available cabins. Streams, rivers and waterfalls appear along hiking routes that include a segment of the Appalachian Trail. Donna Sapolin January 30, 2021 Take the scenic route from Gatlinburg, Tennessee to Asheville, North Carolina and soak up the majestic beauty of mountains dressed in winter white. For an incredible scenic drive, take the two-lane Foothills Parkway located off Hwy. Neon signs on Lower Broadway Area of Nashville. Continue onwards, passing Mingo Falls to Cherokee, with its famous Indian Museum. to honor the goddess of Athena. It's also about as good as anywhere to spend the night. Unsubscribe anytime by clicking the link at the bottom of your email. From here, head south and join Interstate 75 where you will arrive at Lexington, where our main route continues. Users of this Your email will not be provided to third parties. Hmm, re maui#1 - going to a minor league ballpark without watching a game, an abandoned brewery with no tours or tastings, and watching potatoes get unloaded. Rome2rio also offers online bookings for selected operators, making reservations easy and straightforward. https://www.alltrails.com/us/tennessee/gatlinburg. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. Chicago to Arches National Park, Utah | Road trip | GhoomnaPhirna, Chicago to Duluth | Road trip | Ghoomnaphirna, Gorakhpur to Lumbini, Nepal | Roadtrip | Ghoomnaphirna, Chicago to Myrtle Beach | Road trip | Ghoomnaphirna. The joy of a road trip is having the freedom to take your time and explore, so plan accordingly to take in as many of the wonderful attractions en route as your schedule will allow for. It was supposed to be 3 and half hours of drive, but as we were nearing mountains, we noticed huge traffic again and it took us almost 5 hours to cover the 190 miles drive from our hotel to Smokey Mountains park. Atlanta is a world-class city with a rich cultural history. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. . Most of the trip will be on the Interstate-65, a perfect road for such a journey. It's only 1 hour away from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It will allow you to relax, unwind, and be fully refreshed before continuing your drive. You'll find loads of iconic spotsand a fair few hidden gemsas you head southeast! Churchill Downs officially opened in 1875, but the sport of horse racing can be traced back to 1789 in Kentucky. South of Lexington is Berea, KY. Stop at a visitor center in Cades Cove or at the Mountain Farm Museum to find . While this may seem like quite a long distance, the scenic landscape and attractions along the way will make . Walking the numerous trails, however, even for a short distance, provides a much richer experience. Situated almost halfway into this fabulous road trip, 719 miles from Chicago, the place to stay is undoubtedly the Westin Peachtree Plaza. Am I allowed to travel from Chicago to Smoky Mountains? They serve a unique Greek-style chili on spaghetti noodles and heaping portions of cheddar cheese you don't want to miss! By checking the box next to your selected rentals, you can compare up to three properties. I've got some great ideas from all of the replies. You can tour these facilities and learn about how world-famous Kentucky Bourbon is made! Taking you from Lake Michigan to Biscayne Bay, a trip of such proportions will be one you will never forget. We choose this because of the easy length (2 miles) and prospects of seeing bear (which did not happen ). We have two 13 year olds that will be traveling . The direct Interstate-65 route will introduce you to some truly memorable scenery. We did ours at the Walmart store at Knoxville which was around 30 mins away from our cottage. Cades Cove is a 11 mile loop road famous for its wild life sightings and also boasts of several hiking opportunities inside the area. Leaving Louisville, take the Interstate 64 E into the heart of Bluegrass Country, and after 80 miles, you will arrive at Lexington. Louisville has a tourist website you can check out for other ideas. Chicago to Nashville and Great Smoky Mountains Road Trip Nashville to Knoxville to Great Smoky Mountains Road Trip Washington DC and Outer Banks to Great Smoky Mountains National Park Road Trip Get Our Newsletter Get inspired with tips about where to go and what to see on your national park vacation, delivered right to your inbox. From Nashvillehead toward Chattanooga then Atlanta. Along the way, you'll visit four national parks, see some of the Midwest . Ketchum Sun Valley Historical Society Heritage & Ski Museum is the official museum of Ketchum Sun Valley located in Ketchum, Idaho. Bald Mountain (9150 feet, 2789 m) is a mountain in south central Idaho, adjacent to the city of Ketchum in Blaine County. Bad part Every one of them was brimming with people. Falls of the Ohio State Park is in Indiana, just across from Louisville, offers great photos of the downtown Louisville skyline across the river. We started on Thursday evening before the long weekend, and we had threecars carrying the group of 12. Our neighing neighbors, as seen from our countryside cottage. The Mega Cavern underneath Louisville, Ky. We saw kids as young as 4 years in the rafts. Founded in 1995, it has collections in skiing, mining Sun Valley, sheep, and Hemingway. Thanks Ravekid, for all your recommendations. The period between June and August is an excellent time to go on a road trip from Chicago to the Great Smoky Mountains. There are around 230 Greyhound stations across the US where you can both catch your bus and buy tickets, that are also available on the official website and via the mobile app. Don't know if using I 40 or I 24 but thought I would mention that. Made with polished stainless steel, the sculpture features an arch that enables you to walk under it and see your contorted reflection in the steel walls. Follow signs along the parkway for a picnic area, campground and Look Rock. A popular area in the northern part of the forest is Red River George and Natural Bridge SP, in the southern end, Cumberland Falls SP. There are a few war museums, a western/American Indian museum, and a general state museum. Your email address will not be published. For help planning your getaway to Gatlinburg, feel free to contact our helpful reservations office at (865) 436-5031 today! The treeless Dollar caters primarily to beginner and lower intermediate skiers; the primary mountain for advanced skiers is Bald Mountain, or "Baldy", next to the city of Ketchum. Covering 21,000 route miles (34,000km) Amtrak operates more than 300 trains daily. Our first adventure of the day was the hike at Laurel Waterfalls, one of the highly trafficked trails in the Smoky Mountains. Enjoy a unique dining experience in the stunning Sun Dial Restaurant, on the upper floors, offering unparalleled 360-degree views over the city. So, it took us couple of hours to have lunch. Heres the Google Timeline chronicling our ride back home. The 1,385-mile journey from Chicago to Miami takes 21 hours and 10 minutes of pure driving, passing Indianapolis, Louisville, Nashville, Gatlinburg, Chattanooga, Atlanta, Montgomery, Orlando, Tampa, and the natural beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains. May consider driving around. For each of the fields, please provide the following information: After your first search, it isn't necessary to click the "search" button again as this feature will automatically filter your results for any new search features you provide, unless you change the date, the number of nights, or go to a new webpage. After a quick pit-stop at Louisville, KY to feed our V8 engine hauling us; we had lunch at Taco Bell in Lexington city. long term rentals in vilcabamba, ecuador; celebrity fight night; chicago to smoky mountains road trip stops The hotel puts you right in the heart of the action. 10 hours and several stops later, we were back where we started. Stayed in Chattanooga for two nights and saw the sights there, then ended up in Gatlinburg for two or three nights. With only 48 hours in Gatlinburg, you'll need to optimize your time to keep the fun going. The trip passes through nine states . I-65S from Indy: Columbus, IN is known for their architecture. During my years living in Illinois, I took numerous road trips from Chicago. Hello my husband and I will be traveling with our 11month old from Chicago to Hilton Head Island on Saturday, May 14th and trekking back on Saturday, May 21st. Next day morning we started after the breakfast and enjoyed driving on the beautiful highway that connects kentucky with Smokey Mountains, and passes through valleys and hills full of life. Streams, rivers and waterfalls appear along hiking routes that include a segment of the Appalachian Trail. Greyhound carries around 18 million passengers a year who travel 5.4 billion miles (8.6 billion km) a year on their fleet of around 1700 vehicles. Find the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on the most talked about places recommended by Trippy members. this is the wonderful thing about Tripadvisor one can learn so much from others! Distance: 2,448 miles Recommended time: 7+ days Best time of year: September-Early November. If you are in that area, do visit this museum. Get ready for an incredible journey into the Souths top attractions and best-kept secrets in this road trip that begins in Chicago and leads you to the nations most visited national park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There are a few war museums, a western/American Indian museum, and a general state museum. Save this link to stay updated on COVID-19 restrictions, If you need help, visit the national COVID-19 website or call the COVID-19 Helpline 800-232-4636. Show only these on map Horseshoe Hammond By proceeding, you accept the use of cookies in accordance with our, Fly from Chicago O'Hare (ORD) to Sun Valley/Hailey/Ketchum (SUN), Fly from Chicago Midway (MDW) to Sun Valley/Hailey/Ketchum (SUN), Fly from Chicago O'Hare (ORD) to Boise (BOI), Take the bus from Boise, ID - Airport to Sun Valley Lodge, Take the train from Chicago Union Station to Salt Lake City, Take the bus from Salt Lake City to Twin Falls, Take the bus from Twin Falls to Ketchum, ID, Take the bus from Chicago Bus Station to St Louis Bus Station. This luxury 5-star hotel has a fabulous outdoor swimming pool, an excellent restaurant, and an onsite fitness center, so there is plenty to help you relax and unwind after your drive before hitting the town. Thrill-seekers can take a ride on the rocky top alpine mountain coaster. The Little River Scenic Drive was at a few minutes drive from Laurel Falls and it is best to visit them together. Show only these on map. And the glass bridge was totally worth the hype! You can view your selected properties by click the "favorites" tab at the top of the search bar. The road here takes some dramatic twists and turns and there are plenty of viewpoints to stop and savor the views. As a result, flying can be a cheaper, time-efficient way to get from Chicago to the Smokies. This is about 9 hours and 17 minutes of driving non-stop. Fans of all ages can take a nostalgic journey through musical history with the hits of Stevie Wonder to the Temptations, and many more. At 160 miles, this extension to the trip should take a little under 4 hours and 30 minutes, but there will be countless opportunities to stop and admire the stunning mountain vistas and the many fantastic places you will pass along the way. Re: Chicago to Naples Fl drive If you live in Chicago, IL and you want to explore some of the most gorgeous mountains in all of Appalachia, check out our guide on how to get to the Smoky Mountains from Chicago! Unsubscribe anytime by clicking the link at the bottom of your email. Nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, the countys towns of Townsend, Maryville, Alcoa, Friendsville, Louisville and Rockford offer travelers a ton of things to do from regional dance and theater performances at the Clayton Center for the Arts in Maryville to in-depth history of the Smoky Mountains at the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend. Exceptions may apply, for full details: Centers for Disease control and prevention (CDC). As far as bridges go, you will have to cross several on your route to and from Hilton Head. These medium and long distance intercity services operate at speeds of up to 240km/h, to more than 500 destinations. ', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' A total of 2,448 miles (3,940km) weave, wind, rise and dip through . Alert: This site requires a JavaScript enabled browser. Last updated: 1 Mar 2023 There were less people in the bottom fall, which was a relief. If you plan to check out the city, the Hyatt Centric Downtown is a fabulous place to stay. It isn't necessary that you wait for a search to be completed before you select or deselect different search features. . The national COVID-19 helpline number in Smoky Mountains is 800-232-4636. Other attractions include The Johnny Cash Museum, National Corvette Museum and the Nashville Flea Market (held the fourth weekend of every month). See our recommendations for the best route, things to see, places to stay, and when to make this fantastic trip. Get inspired with tips about where to go and what to see on your national park vacation, delivered right to your inbox. A showcase of whos who in architecture, this interactive park is an adult playground. Cummins Waterfall This one is technically outside smoky but quite adventurous, Tip:Smoky has a plethora of hiking options and finding the right one could be a stretch. March 5, 2020 Tori Peglar The flight time between Chicago O'Hare (ORD) and Sun Valley/Hailey/Ketchum (SUN) is around 7h 6m and covers a distance of around 2154 km. Designed by architect Frank Gehry, this outdoor concert venue has 4,000 fixed seats and room for an additional 7,000 people on the Great Lawn. Alternatively, you may use, Great Smoky Mountains National Park Travel Forum, Great Smoky Mountains National Park Tourism, Great Smoky Mountains National Park Hotels, Great Smoky Mountains National Park Vacation Rentals, Great Smoky Mountains National Park Vacation Packages, Flights to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Restaurants near Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Things to Do in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park Photos, Great Smoky Mountains National Park Travel Guide. An alternative to our main route, on leaving Indianapolis, take Interstate 74 passing Shelbyville and Greensburg and you'll arrive at Cincinnati, situated on the banks of the Ohio River. Stop 1: Sevierville Distance from Knoxville: 29 miles Pay homage to the great Dolly Parton at her Dollywood theme park. If you're going on a road trip from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Chicago, we did the research for you and compiled some great stops along the way with Pigeon Forge . So, there we went. Road Trip Stops in the Great Smoky Mountains and Blue Ridge Parkway Smoky Mountain National Park. After a filling continental breakfast, we left for Gatlinburg to visit the Skylift, one of the most coveted places in Smoky. Rise and shine - We left sharp at 6 AM in our Durango R/T to kick-start our first summer road trip of 2021. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-47804918', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Gatlinburg has a similar area so not sure if you want to check that out or not. Getting there can be as fun as the park itself. While in the park, see videos of different Nashville music artists talking about trees, how to take care of them and why they are important. This luxury resort offers incredible views of the Smoky Mountains making it the ideal place to stay during your time exploring this beautiful destination. Click here to skip back to the top. Leaving Atlanta, take the I-85s for 161 miles to the delightful city of Montgomery. Please be patient, this may take a minute. Three hours east of Nashville, clocking in at 180 miles, make a pit stop in Knoxville. Rent an RV with Outdoorsy Foraccommodation, I would highly recommend going for one of the innumerous cottages and cabins on offer at Airbnb/VRBO. Compare Favorites Take a walk and explore the historical Whiskey Row area with its fabulous selection of restaurants, urban distilleries, and shops. If you choose to visit during spring, the crowds will be significantly smaller and hotel prices relatively low. Just when we were returning back from the Cades Cove, all disappointed, we saw a ton of cars stopped on the side and people flocking near the woods. To the best of our knowledge, it is correct as of the last update.Visit Rome2rio travel advice for general help. But we had plenty of time and so we decided to take a detour and check the Oakridge city and famous American Museum of Science and EnergyAMSE. This part of the route is a hidden gem, as Foothills Parkway is a section of the national park that has become almost forgotten, and it's easy to see why the locals want to keep it a secret. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/tennessee/laurel-falls2. We will be traveling with our dog near the end of March from (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Explore these articles to learn more about fun e -, Make the most of your vacation in the Smoky Mountains with our tips and tricks! Since it looks like you're a baseball fan, you might enjoy the Louisville Slugger museum and factory. Being 2 blocks south of Broadway, the Hyatt Centric is just steps away from fabulous honky-tonk bars and a vibrant local music scene. The best way to get from Chicago to Smoky Mountains without a car is to train and bus which takes 42h 55m and costs $200-$290. 321 just west of Townsend 18 miles up Chilhowee Mountain. The last stop of the day was the Cades Cove. View all posts by Amit Sharma, Your email address will not be published. Excellent to drive on with many options to refuel and refresh as you head on to the next item on your bucket list of things to see. Leaving Pigeon Forge, take the US-321 south and enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Great Smoky Mountains as you make the short 8-mile journey to Gatlinburg. The hotel is located close to many of the unique local attractions, and a visit to the Titanic Museum will not disappoint. Look for the tree signs around the park with QR codes and web addresses. Make yourself known to an official member of staff and/or call the national coronavirus helpline number on 800-232-4636. Catch a tour from Pigeon Forge. Chock-full of souvenir shops, craft stores, restaurants, and kitschy attractions (think Ripleys Believe it or Not! Covering 21,000 route miles (34,000km) Amtrak operates more than 300 trains daily. Your road trip will start by the shores of the calming turquoise blue waters of Lake Michigan, and then on to Indianapolis where you can then take our recommended route to Lexington or a detour to Cincinnati, which will add 20 miles and about an hour to your trip. If you're looking for some unique food to try along the way, Skyline Chili is a fast casual restaurant chain that's only based in the Ohio River valley. Smoky Mountains is 1h behind Chicago. Pass through the Woods Ferry conservation area before heading east onto the I-10 towards Jacksonville. Gretto Falls 2.5 mile round-trip trek to the waterfalls. It is close to all the restaurants and attractions that Pigeon Forge is known for. Designed by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa, the towers feature water flowing out of an outlet, which gives the illusion that water is pouring out of the mouths of the faces appearing on each tower. The quickest way to get from Chicago to Smoky Mountains is to fly which costs $180-$650 and takes 6h 26m. We have stayed in Antioch, a little south of Nashville for this purpose. Columbus, IN is known for their architecture. After doing this, you will have to perform a new availability search.The number next to the favorites tab is the number of properties you have selected. Road Trip From Chicago To Mackinac Island, Road Trip From Chicago To Yellowstone National Park, none beats the elegance and beauty of Hotel Distil, Autograph Collection. Meet our new guest blogger! Gatlinburg, Tenn, is the busiest, most touristy gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. By joining our email list, you give LazyTrips permission to use your email for sending you newsletters, emails and updates including for marketing purposes. There are many hotels and resorts in Louisville, but none beats the elegance and beauty of Hotel Distil, Autograph Collection. Its the first public outdoor work of British artist Anish Kapoor to appear in the United States. In fact, the nearby park entrance at Townsend is closer to Cades Cove, a preserved pioneer community, than the Gatlinburg entrance (7.3 vs. 27 miles). Lexington is a great town. The one time i took 65, i left VERY early (5.30 AM) and beat the morning rush if you get out early on a saturday morn, you SHOULD be OK, but you'll still encounter a lot of trucks. IMO, the few advantages of 65 over 57 is it's about 30 or 40 miles shorter (big whip if you get stuck in traffic), it's more scenic (57 doesn't start getting interesting till southern ILL), and it allows you to circumvent downtown nashville more easily as traffic there can be just as bad as chicago at times. but since you're stopping there one of the ways, it's a moot point. second the chattanooga traffic comment we just passed thru there over t-giving and it was HORRIBLE, and there's no viable way to get around the city because it's surrounded by mountains. also, about a half hour north of chattanooga along I-24 is the monteagle pass.. it's one of the steepest stretches of interstate i've ever experienced and best done during the day.. people fly up and down that stretch, so be aware of that since there are some pretty decent turns on it as well. if it's been raining, there are some pretty cool waterfalls (albeit man-made as they tumble down the road cut) along the way, but watch your speed! Please share your thoughts on this post or your own Smoky Mountain Trip ideas in the comments section. Fly Chicago O'Hare to Sun Valley/Hailey/Ketchum, Fly Chicago Midway to Sun Valley/Hailey/Ketchum, Centers for Disease control and prevention (CDC), Ketchum Sun Valley Historical Society Heritage & Ski Museum, There is a social distancing requirement of 2 metres. Heading onwards, take the I-85 east to Albany then join the US-82 heading south towards Florida. 600 miles, took around 11hours with multiple breaks and a huge traffic jam at I-75. Cummins Waterfall - This one is technically outside smoky but quite adventurous Tip: Smoky has a plethora of hiking options and finding the right one could be a stretch. Initial stop was Mammoth Cave, did the short 1-2 hour tour and got on the road to Chattanooga. It was labor day weekend of 2010, when we planned this trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington is great! ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-47723701', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Chicago to Pigeon Forge. Ordinarily, flying is a more expensive way to make it to the Smoky Mountains, but if you're coming from Chicago, you might want to consider it for several reasons. This is about 9 hours and 17 minutes of driving non-stop. You could detour to visit Mammoth Cave National Park and Great Smoky Mountains National Park if weather permitting. Luckily, United Airline's largest hub is based in O'Hare and this airline also services Knoxville's airport. On third day of our trip, we started driving back towards Chicago, and this time we stayed in Indiana for the night and drove back straight to the house next morning. Forest. For travel flexibility, you can board or get off a Greyhound bus at official Greyhound stations, partner stations and curbside stops. Chicago to Miami Road Trip Itinerary. Its not every day that you see horses frolicking from your front-yard. Both known for German heritage. To find out about fuel costs, use the form for calculating the cost of the Chicago IL-Smoky Mountain Ranch TX trip. Walk along sloped decks, see the grand staircase, touch an iceberg and witness hundreds of original artifacts. Turn right off hwy 441 in park on to Fighting Gap Creek Road/Little River Road. There is also an abandoned Fallstaff Brewery on the east side of the City. The main route is red, while the alternative route is in blue. This one-way route takes you through three Midwestern states: Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas. You will cover a distance of 657 miles should you choose to drive without making a stop. If just stopping for the night with no plans to sightsee, the same advice would apply: stay near an interchange. There is ongoing construction on I-65 N in several areas. Rome2rio uses cookies to help personalize content and show you personalised ads. You can click this minus sign to "unselect" this property from your favorites list. We have family in northern TN so travel that way about every month or so. Find all the transport options for your trip from Chicago to Smoky Mountains right here. Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts. You can also remove a property from your favorites list by clicking the minus sign to the right of the property name under the favorites tab. If you appreciate the beauty of foliage in the fall season, making the trip in autumn is for you. Again, mostly a wilderness type area, which you could find in Great Smoky Mountains area. Knoxville This is the last large city you'll pass through on your way to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Rome2rio displays up to date schedules, route maps . Why Smoky? The I-40 corridor between Asheville to TN is steep and in Knoxville, you get on I-75 which will also have a steep incline until you get to KY . Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. The quickest flight from Chicago O'Hare Airport to Sun Valley/Hailey/Ketchum Airport is the direct flight which takes 4h 3m. A road trip from Chicago to Myrtle Beach covers four distinct types of landscape: bustling cities, peaceful countryside, dramatic mountains, and sandy beaches. A ride on the Rocky Top Mountain Coaster will appeal to thrill-seekers, dropping through lush forest landscape, and taking in the awesome mountain views as you hurtle down the track. Horses at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. With the help of car insurance comparison and broker app with help from Jerry With so many firsts in this trip, its always going to be special in our memories, and believe me Smoky mountains National Park islike that.