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!

  • Flying SquidOP
    2•11 months ago

    Yeah, that’s the real shame. You can’t really compare with something like Yosemite. But it’s just too far away. Great Smokey Mountains is sounding like the best bet so far. There’s stuff in Gatlinburg I know we would like to see as well. My daughter loves any aquarium anywhere and it has one, and there’s a pinball museum. My daughter and I both love pinball. I can tell it’s a tourist trap, but between that and the national park, I think we’ll have a lot to do.

    • @grueEnglish
      3•11 months ago

      There’s stuff in Gatlinburg I know we would like to see as well. My daughter loves any aquarium anywhere and it has one

      Depending on how much driving around you want to do, it might be worth heading down to the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga. (Take this route for a scenic drive including the Tail of the Dragon and the Cherohala Skyway.) You’re also kinda within striking distance of the Georgia Aquarium (the largest aquarium in the US and the 4th largest in the world), although the drive isn’t nearly as scenic.

    • ZerlynaEnglish
      3•11 months ago

      I have lived near Smoky Mountains for years. Especially if you have kids, they will not go bored and the park is nice and not infested with people. (You just gotta go through the people to get to the park). Make sure to get to Clingman’s Dome for nice pics. There’s lots of trails for all experience levels too.

    • @Mike85k
      2•11 months ago

      Ripley’s aquarium is in Gatlinburg, we went there last year during our vacation to the Smokey Mountains and thought it was awesome. We haven’t been to a lot of aquariums, but it’s the best I’ve been to.