Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. The cavern is actually man-made and offers experiences for the whole family. If you're having issues using the site, please enable JavaScript and refresh your browser. There are a few things to see in the Louisville/S. Pass Gary then take the I-65 and head south, through endless fields of windmills, before arriving at Indianapolis. The inclusion of this information does not imply endorsement by Cabins USA Gatlinburg. Between downtown Indy and Shelbyville, IN is a casino just off I-74. The most visited National Park in the country needs no commentary from my side to extoll its virtues. On your return, head up 1-26 to I-40. Catch a tour from Pigeon Forge. Add/Remove Favorites Glamping, short for glamorous camping, is a luxury experience in tents equipped with the creature comforts of home. 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. Great Smoky Mountains National Park straddles the border of North Carolina and Tennessee. The cheapest way to get from Chicago to Great Smoky Mountains costs only $133, and the quickest way takes just 4 hours. Exceptions may apply, for full details: Centers for Disease control and prevention (CDC). Leaving Louisville, take the Interstate 64 E into the heart of Bluegrass Country, and after 80 miles, you will arrive at Lexington. Passing many fantastic towns and cities, discover the home of country music, gorgeous national parks, and the homes of some famous US icons. March 5, 2020 Tori Peglar Ticket fares are divided into five subclasses: Saver, Value, Flexible, Business and Premium. Do bear in mind some attractions may be closed as they transition from winter. We are travelling from Canada to (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? With only 48 hours in Gatlinburg, you'll need to optimize your time to keep the fun going. Advance booking of Smoky Mountain cabin rentalswas the best decision in this trip, as we got a beautiful rental property on the hill overlooking mountains and the valleys. One of many Smokey overlooks with panoramic views. There are lots of things to do in Gary IN if you take 90. 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. If you're planning a fly-and-drive vacation, arrive in Knoxville . Taking you from Lake Michigan to Biscayne Bay, a trip of such proportions will be one you will never forget. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2.5 mile round-trip trek to the waterfalls. Be sure to take refreshment breaks and schedule more stops accordingly. To get the most out of your vacation in the Smoky Mountains, be sure to check out our excellent selection of Gatlinburg cabin rentals close to the Smokies that come with hot tubs, game rooms, and decks with stunning mountain views! The quickest flight from Chicago O'Hare Airport to Sun Valley/Hailey/Ketchum Airport is the direct flight which takes 4h 3m. Situated almost halfway into this fabulous road trip, 719 miles from Chicago, the place to stay is undoubtedly the Westin Peachtree Plaza. Mileage: It's 1,379 miles between the two cities. Chicago is 587.3 miles away from the Smoky Mountains by car. Nonstop chatter, loud music, late night dance and songs, and variety of food, at the rental home that we bookedin Smoky Mountains National Park. 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. Both known for German heritage. A springtime trip will still have glorious weather and less traffic than the summer season. From here you are just 18 miles from Maryville in Blount County, one of the gateway counties to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. My family will be leaving soon on a two week road trip to the east coast. The birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr and Coca-Cola, (be sure to check out the museums dedicated to both), this lively city also features the fantastic Georgia Aquarium, some fabulous restaurants, and terrific nightlife. Chicago is 587.3 miles away from the Smoky Mountains by car. As a reference, you should be looking at places near Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, since most of the touristy attractions are spread across the aforementioned cities. The road trip from Chicago to the Great Smoky Mountains will be memorable whichever time of year you decide to go, which is all dependent on your preferences for the weather and the season. Rome2rio displays up to date schedules . You'll soon arrive at Bryson City, a peaceful mountain town, where you can ride the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad or simply enjoy the local crafts and cuisine on offer in downtown Bryson. They included short trips to nearby cities like Milwaukee and Indianapolis, and longer drives to places like South Dakota and the Smoky Mountains. The River Rat Water Tubing Outpost river tubing, swimming and cliff jumping, highly recommended. Discover how to get to attractions and hotels near Ketchum. Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts. Get a free Great Smoky Mountains National Park trip planner for inspiring itineraries and essential information. Chock-full of souvenir shops, craft stores, restaurants, and kitschy attractions (think Ripleys Believe it or Not! The museum has many exhibits, including robots, science puzzles, timeline of atomic discoveries,a display devoted to nuclear weapons and the Y-12 Plant, and a solar energy demonstration project. Furthermore, specific It isn't necessary that you wait for a search to be completed before you select or deselect different search features. It is about 20-30 minutes from Lexington. Distillery Tours On this drive, you'll pass through the heart of Kentucky Bourbon Country where several major distilleries are based. Your email address will not be published. South of Lexington is Berea, KY. 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. This is about 9 hours and 17 minutes of driving non-stop. Ghoomaphirna is all about passion for travel and road trips. 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. The trip starts in Chicago and ends in Santa Monica. As far as bridges go, you will have to cross several on your route to and from Hilton Head. Find the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on the most talked about places recommended by Trippy members. Take in the great outdoors and stretch your legs with a trail walk, or visit the Wild Bear Falls Water Park. Stay Conversely, over the winter months, you might find that snow makes some of the areas around the national parks very difficult, and possibly cause road closures in the mountainous areas. Further east is Batesville, IN, and within miles a smaller city/town called Oldenburg. Enjoy these scenic drives and road trips to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and other spots in Tennessee and North Carolina. But kids had the most fun as they were allowed to go on zipline. Your email will not be provided to third parties. 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! Best campsites near chicago and how to reserve them? If you are in that area, do visit this museum. The main route is red, while the alternative route is in blue. Get a free Great Smoky Mountains National Park trip planner for inspiring itineraries and essential information. 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. Knoxville This is the last large city you'll pass through on your way to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Unsubscribe anytime by clicking the link at the bottom of your email. Rome2rio has everything you need to know about travelling with Amtrak, Rome2rios guide on the bus operator has all the information you need. 1. We drove initial 50 miles very slowly as we tried to cross our way through Chicago downtown and skyway. Please share your thoughts on this post or your own Smoky Mountain Trip ideas in the comments section. area events, and blog pages are provided as a public service. 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. . This post has already been read 2799 times! Once you arrive at Tyson McGee, we recommend that you rent a car to drive the remaining 1 hour to the Smoky Mountains. Rent an RV with Outdoorsy Thursday evening before the long weekend is always very heavy on traffic and we experienced thatpain. At some point, you will be driving through mountains on the interstate. Cades Cove is a 11 mile loop road famous for its wild life sightings and also boasts of several hiking opportunities inside the area. 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). For help planning your getaway to Gatlinburg, feel free to contact our helpful reservations office at (865) 436-5031 today! Users of this Fun Fact: Interstate 65, which takes you down to Nashville on this road trip, connects the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. The 580-mile road trip from Chicago to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park takes 8 hours and 50 minutes. Michael Jackson's childhood home and after that there is not much to see except ground hogs on the side of the road when you hit the Tennessee border. businesses, or services on the Cabins USA Gatlinburg web site is for informational purposes only. 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. Smoky Mountain Brewery Trails Gatlinburg Trail.very close to Riverhouse at the Park and Bearskin Lodge Laurel Falls.very popular.try to be at trailhead by 7 AM. Heres what we saw on the way but never stopped due to lack of time: The Sinks popular waterfall. Hotels are already set in said places as we had points. Road trips don't come more iconic than Route 66, which makes its way from Santa Monica in California to Chicago, Illinois. Walk along sloped decks, see the grand staircase, touch an iceberg and witness hundreds of original artifacts. The incline was mostly easy but there were some tight spots as we neared the waterfall and the sign board reminded us of the lurking danger. Continuing on I-65, 300 miles into the trip, you will arrive at Louisville, home to the Kentucky Derby, one of the world's oldest and most famous horse races and an ideal place for an overnight stay. Covering 21,000 route miles (34,000km) Amtrak operates more than 300 trains daily. Traffic on I 24 near Chattanooga has been awful for past 3 or 4 months. - to help you get the most out of your next trip. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Chicago to Smoky Mountains via St Louis, Denver, Twin Falls, and Ketchum, ID in around 46h 9m. Rome2rio makes travelling from Chicago to Smoky Mountains easy. 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. Theres few better ways to enjoy a hot summer day than to be on the water. After cruising through the few miles of the road which meanders along the Little River, we parked here and spent couple of hours on the river, enjoying the stream of cool flowing water.