We wrapped up the day with a sumptuous dinner hereat Curry N More. Once you get to Indy you really have two options: I-65S through Louisville or I-74E through/around Cinci and then south. With only 48 hours in Gatlinburg, you'll need to optimize your time to keep the fun going. I will post pictures when I come home for you to see! A road trip from Chicago to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will take you to one of the most beautiful places you will ever visit, through some of the most majestic mountain scenery, taking in many interesting attractions along the way. By checking the box next to your selected rentals, you can compare up to three properties. The state capital of Georgia also boasts awesome food, culture, and nightlife scene. The views from our cottage did not disappoint. At some point, you will be driving through mountains on the interstate. Founded in 1995, it has collections in skiing, mining Sun Valley, sheep, and Hemingway. Nonstop chatter, loud music, late night dance and songs, and variety of food, at the rental home that we bookedin Smoky Mountains National Park. Music lovers can experience the Motown sound at the Sounds of Soul in the Smokies Festival at the end of July. questions regarding any content should be directed to the appropriate organization and not necessarily to Cabins 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. Sunrise at Cades Cove in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. From Pigeon Forge, head south on US-321 to Gatlinburg, where you can enjoy one of the many mountain trails before joining US-441 and heading towards the loop. When using our "search" feature, you can make a list of favorites. To cover all the attractions in Smoky mountains 2 days are not enough, and needs lot of planning if we you want to cover all the natural sceneries and attractions. So, it took us couple of hours to have lunch. We went to AMSE, and spent few hours there. Is it compulsory to practice social distancing in Smoky Mountains? If just stopping for the night with no plans to sightsee, the same advice would apply: stay near an interchange. Continue reading to get all you need to make an exciting itinerary, exploring everything this route has to offer. Or check out Destination Delivery: Have an RV delivered directly to a campground or parking site to camp in style without having to get behind the wheel. The top stops along the way from Chicago to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (with short detours) are Horseshoe Hammond, Louisville Mega Cavern, and The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. If you saw the 1975 movie Nashville, youll recognize this iconic structure. Great Smoky Mountains National Park straddles the border of North Carolina and Tennessee. The quickest route from Chicago to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is 580 miles and takes 8 hours and 50 minutes without accounting for any pit stops or detours you might want to make on your way. Once we reached the falls, there were couple of spots to soothe the sore legs in cold water, heres the main water drop . 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. One could go south to Blowing Green, then take I-66E and catch I-75 south down to Pigeon Forge. By joining our email list, you give LazyTrips permission to use your email for sending you newsletters, emails and updates including for marketing purposes. web site are responsible for checking the accuracy, completeness, currency and/or suitability of all information. The mountain town of Pigeon Forge in eastern Tennessee is a must for fans of Dolly Parton, as it's where her Appalachian-themed Park Dollywood is located. They are known for their handmade crafts and artwork. The forested Smoky Mountains were named for their propensity to summer forest fires. For the detail oriented folks, here is the link to know all about it. They serve a unique Greek-style chili on spaghetti noodles and heaping portions of cheddar cheese you don't want to miss! Other than that, you can hit the open road whenever you feel like it. We dont mind passing by mountains in the view on interstate but correct we want to avoid smaller roads through mountains. Alternatively, you may use. We had rafting reservation at Lower Pigeon River which was in jeopardy thanks to a chock-a-block jam in Gatlinburg. 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 . Bad part Every one of them was brimming with people. The options are endless, so here are our recommendations. I would check the lodging at Exit 108 on I-75, thats Man-O-War exit. Second, you might be able to find a direct flight from Chicago to Tyson McGee Airport near Knoxville. Please be patient, this may take a minute. Road Trip from Chicago to The Great Smoky Mountains, Snow Tubing at Blackwell Forest Preserve, Warrenville, Best Spring Break Road Trips from Chicago, Road Trip from Chicago during historic Winter Storm, Road Trip from Chicago to Pensacola and Florida panhandle, Disney World Lightning Lanes + Tips and Park Planning Strategy, https://www.alltrails.com/us/tennessee/gatlinburg, https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/tennessee/laurel-falls2. 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. The elevation of Sun Valley (at the Lodge) is 5920ft above sea level. We then strolled in Gatlinburg downtown and visited Ripleys Believe It or Not museum before the hunger pangs kicked in. And history buffs will feel right at home with these historic treasures. Then use your smartphone to view the Nashville artists sharing tree stories. With 4 different families, and nomads from the age of one and half years to 35 years, it was truly a friends and family road trip. 321 just west of Townsend 18 miles up Chilhowee Mountain. From Nashvillehead toward Chattanooga then Atlanta. Check out our best short vacation ideas for Gatlinburg to get started! Cabins USA Gatlinburg does not endorse any of Simply select the 2 3 properties you wish to compare, then click "compare" to see these rentals side-by-side. 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. We saw kids as young as 4 years in the rafts. The series is called If Trees Could Sing, and its the result of a Metro Parks and The Nature Conservancy partnership. Thursday evening before the long weekend is always very heavy on traffic and we experienced thatpain. Gatlinburg, Tenn, is the busiest, most touristy gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Glamping, short for glamorous camping, is a luxury experience in tents equipped with the creature comforts of home. The distance between Chicago and Smoky Mountains is 2206 km. To make it easier for your plan, we have compiled this list of our favorite attractions along the way: The beauty of a road trip from Chicago to Miami is that you can do it at any time of the year. From Chicago, you will drive along the shores of Lake Michigan on Interstate 90 E until you reach Exit 17 and merge onto Interstate 65 S to Indianapolis. Get inspired with tips about where to go and what to see on your national park vacation, delivered right to your inbox. 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. Churchill Downs officially opened in 1875, but the sport of horse racing can be traced back to 1789 in Kentucky. Your email address will not be published. 1. Elk on Route 441 in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park A Stop For Elk On a Smoky Mountains road trip you can see many things right from your car. There are many places to stop between Chicago and the Great Smoky Mountains and you'll pass many cities and be spoilt for choice with accommodation options. Get a free Great Smoky Mountains National Park trip planner for inspiring itineraries and essential information. Turn right off hwy 441 in park on to Fighting Gap Creek Road/Little River Road. At Louisville Mega Cavern, youll have an adventure like none other, exploring some of the 17 miles of corridors beneath the city. We had two full days of fun filled activities and spent the long weekend with many other tourists walking around the streets in night and gazing atthe skies. If you want to enjoy a Smoky Mountains road trip on your drive from Chicago, be sure to check out some of the top sights along the way! The shortest route from Chicago to Gatlinburg is to take I-65 Louisville. Tip: Rather than towing a ton of groceries from home, do it near the destination. Nonetheless, It offers a panoramic view of the park and is less visited than other roads in the area. customize this trip Day 1 11:00 am start in Chicago drive for about 2.5 hours 1:41 pm Crawfordsville stay for about 1 hour and leave at 2:41 pm drive for about 2.5 hours 5:00 pm Sellersburg (Indiana) What makes Chicago one of the best cities to visit is that it has a cosmopolitan feel with none of the attitude of similar-sized cities on the coasts. The Mega Cavern underneath Louisville, Ky. Famous for the Kentucky Derby, and the birthplace of Muhammad Ali. Rome2rio also offers online bookings for selected operators, making reservations easy and straightforward. Continue your journey past the Gold Mine Trail, before reaching Melrose, where you will take the US-321, passing Townsend and Wears Valley before arriving back at Pigeon Forge. Our neighing neighbors, as seen from our countryside cottage. Click here to skip back to the top. ), the bustling towns can be a sensory overload or a rollicking good time, depending on your perspective. Find the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on the most talked about places recommended by Trippy members. In the bourbon capital of the world, enjoy a VIP experience and take the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. long term rentals in vilcabamba, ecuador; celebrity fight night; chicago to smoky mountains road trip stops Re: Chicago to Naples Fl drive What should I do if I have COVID-19 symptoms when I arrive in Smoky Mountains? Walking the numerous trails, however, even for a short distance, provides a much richer experience. After spending few hours in Oakridge, we continued our driving and entered into Smoky Mountain park from the Gatlinburg side and drove around Gatlinburg city for some time before going to our rental home that we had booked up in the mountains. Start in Chicago and head down along the historic Route 66 to reach St. Louis, the Ozarks National Scenic Riverways, and the Ozarks Mountains. Required fields are marked *. When browsing results, you can add them to your "favorites" by clicking the red plus mark on the bottom left of your desired property. 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. Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts. United Airlines, Delta and Alaska Airlines, Inc. fly from Chicago to Smoky Mountains every 2 hours. Walk along sloped decks, see the grand staircase, touch an iceberg and witness hundreds of original artifacts. . Sun Valley is a resort city in Blaine County in central Idaho, in the western United States. The best way to get from Chicago to Smoky Mountains is to fly which takes 6h 26m and costs $180-$650. Visit the Indianapolis Speedway Museum and take a tour of the Brickyard, host to the most exhilarating event in the motorsport calendar, the Indy 500. While this may seem like quite a long distance, the scenic landscape and attractions along the way will make . Key stops are Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Louisville, Lexington, Knoxville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg as well as Indianapolis Motor Speedway. View ListTo see all of your favorite rentals on one page, simply click "view list". Continue onwards, passing Mingo Falls to Cherokee, with its famous Indian Museum. Finally, before heading to Miami, take a trip to Tampa and witness the wonderful museums, historic Ybor City neighborhood, and the fabulous Busch Gardens. A road trip from Chicago to Miami is an epic north-to-south adventure. If you plan to check out the city, the Hyatt Centric Downtown is a fabulous place to stay. 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. If you are in that area, do visit this museum.