The 580-mile road trip from Chicago to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park takes 8 hours and 50 minutes. 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. Great Smoky Mountains National Park straddles the border of North Carolina and Tennessee. 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. Take in the great outdoors and stretch your legs with a trail walk, or visit the Wild Bear Falls Water Park. The direct drive from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Chicago is 600 mi (966 km), and should have a drive time of 10 hrs 27 mins in normal traffic. Leaving Chicago, take the I-90 along the shores of Lake Michigan for just over 30 Miles. Shells08, what route are you taking to get to P.F.? LazyTrips is a trading name of Uncle Bob Media Ltd. Do this road trip in an RV to stay close to nature. 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. Thursday evening before the long weekend is always very heavy on traffic and we experienced thatpain. 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) But you can also get away from it all at a unique lodging option with Under Canvas. The 2 bridges on I -65 are toll bridges. Atlanta to Great Smoky Mountains Loop Road Trip, Blue Ridge Parkway Road Trip From Shenandoah to Great Smoky, Charlotte to Asheville to Great Smoky Mountains Loop Road Trip, 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. If you plan to check out the city, the Hyatt Centric Downtown is a fabulous place to stay. Bring a blanket to sit on and enjoy the tunes (and the excellent people watching). to honor the goddess of Athena. We have two 13 year olds that will be traveling . You can also catch Oktoberfest at Ober Gatlinburg, a festival of Bavarian food, drink, and music accompanied by the fabulous Smoky Mountains Oompah band. arkansas governor's distinguished scholarship 2020 recipients. 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. 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. What should I do if I have COVID-19 symptoms when I arrive in Smoky Mountains? Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. 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. We treat any information that you share as confidential. 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. You can click this minus sign to "unselect" this property from your favorites list. Visit the Island, a 23-acre entertainment destination with fun for all the family, and a trip to Pigeon Forge would not be complete without a visit to Dollywood, recognized as one of the world's best theme parks, with something for everyone. You can easily avoid the smaller roads that go through the Smoky Mountains. Rome2rio displays up to date schedules . 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. There are lots of things to do in Gary IN if you take 90. You can view your selected properties by click the "favorites" tab at the top of the search bar. Day 1 - The Drive and the Cottage. Rome2rio uses cookies to help personalize content and show you personalised ads. We have family in northern TN so travel that way about every month or so. There are several bridges in the Louisville area. How to plan your road trip across the US From here you are just 18 miles from Maryville in Blount County, one of the gateway counties to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. My main concerns are construction/traffic as well as we have a major concern of wanting to avoid windy, bridges/single roads in the Smoky Mountains as we both are anxious of heights/bridges. Domestic travel is not restricted, but some conditions may apply. Its rated easy and offers visitors great scenery without having to exert themselves too much. The last stop of the day was the Cades Cove. If you are in that area, do visit this museum. It isn't necessary that you wait for a search to be completed before you select or deselect different search features. Covering 21,000 route miles (34,000km) Amtrak operates more than 300 trains daily. Rome2rio makes travelling from Chicago to Smoky Mountains easy. Once you find your perfect rental for the right date, simply click "book now" to begin the booking process. Next, stop by the mesmerizing Crown Fountain, which features the faces of 1,000 Chicago residents on two 250-foot glass towers, each one at the opposite end of a shallow reflecting pool. The roughly 420-mile route follows I-40 from the Great Smoky Mountains in the east to the mighty Mississippi River in the west. Alaska Airlines, Inc., Delta and United Airlines offer flights from Chicago O'Hare Airport to Sun Valley/Hailey/Ketchum Airport. Road Trip from Chicago to The Great Smoky Mountains 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. This one is technically outside smoky but quite adventurous. Ketchum Sun Valley Historical Society Heritage & Ski Museum is the official museum of Ketchum Sun Valley located in Ketchum, Idaho. Since it looks like you're a baseball fan, you might enjoy the Louisville Slugger museum and factory. Music lovers can experience the Motown sound at the Sounds of Soul in the Smokies Festival at the end of July. Enjoy a unique dining experience in the stunning Sun Dial Restaurant, on the upper floors, offering unparalleled 360-degree views over the city. Stop at a visitor center in Cades Cove or at the Mountain Farm Museum to find . Lexington is a great town. Geez, some people are easily amused. Get a free Great Smoky Mountains National Park trip planner for inspiring itineraries and essential information. To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. Check out our best short vacation ideas for Gatlinburg to get started! A road trip from Chicago to Miami is an epic north-to-south adventure. The One Subscription to Fuel All Your Adventures. If you appreciate the beauty of foliage in the fall season, making the trip in autumn is for you. We had one wish still left unfulfilled, which was to see a live bear in action and based on reviews, Cades Cove had the highest probability to see it happen. Show only these on map Horseshoe Hammond We did ours at the Walmart store at Knoxville which was around 30 mins away from our cottage. After all, the city boasts free music all the time.. Also it helped us to party hard every night when we came back tired from the sight seeing and outdoor activities. Here are five reasons why you should. Help with route Chicago to Smoky Mountains - Road Trips - Tripadvisor The shortest route from Chicago to Gatlinburg is to take I-65 Louisville. Further east is Batesville, IN, and within miles a smaller city/town called Oldenburg. . We are travelling from Canada to (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Directions and distance from Chicago IL to Smoky Mountain Ranch TX The trip starts in Chicago and ends in Santa Monica. Find the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on the most talked about places recommended by Trippy members. Our first adventure of the day was the hike at Laurel Waterfalls, one of the highly trafficked trails in the Smoky Mountains. Enjoy classic scenic drives along Newfound Gap Road in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee or along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. Very safe. 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. Just two and a half hours southwest of Louisville lies Nashville, the country western capital of the country. Simply provide a contact name and email so that we can reach you. The elevation of Sun Valley (at the Lodge) is 5920ft above sea level. Thanks Ravekid, for all your recommendations. Tip: Rather than towing a ton of groceries from home, do it near the destination. The fastest route between Chicago and Miami covers a distance of around 1,385 miles, but we recommend extending the journey to include trips to Pigeon Forge and Montgomery which will add a further 450 miles to the trip. A total of 2,448 miles (3,940km) weave, wind, rise and dip through . Chicago To The Ozarks Road Trip. Both known for German heritage. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. The quickest flight from Chicago O'Hare Airport to Sun Valley/Hailey/Ketchum Airport is the direct flight which takes 4h 3m. A trip to Nashville is not complete without immersing yourself in its vibrant music scene. Driving through both just a few months ago made me think I was in Europe given some of the older buildings. If you're having issues using the site, please enable JavaScript and refresh your browser. USA Gatlinburg. Bad part Every one of them was brimming with people. 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. Chicago to Miami Road Trip Itinerary. Road trip loop from Chicago to the Carolinas - Fodor's 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 . I've never really stopped anywhere along the way, though I've done some research on the areas and might visit them in the future. From here, take the I-95 S for the final stretch of the journey which will take you to Miami. 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. Prices start at $100USD per night. Discover how to get to attractions and hotels near Ketchum. Rome2rio is a door-to-door travel information and booking engine, helping you get to and from any location in the world. Key stops are Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Louisville, Lexington, Knoxville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg as well as Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Do bear in mind some attractions may be closed as they transition from winter. Music fans must check out the famous Grand Ole Opry House. Chicago - the starting point of Route 66. 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. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-47902110', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Gatlinburg and the suggestions you have given for Berea and the Daniel Boone National Forest are really interesting for us. Heres what we saw on the way but never stopped due to lack of time: The Sinks popular waterfall. Keep on reading to discover many amazing places to visit, the best route, where to stay, and when to go. The 33-mile Newfound Gap Road is one of the park's most popular routes, used to connect Cherokee, NC, and Gatlinburg, TN. Do I have to wear a face mask on public transport in Smoky Mountains? The route takes you through rolling valleys and stunning mountain landscapes and there will be many options to detour into the stunning national parks and forests along the way. Cabins USA Gatlinburg does not endorse any of Cabins USA Gatlinburg respects our guest's privacy and never shares this information with third-party sites. Its Luhville to you. Founded in 1971, it is based in Washington, D.C. and offers four classes of travel: First Class, Sleeper, Business and Coach. Road Trip from Chicago to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park 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. From Gatlinburg, take the US-441 south to Cherokee and then join the US-23 passing through Franklin and Tallulah Falls, continuing for 197 miles as you make your way into the Deep South and the city of Atlanta. During my years living in Illinois, I took numerous road trips from Chicago. Best campsites near chicago and how to reserve them? Also has anyone stayed in Lexington, KY is it safe for an overnight visit Can anyone please shed light into which route can be best for us to take to avoid the smoky mountains but not added hours to our travel time.Thank you!!! Pass Gary then take the I-65 and head south, through endless fields of windmills, before arriving at Indianapolis. area events, and blog pages are provided as a public service. Road Trip From Chicago To Mackinac Island, Road Trip From Chicago To Yellowstone National Park, If you plan to check out the city, the Hyatt Centric Downtown is a fabulous place to stay, the place to stay is undoubtedly the Westin Peachtree Plaza. Taking you from Lake Michigan to Biscayne Bay, a trip of such proportions will be one you will never forget. Be sure to check out the upscale restaurants in Market Square or enjoy a stroll along Gay Street. The Best Road Trip from Chicago to Myrtle Beach | GetJerry.com Trip Length: It's a 20-hour drive, but this is without making stops along the way. The bridge over the Ohio is not as high and slightly shorter by Cincinnati. The Little River Scenic Drive was at a few minutes drive from Laurel Falls and it is best to visit them together. It is currently at MM 6not sure where it might be in May. Chicago to Great Smoky Mountains National Park |Road trip A good way to break up this drive is to stop for the night at a hotel along I-75 past Lexington, KY. https://www.alltrails.com/us/tennessee/gatlinburg. 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. . At Louisville Mega Cavern, youll have an adventure like none other, exploring some of the 17 miles of corridors beneath the city. After doing an availability search for your desired vacation date, our site will produce a list of available cabins. With the help of car insurance comparison and broker app with help from Jerry Users of this The most visited National Park in the country needs no commentary from my side to extoll its virtues. Great Smoky Mountains National Parkstraddles the border of North Carolina and Tennessee. Forgot to mention leaving Chicago around 4am on Saturday morning so baby can hopefully sleep for most part to Nashville Ill of course plan to stop a few times alone the way. (Photo: Alamy) Your next stop on your Smoky Mountains family vacation is Sevierville, which lays claim to Dolly Parton and her eponymous family amusement park. more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. 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.