Labor day weekend ideas? Thinking smokey mountains..
August 5, 2013 10:09 AM Subscribe
Is 2 and a half days too less for smokey mountains? Any other suggestions? Catch: I live in Champaign, IL
Me and my wife would like to go somewhere the weekend of Aug 31/Sep 1/Sep 2. We live in Champaign, IL. Prices from Champaign to anywhere are exorbitant, and I would like not to spend more than $1100 all together. Tickets to just about anywhere start from $600. They reduce slightly if we start from Chicago instead, but still.
Smokey Mountains in Tennessee is an 8 hour drive, which is about the maximum time I want to spend driving.
So, given I leave late afternoon Friday to head over there, and leave again late afternoon Monday to come back to Champaign, is Saturday/Sunday/ first half of Monday a sufficient amount of time to do something fun in the place? Perhaps some must see-items that you guys can recommend?
Or , if you can come up with some where else that's fun to spend the labor day weekend would also be appreciated? (Doesn't necessarily have to be driveable, but if so not more than 8 hours away!)
Me and my wife would like to go somewhere the weekend of Aug 31/Sep 1/Sep 2. We live in Champaign, IL. Prices from Champaign to anywhere are exorbitant, and I would like not to spend more than $1100 all together. Tickets to just about anywhere start from $600. They reduce slightly if we start from Chicago instead, but still.
Smokey Mountains in Tennessee is an 8 hour drive, which is about the maximum time I want to spend driving.
So, given I leave late afternoon Friday to head over there, and leave again late afternoon Monday to come back to Champaign, is Saturday/Sunday/ first half of Monday a sufficient amount of time to do something fun in the place? Perhaps some must see-items that you guys can recommend?
Or , if you can come up with some where else that's fun to spend the labor day weekend would also be appreciated? (Doesn't necessarily have to be driveable, but if so not more than 8 hours away!)
I love the Smoky Mountains. Gatlinburg is ideal!
When you arrive, just walk up and down the main street. Lots to see and do.
Dollywood is expensive, but it's pretty great, either the amusement park or the water park. We rented a cabana for the day at the water park and it was AMAZING!
I recommend that you go into the Smoky Mountain park and check out Cades Cove. Gas up before you go, it's about an hour off the main road through the park, but it's pretty cool once you get there.
We usually stay at the Holiday Inn Vacation Club. We get a two bedroom and cook in the room. It saves money. There are a bajillion hotels though or cabins or motels, etc.
There are a number of touristy things to do, if they sound good, do 'em.
Cherokee is directly through the Smoky Mountain park, they have a museum (sad), a casino (sad) and a pageant, Unto These Hills.
Check out the websites and see what appeals. Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge can be beautiful or tacky, or both!
nthing Holiday weekend will be packed!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 10:18 AM on August 5, 2013
When you arrive, just walk up and down the main street. Lots to see and do.
Dollywood is expensive, but it's pretty great, either the amusement park or the water park. We rented a cabana for the day at the water park and it was AMAZING!
I recommend that you go into the Smoky Mountain park and check out Cades Cove. Gas up before you go, it's about an hour off the main road through the park, but it's pretty cool once you get there.
We usually stay at the Holiday Inn Vacation Club. We get a two bedroom and cook in the room. It saves money. There are a bajillion hotels though or cabins or motels, etc.
There are a number of touristy things to do, if they sound good, do 'em.
Cherokee is directly through the Smoky Mountain park, they have a museum (sad), a casino (sad) and a pageant, Unto These Hills.
Check out the websites and see what appeals. Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge can be beautiful or tacky, or both!
nthing Holiday weekend will be packed!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 10:18 AM on August 5, 2013
The Smokey Mountains are nice. They will be packed on labor day weekend. If you are interested in something other than hiking and camping, the TN side is a bit dreary; the NC side is nicer, but is more than 8 hours away. 2.5 days is enough to do some good hikes. I would head out before the sun is up to beat crowds, but that's me.
For something closer, Red River Gorge in eastern Kentucky is quite nice.
posted by deadweightloss at 10:19 AM on August 5, 2013
For something closer, Red River Gorge in eastern Kentucky is quite nice.
posted by deadweightloss at 10:19 AM on August 5, 2013
Another option closer to you is Shawnee National Forest.
posted by TrarNoir at 10:52 AM on August 5, 2013
posted by TrarNoir at 10:52 AM on August 5, 2013
It is not as majestic as the Smokey Mountains, but the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois is much more accessible from east central Illinois (it's about 3.5 hours to Giant City) and has nice hiking, interesting rock formations, and offers a very different landscape compared to C-U.
posted by drlith at 11:05 AM on August 5, 2013
posted by drlith at 11:05 AM on August 5, 2013
Turkey Run State Park in Indiana is really nice and way closer to you. Smokies are nice but super crowded at the best of times and that's a long drive.
posted by leslies at 11:08 AM on August 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by leslies at 11:08 AM on August 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
Have you looked at tickets out of Indy, Peoria, or Bloomington-Normal? Flights out of Champaign are only expensive because you have to fly to a major hub (Chi or Dallas, IIRC) first before going anywhere else. I see a bunch of flights from Indy to Knoxville that start at $338 on Kayak. Flying out of Peoria starts at $366 and would save you an hour or so. Maybe play with the start and end airports a bit and see what you can find?
Alternately, you could try Kickapoo. I hike there all the time and had a great time canoeing there recently. They also have kayaking and tubing. The campgrounds are pretty nice as far as car camping goes. I think they have some more backwoodsy campsites but I haven't been to those. Turkey Run is prettier but less woodsy- there are paved trails and established stairs. I've also heard good things about Raccoon State Park but can't vouch for it personally.
posted by quiet coyote at 1:02 PM on August 5, 2013
Alternately, you could try Kickapoo. I hike there all the time and had a great time canoeing there recently. They also have kayaking and tubing. The campgrounds are pretty nice as far as car camping goes. I think they have some more backwoodsy campsites but I haven't been to those. Turkey Run is prettier but less woodsy- there are paved trails and established stairs. I've also heard good things about Raccoon State Park but can't vouch for it personally.
posted by quiet coyote at 1:02 PM on August 5, 2013
Comments about holiday weekend crowds are on the mark. (Just returned from stay in Pigeon Forge this past weekend. Got to Gatlinburg around 1pm on Saturday and could have walked through the town about as fast as we drove.)
Yes, there is lots and lots of stuff to do. And there will be lots and lots of people doing it alongside you. So, it sort of depends on what you like in a holiday weekend.
I would think you would barely get unwound from the 8 hour drive before it's time to hit the road again. Can't think of many places worth 16 hours on the road for barely 2-1/2 days' stay.
Alternatives suggested by others sound more like something worth considering.
posted by John Borrowman at 2:15 PM on August 5, 2013
Yes, there is lots and lots of stuff to do. And there will be lots and lots of people doing it alongside you. So, it sort of depends on what you like in a holiday weekend.
I would think you would barely get unwound from the 8 hour drive before it's time to hit the road again. Can't think of many places worth 16 hours on the road for barely 2-1/2 days' stay.
Alternatives suggested by others sound more like something worth considering.
posted by John Borrowman at 2:15 PM on August 5, 2013
I've been to the Smokies, but I wouldn't do it this way. There are a LOT of great places to go and get away within a much more reasonable drive from Champaign. Wherever you go, though, you will face crowds, so keep that in mind.
Turkey Run is good. So is Brown County State Park, also Indiana (nickname: "The Little Smokies").
You could also go west, and hit the Mississippi Palisades, anything from Effigy Mounds National Monument, the Mississippi Palisades State Park, the (again, crowded and a little touristy) historic city of Galena. Illinois has scores of state parks. Really, poke around more locally and you will likely find an overlooked gem, if just "getting away from it all" is what you really need and don't have any more specifics. South of where you are, Illinois gets significantly more rural and woods-y, Illitucky as they say, and especially down near Carbondale and so forth.
Use your getaway time wisely, is all I'm saying. Don't wear yourself out getting there.
posted by dhartung at 6:59 PM on August 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
Turkey Run is good. So is Brown County State Park, also Indiana (nickname: "The Little Smokies").
You could also go west, and hit the Mississippi Palisades, anything from Effigy Mounds National Monument, the Mississippi Palisades State Park, the (again, crowded and a little touristy) historic city of Galena. Illinois has scores of state parks. Really, poke around more locally and you will likely find an overlooked gem, if just "getting away from it all" is what you really need and don't have any more specifics. South of where you are, Illinois gets significantly more rural and woods-y, Illitucky as they say, and especially down near Carbondale and so forth.
Use your getaway time wisely, is all I'm saying. Don't wear yourself out getting there.
posted by dhartung at 6:59 PM on August 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
I live in the Smokies, in the country south of Maryville, TN and north of the NC border. The touristy parts of the Park and its "gateway towns" of Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Cherokee will be godawful on a holiday weekend, but there are LOTS of ways to enjoy the mountains without getting stuck in hell. Basically, stay out of the Park.
If you hike, have a look at the hundreds (thousands?) of miles of trails in the Wilderness areas nearby: Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock, Citico and Bald River Gorge. The Wilderness areas have very permissive land use rules, including allowing off-leash dogs. Hunting is permitted in the Wildernesses but AFAIK it's not anything but small game season right now so you're unlikely to encounter hunters. Be aware that Wilderness trails are not nearly as well maintained as Park trails; the treadways can be narrow, steep and overgrown and they are haphazardly blazed.
For easier hiking (with lake access!), explore the East Lakeshore Trail system along Tellico Lake. The trails are wide, well-marked and on TVA land, so off-leash dogs are OK here too. (Can you tell that I hike with my dogs a lot?)
A little north of here is the beautiful (and less crowded than GSM NP) Big South Fork, which has hiking trails, river access and horse stables. If you're interested in paddle sports, consider the Obed River, which has some of the most challenging whitewater in the southeast.
Please feel free to PM me with questions - I'm a hiking/trail running/swimming/bicycling fool and I LOVE where I live. I'm sure there will be some bluegrass/roots music happenings that weekend too but since I'll be out of town I hadn't really paid attention.
posted by workerant at 12:59 PM on August 6, 2013
If you hike, have a look at the hundreds (thousands?) of miles of trails in the Wilderness areas nearby: Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock, Citico and Bald River Gorge. The Wilderness areas have very permissive land use rules, including allowing off-leash dogs. Hunting is permitted in the Wildernesses but AFAIK it's not anything but small game season right now so you're unlikely to encounter hunters. Be aware that Wilderness trails are not nearly as well maintained as Park trails; the treadways can be narrow, steep and overgrown and they are haphazardly blazed.
For easier hiking (with lake access!), explore the East Lakeshore Trail system along Tellico Lake. The trails are wide, well-marked and on TVA land, so off-leash dogs are OK here too. (Can you tell that I hike with my dogs a lot?)
A little north of here is the beautiful (and less crowded than GSM NP) Big South Fork, which has hiking trails, river access and horse stables. If you're interested in paddle sports, consider the Obed River, which has some of the most challenging whitewater in the southeast.
Please feel free to PM me with questions - I'm a hiking/trail running/swimming/bicycling fool and I LOVE where I live. I'm sure there will be some bluegrass/roots music happenings that weekend too but since I'll be out of town I hadn't really paid attention.
posted by workerant at 12:59 PM on August 6, 2013
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posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 10:17 AM on August 5, 2013 [1 favorite]