Family Summer Vacation

[hogan873]

I'm starting to think about a vacation plan for the family next year. I've been pondering either Gatlinburg, TN or Branson, MO. However, I'm keeping my options open. Ultimately I'd like it to be within driving distance (8 hours or less).

 

Anybody with families with young kids (9, 8, and 6) have any suggestions?

[Balta1701]

I can run off lots of details about the Gatlinburg area because I'm heading there in a couple weeks. What would you be interested in doing?

[hogan873]

I'd like to see some caverns. Plus, any place that has a decent amusement park is a plus. My wife isn't much into outdoors, and any place we stay has to have all the amenities.

Edited September 14, 2010 by pittshoganerkoff

[Iwritecode]

I'd like to see some caverns. Plus, any place that has a decent amusement park is a plus. My wife isn't much into outdoors, and any place we stay has to have all the amenities.

 

Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky has a bunch of guided tours through caves. Plus there are a bunch more in the surrounding cities. It's probably a 6-7 hour drive.

 

We went there last year and stayed at a Jellystone campground. It had mini-putt, and a couple of waterslides.

 

We also drove over to Bowling Green and took a tour through the Corvette factory and museum.

Edited September 14, 2010 by Iwritecode

[southsider2k5]

Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky has a bunch of guided tours through caves. Plus there are a bunch more in the surrounding cities. It's probably a 6-7 hour drive.

We went there last year and stayed at a Jellystone campground. It had mini-putt, and a couple of waterslides.

 

We also drove over to Bowling Green and took a tour through the Corvette factory and museum.

 

I have also done this before, it is incredible. The tours range from the very short all of the way up to speulunking for up to eight hours. The nature is just incredible. There are also a few other places worth seeing in that area if you are interested.

[knightni]

If you're lucky, Al Gore will let you help him find Manbearpig.

[NorthSideSox72]

When I was growing up, we did family trips to Eagle River, Wisconsin most summers. Stayed at a place called the Chanticleer Inn. Its pretty much perfect for a family with kids that age - 2 beaches, a pool, tennis/racquetball/basketball courts and an arcade all at the resort, and the town itself has a zillion kids things to do (miniature golf, water park, crash-up derby track, go karts, rent boats of all kinds, fishing, tubing, shopping, movie theater, etc.). I highly recommend it, and its a shorter drive than the places you mention.

 

There are other towns up that way that are fun too, and I am NOT talking about The Dells, which I would recommend against. I mean Minoqua, Rhinelander, Hayward, etc.

 

[Balta1701]

I'd like to see some caverns. Plus, any place that has a decent amusement park is a plus. My wife isn't much into outdoors, and any place we stay has to have all the amenities.

In terms of the Gatlinburg, Sevierville, and Pigeon Forge area...you're in good shape in terms of lodging overall. They sit right at the entrance of the Great Smoky Mountains national park, which is the most visited national park in America. Tourist season in the park supposedly peaks in July and October (I'm hitting it in October for the fall colorage).

 

So, in terms of all the amenities...it's just a question of how much you want to spend. There are some really nice hotels in the area, and also your standard 1-2 room Comfort inn places, and your discount/run-down places. Just go through the standard lists at hotels.com, Expedia, travelocity, and tripadvisor.com if you want more on those. Something worth thinking about might be that there are some really nice cabins also (example search site); sorta offset from the main strip a little more, sometimes better views, lots of amenities like full kitchen, heat/AC, hot tub, etc. Google Gatlinburg cabins (or pigeon forge/sevierville etc).

 

The Smokies are outdoorsy but might still be something you can get the wife to do. There are a wide variety of hike levels, in addition to simple nature drives and scenic offlooks. If you cross through the Smokies to Asheville, you also hit a Harrahs casino, if you're into that. It gets so many visitors that it definitely caters well to the people who aren't big-time outdoor folks.

 

In terms of theme park/things to see, there's lots of little ones, but you sorta have to start with Dollywood. It's not a big time thrill ride park although there are a couple, but like much of that county, it's designed to be somewhat family friendly...lots of kid-level activities, shows, and the occasional wooden roller coaster. Beyond that, I'm sorta just going to list and let you find out more on your own; there's a large indoor water park, a "Nascar speed park", Ripley's aquarium of the smokies, and the Titanic museum in Pigeon Forge. There are also available smaller thrill parks, i.e. the Smoky Mountain speed park.

 

It's worth noting that they try to keep the whole county set up as a family-friendly tourist trap, to the level that it's actually a dry county; BYOB if you go there.

 

I can't say that TN has caves the quality of the Mammoth Cave system in KY, because frankly, I don't think they do; the geology is a little different down here and so you don't get as expansive of a weathering limestone plateau as you do in Ky. There are caving opportunities however. Depends on where you go, but here's a list.

If you want more, you can check out a number of travel planners that you can request; Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and google for others.

[knightni]

...or he could use my friends and family discount at one of the Gatlinburg Holiday Inn resorts.

[Balta1701]

...or he could use my friends and family discount at one of the Gatlinburg Holiday Inn resorts.

Does that still work?

[knightni]

Does that still work?

It should.

 

http://www.ihgfriendsandfamily.com/2ax3cx9

[knightni]

If he goes to Gatlinburg, he can mosey on over to Pidgeon Forge and visit DollyWorld!

[Balta1701]

If he goes to Gatlinburg, he can mosey on over to Pidgeon Forge and visit DollyWorld!

Didn't even bother to read the paragraph of my post where I put that in, did ya?

[knightni]

Didn't even bother to read the paragraph of my post where I put that in, did ya?

I had 1970s pics of Dolly Parton in my head at the time.

[NorthSideSox72]

In terms of the Gatlinburg, Sevierville, and Pigeon Forge area...you're in good shape in terms of lodging overall. They sit right at the entrance of the Great Smoky Mountains national park, which is the most visited national park in America. Tourist season in the park supposedly peaks in July and October (I'm hitting it in October for the fall colorage).

 

So, in terms of all the amenities...it's just a question of how much you want to spend. There are some really nice hotels in the area, and also your standard 1-2 room Comfort inn places, and your discount/run-down places. Just go through the standard lists at hotels.com, Expedia, travelocity, and tripadvisor.com if you want more on those. Something worth thinking about might be that there are some really nice cabins also (example search site); sorta offset from the main strip a little more, sometimes better views, lots of amenities like full kitchen, heat/AC, hot tub, etc. Google Gatlinburg cabins (or pigeon forge/sevierville etc).

 

The Smokies are outdoorsy but might still be something you can get the wife to do. There are a wide variety of hike levels, in addition to simple nature drives and scenic offlooks. If you cross through the Smokies to Asheville, you also hit a Harrahs casino, if you're into that. It gets so many visitors that it definitely caters well to the people who aren't big-time outdoor folks.

 

In terms of theme park/things to see, there's lots of little ones, but you sorta have to start with Dollywood. It's not a big time thrill ride park although there are a couple, but like much of that county, it's designed to be somewhat family friendly...lots of kid-level activities, shows, and the occasional wooden roller coaster. Beyond that, I'm sorta just going to list and let you find out more on your own; there's a large indoor water park, a "Nascar speed park", Ripley's aquarium of the smokies, and the Titanic museum in Pigeon Forge. There are also available smaller thrill parks, i.e. the Smoky Mountain speed park.

 

It's worth noting that they try to keep the whole county set up as a family-friendly tourist trap, to the level that it's actually a dry county; BYOB if you go there.

 

I can't say that TN has caves the quality of the Mammoth Cave system in KY, because frankly, I don't think they do; the geology is a little different down here and so you don't get as expansive of a weathering limestone plateau as you do in Ky. There are caving opportunities however. Depends on where you go, but here's a list.

If you want more, you can check out a number of travel planners that you can request; Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and google for others.

 

From having seen Mammoth and a few other caves, if its caverns you primarily want, the far and away most spectacular are in Carlsbad. Problem is, other than caverns, there is NOTHING to do in Carlsbad.

 

[dasox24]

In terms of the Gatlinburg, Sevierville, and Pigeon Forge area...you're in good shape in terms of lodging overall. They sit right at the entrance of the Great Smoky Mountains national park, which is the most visited national park in America. Tourist season in the park supposedly peaks in July and October (I'm hitting it in October for the fall colorage).

 

So, in terms of all the amenities...it's just a question of how much you want to spend. There are some really nice hotels in the area, and also your standard 1-2 room Comfort inn places, and your discount/run-down places. Just go through the standard lists at hotels.com, Expedia, travelocity, and tripadvisor.com if you want more on those. Something worth thinking about might be that there are some really nice cabins also (example search site); sorta offset from the main strip a little more, sometimes better views, lots of amenities like full kitchen, heat/AC, hot tub, etc. Google Gatlinburg cabins (or pigeon forge/sevierville etc).

 

The Smokies are outdoorsy but might still be something you can get the wife to do. There are a wide variety of hike levels, in addition to simple nature drives and scenic offlooks. If you cross through the Smokies to Asheville, you also hit a Harrahs casino, if you're into that. It gets so many visitors that it definitely caters well to the people who aren't big-time outdoor folks.

 

In terms of theme park/things to see, there's lots of little ones, but you sorta have to start with Dollywood. It's not a big time thrill ride park although there are a couple, but like much of that county, it's designed to be somewhat family friendly...lots of kid-level activities, shows, and the occasional wooden roller coaster. Beyond that, I'm sorta just going to list and let you find out more on your own; there's a large indoor water park, a "Nascar speed park", Ripley's aquarium of the smokies, and the Titanic museum in Pigeon Forge. There are also available smaller thrill parks, i.e. the Smoky Mountain speed park.

 

It's worth noting that they try to keep the whole county set up as a family-friendly tourist trap, to the level that it's actually a dry county; BYOB if you go there.

 

I can't say that TN has caves the quality of the Mammoth Cave system in KY, because frankly, I don't think they do; the geology is a little different down here and so you don't get as expansive of a weathering limestone plateau as you do in Ky. There are caving opportunities however. Depends on where you go, but here's a list.

If you want more, you can check out a number of travel planners that you can request; Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and google for others.

Nice job - that about sums it up... Not bad coming from the guy who's only been in the area for less than a year.

[Leonard Zelig]

if you go to Gatlinburg, you can do some white water rafting on the Pigeon river. I believe it's mostly class 3 so it's probably ok for kids.

[shipps]

You should go to Fiji.

[hogan873]

You should go to Fiji.

*checks bank account* Maybe...

[knightni]

*checks bank account* Maybe...

I hope that the hotel link will help!

 

[Balta1701]

Nice job - that about sums it up... Not bad coming from the guy who's only been in the area for less than a year.

Geologists...don't like to sit around.

[knightni]

Geologists...don't like to sit around.

Geologists like to get their rocks off.