best vacation national park location???

[bphillips330]

My Wife asked me for our vacation spots this year. we have a two year old son and i would love to go to a national park to enjoy and do some hiking and take some great pictures. I want to do this before we have our next kid (which she is hoping for this year) Here is the dillema. We live in cincinnati ohio which is in the lovely midwest. not a whole lot to photo around here. We went to gatlinburge last year which was nice.

We have 2 different one week vacations. on in the summer, and one in october. I am looking for something within driving distince. You might ask what do i mean by driving distance. Well.... I am not really sure. I figure 10-15 hours (I have a 2 year old son remember) I have been watching some great stuff on hd discovery channel of the national parks. (yellowstone, glacier national park, etc.....) Alot of the best places seem to be in wyoming. I have done some mapquest, but not sure of exact driving times.

Can anybody recommend some good, nature related areas that would be good to hike, take beutiful pictures, not cost an arm and a leg, and be good with a family. We are both 30 years old. Reallativly in good shape, and live in the midwest.

any suggestoins????????

[Jon]

I don't think you're within 15 hours of much but the Great Smokeys Nat. Park. There are some nice trails all along the Blue Ridge Parkway and Shenandoah National Park, which are also within reach, but crowded in summer. Might want to think about Acadia, though. Probably closer than Wyoming.

[johnnybfan]

How about Michigan's Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore?
There's like 15 miles of awesome shoreline with sandstone cliffs that get as high as 200'! Not too far from there, up at Copper Harbor, is old Fort Wilkens. It's a fort from the Civil War that's been restored. The first time I was there was when I was 6 or 7 and I still remember that trip with fondness. I went back there in 1978 and it was still just as cool. No matter where you go for your vacation there are photo ops. Get creative and have some fun. Have fun!

[waffles]

You could go to Mammoth Cave National Park. Then you get to go to Kentucky... which is always a pleasure when you live in Ohio.

[Becca]

Yellowstone is going to take you a couple of days long driving. Its well worth the trip, but you might want to wait until your kids are a bit older.

[mace0002]

Mt. Blue State Park in Weld, Maine...great lake for familys(shallow and warm beach), nice campsite surrounding by mountains with awesome hiking path's around the area. Also close to some day trips to the coast of maine, and other photo opps! FUN FUN!! Acadia is also here in Maine...you know the first place the sun rises. GORGEOUS!!

[Wsman2]

Click on any state. (http://home.nps.gov/applications/parksearch/geosearch.cfm)

[dlpasco]

We have 2 different one week vacations. on in the summer, and one in october. I am looking for something within driving distince. You might ask what do i mean by driving distance. Well.... I am not really sure. I figure 10-15 hours (I have a 2 year old son remember) I have been watching some great stuff on hd discovery channel of the national parks. (yellowstone, glacier national park, etc.....) Alot of the best places seem to be in wyoming. I have done some mapquest, but not sure of exact driving times.


I moved to Wyoming from Northern NY over twenty years ago. I've made the drive between Lake Placid and Sheridan many times and we have four children. It is two long days from Ohio to Sheridan - around 700 miles per day (depending on where you are in Ohio). Interstate (I-90 and I-80) speed limits vary by state but generally are higher west of the Mississippi - 75mph in Wyoming and Montana. Sheridan to Glacier NP is another 500 miles (I-90 most of the way). Sheridan to Yellowstone is 200 miles. The grizzlies are just coming out of their dens now ;)

Rapid City, SD (about 1200 miles from Cleveland on I-90) is about 250 miles east of Sheridan. Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse, the Black Hills, Badlands NP, Devils Tower and a few other sites are nearby.

Temps in July and August can be uncomfortable - 90+ most days.

I grew up in one of the most beautiful places on earth and didn't appreciate it until I left. The Adirondack State Park is not too far from Ohio - I-90 to Rome, NY and then head north. There are many hiking trails, lakes, rivers and mountains.

Dan

[BradT0517]

I do believe sometime soon on either discovery or travel channel there will be a series of the 1000 places you should see before you die. I think that would make a good list.

My family is thinking about the Grand Canyon and DC for the Summer.

I too think you should wait until your son is a little older to go to Yellow Stone.

[BradT0517]

http://travel.discovery.com/tv/1000-places/about.html