Top 4 Nature-Loving Family Road Trips

Spring is in the air, which means it's time to get outside! Scenery and back-to-basics family fun take center stage on these cheap, outdoorsy family road trips:

Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
Amid the backdrop of the breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountains, this 105-mile stretch of highway (itself a section of the 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway) is dotted with exits to kid-friendly hiking trails. Inexpensive campgrounds and cabin-style resorts make for a budget-friendly family vacation.

Asheville, North Carolina, to Gatlinburg, Tennessee
This beautiful two-hour drive passes right through Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Campgrounds are plentiful in the area, as are laid-back lodging options like cabin rentals and motels.

Sacramento, California, to Reno, Nevada
Breathtaking mountain driving guarantees this trip’s “wow” factor, and there are plenty of reasons to stop along the way, like learning about the ill-fated Donner Party and other pioneers at the Emigrant Trail Museum off of 1-80 west of Truckee. Camp in Donner Memorial State Park, or take advantage of one of the many lodging options in Lake Tahoe.

The Olympic Peninsula, Washington
Just two hours from Seattle, this natural wonderland includes diverse terrain, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, rainforests, mountains, and valleys… not to mention the Pacific coast. Choose from a variety of lodges, motels, resorts, and inns, or stay at one of the peninsula’s many campgrounds.

-- Text by Meagan Francis

Photo credit: Swimming hole in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia (National Park Service)

Comments

[Ruby @ Science Camp]

These are really wonderful ideas! Nothing beats the nature for a little downtime with the family. It's also a great way to get them to unplug from the busy city.

[Kryptic]

I traveled to the Olympic Peninsula (WA) last summer and I cannot wait to return. It is one of the most beautifully breathtaking places I have ever been to. A must see!!