We're talking about a vacation this summer so we can plan ahead. My mother (who will pay for it) said she'd love to go to Yellowstone, but it looks like it's about a 24-hour drive for us. Still, I like the idea of going to a national park. We're in Indiana, so this image shows about the limits of where we're willing to drive. Maybe 14-15 hours at most, which puts most of the ones in the image in range.
However-
• We've already been to Indiana Dunes and Gateway Arch.
• My daughter is scared of caves, so Mammoth Cave is out.
Out of the rest, which would you most recommend so I can suggest it to my mother?
Is there anything not in Indiana that is within this area that you think is more worth visiting than a national park that also would take a decent amount of time to visit and see different things? (Not a city, obviously.)
Any advice appreciated. Thanks!
Isle royal isn’t very easy to visit. But the parks department operates 2 “national lakeshores” in MI that everyone should see. Sleeping bear dunes is west of traverse city and is super accessible and close to lots of lodging in TC. Pictured rocks is perhaps my favorite place on earth. But, driving up to the UP is a bit of a trek.
Just looked it up. From us to Copper Harbor (the farthest port) is less than 11 hours by car and I wouldn't really count the ferry in the travel time because that would be part of the experience, so honestly that doesn't sound too bad. Also, we'd drive through both Chicago and Milwaukee if we wanted something to do on the way there or back. It's not a terrible idea, although @Null's suggestion of the Smoky Mountains is appealing since I've driven through them and it was beautiful, but it would also be cool to go somewhere none of us have been. Thanks!
If you are considering either sleeping beat dunes or pictured rocks I would suggest taking the MI route instead of Wisconsin. Less traffic through Chicago and Milwaukee. The drive up the coast on US131 or US31 follows Lake Michigan the whole way and has beautiful scenery.
Voyageurs stood out to me as similar. It's a fishing, canoeing, "fuck off into the woods and get away from it all" kind of park. It's the opposite end of the spectrum from the Gateway Arch.