Within driving distance of any major Ohio city are giant sand dunes to be scaled, turquoise lake waters framed by towering cliffs and plunging waterfalls to be explored. Narrow cave passages barely bigger than a man's torso to be squeezed through. Mountain peaks to be scrambled and summited and sat upon, sweaty and exhilarated, with a backpacked lunch while enjoying 360-degree views – the best kind of picnic.
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Adventure surrounds Ohio in the form of many national parks and lakeshores. Many of these parks are well under a half day's drive away. Some of them are longer but can be combined with other parks on the list for a longer road trip if long-distance drives in the car aren't your thing.
So here they are, nine national parks and lakeshores drivable from Cincinnati.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Ohio
From Cincinnati: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Gorgeous, towering waterfalls, ledges and deep forest treks can be found in Ohio's only national park, nestled between Cleveland and Akron.
About 100 waterfalls lie within the park's borders, and they've been ranked among the best in the U.S.
Brandywine Falls is not only the tallest in the park at 65 feet, it's the tallest in Northeast Ohio. This spectacular site is also one of the most popular in the park, so beginning the 1.5-mile trek early in the morning or late in the day is advised to avoid the crowds.
Skip the waterfalls altogether and hike the Ledges Trail, a path that meanders through towering rock formations. More than 125 miles of hiking trails lie within the park.
Where to stay: There are several campgrounds nearby, and standard chain lodging can be found off the interstates surrounding the park. Cleveland is just under 30 minutes from the park, and Akron is about 15 minutes away.
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
West Virginia
From Cincinnati: 5 hours, 3 minutes
With its newly minted status as a national park, highlighter ink has been drawn over this gorgeous region of steeply sloping canyons descending into the river. According to WV Public Broadcasting, the park saw a record number of visitors in 2021 at 1.7 million, a 600,000 increase from 2020.
Possibly the park's most famous landmark is the New River Gorge Bridge, the longest steel bridge in the Western Hemisphere. If you head to the park on the third Saturday of October for Bridge Day, the bridge is open for a big party. Pedestrians, vendors, BASE jumpers and rappelers line the bridge for a day of festivities.
Another dramatic site: Grandview, which looks over a horseshoe bend in the New River from 1,400 feet. It makes for a spectacular picnic spot, and with five trailheads, a perfect jump-off point for a day of hiking the Grandview Area Trails, which offer 6 miles of hiking and the best views in the park.
Where to stay: The nearby town of Fayetteville has lodging options, as well as shopping and dining. Plenty of cabins are available to rent near the park, too. For something more adventurous, there are a few treehouses for rent in the area.
Shenandoah National Park
Virginia
From Cincinnati: 6 hours, 51 minutes
Ohio adventurers looking for mountains within driving distance and who want to skip the manic, touristy atmosphere surrounding the Great Smoky Mountains might want to consider Shenandoah National Park.
This patch of the Blue Ridge Mountains is also flowing with waterfalls and stunning views. The Skyline Drive alone is a full-day adventure at 105 miles long and with 75 overlooks as it winds along the peaks of the range. The drive gets especially showy in the fall when the mountains come alive in autumn color.
And hikers rejoice: there are more than 500 miles of trails in this park to choose from.
For a challenge: the 9.5-mile Old Rag Mountain Loop Trail, touted repeatedly on AllTrails as worth the hype and "brutally awesome," get ready to scramble rocks, but bask in 360-degree views.
Where to stay: There's camping near the park, but not much else. If you're into more comfy accommodations, Harrisonburg lies 30 miles west, and Charlottesville is south of the park. Some bed and breakfasts and a couple chain inns occupy the little town of Luray, which is just under 10 miles from the park.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Tennessee/North Carolina
From Cincinnati: 4 hours, 30 minutes
Probably the most popular, touristy and most crowded park on the list, the Great Smoky Mountains is a highly customizable trip. Make it a foodie trip with the myriad of restaurants in the area (the Pancake Pantry is my go-to. It hasn't changed since I was a kid). Go moonshine and wine sampling at the many stops along the Gatlinburg strip. Play at arcades and go-kart tracks, aquariums and silly museums in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Or get away from the crowds as quickly as possible and into the peaceful mountains that seem worlds away from the touristy stuff.
There are countless great trails in the area. For the more adventurous, the hike to the top of Mount Le Conte is iconic, and you can stay in the highest lodge in the eastern U.S. on the peak.
The less ruggedly outdoorsy among us can check out Clingman's Dome, the highest point in the park and third-highest east of the Mississippi River at 6,643 feet, and features a paved path to an impressive view. Countless smaller, easy paths can be found throughout the park, too, featuring waterfalls (Laurel Falls and Grotto Falls among them).
Where to stay: Lodging abounds. From cheap, retro motels in the middle of the hustle and bustle to luxurious cabins on the mountainside or away from town. Take your pick.
Indiana Dunes National Park
Indiana
From Cincinnati: 4 hours, 15 minutes
You don't have to go all the way to Florida for a beach day. Just a three-year-old national park, the pretty beaches of Indiana Dunes stretch along 15 miles of the shoreline of Lake Michigan. It's not just sand and shore either: 15,000 acres of woodlands, prairies, savannas, bogs and wetlands are also in the park.
In addition to the obvious beach and swimming activities, Indiana Dunes has 37 miles of bike trails and 50 miles of hiking trails. There are horseback riding opportunities, too.
Outside the park, watercraft adventures abound (no motorized boats are allowed within park boundaries). Two-hour, ranger-led boat tours are available, as well as kayak and jet ski rentals.
Where to stay: Standard lodging dots the area, including in nearby Michigan City with the East Pierhead Lighthouse, a beautiful light right on a pier, outlet shopping and dining. Or just head one hour west and see the sites in Chicago.
Gettysburg National Military Park
Pennsylvania
From Cincinnati: 7 hours, 30 minutes
The more than 6,000-acre grounds of the Battle of Gettysburg, the turning point in the Civil War and the most devastating of the war, remain protected by the National Park Service, and visiting the park is both a stunning and illuminating experience.
I am not one for audio tours, or tours in general, but I highly recommend downloading the self-guided audio tour app for your vehicle and playing it as you drive through and explore the park. It brings the landscape to life.
I did not expect my visit to this park to be as impactful and immersive as it was. The scenery alone is gorgeous, but as the audio plays, the beauty of the landscape mixes with a somber eeriness.
Where to stay: The nearby town of Gettysburg, or extend the trip to Philadelphia (if you're into driving long distances). You can also stay in the Bushman House, which witnessed the Battle of Gettysburg, within the park. Just check to see if it's open; it was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mammoth Cave National Park
Kentucky
From Cincinnati: 3 hours
The world's longest known cave system winds and bends underneath the surface of Kentucky for at least 420 miles (that's what's been mapped, at least).
Spelunking opportunities abound in Mammoth, and range everywhere from family-friendly guided group tours of 1.5 miles to the strenuous 4-hour Wild Cave Tour, which will have you doing some real caving: the kind that requires a helmet and padding and crawling through 10-inch-tall-by-3-foot-wide crevices and inching along precarious ledges.
If army-crawling through tight spaces many feet underground is a big "no" for you, there are about a dozen other tours to choose from. The popular Historic Tour takes visitors through the Rotunda, one of the largest rooms in Mammoth Cave.
Where to stay: There is a lodge in the park and plenty of standard chain lodging nearby, and of course camping and cabin options. For something a little more special, there's Grand Victorian Inn in Park City. Families with kids (and grown-up kids, too) might want to check out nearby Dinosaur World, a park that features hundreds of life-sized replicas of dinosaurs. The interactive and hands-on Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo is close too.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Michigan
From Cincinnati: 7 hours, 45 minutes
Star Wars fans: remember when Rey sleds down the massive sand dune in "The Force Awakens?" These are those kinds of dunes, and you can do just that, but only when it snows, and in designated areas.
The Sleeping Bear Dunes, which rise 450 feet above the lake, are totally climbable, however. But be advised: the Dune Climb is steep and strenuous. The hike can be continued through the dunes (which involves more climbing) all the way to Lake Michigan. It takes about 4 hours. Read this advice before undertaking this adventure.
If you're not up for a leg-burning workout, consider biking or strolling all or part of the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail, a 27-mile paved path. Or check out one of many other hikes, including the easy 1.4-mile loop of the Cottonwood Trail, which still affords beautiful views.
Where to stay: Make the small lake town of Empire, Michigan, your base, or the larger but still very quaint Traverse City. There are plenty of campgrounds around, too.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
From Cincinnati: 9 hours, 22 minutes
Sure, not everyone will be up for this lengthy road trip, but if long drives are your thing, there are not many destinations as remote, peaceful and laid back as Upper Peninsula Michigan (the U.P. for those who know. It's perfect for unplugging. Pro tip: break up the trip and stop at Sleeping Bear Dunes along the way.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore looks like something transplanted either from the Pacific Northwest or the Caribbean, with its cliffs towering above turquoise water and shipwrecks scattered about. The dramatic Bridalveil Falls and Spray Falls plunge from the cliffs into the lake. The more adventurous can book a kayak tour of the cliffs. Looking to relax? Charter a lunch cruise.
On the shore, there is more to see than the cliffs, including about 100 miles of trails to explore, and even more waterfalls, including the 75-foot Sable Falls, accessible via an easy .6-mile trail. The impressive Grand Sable Dunes also lie within the lakeshore and are totally hikeable. There's nothing quite like ascending a sandy trail among groves of pine trees to a massive sand dune peak overlooking a sea of massive sand dunes and a great lake.
A half dozen beaches line the shores in Pictured Rocks. Some require a little hiking, others are easy access from a parking lot. Beware: there are no lifeguards at these beaches, there are rip currents on the lake, and water temps rarely surpass the 60s.
Where to stay: The very sleepy Grand Marais has lodging options, and a few dining spots, including a brewery. There's a pretty beach in town, too. Munising is more bustling. Or stay away from the towns and unplug in a remote cabin or cottage.
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