Why a road trip during Chicago Spring Break time?
There’s something about SPRING – be it the advent of blissful greens all around or the nippy weather still reminding us of the frigid cold which spanned months and giving us a vibe that we earned the clement temperatures.
Below pictures were taken few hours apart during our Chattanooga trip during Spring Break – goes to show Spring Break road trip from Chicago to down South could be highly lucrative, as long as you are willing to shake off the cabin fever and venture out.
I have made it an yearly Spring Break family tradition to take a road trip down south and now the kids eagerly look to shrug off winter blues.
Criteria for these road trips?
Chicago area has plenty of drivable options for the Spring Break but if catching some nice weather is on your agenda, you are looking at 5 hour+ driving South at least.
In ascending order of distance and trip duration:
1. St. Louis (Missouri) and Springfield (Illinois)
Distance: 270 miles.
ETA: 4+ hours.
Trip Duration: 3 days.
The full blog for the vivid St Louis trip is here.
Why visit?
St Louis is a tourist magnet for spring break travel thanks to a plethora of family-friendly activities, amicable spring weather and short-ish ride from Chicago. The most eminent being The Gateway Arch, of course.
Another must-visit attraction in St Louis is the City Kids Museum, also called Monstrocity, which has exhibits constructed from many eccentric products. Kids – young or old, would absolutely adore this one.
You can also merge St Louis trip with Springfield and see Illinois landmarks like The State Capital, Lincoln Museum, etc.
If the underground caves are your thing, Meramec Caverns are a must visit.
The Stalactite formations at Meramec Caverns
2. Louisville and Kentucky Road Trip
Distance: 300 miles.
ETA: 5-6 hours
Trip Duration: 2-3 days.
The full blog for my 2021 trip is here.
Bourbon is a big draw of course, courtesy Bardstown Bourbon
Why visit?
Louisville & the surrounding areas are a hidden gem – being at the centerpiece of the famed Kentucky Bourbon Trail, it is obviously a must visit for every bourbon connoisseur but that’s not all, it has plenty of other family-friendly touristy activities as well:
Louisville Mega Cavern offers underground zip-lines, walking and tram tours and is a huge hit among kids.
Nulu neighboorhood is a catnip for foodies and recognized as one of the best grubbing localities in the country.
Mammoth Caves National Park – the longest cave system in the world, is pretty near-by and highly recommended.
Lantern Tour at Mammoth Cave, Courtesy nps.gov
Kentucky Derby Museum and Churchill Downs Race Track are iconic destinations for all very ages and almost always have events going on.
Courtesy: Kentucky Derby
Louisville Sluggers Museum is a big draw for the baseball fans.
Walk of fame at the Slugger Museum, Courtesy Slugger Museum
3. Memphis
Distance: 550 miles.
ETA: 9 hours.
Trip Duration: 3-4 days.
Why visit?
Plentiful touristy Activities and relatively mild December temperatures. Here’s a short list –
Big River Trail – 70-miles of gorgeous biking trail across the Mississippi levee.
The picturesque Big River Trail, quite a feast for the biking enthusiasts
Big River Crossing – a mile-long sky bridge walk on Mississippi cutting through Tennessee and Arkansas with stunning views of the river.
Shelby Farms – Vast public urban park sprawling across 4500 acres, home to bison herd as well. Starry Nights event with dazzling 3.5 million lights is a major attraction during holiday season.
The iconic Beale Street – the home of the Blues and the true birthplace of Rock n Roll. The weather is usually very cooperative as well, amplifying the outdoor experience.
Lastly, you would find ravishing views of The Mighty Mississippi, all around Memphis, that alone is worth the visit!
Mesmerizing views on the Big River Trail. Photo courtesy, Big River Crossing
#MildlyInteresting – You hit the AR-TN state border half-way through the Big River Crossing
The Mighty Mississippi – As seen from the Riverfront Park in December
Beale Street – Live music, food and festive flavor all year
Shelby Farms: A must-visit fog-friendly public park for all ages. Courtesy: Shelby Farms
Starry Nights at Shelby Farms – Dazzling 3.5 million holiday lights. Courtesy: Shelby Farms
Tip: If you have more days, you can also hop over to Nashville or Chattanooga as part of the trip, they are hardly couple of hours away and have a ton of activities on offer.
4. Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
Distance: 650 miles.
ETA: 10 hours.
Trip Duration: 4 days.
The full blog for my 2021 trip is here.
Why visit?
Hot Springs National Park is my favored Spring Break destination – the temperatures are moderate, there are plenty of astonishing natural and man-made touristy bits on offer and it is not wildly crazy like Florida. Truly, Hot Springs is a hidden gem when it comes to Chicago Spring Break travel.
The drive, around 10 hours, is a bit of a stretch if you are not used to long drives but it is actually quite gratifying once you get out of Illinois, especially when you navigate through Mark Twain National Forest (that’s what motivated me for Ozark Camping Trip few months later).
The geothermal natural waters of Hot Springs have been drawing crowds from the time of native Americans. The city also boasts of a dedicated baseball trail featuring the activities of baseball legends like Babe Ruth.
Other attractions are Talimena Scenic Drive; Ouachita National Forest – a must-visit for Ziplining, Hiking, Biking and Waterfall enthusiasts and finally, Hot Springs Mountain Tower.
I found this link helpful to plan your travel. Some pictures to whet your appetite:
5. Chattanooga (Tennessee)
Distance: 600 miles.
ETA: 10 hours with couple of short breaks.
Trip Duration: 4 days.
Why visit?
Chattanooga is a terrific catch-all destination for family – be it the Rock City, famous for the 7-states lookout point, Ruby Falls, Lookout Mountain (known for the epic Civil War battle), Incline Railway (one of the steepest funicular railway incline in the world, big hit with the kids) or the myriad of trails for the nature lovers.
Not to mention, the sweeping views at the Scenic Overlooks – Sunset Rock Viewpoint, Incline Railway Top Station.
Scenic Overlook, Courtesy southeasttennessee.com
Check out the full blog for more details.
You gotta stay at the cabins to relish true Southern hospitality. Courtesy: Evolve
The swanky pool table. Courtesy: Evolve
Ravishing cityscape and the Tennessee River, as seen from the Lookout Mountain
The Rock City was definitely a marquee point of the trip – the mile long hike with gazillion props, expansive views of the lookout mountain, a fun wobbly rope bridge, the constricted pathways; a sublime place for the photo-ops.
Scenic point near the waterfall
One of many many queer props
You have to squeeze through many cramped pathways
Ruby Falls – an underground waterfall with stalactites, Stalagmites, Capillary Tubes attract bazillion tourists each year.
Chattanooga houses one of the steepest funicular railways in the world and it did not disappoint at all, rather a must-visit for sure!
6. National Cherry Blossom Festival at Washington DC
Distance: 730 miles.
ETA: 12 hours.
Trip Duration: 4-5 days.
Why visit?
National Cherry Blossom Festival, DC’s historic landmarks and acclaimed museums, Smithsonian Zoological Park (One of three zoos in US which have giant panda).
The National Cherry Blossom Festival has a rich backstory – the yearly fest commemorates the gift of actual Japanese cherry trees from the Mayor of Tokyo city to the D.C. Mayor Ozaki before the Second World War, to enhance the growing friendship between the United States and Japan. Of course, the relations turned much sour later as history tells us.
It is truly exhilarating to see a myriad of them in full bloom.
Courtesy, National Cherry Blossom Festival
D.C. offers a multitude of world-class museums, most of which are free. Lastly, DC’s zoo is amazing as well, although I believe they lost the giant pandas recently to China. Some pictorial evidence:
Red Panda at the zoo is a sure-short crowd puller
Giant Pandas were taken back by China (as of Jan 2024)
The magnificent World War-II Memorial is a must-visit as well
Amelia Earhart’s iconic spot at National Air and Space Museum
Lincoln – Towering above all
That’s it, hope this kindles the desire to take your own spring break road trip.
Windings to Unwind 
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