Whether you’re looking for some time with mother nature, seeking busy city nights with live music, you’re a roller coaster enthusiast or you want to focus your trip on bourbon tasting and history, there are plenty of exciting destinations to choose from — all within 5 hours of Cincinnati.
Mammoth Cave National Park 1 Mammoth Cave Parkway Mammoth Cave, Ky. Distance: 3 hours Mammoth Cave, the largest cave system known in the world (400+ miles to be exact), is just a 3-hour drive south of Cincinnati. The park offers tours of the caves, hikes, canoeing on the Green River, horseback riding, camping and much more. Photo via Facebook.com/MammothCaveNPS
Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum 1763 Hamilton Cleves Road, Hamilton Distance: 45 minutes This sculpture park sits on over 300 acres and features more than 60 outdoor sculptures which can be seen throughout the many hiking trails, lakes, trees, hills and meadows. Photo via Facebook.com/PyramidHillSculpturePark
Red River Gorge Robbie Ridge Road, Stanton, Ky. Distance: 2 hours and 15 minutes In east-central Kentucky, you’ll find the Red River Gorge, where the land is rich with sandstone cliffs, waterfalls, natural bridges and trails that draw in hundreds of hikers and campers every year. The large amount of sandstone has made “the Red” one of the most popular rock climbing destinations in the world. You also can’t forget to stop by Miguel’s Pizza on Natural Bridge Road while you’re there — a Red River Gorge tradition. Photo via Facebook.com/OfficialRedRiverGorge
Rabbit Hash, Kentucky 10021 Lower River Road, Burlington, Ky. Distance: 45 minutes A scenic, 45 minute drive southwest takes you to Rabbit Hash, known for its historic general store and electing dogs as its mayor. Rabbit Hash General Store was known as “the best known and best preserved country store in Kentucky”, until it was destroyed by a fire in 2016, later to be restored and reopened in April 2017. Photo via Hailey Bollinger
Bass Islands Distance: 3 hours and 45 minutes + ferry ride to island Just north of Sandusky, Ohio, you’ll find North Bass Island, Middle Bass Island, and South Bass Island, surrounded by the beautiful water of Lake Erie. The Bass Islands are small in size, but there’s more than enough to do with state parks, boating, water sports, eating and shopping. North Bass Island, however, is only open for camping. Put-In-Bay, located on South Bass Island, is considered “The Key West of the North” and has a great nightlife scene and many places with live entertainment. To get there, you’ll have to take a ferry, boat or plane, but these little islands are worth the trip. Photo via Facebook.com/PutInBayOhio Photo: Facebook.com/PutInBayOhio
African Safari Wildlife Park 267 S Lightner Road, Port Clinton, Ohio Distance: 3 hours and 45 minutes Transport to another world at the African Safari Wildlife Park, where you have access to wild animals like you never have before — from your car. While you’re here, you can drive around the conservation area to view and even feed some of your favorite animals in a more natural habitat and not in cages. Photo via Facebook.com/AfricanSafariWildlifePark
Hocking Hills State Park 19852 OH-664, Logan, Ohio Distance: 2 hours and 30 minutes Hocking Hills State Park has five different sections within the 9,000+ acres of land to explore. Millions of guests embrace the forest year-round by hiking, rock climbing, canoeing and camping on one of the 200 campsites in the area. A must-see is Ash Cave, an out-of-this-world rock formation that just so happens to be the biggest recess cave in the state. Photo via Facebook.com/HockingHillsStatePark Photo: facebook.com/HockingHillsStatePark
Louisville, Kentucky Distance: 1 hour and 35 minutes Louisville is Kentucky’s most populated city with an endless amount of things to do year-round. Visit the historic Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory where they have been making the famous Louisville Slugger bats since 1884. Bask in historic architecture in the Historic Old Louisville neighborhood, the nation’s largest group of Victorian mansions. Or, if you’re visiting during the first week of May, you have to experience “The Most Exciting Two Minutes In Sports” at the world famous Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Derby Festival. Photo via Facebook.com/KentuckyDerby Photo: Facebook.com/KentuckyDerby
Columbus, Ohio Distance: 2 hours Columbus, Ohio’s state capital and home of The Ohio State University, is a great weekend getaway spot. There’s a great collection of outdoor parks — some popular ones include Scioto Audubon Metro Park, Franklin Park and Goodale Park. For educational attractions, check out the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium or COSI (Center for Science and Industry), an award-winning science center with more than 300 interactive exhibits. Photo via Facebook.com/ExperienceColumbus
Lake Cumberland Distance: 3 hours and 30 minutes Lake Cumberland is another tourist favorite in southern Kentucky. This huge reservoir is the place to be on a warm, sunny day for boating, fishing, jet skiing or just cooling off in the water. You can stay in a houseboat, cabin, hotel or camp. Photo via Facebook.com/LakeCumberlandKY
Cleveland, Ohio Distance: 4 hours Cleveland has something to do every day of the week and is only a 4-hour drive from Cincinnati. If you are a football, basketball, baseball or hockey fan, Cleveland always has a team you can cheer on. You can also visit the Cleveland Museum of Art, one of the best museums in the country. Outside of the city, there are 18 Metroparks that have 300 miles of hiking trails and lake access when you need a break from the city. Photo via Facebook.com/ThisisCleveland
Ohio Caverns 2210 OH-245, West Liberty, Ohio Distance: 2 hours The Ohio Caverns is the largest cave system in Ohio and contains a plethora of crystal formations throughout this 35 acre park. The cavern stays at 54 degrees year-round and people from all around the world come to discover different colors and formations including The Crystal King, the largest stalactite in Ohio. Photo via Facebook.com/OhioCaverns
Nashville, Tennessee Distance: 4 hours and 30 minutes Nashville is a legendary city less than a 5-hour drive from Cincinnati. Whatever brings you there — the music, historic buildings, Broadway — there’s always something going on. You can see a show at the Grand Ole Opry, a historic music stage dating all the way back to 1925 where some of Country music’s most well-known artists have played. Or visit The Parthenon, a full-size replica of the original Greek landmark in Athens that’s also one of Nashville’s most popular art museums. Photo via Facebook.com/Nashvillecom
Cedar Point 1 Cedar Point Drive, Sandusky, Ohio Distance: 4 hours Cedar Point is the second oldest amusement park in the country located in Sandusky. The park has a record breaking 71 rides that bring millions of guests in each year. The multiple award-winning park is just a 4-hour drive from Cincinnati. Photo via Facebook.com/CedarPoint
Keeneland Race Track 4201 Versailles Road, Lexington, Ky. Distance: 1 hour and 20 minutes In the heart of the Bluegrass state, you’ll find Keeneland Race Track, a beloved Kentucky thoroughbred racing tradition that dates all the way back to 1939. The picturesque grounds are open year-round for tours. Racing takes place in April and October, where visitors can place bets, enjoy a nice Mint Julep, and see what the South is really all about. Photo via Facebook.com/Keeneland Photo: Facebook.com/Keeneland
Hoosier National Forest 811 Constitution Ave., Bedford, Ind. Distance: 2 hours and 10 minutes Just over in south-central Indiana is where you can find Hoosier National Forest. The 203,000-acre forest is a great place to hike, camp, ride horses, fish and bike. This massive piece of land has lots of special attractions including Patoka Lake, which is the second largest reservoir in the country. Photo via Facebook.com/HoosierNF Photo: Facebook.com/HoosierNF
Buffalo Trace Bourbon Distillery 113 Great Buffalo Trace, Frankfort, Ky. Distance: 1 hour and 30 minutes Known for their bourbon whiskey, this dog-friendly distillery offers up multiple tasting and history tours. Once night falls, you can even opt to explore its ~spooky~ and haunted past. Make it a weekend at Elkhorn Campground, only a 10-minute drive from Buffalo Trace. Private and RV-friendly, this cozy site is located on the banks of a creek and has a stocked general store onsite, a pool, putt-putt and more. Photo via BuffaloTraceDistillery.com
Gatlinburg, Tennessee Distance: 4 hours and 45 minutes The wildfires that devastated Gatlinburg in 2016 did no harm to the town’s enthusiastic spirit. Gatlinburg is still full of fun activities and adventures for everyone. There are outdoor activities, family attractions, breweries, live entertainment, art galleries and more. A popular spot is Pigeon Forge, which has go-kart tracks, mini golf, restaurants and Dollywood; Country singer Dolly Parton’s Appalachian-themed park, which has over two million visitors every year. Photo via Facebook.com/MyPigeonForgeTN
Dayton, Ohio Distance: 1 hour Only about an hour away from Cincy, some notable attractions here are the Dayton Art Institute and the National Museum of the US Air Force, which has more than 360 aircrafts and missiles to view. The city also has great restaurants, breweries, shopping, parks and outdoor recreation. Photo via Facebook.com/DaytonCVB
Big Bone Lick State Park 3380 Beaver Road, Union, Ky. Distance: 45 minutes Big Bone Lick State Park, “the birthplace of American paleontology,” offers several nature trails for hiking, camping, picnicking, indoor and outdoor fossil exhibitions, American art, a 1,000 mastodon skull and even its own small herd of bison. Photo via Facebook.com/BigBoneLickSHS
Chicago Distance: 4 hours and 35 minutes Chicago, home to some of the country’s most successful artists and entertainers, is just a drive through Indiana away. The Windy City sits right on Lake Michigan, and the endless list of activities makes it an excellent getaway for a weekend. You can relax at the beach and play sand volleyball with the locals or take a two-wheeled ride through the extremely bikeable neighborhoods. There are also various boat tours that lead you through the city via canal, giving you a glimpse into the history and architecture of Chicago. With attractions such as Millennium Park, the Museum of Modern Art and Navy Pier, a day downtown is sure to give you your big city fix. Photo via Pexels.com
Asheville, North Carolina Distance: 6 hours A little further of a drive from Cincinnati is Asheville in western North Carolina, a lively area for the arts, brewery enthusiasts and classic architecture. Located in the state’s beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, it has become a very popular vacation destination. One of the most popular attractions is the Biltmore Estate, the largest privately-owned home in the country, where there are tours, a museum, and a rich history. Photo via Facebook.com/Asheville Photo: Facebook.com/Asheville

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