Mammoth Cave's Rafinesque Hall
Cuyahoga Valley: Ohio
2 hours from Columbus
Take a walk down the Towpath Trail, which shadows the historic Ohio & Erie Canal.
Mammoth Cave: Kentucky
5 hours from Columbus
Take a tour to learn about Mammoth Cave’s exciting history and see its most famous formations.
Great Smoky Mountains: North Carolina/Tennessee
6 hours from Columbus
Take to the trail and watch for the park’s magnificent wildflowers in spring.
Badlands National Park's Sheep Mountain Table
Shenandoah: Virginia
6 hours from Columbus
Experience panoramic views of Virginia’s rolling hills.
Congaree: South Carolina
8 hours from Columbus
Paddle 50 miles down the Congaree River to travel from the state capital to the park’s interior.
Hot Springs: Arkansas
12 hours from Columbus
Travel to central Arkansas for the soothing effects of this area’s natural hot springs.
Shenandoah
Isle Royale: Michigan
13 hours from Columbus
Scuba dive to explore some of Lake Superior’s historic shipwrecks.
Voyageurs: Minnesota
15 hours from Columbus
Enjoy the Northern lights on two of Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes.
Acadia: Maine
16 hours from Columbus
Be one of the first in the country to watch the sunrise.
Badlands: South Dakota
17 hours from Columbus
Experience sweeping views of the colorful rock formations scattered across the prairie while watching for bison and bighorn sheep.
Valerie Mauger is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.