Weekend road trip, where to?

[BugI02]

Hey guys, I've been thinking of taking a weekend road trip, not thinking of stopping anywhere, just driving to places I've never been, staying overnight and driving back home.
Yeah, I know, gas prices but what the heck.

My neighbor suggested south from Indy to Kentucky and Tennessee, off Interstate, using back roads that many bikers take for cruising. Sounds good, but where to go. Not looking for big towns, just a relaxing drive to enjoy.

Any suggestions?

Traverse City, MI area. Maybe 13 and 15 to M-40 just inside MI a bit east of Elkhart, pick up M-31 in Holland and M-22 just outside Manistee. Several options to get to Traverse

From IND to TC just over 400 miles. Plenty of hotels of all price points in TC and many good restaurants

 

[BugI02]

Are you still driving a van with a jacked up transmission? That may limit you’re road trip options.

Hater

 

[BugI02]

I just came back from Madison, Wisconsin a few weeks ago, DON'T go through Chicago, I would suggest I-74 to Bloomington, Illinois and I-39 on up then back east to Milwaukee.

I had never encountered a toll road and when I came up on one in Chicago I didn't understand what to do at highway speeds and went on through not knowing. Well I got a ticket last week in the mail for $42.50 so I'll not be going back to Illinois.

Next time obscure your plate with dried mud. It's based on camera enforcement

 

[chezuki]

Hater

Hey you can only go so far in a weekend at 30mph.

 

[femurphy77]

Air museum in Dayton? That's on our list.

 

[AtTheMurph]

East side of Lake Michigan. Great beaches, towns, sand dunes, overlooks, etc.

 

[flightsimmer]

Hey you can only go so far in a weekend at 30mph.

Oh it's fixed now, my daughter likes it so much she's got it now, not for long I hope.

 

[USRifle30Cal]

Air museum in Dayton? That's on our list.

I second this.

My buddy and I went there a couple of years ago when we both managed to have the same weekend free of other responsibilities.

We are both in our middle 40s and we had a blast.

I guess this is only a really good suggestion if you like military airplanes, and space, and stuff.

 

[flightsimmer]

I second this.

My buddy and I went there a couple of years ago when we both managed to have the same weekend free of other responsibilities.

We are both in our middle 40s and we had a blast.

I guess this is only a really good suggestion if you like military airplanes, and space, and stuff.

Yes, I've been there. Flew over to Dayton many times. Neat place.
I especially liked the F-86 Sabre, it's always been my favorite, the right half was covered with panels but the left side were taken off so you could see the insides, cool.
I got to see a flying F-86 at Mount Comfort airport. He parked next to me while he was re-fueling and showed me around the plane, that was cool too.
Then when I was at Champaign, Illinois a Mig-15 landed for re-fueling and I managed to get to talk to that pilot also and watched him take off before I did. Ah, the memories.

 

[flightsimmer]

East side of Lake Michigan. Great beaches, towns, sand dunes, overlooks, etc.

I've flown over the Dunes several times, thought about driving there sometime.
Thanks.

 

[KittySlayer]

Just remembered the Rock and Roll Museum in Cleveland. Been over a decade since I was there but an impressive place of you like music.

 

[flightsimmer]

Just remembered the Rock and Roll Museum in Cleveland. Been over a decade since I was there but an impressive place of you like music.

Yes I do.

Cleveland was the first airport I ever had to make a right hand approach from out over the lake, they don't like you coming in over the city if they can prevent it.

 

[kickbacked]

the air museum in dayton is at wright-patterson AFB. It is pretty awesome

 

[wcd]

Nashville, great place to see how a liberal government has destroyed a town with former Southern Charm. Complete with homeless camps etc. What’s not to like?

In all seriousness highly recommend Chattanooga, especially if you like Ghost tours, Rock city, Incline Rail Road etc.

 

[jhparsons78]

French Lick is fun- even if you are not a gambler.

 

[flightsimmer]

French Lick is fun- even if you are not a gambler.

Yeah, I spent some time down there when I was a late teen. A friend of mine had a place over by, I think, Oolitic, In? I'd have to look at a map to be sure.
No, it was Paoli, Orleans, French Lick and West Baden, boy, those were fun times.
Wait a minute, yeah, Oolitic is just a stone's throw N.W. of Bedford in the same general area.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

St. Louis is an easy weekend trip. The zoo is huge and free. Park at Turtle Park, which is also free, and walk to the zoo. There's several restaurants in easy walking distance, as well as a larger park and art museum. The Missouri Botanical Gardens are nice. Budweiser tour, the Arch, steamboat rides, an art garden with huge statuary that's free, lots to do. We usually stay at the Drury Inn when we go, decent neighborhood, easy access to interstates, etc.

On your way there's a restaurant just before you get to St. Louis. Blue Springs Cafe. Stop and get the fried chicken and a slice of pie.

Shaved Duck is a fun BBQ restaurant, but it's in a "transitional" neighborhood. Not the sort of place you're likely to get stabbed, but don't leave anything of value visible in your car sort of transitional.

*****

Nashville is a bit longer drive, but as mentioned you can hit Mammoth Cave and Corvette Museum during the trip. Prince's Hot Chicken - South. Go there. Obviously lots of country music related stuff to do. Johnny Cash museum was a personal favorite. A replica of the Parthenon in a large park. Decent zoo.

****

Natural Bridge Resort in Kentucky if you like to hike. Burn a bunch of calories then hit Claudia Sanders Cafe on the way home to undo all your hard work.

 

[flightsimmer]

St. Louis is an easy weekend trip. The zoo is huge and free. Park at Turtle Park, which is also free, and walk to the zoo. There's several restaurants in easy walking distance, as well as a larger park and art museum. The Missouri Botanical Gardens are nice. Budweiser tour, the Arch, steamboat rides, an art garden with huge statuary that's free, lots to do. We usually stay at the Drury Inn when we go, decent neighborhood, easy access to interstates, etc.

On your way there's a restaurant just before you get to St. Louis. Blue Springs Cafe. Stop and get the fried chicken and a slice of pie.

Shaved Duck is a fun BBQ restaurant, but it's in a "transitional" neighborhood. Not the sort of place you're likely to get stabbed, but don't leave anything of value visible in your car sort of transitional.

*****

Nashville is a bit longer drive, but as mentioned you can hit Mammoth Cave and Corvette Museum during the trip. Prince's Hot Chicken - South. Go there. Obviously lots of country music related stuff to do. Johnny Cash museum was a personal favorite. A replica of the Parthenon in a large park. Decent zoo.

****

Natural Bridge Resort in Kentucky if you like to hike. Burn a bunch of calories then hit Claudia Sanders Cafe on the way home to undo all your hard work.

Well it will be a while before I can do any hiking, I'm getting my right knee replaced this coming Monday.
And I've been to St. Louis, Downtown Parks airport I believe on more than one occasion and yes they have a great zoo in St. Louis.

 

[flightsimmer]

I think I'm close to finding a weekend trip. We have always wanted to visit the Creation Museum so we could take
US-52 down towards Cincinnati, Ohio and get on I-275 S. to the museum, it's not far, then go west and pick up
US-421 into Kentucky then route 50 west to route 62 to US-421and 421 to Madison, In. then south on 421 to Frankfort, KY then west on 60 to Shelbyville, KY. Then north on route 55 north until you pick up US-421 north and back home.

I think I got that right. I'll have to zero in on it and make sure. We could get a room in Frankfort or Shelbyville, KY. for the night.

 

[Bill2905]

I have motorcycled a lot of miles through Kentucky and southern Indiana over the years. I think you will enjoy the route you have outlined here. Stay off the interstate and away from the cities and it's hard to go wrong.