For Northern Kentuckians, the holiday season is generally the busiest of the year, with party planning, shopping, traveling, and get-togethers stacked on top of your daily schedule.
Luckily, if you’re looking to escape and relax after it all, LINK nky has found five destinations within a five-hour drive that would make for a great weekend vacation.
The destinations feature recreation options for everyone, such as urban exploration, live music, museums, public art, hiking, and camping.
Nashville
Distance: 4.5-hour drive
Nashville is only a four-and-a-half-hour car ride from Northern Kentucky, making it the perfect weekend trip destination if live music and nightlife are on your to-do list. Nashville possesses one of the most iconic bar districts in the United States, along with Broadway.
The Music City is also famous for, you guessed it, country music. The Grand Ole Opry, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and the Ryman Auditorium are among its most famous attractions.
Chicago
Distance: 4.5 to 5-hour drive
Only a 4.5 to 5-hour drive away, the Windy City is closer than you might expect. Long considered the economic and cultural center of the American Midwest, Chicago boasts an array of recreational offerings, including food, music, nightlife and urban exploration.
Whether you’re visiting Millennium Park, Lake Michigan, the Art Institute of Chicago, or Navy Pier, Chicago will keep you busy. Spend your day surrounded by some of the country’s most famous skyscrapers, the Willis Tower, while enjoying a deep-dish pizza.
Just make sure you don’t forget a coat!
Red River Gorge State Park
Distance: 2 to 2.5-hour drive
Want to escape to the city or the suburbs in favor of the natural environment this holiday season? There’s a convenient option that’s around two hours away.
Red River Gorge, one of Kentucky’s most visited state parks, provides people with a bevy of outdoor activities. Once you’ve moved into your cabin or finished setting up your campsite, your outdoor adventure is about to begin.
Featuring stunning rock formations and thick forests, Red River Gorge is a perfect place for rock climbing, hiking, ziplining, and kayaking. Once you’ve tired out, stop into Miguel’s Pizza in Slade for a bite.
Mammoth Cave National Park
Distance: Approximately 3-hour drive
Kentucky’s only national park is home to the world’s longest-known cave system, making it the perfect destination for outdoor activities like exploring and hiking.
You can choose from several different cave tours, each offering a unique experience. For more adventurous types, the six-hour Wild Cave Tour is an option. Participants will be put to the test by climbing, crawling, and traversing small spaces. For a more laid-back experience, take the Historic Tour and view the cave system’s famous Rotunda and Bottomless Pit.
Pittsburgh
Distance: 4.5 to 5-hour drive
Vacationing in Pittsburgh? Wait, wait — don’t click off, hear me out! Let’s put football rivalries aside for a second.
The Steel City offers visitors diverse activities, from public art to historical landmarks, restaurants and museums. Pittsburgh was once home to industrialist Andrew Carnegie, who has museums of Natural History, Art and Science in the city. Famous pop artist Andy Warhol also has a museum where you can view his films, paintings, and other memorabilia.
Since Pittsburgh is located in a valley, take the Duquesne Incline or Monongahela Incline, two of the city’s operational funicular railways, up to the highlands to get the best skyline views.