Experience Adventure By Susan Salaz
This spring, break away from routine retreats with a weekend to remember. With five destinations you can drive to in just a few hours, start planning now—because well-deserved adventures await.
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Louisville, Kentucky
Drive time: 2 hours Full of southern charm, the riverfront town of Louisville is an easy escape. Take a riverboat ride, sip your way through a bourbon tour, bike the Big Four Bridge into Jeffersonville, or for a quintessential thrill, don’t miss the annual Kentucky Derby horse race, happening this year on Saturday, May 7th. If you go, be sure to follow suit, fashionably speaking, with a fancy hat. We love the Formé Millinery Company, where owner and master milliner, Jenny Pfanenstiel (official milliner of the Kentucky Derby Museum) hand sculpts extraordinary headwear. |
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Brown County, Indiana
Drive time: 1 ½ hours With blooming redbud trees painting the roadside idyllic hues of pink and purple, spring is a beautiful time to hit the highways of southern Indiana. Most often thought of as a relaxing retreat, Brown County is also a premier destination for outdoor adventure. Rent a mountain bike from Brown County Bikes in Nashville and hit one of the many trails in the area, or kick your trip up a notch with a stop at eXplore Brown County for a zip-line tour through the tree canopy. |
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St. Joseph, Michigan
Drive time: 2 ½ hours Spring Break is always better at the beach, and the shores of Lake Michigan prove you don’t have to go south to put your toes in the sand. With beautiful beaches, a quaint shopping district, a vibrant dining scene and a century-old hand-carved carousel, St. Joseph has something for everyone. Plunge down the towering dunes or test your hang-gliding skills at nearby Warren Dunes State Park, and if it’s windy, thrill-seekers can get their feet wet with a kiteboard lesson from Tyler Spence at Stoke Riders kite school. |
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Hocking Hills, Ohio
Drive time: 3 ¾ hours With rolling hills and quiet grandeur, Hocking Hills State Park in southern Ohio offers visitors hiking trails that are otherworldly. With caves, stone tunnels, waterfalls and unique rock formations headlining the tour, Old Man’s Cave is not exactly a walk in the park, but the one-way loop is worth the effort. Afterwards, up your glamping game in an authentic treehouse at neighboring Hocking Hills Treehouse Cabins, where you can soak up the serenity of nature from a secluded wood-fired hot tub. |
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St. Louis, Missouri
Drive time: 4 hours When planning a weekend in the “Gateway to the West,” a trip to the top of the St. Louis Arch should rank high on your itinerary, but for a full day of fun, be sure to visit City Museum. What was once a 10-story shoe factory is now a massive art installation and playground (complete with a 10-story slide) in the heart of downtown. Featuring caves, a Ferris wheel, the St. Louis Art Center and local beers at the rooftop café. |