Popular places to get away
These destinations within driving distance from Chattanooga were among the most popular with U.S. travels in 2015 :Myrtle Beach (ranked 13th)New Orleans (ranked 14th)Atlanta (ranked 17th)Nashville (ranked 25th)Savannah (ranked 29th)Charleston (ranked 39th)
By the numbers
94 percent of U.S. families take at least one family trip per year.People who travel with kids spend 2.5 times more than couples traveling without them.91 percent of responding adults said some of their best memories are from vacation, and 70 percent said their absolute favorite childhood memory was from a vacation.80 percent of people who take vacations regularly report being happier because of those trips.82 percent said they get more pleasure from vacation than from possessions.Source: Expedia survey of 1,002 American parents with children under the age of 17Family travel now accounts for one-third of all leisure trips booked in the United States.Source: Family Travel AssociationOf the vacations taken by U.S. residents in 2015, 29 percent were family vacations, 44 percent were couples getaways, 20 percent were business trips, 5 percent of trips were taken with friends and 7 percent traveled solo.The average hotel room rate in the U.S. is $130.96.
Spring break is just a few weeks away, and if the thought of your kids spending the week at home with nothing to do is giving you anxiety, don't fret. A multitude of fun destinations are just a few hours and a couple of cheap tanks of gas away.
Live the high life
If adventure is what you seek, head for the hills - more specifically, the Great Smoky or Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina and Virginia.
Head up scenic Interstate 64 for a few hours to the outdoor-lover's paradise at Nantahala Outdoor Center. NOC boasts several lodging options on-site, including luxury cabins that sleep between 4 and 30 guests, and Dogwood Motel (where families will need more than one room), which has been newly renovated for 2016. If you're willing to rough it to some degree, there are also plenty of places to car camp, including waterproof, raised platform tents. You can cook out or eat at one of three restaurants at NOC, where you might also catch a performance at the center's open-air venue.
The real draw is the river. Turn spring break into a learning opportunity with kayaking lessons from NOC's acclaimed paddling school, or battle the rapids as a family on a whitewater rafting expedition. Whitewater not your speed? Lake Fontana, where you can kayak or stand-up paddleboard on flat water, is just a mile away.
The Appalachian Trail runs right through the NOC. Mountain bikers can rent bikes on-site or bring their own to check out the Flint Ridge trail system, considered among the best in the region. You can also try a turn on NOC's ropes course or the 50-foot-tall climbing wall. Or, just sit back and enjoy the ride while catching amazing views on the Mountaintop Zip Line Tour.
If you love the outdoors but aren't quite ready to give up your creature comforts, drive a little farther afield into Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains to Primland, located a little over five hours from Chattanooga in Meadows of Dan.
This 12,000-acre resort offers something for everyone. Even young kids can take part in a variety of activities including pond fishing, swimming at the indoor pool, biking, golfing and hiking. Older children and adults have even more to choose from, such as horseback riding, tree climbing and spa treatments, including a few especially for teens. Gather the family together for the wonderful stargazing opportunities in the resort's unique observation dome, which takes full advantage of Primland's location at a high altitude far from city lights.
Off the property, families can visit Fairy Stone State Park to see the mysterious cross-shaped "fairy stones." Believed to be the crystallized tears of fairies, they are prized by the superstitious for their supposed ability to ward off sickness, witchcraft and other unpleasantries. Guided nature and history walks are available on the park's nine miles of trails, or just bring a picnic and explore the park on your own.
We realize that For many people, spring break conjures visions of a week filled with sun, sand and not much else. Luckily, you'll only need to spend 5-7 hours on the road to get to the coast.
Hilton Head havens
The coast of South Carolina has long been a favorite destination for travelers from Chattanooga, and springtime allows visitors to beat the heat of the summer months. In terms of distance, the closest beaches to the Scenic City are on the South Carolina coast. Hilton Head is 398 miles from Chattanooga, with a drive time of about 6 1/2 hours.
The Inn & Club at Harbour Town is a newly renovated boutique hotel located within Hilton Head Island's 5,000-acre Sea Pines Resort, allowing guests to access a wide range of resort services including golf, water sports, tennis, a yacht basin, restaurants, shops and the Harbour Town Clubhouse, while also being pampered with luxuries such as 24-hour butler service. The hotel offers transportation to the beach along with free use of chairs, umbrellas and towels, and sack lunches to-go upon request.
Montage Palmetto Bluff features luxury waterfront and forest cabins on 20,000 acres, where guests can partake in a range of activities from biking to horseback riding to golfing. For a little relaxation, get a treatment at the resort's world-class spa.
Savor spring in the Sunshine State
In terms of drive time, heading to the Florida Panhandle will get you to the beach as fast as possible. Pensacola Beach is 404 miles away, and should take about 6 hours driving.
Avoid the mayhem surrounding the rowdy college crowds at spring break hotspots such as Panama City Beach and capture your piece of peace and quiet on the shores near Pensacola, or choose from the many beaches along State Road 30A, including popular spots such as Rosemary Beach, Grayton Beach, Santa Rosa and Sandestin. Though the beaches along 30A are about the same distance from Chattanooga as Pensacola, the drive will take about 30 minutes to an hour longer.
Separate from the rest of Pensacola Beach, Portofino Island Resort sits on a private barrier island that borders the pristine protected area of the Gulf Islands National Seashore. Its three Mediterranean-inspired towers offer two- and three-bedroom condos, each with its own balcony and full kitchen. You can easily save money by eating in, but there's also a restaurant located on-site. Each unit is decorated differently according to the owner's taste, so be sure to check out the photos for your particular room on the resort's website prior to booking.
The hotel's adventure package allows you to pay one price for access to family-friendly activities and water sports such as kayaking, sailing, jet skis, ocean inflatables and trampolines, as well as to use the resort's beach chairs and umbrellas. If the weather isn't cooperating, the Portofino has an indoor pool to help keep the kids busy, in addition to its numerous outdoor pools.
Prefer a house? Look for last-minute deals on vacation home rentals at one of the planned communities along 30A, such as WaterColor, Rosemary Beach, or the original: Seaside. If you get tired of one beach, the next is just a bike ride away.