Fun road trip stops from IL to FL???

[Stacymarie1216]

Hi all! Our Disney countdown chain is getting so short now! We'll be driving from central Illinois down to Disney with our two littles (3 and 7). I always try to find cool places to let them run off some quick energy along the way, but never have any luck :/. We are looking for cool playgrounds or rest stops with fun/interesting things, etc. Not looking for something that takes us *too* far out of the way or that we will spend more than about 30 minutes with. Does anyone know of anything along that route?!

 

[jojuvanlaanen]

Hi Stacymarie! We always drive from northeastern Illinois (near Chicago) down to FL. We all enjoy traveling through the Smokey Mountains. On the way down we tend to want to hurry up and get there so we try and stop as little as possible. I love going through Springfield but since you are probably near there it must be no big deal to you. But on the way back we take it a bit slower. We've spent a couple days in Chattanooga which was really cool. We did the Chattanooga choo-choo, and saw some of the hisorical sites there. We also did the aquarium which was pretty neat. I don't know of any parks or quick touristy things but there a handful of things I look forward to seeing.

1. Smoky mountains - just seeing them and driving through them is pretty cool.
2. Jack Daniels Whisky tours in Tennessee.
2. In Atlanta when you are on the interstate there is an airport, (I'm guessing it's the ATL airport?). The planes fly REALLY low to the ground, and it's almost like they are flying right along side you as you are driving. It's very cool to see!
3. We always stop at the FL rest stop right when you cross the boarder. Sort of a tradition. it's a very nice big place.
4. There is a big corporate building, either right at the end of Georgia or beginning of FL that flies the confederate flag. I always thought that was really unique and try and look for it every time we drive by it.

Good Luck and have fun!!

 

[Cadiewampus]

Isn't the worlds second largest ball of twine somewhere along that route? (movie reference)

 

[Gumbo4x4]

The rest stops along I57 & I24 in IL all have playgrounds. Nice picnic area at Rend Lake rest stop.

The Metropolis, IL exit has cutouts of Superman - your kids can stick their faces in there for pictures.

Terrific aquarium in Chattanooga, and there's a splash park (free) outside of it if you don't have time for the aquarium. It's a little out of the way though. Ditto for lookout mountain.

 

[ajwolfe]

The rest stops along I57 & I24 in IL all have playgrounds. Nice picnic area at Rend Lake rest stop.

The Metropolis, IL exit has cutouts of Superman - your kids can stick their faces in there for pictures.

Terrific aquarium in Chattanooga, and there's a splash park (free) outside of it if you don't have time for the aquarium. It's a little out of the way though. Ditto for lookout mountain.

We drive past the Metropolis exit every time and I'm always curious how far it is back to see the Superman and what all is there?

 

[Gumbo4x4]

We drive past the Metropolis exit every time and I'm always curious how far it is back to see the Superman and what all is there?

It's about a mile off the highway, really nothing there but a gas station. We only stopped there because the rest area was closed for renovations. But, the kids did have fun with the cutout.

 

[ajwolfe]

It's about a mile off the highway, really nothing there but a gas station. We only stopped there because the rest area was closed for renovations. But, the kids did have fun with the cutout.

Well then I guess I'm glad we never did it. LOL!

 

[Stacymarie1216]

Hi Stacymarie! We always drive from northeastern Illinois (near Chicago) down to FL. We all enjoy traveling through the Smokey Mountains. On the way down we tend to want to hurry up and get there so we try and stop as little as possible. I love going through Springfield but since you are probably near there it must be no big deal to you. But on the way back we take it a bit slower. We've spent a couple days in Chattanooga which was really cool. We did the Chattanooga choo-choo, and saw some of the hisorical sites there. We also did the aquarium which was pretty neat. I don't know of any parks or quick touristy things but there a handful of things I look forward to seeing.

1. Smoky mountains - just seeing them and driving through them is pretty cool.
2. Jack Daniels Whisky tours in Tennessee.
2. In Atlanta when you are on the interstate there is an airport, (I'm guessing it's the ATL airport?). The planes fly REALLY low to the ground, and it's almost like they are flying right along side you as you are driving. It's very cool to see!
3. We always stop at the FL rest stop right when you cross the boarder. Sort of a tradition. it's a very nice big place.
4. There is a big corporate building, either right at the end of Georgia or beginning of FL that flies the confederate flag. I always thought that was really unique and try and look for it every time we drive by it.

Good Luck and have fun!!

Wow!! Thank you so much for all that!!

 

[Stacymarie1216]

The rest stops along I57 & I24 in IL all have playgrounds. Nice picnic area at Rend Lake rest stop.

The Metropolis, IL exit has cutouts of Superman - your kids can stick their faces in there for pictures.

Terrific aquarium in Chattanooga, and there's a splash park (free) outside of it if you don't have time for the aquarium. It's a little out of the way though. Ditto for lookout mountain.

We currently have a super hero obsessed 3 year old - that's perfect!! And love the splash pad idea!!

 

[Gumbo4x4]

We currently have a super hero obsessed 3 year old - that's perfect!! And love the splash pad idea!!

It's kind of funny this came up today - at lunch, a coworker pulled out his phone & out of the blue showed me a picture he & his wife took of themselves behind the Superman/Supergirl cutout LOL.

 

[Cadiewampus]

You can always stop in Atlanta. Go through the World of Coke and maybe the Aquarium. World of Coke is like $16 to get in and I thing the Aquarium is like $35. Or you could always stop at my house north of Atlanta and we could have a cook out and go down to the lake.

 

[mcjaco]

If you can get a stop in Atlanta, the Aquarium is unreal. Worth the visit for a couple of hours.