Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN-NC

Smokin' Good Fun

Copyright Great Smoky Mountains
National Park

"There's nothing to do at night!" your little ones may whine just hours into a national park vacation. Not to worry. At Great Smoky Mountains, you can have the great outdoors and nightlife, too.

This 520,000-acre park along the Tennessee and North Carolina border is thankfully close to seven booming Appalachian Mountain towns. After a day in the woods, you're within minutes of playing laser tag, listening to Dolly Parton, or eating barbecue at night.

The Great Smokies' proximity to civilization is, in part, why 9 million people come each year, making it the most visited national park. That, of course, has its downside: crowds. But even in the heat of the mid-summer crush, rest assured. Your kids will be whining for the right stuff -- coming back again next year.