US Summer Road Trip Outdoor Adventure Destinations: Midwest
All stickers on our bike rack are courtesy of epic road trips!
We share five US Summer Road Trips that are in and near the Midwest of the USA in this article. All of these destinations have an Outdoor Adventure flair to them and all are within six hours of driving from Columbus Ohio! US Summer Road Trip Outdoor Adventure Destinations Midwest awaits in this article.
We will be breaking apart the US into regions, and from the places that we have lived as nomads over the past three years, and we will share our summer road trip guides within six hours of those locations! If you are looking for a Summer Road Trip Destination in the Midwest with Outdoor Adventure energy this article is for you.
Watch the Video Below to take a more in-depth peek at Red River Gorge, 1 of 5 Summer Road Trip Outdoor Adventures destinations in the Midwest that we chose!
Our full list will feature the summer road trip guide from these destinations that we have lived in:
1. Columbus Ohio (Midwest)
2. Traverse City Michigan (Great Lakes)
3. Grand Junction Colorado (Mountain West)
4. Seattle Washington (PNW)
5. Malibu/Joshua Tree California (SoCal)
6. Paso Robles California (Central Cali)
7. Sedona Arizona (American Southwest)
8. Tamarindo Costa Rica (Lower Central America)
Without further ado here is your US Summer Road Trip Midwest Destinations List!
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, West Virginia.
I have admittedly only visited this destination in the winter but boy am I missing out. New River Gorge features some of the best white water rafting in the world (winter trips are very beautiful, no crowds, but also no rafting.)
Throw in great hiking, rock climbing, excellent camping spots, and a fun and funky small town in Fayetteville right outside of the park boundaries and you have all the ingredients for an epic summer road trip.
Distance from Columbus Ohio: 3h 48m.
Three Must Do’s in New River Gorge National Park.
Road Trip Add On’s from here:
Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio. Dolly Sods Wilderness, West Virginia.
Shenandoah National Park, Virginia.
This one is an easy recommendation as well from DC and the East Coast. But makes it into the Midwest Destination List by being SIX HOURS EXACTLY to the park entrance from our apartment in Clintonville.
Shenandoah contains almost 100 miles of the Appalachian Trail, is near the Blue Ridge Parkway, has several primitive campgrounds, and two in-park lodges with restaurants.
Skyline Drive (the main road that runs through the park) more or less has a scenic stop off or hiking trailhead at every single turn.
This park also makes for outstanding bird watching, black bear sightings, and a great combo trip around other areas of Virginia.
We have stayed at Big Meadows Lodge in a cabin and at several of the campsites in the park and it just simply depends on what you would prefer to sleep on: A Bed. Or Dirt!
Distance from Columbus: 6h 0m. (Just in at six hours and under!)
Road Trip Add On’s From Here:
Grayson Highlands & Mt Rogers, Virginia. Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, West Virginia.
Yellow Springs, Ohio.
John Bryan State Park, Glen Helen Nature Preserve, and Clifton Gorge Preserve offer hiking, camping, mountain biking, bird watching, disc golf, bouldering, waterfall chasing, and even playgrounds for kids.
Yellow Springs is a way too cool small town that loves being known for its hippie, progressive, and liberal. feel. Throw in their outstanding restaurants, breweries, and downtown area and you have a recipe for a great summer road trip.
Yellow Springs also has the Ohio to Erie Trail and Buckeye National Scenic Trail running through the heart of it to the point the latest brewery is called Trail Town Brewing.
This is only an hour from Columbus and a great day trip destination but anyone in the Midwest would be satisfied with a long weekend here. If you camp in John Bryan State Park I recommend site 61 for hammocks and if you go out to eat Miguel’s Tacos or Poke hit the spot.
Distance from Columbus Ohio: 0h 59m.
Road Trip Add On’s from here: Hit the waves with Surf Dayton! Hit the crag at Mad River Gorge in Springfield.
A view from 100 feet up rock climbing on the Via Ferrata at Southeast Mountain Guides in RRG.
Red River Gorge Geological Area, Kentucky.
The best rock climbing in the US not named Yosemite or Joshua Tree, miles on miles on miles of national forest wilderness hiking trails, the most iconic climber’s pizza hangout in the world (Miguel’s), and a great hashtag when you post on IG/TikTok (#RedRiverGorgeous.)
RRG is a true wild destination for Outdoor Recreation. There’s not a fancy visitors center or a long scenic drive loop. There’s just a lot of forest and woods and rivers and gorges that you can really be a true dirtbag in.
We love staying at Lago Linda’s (a great stepping stone when you get too old to want to camp at Miguel’s) and the Natural Bridge while popular boasts one of the most massive “bridges” not located in Arches National Park or Moab Utah.
I love adventuring here and we did a podcast on our last trip when we had a campervan, listen to it HERE!
Distance from Columbus Ohio: 3h 35m.
Road Trip Add On’s from here: Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky. Big Bone Lick State Park, Kentucky.
Holly B has written about our number five pick on our website HERE!
Turkey Run State Park, Indiana.
Holly B has written two articles on our site sharing her love for adventuring in “Indiana’s Wild West” and we have to agree. This place is a hidden gem nationally. While locally and regionally people know all about its four season terrain Turkey Run remains relatively quiet on the bigger national scene.
Seek Solitude with Holly B in Turkey Run HERE!
The campsites are easy to reserve and the trail options seem endless.
Distance from Columbus Ohio: 3h 51m.
Road Trip Add On’s from here: BloNo (Normal Illinois). Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana.
We have so many more places we could include but hopefully this gives you a new idea or rekindles a spark with an old destination!
From Ohio to Indiana to Kentucky to Virginia to West Virginia your summer road trip options with outdoor adventuring are endless.
Thanks for reading and comment below with another option you love within six hours of Columbus Ohio!
Because Adventure Feeds the Soul,
Mike R