Need suggestions for weekend family reunion in TN or MO or ?

[John E Davies]

My wife and I are helping to plan a family reunion, and need to find a place with good lodging, adequate camping and lots of recreation possibilities for mid May 2017 (NOT Memorial Day). There will be up to ten, mostly gray haired, people with a really wide range of interests and physical abilities. One is feeble and on oxygen. They will be traveling from FL, TX, TN and NC, so a more western location is not so good.

 

We were thinking...

 

Missouri Ozarks

 

Fall Creek Falls State Park

 

Pickett's Landing State Park

 

We don't want a really heavily visited tourist trap like Branson, Opryland or Gatlinberg, but if they happened to be within an hour's driving distance, that would be OK. Our personal interests include flat water canoeing, easy hiking, waterfalls, battlefields, photography, and general sightseeing. And boondocking, but that probably won't happen on this part of the trip.

 

We want to avoid the Smokies and that area.

 

We hope to take delivery of our new Ollie after April, and then spend a few days with relatives before heading home to Spokane. My wife and I both grew up in Nashville but it has been 36 years since we left that part of the country, so we expect things are a little altered ;).

 

Any comments are most welcome.

 

John and Jac Davies

 

Spokane WA

[rideandfly]

John,

 

We camped in the Tellico Plains TN area a few times over the last couple years, SW of the Smokies. Hopefully these links will help with questions about the area.

 

http://www.tellico-plains.com/places-stay.html

 

http://www.cherohala.org/

 

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/road-trips/cherohala-skyway-road-trip/

 

The private campground we stay at has a nice gazebo for outdoor gatherings:

 

https://www.cmtrails.com/

 

Photos from past camping trips to the area:

 

 

 

I know you will not be riding, but it's a nice place for Street and Dual Sport Riding, too!

 

Gathering at Tellico Plains last October. This was one of the groups heading out for a ride:

 

Hope this helps,

 

 

[SeaDawg]

I don't know how long it's been since you've seen Fall Creek falls SP, but it has it all.... Huge campground, cabins, hotel rooms, pavilions, amphitheater. We attended a free and awesome bluegrass concert there on a weekend night.

That said, camping sites are smallish, and not a lot of privacy. It's pricy compared to a lot of Tennessee state parks, because of the many amenities... Buffet breakfast, restaurant, etc. But, it affords a lot of handicap accessibility, too.

A number of years ago, we, too, heldva family reunion at Letchworth in new York. One of our very best gatherings. some stayed in campers and RVs, some in cabins, some in the rental homes, others in nearby hotels. All 75 or so of us enjoyed the cookouts in the rented pavilion. It was great.

Sherry

[SeaDawg]

We've camped at Pickett's landing, too, though it was several years ago. Nicer and bigger campsites than Fall Creek falls, but fewer amenities for the non campers.

The Ozarks were fun when I was a little girl, but that's decades ago. Too much like Branson now for me, minus the abundance of major entertainment. Too much traffic. We move through there, and on to a coe camp..

If you're thinking about the Ozarks, I'd look at Ouachita in Arkansas. Beautiful lake, a number of campground choices, and not as crowded in may. Nor, as commercialized.weve been to several CGS in that area, state, private, and coe. Nice people, for sure.

Snakes in the lake not in abundance, probably, in may. Send Larry a pm here, or tag him as Mountanborn on Facebook. That's his stomping ground. He's been to just about every good place in that neck of the woods.

Sherry

[Overland]

John, sorry that I just saw this topic, but you might consider Land Between the Lakes on the TN/KY border.  Plenty of canoeing and campsites with facilities, along with free backcountry camping if you want.  There's lots to do within the park, and hotels, restaurants and stuff in Grand Rivers at the north end of the park.  Ft. Donaldson battlefield is near the south end of the park, on your way to Hohenwald ; )

 

Fort Henry is there, too, under the lake.

[John E Davies]

We have settled on Fall Creek Falls due to amenities and location. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

John Davies

 

Spokane WA

[Overland]

Looks like a great spot.  I've never been myself, but reading up on it, we'll have to add it to our list.

 

Have fun!