WINNER
GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
We went up North once. After we got into Ohio, the land started getting flat. Really flat. Pancake for miles and miles flat. There's nothing here but corn flat. Terrified, we came back home.
Maybe that's what's so great about living here in the East Tennessee. The Smoky Mountains beckon like the sirens of yore. The combination of wildlife, Appalachian heritage, natural beauty and mountainous grandeur are enough to captivate even hordes of those not yet weaned of television.
These mighty peaks are perfect for hiking, camping, picnicking, biking, swimming, tubing, stargazing and plain ol' relaxing. No wonder readers voted the Smokies the best place to bring a visitor. If we had any friends, we'd bring them here, too.
Runners-up: Dollywood, Gatlinburg
October 20, 2002