Before you hit the highway this fall road trippin with your family to see the fall foliage, chasing waterfalls or maybe you and the hubby just need a little alone time – you need to ask yourself if you will need travel insurance for your next road trip.
When the leaves start to change and pumpkin spice lattes, nutmeg and ginger bread smells fill the air you know itās time for a road trip.
Fall is my favorite time of the year but I have found out the hard way last year that while you may think you are safe because you are only traveling a few hours to your destination, travel insurance is always a must no matter if you are traveling across country or going two hours up the road.
Spending hours on the road means you are putting wear and tear on your car which can lead to flat tires or you’re driving along enjoying the scenery when the steering wheel starts to pull to either the left or right or there’s a loud whomp-clunk whomp-clunking sound.
Allianz annual insurance is the most affordable travel insurance plan for your road trip and the OneTrip Cancellation Plus Plan* include trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage, as well as travel delay coverage and 24-hour assistance services.
Yes, travel insurance is needed for any domestic travel including road trips!
Allianz Travel Insurance for road trips offers the following:
- Peace of mind on the road
- Rental Car Reimbursement
- Emergency medical expense
- Trip interruption due to car accident
- Last minute work obligations
- Your children are also covered in case of an emergency
- Weather decides not to cooperate with your road trip plans
Best Travel Insurance For Road Trips
If you are traveling over 100 miles from your home trust me you need Allianz Travel Insurance for road trips.
While Nashville is my home town and offers an array of bars, country music and legendary hot chicken, a day trip from Nashville offers history, food, music, and leaf peeping.
These cities and towns that are just an easy drive from Nashville (between a half-hour and three hours) are full of natural, historical, and culinary wonders that are ripe for a quick solo or family adventure.
Whether you find yourself sampling some Tennessee whiskey, exploring a drive through zoo or finding hidden treasures at the unclaimed baggage service center which is where all of the lost luggage goes from the airports across the country.
Here are eight of my favorite road-trip destinations from Nashville
All of these locations can be reached in three hours or less from Nashville via car. Just be sure to check their websites and/or call ahead of time for any weather-related closures.
1.Cummins Waterfall
Location: Cookeville, Tennessee
Drive time from Nashville: 1 hour, 45 minutes
What to do: Located in Jackson County, Cummins Falls is one of Tennesseeās most popular waterfalls. The hiking is perfect if youāre ready for a bit of a challenge, so make sure youāre wearing shoes that can get wet and dirty.
Most of the hike is wading through water, which only makes the reward of getting there even better! Seeing the water splash over the rocky ledges will make you want to dive right in the swimming hole as soon as you get there. Take a dip or lounge on the rocks as you take in the greenery and streaming water surrounding you.
Pro Tip: Allianz Road trip insurance is important here because while hiking can be fun and adventurous what if you fall? Hikes can be very dangerous so itās important to ensure your family is covered.
2. Drink some Tennessee whiskey in Lynchburg
Location: Lynchburg, Tennessee
Drive time from Nashville: 1 hour, 45 minutes
What to do: Jack Daniels Distillery is the ultimate whiskey mecca for fans of this storied brown spirit. While the distillery is located in a dry county, you can still sample whiskey drawn from individual barrels during one of their educational and historical distillery tours.
The town of Lynchburg itself is also a hidden gem and worth exploring. If you prefer wine over the brown spirits stop by the Lynchburg Winery which is located right next to Jack Daniels Distillery.
After tasting some of the sweet southern handcrafted wines, as well as traditional dry and semi-sweet varietals head over to Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House Restaurant.
Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House has served up tradition, and Southern hospitality, not to mention good home cooking, since 1908. Located in the heart of Lynchburg, Tenn., just off the town square, it’s recognized as one of the South’s signature family-style dining restaurants.
It possesses a history almost as rich as Miss Mary’s Fudge Pie and was built before Lynchburg became home to Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey.
3. Go whitewater kayaking at Rock Island State Park
Location: Rock Island, Tennessee
Drive time from Nashville: 1 hour, 34 minutes
What to do: If nature is your thing we suggest exploring Rock Island State Parkās 883 acres. Youāll enjoy a day full of nature excursions no matter if you are looking to relax and unwind from social media or you are truly an adrenaline junkie looking to get your heart pumping.
The park offers a 30-foot horseshoe waterfall that once powered the 19th-century cotton textile mill located above it.
You can either hike past the waterfall, hike one of nine trails located below the dam or if you are truly the adrenaline junkie you proclaim to be, try your hand at kayaking where you can tackle the water and paddle your way downstream.
Pro Tip: TravelSmartā¢ app offers the āAround Meā feature which can connect you to nearby pre-screened medical facilities, police stations, and pharmacies, So no matter where you are even white water rafting you can breathe easier knowing if something happens you will be ok.
4. Underground National Park in Cave City, Kentucky
Location: Cave City, Kentucky
Drive time from Nashville: 1 hour, 21 minutes
What to do: Cave City is a unique and family friendly tourist destination that it offers visitors two areas to explore the cave. The first area you will find shops, restaurants, museums, and other attractions.
The second area which is below the surface is surrounded by hundreds of miles of shallow caves that cross the Kentucky landscape. Your family will have the opportunity to view rock formations, underground rivers, and caverns that are thousands of years old.
5. Tour Beale Street in Memphis
Location: Memphis, Tennessee
Drive time from Nashville: 3 hours
Drive time: 215 miles west of Nashville; three-hour drive
What to do: The drive from Nashville to Memphis is the quenstintial day trip, if you are a music and food lover – there is no other destination like Memphis. One of our favorite things about Beale Street is simply enjoying the scenery by people watching and walking up and down the strip.
There are over two dozen bars, nightclubs and restaurants on Beale Street – there are both family friendly and adult only options.
Before you leave Beale Street you must try Memphis’ signature drink, the Walk Me Down – a frozen blue cocktail with seven different liquors which is known to āwalk you downā. Last but not least watch the Beale Street Flippers turn the cobblestone street into a runway for aerial somersaults as onlookers line the sidewalks
Pro Tip: Allianz: Rental Car Insurance provides primary coverage in the event of loss or damage to your rental vehicle. That means you donāt have to worry about using your personal insurance (and suffer the consequences of a potentially higher premium). Even better, you donāt even have to pay a deductible.
6. Navigate the Lost Sea in Sweetwater
Location: Cave City, Kentucky
Drive time from Nashville: 1 hour, 21 minutes
Drive time: 170 miles east of Nashville; two-hour and 53-minute drive
What to do:. Designated a registered natural landmark by the U.S. Department of Interior and listed as āAmericaās largest underground lakeā by Guinness World Book of Records, the Lost Sea is a massive body of water located in a historic cave system known as the Craighead Caverns.
The true size of this body of water is unknown, but you can glide across its four-acre surface and catch a glimpse of the crystal formations and colossal rainbow trout that inhabit the caverns.
There is a tiny natural opening on the side of the mountain and the cave expands into a series of huge rooms which allow you to explore each room where you will find a range of Indian artifacts including pottery, arrowheads, weapons, and jewelry.
7. Unclaimed Baggage
Location: Scottsboro, Alabama
Drive time from Nashville: 2 hour, 1o minutes
What to do: If you’ve lost your luggage while traveling chances are itās on sale and by sale I mean dirt cheap at the Unclaimed Baggage store in Scottsboro, AL. Unclaimed Baggage is the only store in America that sells the contents of every traveler that has lost their luggage while vacationing, business trip or general travel.
If you lost your computer, Ipad, Apple watch, luggage with your brand new vacation clothes that you just purchased for your vacation – guess where all of your items end up? I was able to find a cute Tory Burch Bag and Flats. I also purchased my daughter a brand new Mac computer and Apple watch for almost 60% off retail price.
The highest-priced items in its “Unusual Finds” section include an 18-karat diamond ring selling for $5,985.99 and a Chanel tweed jacket and skirt set for $1,200.99.
The store also has a jewelry section that rivals New York’s Diamond District with pages filled with high-end pieces, the highest-priced of which is a 7-inch diamond tennis bracelet selling for $8,720.99, with an appraisal included.
8. Harmony Safari Park
Location: Huntsville, Alabama
Drive time from Nashville: 2 hours, 17 minutes
What to do: Harmony Park Safari is the ultimate family road trip – the park is located south of Huntsville, Alabama. Your family will be able to view exotic & endangered animals as you drive through Harmony Safari Park and if you are lucky an Emu or Buffalo might just stick their heads in your window.
Visitors can enjoy a two-mile drive through a federally licensed nature preserve in the safety of their own car. Get up close and personal with zebra, llamas, Bison, bulls, deer, giraffe, pigs, buffalo, ostriches, turtles, baboons- View the reptile house: spiders, iguana, snakes, and alligators! Harmony Park Safari is a great family experience and must see adventure just a few hours from Nashville!
This excursion is $7 a person and for an additional fee you can purchase a bucket of food to give the animals.
Allianz Travel Insurance For Domestic Road Trips
With the open road is calling this fall and winter, make sure you answer with Allianz Travel Insuranceāwith a range of plans to choose from, youāre sure to find one that suits your needs when you take to the highway with it’s exploring the fall foliage in the Great Smoky Mountains or Little Rock, Arkansas.
Hiking, Kayaking, swimming and playing tennis are all great family activities to experience but what if you slip on the hiking trail, and break your ankle? What if you fall out of the raft while white water rafting?
The affordable OneTrip Cancellation Plus Plan does not include emergency medical coverage, it can cover trip interruptions caused by a covered disabling injury or illness so make sure you also download the app.
This post is sponsored by Allianz Global Assistance and I have received financial compensation. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own
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ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
15 Most Stunning Waterfalls Near Nashville
Insiders Guide To Ruby Falls In Chattanooga
Best Luxury & Budget Hotel in Nashville
September, October, and November are some of the most beautiful months of the year to explore Tennessee.
Are you planning to take a fall road trip and if so will you purchase travel insurance? I would love to hear your thoughts so leave me a comment on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
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Great article as most people don’t think to buy travel insurance for domestic travel. I’ve never been to Kentucky and I’d love to check out the caves. I will definitively get Allianz insurance. So many advantages and reasons to stay safe and covered. Thanks for the tip for the Unclaimed Baggage store š