As winter finally begins to wane and the grass starts to green, everyone knows that spring is on its way. With the passing of the first day of spring on March 20, it’s about time to take a break, step outside and enjoy some fun places that scream “spring.” Especially if you haven’t already planned to go somewhere during spring break, this locale is perfect for a last-minute, long-distance trip where you can immerse yourself in the essence of spring.

WHAT: Great Smoky Mountains National Park

WHERE: Tennessee and North Carolina border

LOGISTICS: There are three entrances to the park: Gatlinberg, TN, Townsend, TN and Cherokee, NC. The shortest route from CHS will be listed.

Gatlinberg, TN — 7 hour 15 minute-drive

WHEN: 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. However, certain buildings may close due to weather conditions.

WHY: Not only is the park a wonderful chance to immerse yourself in nature’s beauty, but also it provides you the chance to witness the beginnings of spring. Around this time of year, early spring flowers are beginning to bloom, such as the showy orchis and the blue phlox. In addition, some animals are awakening from a winter of hibernation: don’t be surprised when you see black bears or white-tailed deer. There are many other activities to try, and you can click on the hyperlink above to find what else Great Smoky Mountains National Park has to offer.

WHAT TO BRING:

• Mosquito repellent/bug spray (Trust me, you do not want to be bitten by any of the bugs up in the mountains. Those bites itch like crazy.)

• Hiking boots/sturdy pair of shoes (The trails in the mountains can become very rugged and steep, so be careful.)

• Layers of clothing (The temperature can fluctuate a lot: the morning starts out cool, then it gets progressively warmer throughout the day. By the end of the day, though, the air begins to chill again.)

• Camera/anything that can take pictures (The mountains provide a great backdrop for any selfie or group photo, and there will be so many gorgeous and cool things that you’ll need to take a picture of to commemorate your trip.)

See: What is the Most Important Gear to Bring on a Camping Trip?

REVIEW: I had the chance to visit the Great Smoky Mountains a couple years ago during fall break, and the scenery was absolutely stunning. Early sunrises up in the mountains among the clouds and fog, nature trails for beginners and pros, and cool, rushing waterfalls are just a few lovely attractions at the park. I’ll give some quick run-downs and anecdotes about these features.

The nature trails and waterfalls are some of the best parts of the park. Once you finish climbing from start to finish and back, you feel like Hercules: you’re invincible, a real champion. Simply walking around is already invigorating at a place like the Great Smoky Mountains, and when there are waterfalls that you can stop at and dip your feet in, the exercise becomes all the better. During one of the walks that my family and I took, we had a close encounter with a black bear! Being the proactive and cautious family that we are, each member of my family picked up a fairly large stone from the ground as a weapon. Fortunately, we weren’t attacked, and my dad snapped some pictures of the bear.

There are also cabins up in the mountains that you can rent, but by this time it would be tough to rent a cabin in locations offering a spectacular view. Our rented cabin contained an outdoor hot tub, an arcade and billiards table in the basement, and two bedrooms, one of which had a glass ceiling that you could look through to gaze at the stars. These were some of the nicest accommodations that I’ve ever resided in away from home.

The Great Smoky Mountains was probably the nicest national park that I have ever been to. It’s clean, beautiful and has a nice, temperate climate. I would highly recommend staying as long as you possibly can: there are just so many activities to do, it would be a shame to have your wonderful time there cut off abruptly. But the park is a nice place for a two to three-day vacation. It provides you with a greater appreciation of the natural world, and it definitely deserves a rating of five out of five stars for being a bucket list-worthy destination.

(I’m sorry there’s only one location in this post, but I had so much to say about the Great Smoky Mountains. I hope that this extensive information makes up for some of it.)