Knoxville is closer to Canada than to these 15 US road trip destinations | Know Your Knox
Daniel Dassow- It's an interesting time to visit Canada, and our northern neighbor is closer to Knoxville than you might think.
- Knoxvillians can get to Canada quickly by taking I-75 north to Detroit and passing into Ontario.
- If you're feeling more domestic, Knox News has 15 U.S. summer road trip destinations, but they're farther away than Canada.
One of the great things about living in Knoxville is the close driving distance to so many American tourism destinations, from the Great Smoky Mountains to the beaches of Florida and the museums of Washington, D.C.
But don't count out an international destination for your summer road trip. Canada is closer to Knoxville than you might think. Thanks to its irregular shape, the Canadian province of Ontario dips far down into the Great Lakes region and farther south than many U.S. states in New England and the Midwest, including Maine, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
You could be in Canada in as little as seven and a half hours if you hop on Interstate 75 heading north from Knoxville, passing from Detroit into the town of Windsor, Ontario, in just over 500 miles, according to Google Maps.
There are many reasons to take this trip. Ontario is Canada's most populous province, a cultural and economic hub of our northern neighbor, with whom the U.S. shares the world's longest border between two countries at around 5,525 miles.
If President Donald Trump's dream of making Canada the 51st U.S. state becomes a reality, this wouldn't even be an international vacation. (Canada's prime minister, Mark Carney, has made very clear that the nation does not want to become part of the U.S.).
As the U.S. and Canada volley tariffs and the threat of tariffs back and forth, this could be an interesting time to connect with Canadians and share a taste of Knoxville.
It's closer than 15 U.S. destinations that are, perhaps surprisingly, farther from Knoxville than Canada, which you can reach in just 514 miles. (If you want to stay domestic, these are great places as well.) The following distances are for car travel, and driving times will vary.
Baltimore, Maryland
Charm City, a destination for seafood and history, is 524 miles from Knoxville.
Little Rock, Arkansas
The home of the "Little Rock Nine" and the Clinton Presidential Library is 527 miles from Knoxville.
Gulf Shores, Alabama
The white sand beaches of Gulf Shores are 534 miles from Knoxville.
Chicago, Illinois
The Windy City, home to world-famous museums, sports teams and deep dish pizza, is 540 miles from Knoxville.
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia's most populous city is home to famous beaches and a boardwalk 541 miles from Knoxville.
Gainesville, Florida
Most Knoxville residents who visit Gainesville, 544 miles away, are there to cheer on the Vols against the Gators.
Jacksonville, Florida
Florida's most populous city, and one of the largest in the country by land mass, is 547 miles from Knoxville.
Kitty Hawk, North Carolina
The Wright brothers made their first successful airplane flight in this town in the Outer Banks 567 miles from Knoxville.
St. Augustine, Florida
America's oldest city is 589 miles from Knoxville.
New Orleans, Louisiana
The home of Mardi Gras, Cajun cuisine and jazz is 599 miles from Knoxville.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The birthplace of the U.S. Constitution and home of the cheesesteak is 627 miles from Knoxville.
Branson, Missouri
The home of Silver Dollar City is something like a sister city to Dollywood and Pigeon Forge, and it's 632 miles from Knoxville.
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is another U.S.-Canada connection, but it's 682 miles from Knoxville.
New York City, New York
Perhaps the ultimate U.S. urban tourism destination, New York City is 705 miles from Knoxville.
Kansas City, Missouri
Home to the Kansas City Chiefs and a special kind of barbecue sauce, the City of Fountains is 732 miles from Knoxville.
Bonus: Toronto is closer to Knoxville than...
OK, so maybe Windsor, Ontario, isn't your ideal summer getaway.
Toronto, Canada's largest city, isn't much farther into the province. At 742 miles away, it's still closer to Knoxville than these popular U.S. destinations:
- Dallas, Texas: 842 miles from Knoxville
- Miami, Florida: 875 miles from Knoxville
- Boston, Massachusetts: 920 miles from Knoxville
- Minneapolis, Minnesota: 953 miles from Knoxville
If you're looking for an international road trip south of the border, that's also a much longer drive than Canada. The U.S.-Mexico border city of Matamoros, across from Brownsville, Texas, is around 1,280 miles from Knoxville.
Know Your Knox answers your burning questions about life in Knoxville. Want your question answered? Email knowyourknox@knoxnews.com.
Daniel Dassow is a growth and development reporter focused on technology and energy. Email: daniel.dassow@knoxnews.com. Signal: @danieldassow.24.
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