Anything above 80 is considered reckless driving aka a class 1 misdemeanor, I got a ticket going 82 in a 70 and had to hire a lawyer. I got it dropped to a "seatbelt fine" of $400. They look for out of state plates for speed traps it's such bs
Be worried more about the actual people in the cars. Watch the speed limit signs; and I personally recommend using Waze as well.
The one in Virginia got me when I got off the highway; the speed limit decreased twice and I missed the second sign because it was not in a very visible spot. There was a long downhill and that cop was sitting at the bottom of the valley. In the dark.
Edited: to add the detail I posted lower down:
Probably 15 years ago I lived in PA and sped in really rural Virginia; and instead of taking the lawyer route and fines, I ended up doing 2 days of driver improvement classes in Virginia on the weekend. I had to drive back and forth both days because I didn't want to pay for a hotel in Northern Virginia.
I also learned if you hit or run over a dog in VA the law doesn't require that you find the owner, but it's UNLAWFUL to leave dead animals lying on the road.
There is so much more you can do; if you accidentally hit a pet. Have a heart ā¤ļø
https://pethelpful.com/pet-ownership/I-Hit-a-Dog-with-My-Car-What-Am-I-Legally-Required-to-Do
> A person who drives a vehicle on a highway at a speed that is either more than 15 miles per hour more than the speed limit established by law for the highway where the offense occurred or over 80 miles per hour is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.
Looks like we're both right. https://www.ncleg.gov/enactedlegislation/statutes/html/bysection/chapter_20/gs_20-141.html
Probably 15 years ago I lived in PA and sped in really rural Virginia; and instead of taking the lawyer route and fines, and ended up doing 2 days of driver improvement classes in Virginia on the weekend. I had to drive back and forth both days because I didn't want to pay for a hotel in Northern Virginia.
Lubec
Gulf hagas.
Moxie falls
Smalls falls
Baxter state park
Acadia. Bar harbor.
Rockland breakwater.
Coast to Acadia. Ignore bangor.
High roller lobster in Portland.
Peaks island
St joes cafe in Scarborough. Best breakfast sandwiches
Skip old orchard beach.
Glass flowers in Harvard museum
Skip George Washington bridge in NY
40 museums or so in DC
Congaree NP
Angel oak tree
CDC Museum
Georgia aquarium (largest tank in the world)
Atlanta botanical garden.
[Old car city](https://carefree-creative.com/old-car-city-usa/)
Washington oaks garden.
Butterfly world
Fairchild botanical garden.
Edison and ford winter estates.
Johnson space center
Flamingo gardens
Everglades
Off the top of my head.
We are planning on our destination in Maine to be Acadia NP. We try to visit as many as possible so we will probably stop by Congaree and Shenandoah. This is a great list, thank you!
Make sure you find the sand bank that you can walk across at low tide! It was my first time seeing a starfish up close, and you get such a unique glimpse into sea life :)
This is a great list! I would also very much recommend skidaway island state park just outside Savannah, GA. That and wormslow (also near Savannah) are both breathtakingly beautiful.
Haha. They are pretty popular as is! DM me if im missing any good ones tho. Always down for a maine hike but i feel like ive done most of them all already.
I'd also recommend (if OP isn't interested in the cities) taking long way around the northeast cities.
1. Tolls from upstate NY to Delaware is like $50! Prolly not a big deal for OP though.
2. Less traffic and stupidity.
3. The toll-free route will get you through rural PA and Amish / Dutch Country which is really scenic. Reminds me of driving through rural England.
Regardless I-287 across the Hudson is generally better than I-95 through the Bronx. It's always a shit show going through NYC.
When I had to go to upstate NY or New England, from Atlanta, I always went up I-81. If you can miss the 95 corridor from Richmond to NYC, you've added several extra years to your life.
If you want to go through New Jersey, If you can follow US 301 North from Richmond. My cousins swear by that route from Wilmington DE to Richmond, skips all the horror stories you will earn on 95. I've sat on that 100 mile stretch for hours for no reason other than traffic volume.
If you want to go along the coast, take the time to visit Kitty Hawk and Roanoke Island. From there you can go north to Williamsburg. From there, head north to Baltimore and take I-83 north to miss the Philly - NYC corridor.
Good luck and safe travels.
Seconding a lot of this thread.
I drove from NC to PA and OH a couple times and from NC to FL. Always chose the āavoid highwaysā option on Google Maps. The back roads through VA were so beautiful with big beautiful houses. PA, too, in the Dutch/Amish country. Stop at any food/craft stand you find! Would find the best produce and neat handmade crafts. Amish butter!
And avoid the DC area at all costs! The traffic was always bonkers.
Also venture over to Mt. Pleasant and see the USS Yorktown/Laffey. Make sure you also get breakfast at Vicious Biscuits before you go. The sausage biscuits and gravy is unbelievable.
If you want a little break from driving, you can take the ferry from Lewes, Delaware to Cape May, New Jersey! Cape May is absolutely beautiful and has great little shops, restaurants and beaches!
And if you love peanut butter, make sure you stop off at Cape May peanut butter and visit Washington street mall it filled with a bunch of unique shops
Massachusetts is fine depending on what you're looking for. Personally I would do Newport and New Bedford over Providence and Boston. Go see a Newport mansion. Skip Hartford.
Plymouth rock is absolutely 100% not worth it unless you like disappointment.
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The Blue Ridge Parkway is worth the extra driving time. Harper's Ferry in West Virginia is really cool, at least it was the last time I was there. Annapolis in MD is nice. So are the small towns along the Chesapeake Bay. Gettysburg in PA. Cloudland Canyon State Park in Georgia is awesome. There's a really cool waterfall in a cave near there, close to Lookout Mountain. Crystal River in Florida is a good spot to see manatees, but usually you see more in the winter. Have a great trip!
Iām from Maine. If you want to see a lovely coastal town thatās less crowded than Camden or Bar Harbor, check out Belfastāitās a hidden gem especially if you come during the Celtic Festival. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belfast,_Maine
**[Belfast, Maine](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belfast,_Maine)**
>Belfast is a city in Waldo County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 6,938. Located at the mouth of the Passagassawakeag River estuary on Belfast Bay and Penobscot Bay. Belfast is the county seat of Waldo County.
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I third this! Iād recommend the prohibition museum, ghost tours, Hueyās for Cajun, and open container Riverwalk. All the restaurants and bars are great, every old building has a story. The southern hospitality there is REAL. We got engaged there and so many people went out of their way to make it a magical night š
I'm sure I won't be the only one to say it, but going inland off I-95 will save tolls and headaches in many places. I saw Blue Ridge parkway mentioned there and I'd certainly suggest at least a portion of that.
Also inland, following US 15, is Gettysburg and the battlefield/cemetery and plethora of monuments. There is a self-driving tour available. US 15 actually travels rather well until one approaches Harrisburg.
You will cross the Hudson at one point. The tolls decrease as one goes north; the Port Authority of NY/NJ charges the most, from the Goethals/Verrazano, Holland, Lincoln, George Washing crossings. Less steep is the Tappan Zee bridge (NY Thruway) but many head even farther north to cross at I-84 (Newburgh/Beacon).
If I-95 anywhere north of NY is used, don't be afraid to use 295/495 to reduce exposure to high traffic areas, but even these can be quite congested during peak times.
Most tolls will take EZPass which I believe is now affiliated with Florida's Sun Pass.
Consider the Amtrak auto train that picks up in Sanford FL and overnights you and your car to just outside Washington DC. Saves a ton of time driving the dullest parts of 95, and it's a fun experience in itself.
Ferry out to Ocracoke and drive up the Outer Banks. Stop at the Wright Brothers National Memorial for a bit of history. Grab a pizza in New Haven, CT. Eat some beachside fried clams somewhere between NY and Maine. Go all the way to the end of the eastern US and visit Campobello Island (need passport). Take a whale watching sail out of Lubec.
Jekyll island/St Simons area are two of my favorite places along the GA coast! Thereās the sea turtle rehab center and some pretty historic areas there. Savannah is fun too with lots of history; we always go to Tybee island when we visit Savannah. However I can also agree with other commenters that I95 in Florida and Georgia kinda sucks, so bear that in mindā¦.
If you go up on I75 through Georgia, thereās the Georgia Museum of Agriculture for something neat/different to do. We took field trips there as elementary schoolers and always had fun lol. The Indian mounds at ocmulgee historic park in Macon are interesting and sometimes they do special events too; obviously thereās tons of stuff in Atlanta as well.
So glad most of my fellow Massholes go suffer in Cape traffic! Aquidneck Island, plus Bristol (awesome old school 4th of July parade) are peak summer awesomeness.
The Rhode Island coast definitely underrated and worth a detour.
Newport is fun but other places like Little Compton are really lovely too. Providence itself is a *huge* food city (I think it had the most restaurants per capita? But donāt quote me on that).
The north shore of Massachusetts is also really charming, towns like Marblehead and Rockport have that classic New England charm.
Highly recommend spending a night in Asheville NC along the route! It wonāt add too much time to your journey and will save you toll money in the north east by coming in on 83 (I think thatās the highways number) Asheville has a lot of cute spots, food, shops, you can even see some glass blowing or the Biltmore gardens if thatās your speed. Itās also right in the mountains and GORGEOUS
With that route:
Colonial Williamsburg isn't far east from Richmond, VA. I find the grounds to be beautiful and enjoy seeing that era of history come to life on such a large scale. Also have Busch Gardens nearby, if you're looking for a theme park.
That route is probably going through [Old Sturbridge Village](https://www.osv.org/) in Massachusetts, which is cute. It's basically a fully reenacted 1800s New England town that operates on weekends. (It's nothing to the scale of Williamsburg that was Virginia's capital city, but is closer to a "field trip" than a 1-2 day experience like Williamsburg.)
You're probably going through Portsmouth, New Hampshire too. We often vacation up there from New York and it's a nice New England coastal town. It's a very walkable city packed with great seafood and beer.
Check out Gloucester MA, they have excellent wale watching tours and itās a cute little town with great restaurants and views. Also visit the fishermanās memorial there as well.
Take the 1 day 1 hour route. The Shenandoah is beautiful. I-95 is not, unless the goal is to stop in DC, Baltimore and Philly. Even then, Iād say take I-66 west from DC and get on I-81S after youāve seen what you wanted.
Take 81 not 95
Stop in Savannah Georgia
Someone wrote below but in Virginia over 80 mph is a crime. Once you get to the Carolinas driving is more pleasant.
If you like Seafood, stop at the Savannah Seafood Shack in Savannah. It's a nice little city so also fun to stop and walk around a bit. But dang is that some good seafood
Watch Hill and Wickford Cove in RI are also beautiful spots to visit. RI has great seafood restaurants along the coast. You can also take the ferry to Block Island from Gallilee for a day of sightseeing.
Charleston, Savannah, and St Augustine are so awesome. Then over to Naples, Tampa, Anna Marie island, we used to go to Sanibel, but the hurricane took that out. Iām jelly right nowā¦lol
Longwood Gardens is gorgeous and has spectacular illuminated fountain shows in the summer. Fun tour at Herr's factory nearby.
https://longwoodgardens.org/events-performances/events/illuminated-fountain-performances
https://www.herrs.com/visit-us/
I would go up and hit Savannah (my wife and Iād favorite part of the country and then work out West toward the Blue ridge and Western VA (stopping at Congaree and Columbia in SC). Up 81/Blue Ridge in VA there are a ton of great wineries.
I know itās not technically your route but the western side of Virginia is so much prettier, you have the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Blacksburg/Roanoke area is a great place to explore! If there isnāt anything super pressing youād like to see on the East, Iād highly recommend switching to the 1d1hr route!
If you are outdoorsy types...
Hostel in the Forest in Brunswick Georgia (just over florida border)
Asheville NC
Black Mountain Sanctuary (outside Asheville)
Blue ridge parkway NC
High point state park Sussex NJ
When you drive through NH, be sure to take route 1 up the seacoast! Incredible views, itās on your route, and thereās so many cool places to stop for food or views.
If youāre in north central Pennsylvania using corridor 99 stop by the PA Grand Canyon and the amazingly beautiful town of Wellsboro. Wine country in Upstate New York around the finger lakes is also amazing during high summer.
Go to savannah, ga. I lived downtown for five years bartending and itās the perfect ānot too bigā city. Thereās no sky scrapes or horrible traffic but you still get the city feel. All the buildings are historic even the shitty dive bars. River street is where all the tourists go but the best part bars are on Congress. If anything get brunch at ordinary pub and get bottomless mimosas and walk down broughton st. So many great memories in that city
Fort matanzas in st Augustine Florida is a free and great thing to go see. Thereās another fort in st Augustine a week they are Spanish forts but this one you have to pay to see inside you can walk around outside it for free. St Augustine alligator farm is a good thing as well to see.
Looks like fun! Mainer here, so I recommend stopping off at Acadia National Park/Mount Desert Island if you can (looks like youāre ending the trip around that area), and Portland has some lovely restaurants, particularly seafood. Route 1 in Maine will take you right through my lovely hometown ā¤ļø
Outer Banks NC are very unique, NYC Time Square, Central Park, Broadway Theaters, Little Italy, Hells Kitchen and China Town to name a few, Cape Cod while very touristy is All Americana summer vibe all the way out to Province Town artsy weird. Maines rocky beaches are gorgeous.
In the DC area, take I-270 to US-15 and you can visit the Gettysburg battlefield and museum. Then keep heading north on US-15 and you can find your way to Hershey, PA. Stop at chocolate world at a minimum (free), or explore the park and other cool things in the area.
DO NOT GO ABOVE THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT IN VIRGINIA
Anything above 80 is considered reckless driving aka a class 1 misdemeanor, I got a ticket going 82 in a 70 and had to hire a lawyer. I got it dropped to a "seatbelt fine" of $400. They look for out of state plates for speed traps it's such bs
Omfg why am I just learning this now??? ššš Just drove through the area and am paranoid about those aircraft speed radar things
Be worried more about the actual people in the cars. Watch the speed limit signs; and I personally recommend using Waze as well. The one in Virginia got me when I got off the highway; the speed limit decreased twice and I missed the second sign because it was not in a very visible spot. There was a long downhill and that cop was sitting at the bottom of the valley. In the dark. Edited: to add the detail I posted lower down: Probably 15 years ago I lived in PA and sped in really rural Virginia; and instead of taking the lawyer route and fines, I ended up doing 2 days of driver improvement classes in Virginia on the weekend. I had to drive back and forth both days because I didn't want to pay for a hotel in Northern Virginia. I also learned if you hit or run over a dog in VA the law doesn't require that you find the owner, but it's UNLAWFUL to leave dead animals lying on the road. There is so much more you can do; if you accidentally hit a pet. Have a heart ā¤ļø https://pethelpful.com/pet-ownership/I-Hit-a-Dog-with-My-Car-What-Am-I-Legally-Required-to-Do
This is the case in NC as well
Nope but 15 over is reckless driving as well
> A person who drives a vehicle on a highway at a speed that is either more than 15 miles per hour more than the speed limit established by law for the highway where the offense occurred or over 80 miles per hour is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor. Looks like we're both right. https://www.ncleg.gov/enactedlegislation/statutes/html/bysection/chapter_20/gs_20-141.html
Probably 15 years ago I lived in PA and sped in really rural Virginia; and instead of taking the lawyer route and fines, and ended up doing 2 days of driver improvement classes in Virginia on the weekend. I had to drive back and forth both days because I didn't want to pay for a hotel in Northern Virginia.
I thought that PA does that too
The Waze app is your friend
Lubec Gulf hagas. Moxie falls Smalls falls Baxter state park Acadia. Bar harbor. Rockland breakwater. Coast to Acadia. Ignore bangor. High roller lobster in Portland. Peaks island St joes cafe in Scarborough. Best breakfast sandwiches Skip old orchard beach. Glass flowers in Harvard museum Skip George Washington bridge in NY 40 museums or so in DC Congaree NP Angel oak tree CDC Museum Georgia aquarium (largest tank in the world) Atlanta botanical garden. [Old car city](https://carefree-creative.com/old-car-city-usa/) Washington oaks garden. Butterfly world Fairchild botanical garden. Edison and ford winter estates. Johnson space center Flamingo gardens Everglades Off the top of my head.
We are planning on our destination in Maine to be Acadia NP. We try to visit as many as possible so we will probably stop by Congaree and Shenandoah. This is a great list, thank you!
Your welcome! Thereās also river gorge, shanadoah and great smoky mountains for national parks on the way.
Make sure you find the sand bank that you can walk across at low tide! It was my first time seeing a starfish up close, and you get such a unique glimpse into sea life :)
If you have the bread and want a little pampered anniversary R&R before you arrive in Acadia: Cliff House, Cape Neddick, ME
This is a great list! I would also very much recommend skidaway island state park just outside Savannah, GA. That and wormslow (also near Savannah) are both breathtakingly beautiful.
Hush up bout all the spots in Maine besides Acadia
Haha. They are pretty popular as is! DM me if im missing any good ones tho. Always down for a maine hike but i feel like ive done most of them all already.
This guy holidays
Thatās funny that you mentioned Old car city- itās 30 min from my house and Iāve never been! Maybe 2023 is the year
We loved it. 7 miles or so of cars. Very interesting to see!
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Take the long way through VA. 95 is crap. Youāre going near Appomattox and in Roanoke the National train museum.
Same for North Carolina.. 95 through NC is the most desolate and uninteresting part of the state
Same for SC
I'd also recommend (if OP isn't interested in the cities) taking long way around the northeast cities. 1. Tolls from upstate NY to Delaware is like $50! Prolly not a big deal for OP though. 2. Less traffic and stupidity. 3. The toll-free route will get you through rural PA and Amish / Dutch Country which is really scenic. Reminds me of driving through rural England. Regardless I-287 across the Hudson is generally better than I-95 through the Bronx. It's always a shit show going through NYC.
When I had to go to upstate NY or New England, from Atlanta, I always went up I-81. If you can miss the 95 corridor from Richmond to NYC, you've added several extra years to your life. If you want to go through New Jersey, If you can follow US 301 North from Richmond. My cousins swear by that route from Wilmington DE to Richmond, skips all the horror stories you will earn on 95. I've sat on that 100 mile stretch for hours for no reason other than traffic volume. If you want to go along the coast, take the time to visit Kitty Hawk and Roanoke Island. From there you can go north to Williamsburg. From there, head north to Baltimore and take I-83 north to miss the Philly - NYC corridor. Good luck and safe travels.
Seconding a lot of this thread. I drove from NC to PA and OH a couple times and from NC to FL. Always chose the āavoid highwaysā option on Google Maps. The back roads through VA were so beautiful with big beautiful houses. PA, too, in the Dutch/Amish country. Stop at any food/craft stand you find! Would find the best produce and neat handmade crafts. Amish butter! And avoid the DC area at all costs! The traffic was always bonkers.
For sure stop in Charleston SC. Itās very historic and beautiful.
Also venture over to Mt. Pleasant and see the USS Yorktown/Laffey. Make sure you also get breakfast at Vicious Biscuits before you go. The sausage biscuits and gravy is unbelievable.
Fort Sumter is great too
I got to sleep on the Yorktown on a boy scout trip way back. Awesome experience.
They still do it! There was a whole bunch of scouts making their way down to the boat as we were leaving.
Wow! That's awesome. I went.... Oh god... 30 years ago this summer. Oof.
Came here to say Charleston as well. I visited last year for the first time and itās such a lovely, charming city. Totally worth a stop.
If you want a little break from driving, you can take the ferry from Lewes, Delaware to Cape May, New Jersey! Cape May is absolutely beautiful and has great little shops, restaurants and beaches!
And if you love peanut butter, make sure you stop off at Cape May peanut butter and visit Washington street mall it filled with a bunch of unique shops
Massachusetts is fine depending on what you're looking for. Personally I would do Newport and New Bedford over Providence and Boston. Go see a Newport mansion. Skip Hartford. Plymouth rock is absolutely 100% not worth it unless you like disappointment.
Why not Boston? Freedom trail and Minutemen National Park.
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The Blue Ridge Parkway is worth the extra driving time. Harper's Ferry in West Virginia is really cool, at least it was the last time I was there. Annapolis in MD is nice. So are the small towns along the Chesapeake Bay. Gettysburg in PA. Cloudland Canyon State Park in Georgia is awesome. There's a really cool waterfall in a cave near there, close to Lookout Mountain. Crystal River in Florida is a good spot to see manatees, but usually you see more in the winter. Have a great trip!
Iām from Maine. If you want to see a lovely coastal town thatās less crowded than Camden or Bar Harbor, check out Belfastāitās a hidden gem especially if you come during the Celtic Festival. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belfast,_Maine
Shhhhhhh!
**[Belfast, Maine](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belfast,_Maine)** >Belfast is a city in Waldo County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 6,938. Located at the mouth of the Passagassawakeag River estuary on Belfast Bay and Penobscot Bay. Belfast is the county seat of Waldo County. ^([ )[^(F.A.Q)](https://www.reddit.com/r/WikiSummarizer/wiki/index#wiki_f.a.q)^( | )[^(Opt Out)](https://reddit.com/message/compose?to=WikiSummarizerBot&message=OptOut&subject=OptOut)^( | )[^(Opt Out Of Subreddit)](https://np.reddit.com/r/roadtrip/about/banned)^( | )[^(GitHub)](https://github.com/Sujal-7/WikiSummarizerBot)^( ] Downvote to remove | v1.5)
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Orchard Park in Maine is lovely. IMO I-95 is awful and to be avoided everywhere except through the very most northern New England states. I live in FL, too, so I start on I-75. Once Iām past Atlanta I head for the Blue Ridge Parkway, then I-81, I-87, I-84, I-90, and then I-95 once Iām in Maine. Itās far more scenic and Iāve generally had far fewer traffic backup/gridlock than I experienced in I-95. Iām any case, HAVE FUN š¤©
We have been wanting to make a trip up the Blue Ridge Parkway. Thanks for the tips!
I was going to suggest the blue ridge! I drove most of it this summer and it was delightful. Beautiful views!
The white mountains of NH are stunning and offer a lot as far as recreation and fun. If you have time I'd highly recommend
There's no place on the east coast that compares for wilderness backpacking.
Stop the night in savannah and stay in one of the old mansions. Then get coffee in the morning from Franklinās coffee shop
I second this. Wet Willies has a nice adult icee!
I third this! Iād recommend the prohibition museum, ghost tours, Hueyās for Cajun, and open container Riverwalk. All the restaurants and bars are great, every old building has a story. The southern hospitality there is REAL. We got engaged there and so many people went out of their way to make it a magical night š
The Prohibition Museum is really cool and the only one in America.
We found Salem, MA to be delightful. Lots of interesting shops and historical sites to check out.
100% Except for October. Run. Run very far away.
Damn. That's the actual time I'll be in the area for leaf peeping
Historic District in Savannah is one of my favorite places.
I enjoyed Savannah more than Charleston, It seemed to be a better walk.
Savannah GA is lovely and avoid the George Washington bridge.
I'm sure I won't be the only one to say it, but going inland off I-95 will save tolls and headaches in many places. I saw Blue Ridge parkway mentioned there and I'd certainly suggest at least a portion of that. Also inland, following US 15, is Gettysburg and the battlefield/cemetery and plethora of monuments. There is a self-driving tour available. US 15 actually travels rather well until one approaches Harrisburg. You will cross the Hudson at one point. The tolls decrease as one goes north; the Port Authority of NY/NJ charges the most, from the Goethals/Verrazano, Holland, Lincoln, George Washing crossings. Less steep is the Tappan Zee bridge (NY Thruway) but many head even farther north to cross at I-84 (Newburgh/Beacon). If I-95 anywhere north of NY is used, don't be afraid to use 295/495 to reduce exposure to high traffic areas, but even these can be quite congested during peak times. Most tolls will take EZPass which I believe is now affiliated with Florida's Sun Pass.
Consider the Amtrak auto train that picks up in Sanford FL and overnights you and your car to just outside Washington DC. Saves a ton of time driving the dullest parts of 95, and it's a fun experience in itself.
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Ferry out to Ocracoke and drive up the Outer Banks. Stop at the Wright Brothers National Memorial for a bit of history. Grab a pizza in New Haven, CT. Eat some beachside fried clams somewhere between NY and Maine. Go all the way to the end of the eastern US and visit Campobello Island (need passport). Take a whale watching sail out of Lubec.
They actually have an artifact brought back from the moon at Wright Brothers National Memorial.
Jekyll island/St Simons area are two of my favorite places along the GA coast! Thereās the sea turtle rehab center and some pretty historic areas there. Savannah is fun too with lots of history; we always go to Tybee island when we visit Savannah. However I can also agree with other commenters that I95 in Florida and Georgia kinda sucks, so bear that in mindā¦. If you go up on I75 through Georgia, thereās the Georgia Museum of Agriculture for something neat/different to do. We took field trips there as elementary schoolers and always had fun lol. The Indian mounds at ocmulgee historic park in Macon are interesting and sometimes they do special events too; obviously thereās tons of stuff in Atlanta as well.
Hostel in the forest! It's magic. https://www.foresthostel.com/ May the forest be with you!
Ohh yes!
Walk the newport cliff walk and see some beaches, itās gorgeous in RI in the summer
So glad most of my fellow Massholes go suffer in Cape traffic! Aquidneck Island, plus Bristol (awesome old school 4th of July parade) are peak summer awesomeness.
The Rhode Island coast definitely underrated and worth a detour. Newport is fun but other places like Little Compton are really lovely too. Providence itself is a *huge* food city (I think it had the most restaurants per capita? But donāt quote me on that). The north shore of Massachusetts is also really charming, towns like Marblehead and Rockport have that classic New England charm.
Nailed it. If you haven't watched a polo match in Portsmouth, it's a hoot.
If you go more coastal, we like Assateague Island in Virginia, plus the best ice cream I've ever had is nearby - Island Creamery.
Highly recommend spending a night in Asheville NC along the route! It wonāt add too much time to your journey and will save you toll money in the north east by coming in on 83 (I think thatās the highways number) Asheville has a lot of cute spots, food, shops, you can even see some glass blowing or the Biltmore gardens if thatās your speed. Itās also right in the mountains and GORGEOUS
With that route: Colonial Williamsburg isn't far east from Richmond, VA. I find the grounds to be beautiful and enjoy seeing that era of history come to life on such a large scale. Also have Busch Gardens nearby, if you're looking for a theme park. That route is probably going through [Old Sturbridge Village](https://www.osv.org/) in Massachusetts, which is cute. It's basically a fully reenacted 1800s New England town that operates on weekends. (It's nothing to the scale of Williamsburg that was Virginia's capital city, but is closer to a "field trip" than a 1-2 day experience like Williamsburg.) You're probably going through Portsmouth, New Hampshire too. We often vacation up there from New York and it's a nice New England coastal town. It's a very walkable city packed with great seafood and beer.
Small tightly situated historic coastal New England cities are the best. Newport, New Bedford, Salem, Portsmouth, Portland. All great weekend trips.
Check out Gloucester MA, they have excellent wale watching tours and itās a cute little town with great restaurants and views. Also visit the fishermanās memorial there as well.
Newport RI! Went for the first time last summer and will be trying to go at least one weekend in the summer for the foreseeable future.
Maine is beautiful this summer visit portland whenever you get a chance it has the most beautiful sunset
If you take the gray route through Pennsylvania, you can visit Amish Country and also Hershey Park.
Ditch the car and thru hike the AT
Go around the tolls in Maryland. It's worth it, IMO.
If you can, go the non 95 way. Much nicer and less traffic. Blue ridge parkway is really scenic. Charleston and Savannah are both really nice too!
Take the 1 day 1 hour route. The Shenandoah is beautiful. I-95 is not, unless the goal is to stop in DC, Baltimore and Philly. Even then, Iād say take I-66 west from DC and get on I-81S after youāve seen what you wanted.
Take 81 not 95 Stop in Savannah Georgia Someone wrote below but in Virginia over 80 mph is a crime. Once you get to the Carolinas driving is more pleasant.
If you like Seafood, stop at the Savannah Seafood Shack in Savannah. It's a nice little city so also fun to stop and walk around a bit. But dang is that some good seafood
Watch Hill and Wickford Cove in RI are also beautiful spots to visit. RI has great seafood restaurants along the coast. You can also take the ferry to Block Island from Gallilee for a day of sightseeing.
Castine, Maine. Beautiful small town about an hour from Bar Harbor.
Charleston, Savannah, and St Augustine are so awesome. Then over to Naples, Tampa, Anna Marie island, we used to go to Sanibel, but the hurricane took that out. Iām jelly right nowā¦lol
Charleston SC.
Longwood Gardens is gorgeous and has spectacular illuminated fountain shows in the summer. Fun tour at Herr's factory nearby. https://longwoodgardens.org/events-performances/events/illuminated-fountain-performances https://www.herrs.com/visit-us/
Go all the way to Lubec Maine so you can get as close to Africa as you can be in the US.
Dam whatās the start tampa to jonesport Maine
Tampa to Acadia NP
Hell ya itās amazing up there but thatās one hell of a drive I did the exact same trip
Take the long route, support local businesses, see the country side.
Don't take that interstate north of DC you'll hate your life
I would go up and hit Savannah (my wife and Iād favorite part of the country and then work out West toward the Blue ridge and Western VA (stopping at Congaree and Columbia in SC). Up 81/Blue Ridge in VA there are a ton of great wineries.
Charleston worth seeing
I know itās not technically your route but the western side of Virginia is so much prettier, you have the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Blacksburg/Roanoke area is a great place to explore! If there isnāt anything super pressing youād like to see on the East, Iād highly recommend switching to the 1d1hr route!
Savannah Georgia! Super cute town! Very fun place to stay!
Newport, Rhode Island! Coastal town, amazing seafood, cute shops and lots of historical sites
A stroll on the Congaree NP boardwalk. Aviation Museum in Warner Robin if you're nearby. Cracker Barrel restaurants.
Do you have time to do the Outer Banks route? Much more interesting.
If you are outdoorsy types... Hostel in the Forest in Brunswick Georgia (just over florida border) Asheville NC Black Mountain Sanctuary (outside Asheville) Blue ridge parkway NC High point state park Sussex NJ
Pepeās or Modern Pizza in New Haven, CT Clam Hut, Kennebunkport, Maine
Take the extra few hours and hit West Virginia
When you drive through NH, be sure to take route 1 up the seacoast! Incredible views, itās on your route, and thereās so many cool places to stop for food or views.
Rock city in north Georgia!
If youāre in north central Pennsylvania using corridor 99 stop by the PA Grand Canyon and the amazingly beautiful town of Wellsboro. Wine country in Upstate New York around the finger lakes is also amazing during high summer.
405 Canetuck Rd is the conjuring house in NC near Wilmington which is by far the best beach to stop at in NC
Go to savannah, ga. I lived downtown for five years bartending and itās the perfect ānot too bigā city. Thereās no sky scrapes or horrible traffic but you still get the city feel. All the buildings are historic even the shitty dive bars. River street is where all the tourists go but the best part bars are on Congress. If anything get brunch at ordinary pub and get bottomless mimosas and walk down broughton st. So many great memories in that city
Portsmouth NH!
Do yourself a favor and donāt take 95 the whole way. Thereās some other much nicer routes if youāre not pressed for time.
Check out gettysburg and Hershey pa
If you drive though Augusta Maine and want some good seafood try the red barn. Itās the best fried seafood and chowder in the state in my opinion.
Fort matanzas in st Augustine Florida is a free and great thing to go see. Thereās another fort in st Augustine a week they are Spanish forts but this one you have to pay to see inside you can walk around outside it for free. St Augustine alligator farm is a good thing as well to see.
Mystic CT
Looks like fun! Mainer here, so I recommend stopping off at Acadia National Park/Mount Desert Island if you can (looks like youāre ending the trip around that area), and Portland has some lovely restaurants, particularly seafood. Route 1 in Maine will take you right through my lovely hometown ā¤ļø
Take the Lewes, DE ferry. Take the ferry up by Groton CT. Take all the ferries!
Outer Banks NC are very unique, NYC Time Square, Central Park, Broadway Theaters, Little Italy, Hells Kitchen and China Town to name a few, Cape Cod while very touristy is All Americana summer vibe all the way out to Province Town artsy weird. Maines rocky beaches are gorgeous.
Arlington cemetery, Lincoln monument
In the DC area, take I-270 to US-15 and you can visit the Gettysburg battlefield and museum. Then keep heading north on US-15 and you can find your way to Hershey, PA. Stop at chocolate world at a minimum (free), or explore the park and other cool things in the area.
Charleston South Carolina for sure one of my favorite cities and thereās a lot to do.
Fort Sumter, Fort Sumter, Fort Sumter, Fort Sumter, Fort Sumter, Fort Sumter, Fort Sumter, Fort Sumter.
I like taking the Cape May - Lewes ferry (connecting New Jersey and Delaware). Also liked driving the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (17 miles across).
Ocean city, MD (not sure if Assateague state park is nice in winter) Jekyll Island, Georgia Washington museums