Planning our 2019 USA road trip - looking for east coast recommendations

1911Man

I'd skip Savannah in September at all costs. I went to college in that place and it's just nasty that time of year. Daytona Beach could be a better spot to hit. Although I've not been anywhere near that area in about 25 years.

Have you given any thought to getting up to New England? Bar Harbor is a nice place to go to. I did a long weekend there several years back and keep intending to go again. You could also add lighthouses to where you're going to stop. LOTs of them in Maine.

JohnInCarolina

Acn said:

If you’re doing the Blue Ridge, is definitely suggest a day or two in Asheville, Curate in particular is a great restaurant. 

This.  Asheville is pretty awesome.  There’s something like a dozen breweries all within walking distance of each other downtown.  The Q at Buxton Hall is pretty good too.

Curate is amazing but you’ll want to make reservations there at least a week in advance.

YukonRon

If you hit Nashville, go to the Ryman. It is a must see event. A converted church which hosted the Grand Ole Opry, the very foundation of american music, broadcast live for decades, when most of the country depended on the radio for entertainment.

Be sure to try and get upper level seats, close to the front as you can. The church pews you sit in on the lower level, while very cool, has obstructed views due to the posts for the upper level. This place is magic.

You will likely head up I65 from Nashville to pick up I71 in Louisville, where I live. There are many cool places to visit while here, as there are 15-20 bourbon distilleries within 5-10 miles of our small, yet humble, home.

If the timing fits, please schedule an evening or two here, with us...

On your way back to DC, you will likely choose the PA Turnpike. There is a memorial to Flight 93, the third plane that was hijacked on 9-11, which was targeting the capitol in DC. A few brave passengers, trying to take the plane back from the terrorists likely saved 100s if not 1000s of lives. It is a somber tribute to those brave souls on the exact spot the plane went down. The world changed, forever, after that day. The term "Let's Roll." became quite popular, as it was the last audible response heard on that flight, as the passengers started to fight back.

BBQ joints north of Kentucky are not fantastic. Kentucky is the edge of good Q heading north, and frankly, the best Q is typically from folks like us.

You will cross the Appalachian mountains going from the plains of Ohio across the mountains in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. A very long drive of 8 to 9 hours. I am sure you will want to head back to DC to catch your flight.

@Acn mentioned the Red River Gorge previously. If you are into hiking or backpacking it is worth a visit. However, it is not worth doing in just a drive through. The beauty of the Gorge is not seen from a car window. If you wanted to spend a week that would be a very cool place to explore, however, with your Itinerary of cities to see, this would be, and honestly should be, done on a later date.

Hope this helps. If it fits your plans I would be glad to offer more.

Hoping you will enjoy your trip.

Stormbringer

@1911Man it's a good call, we've done a fair amount of New England in the past, Boston, Maine, Salem. No reason to not go back again of course.

@JohnInCarolina you convinced me, Asheville is in the must pile.

@YukonRon wow, what a great and indepth level of information, thanks! I'm sure that the schedule will be including a visit to your abode in Louisville.

alaskanassasin

+1 for Asheville, plenty of hotels within walking distance of downtown, or you can kick your feet up a The Grove Park Inn!   Also I don't know how a person from your side of the pond would feel about visiting The Biltomore Estate but it is pretty impressive also in Asheville

DoubleEgger

If you’re going to Asheville in late September, you best book your room now. It’s gets quite busy there in the Fall and rooms go quickly. 

OshawaDave

I was in Memphis in 2017 and it was an interesting City. The Peabody hotel has the ducks that walk in every day and do a show....kind of interesting. Beale St. - lots to do there and lots of good BBQ joints.

TideEggHead

If you end up in Savannah, you could hit the Okefenokee swamp in south GA (maybe schedule a tour if time allows) then pick up I 10 on your way to Nola. If you plan on going any further south, St. Augustine is a pretty cool place with some history but that is a little further out of the way. Sounds like it will be an awesome trip!

Kent8621

i would hit up Rodney Scott in Charleston and spend some time at Kiawah Island.  if your coming through Alabama from NO, the space and rocket center here in HSV is really nice and there is a new Drury inn right across the street from it to rest and alot cheaper than Nashville.  let me know if you in the area and if im around i can host dinner that evening after the rocket center.

Stormbringer

Kent8621 said:

i would hit up Rodney Scott in Charleston and spend some time at Kiawah Island.  if your coming through Alabama from NO, the space and rocket center here in HSV is really nice and there is a new Drury inn right across the street from it to rest and alot cheaper than Nashville.  let me know if you in the area and if im around i can host dinner that evening after the rocket center.

Thanks @Kent8621 !

mEGG_My_Day

I haven't posted to this thread yet, because most of my recommendations have already been mentioned.  However a +1 for the Ryman Auditorium, Asheville and Charleston.

Also, I lived in Atlanta for almost 20 years.  I try to avoid going back when I can.  It has become one big traffic jam.

I have one additional recommendation since you will be visiting in the fall.  Go to a big time college football game.  Most games are on Saturdays.  I would go to a Saturday afternoon game to experience the best tailgating.  Get there a few hours early, buy the home team's baseball cap.  Walk through the tailgaters and tell the fans you flew all the way from the UK to see their team play.  I promise you will be rewarded with free food and drinks, a great atmosphere and fun time (oh, and the football is exciting also).  There is nothing more American than a college football gameday.

Here are a few of the schools I would consider that are potentially on your path.  I'm sure I am leaving some off unintentionally.  If someone(s) wants to argue the merits of each school's gameday atmosphere, please start a new thread and don't hijack this one.

University of Maryland

University of Virginia

Virginia Tech

University North Carolina

North Carolina State University

University of South Carolina

University of Georgia

Georgia Tech (with reservation because it is in Atlanta)

University of Tennessee

Auburn University

University of Alabama

Vanderbilt (if they have a big time opponent)

And if you get as far as Memphis (if you do, lets have a drink or two), there is no better tailgating than at Ole Miss.

I understand the US Naval Academy game-day experience is awesome, but you may need US ID to get in.  Maybe some of our midshipmen eggheads can chime in.

GATraveller

If you let me know when you get to Atlanta I'll buy you dinner.  
Stone Mountain is pretty cool and a good hike up.  Etowah Indian mounds and Kennesaw Battlefield.

buzd504

mEGG_My_Day said:

there is no better tailgating than at Ole Miss.

Having spent many Saturdays in both Oxford and Baton Rouge, I would take issue with this statement.

However, that is a debate for another thread.  Attending a major (SEC) college football game is a great idea for someone visiting from the UK.

GATraveller

buzd504 said:

mEGG_My_Day said:

there is no better tailgating than at Ole Miss.

Having spent many Saturdays in both Oxford and Baton Rouge, I would take issue with this statement.

However, that is a debate for another thread.  Attending a major (SEC) college football game is a great idea for someone visiting from the UK.

Great idea.  I can help out with UGA tickets.

Acn

buzd504 said:

mEGG_My_Day said:

there is no better tailgating than at Ole Miss.

Having spent many Saturdays in both Oxford and Baton Rouge, I would take issue with this statement.

However, that is a debate for another thread.  Attending a major (SEC) college football game is a great idea for someone visiting from the UK.

Tailgating is a great idea.  Watching (American) football is seeing 11 minutes of action and 3 hours of people standing in a circle gabbing with their friends.

Foghorn

American football is two of the worst aspects of US society.  Violence punctuated by committee meetings. (George Will)

But it's still a good way to spend a day - and has to be seen to be believed if you're not from here.

GaBGE

I would skip Atlanta unless your dead set on making that trek. I live about an hour from the mothership, it didn’t impress me enough that I’ve been back to it. If you are on the east coast I would keep trucking toward NO if that’s your destination. You could possibly stop in Destin, Fl. It’s a great place to visit and the whitest beaches in the US and some great local fresh seafood at one of the restaurants on the harbor. Just south of Nashville in Lynchburg, Tn is the Jack Daniels distillery. My wife and I spent about a half a day there on a tour last time we went to Nashville. It was well worth and very interesting. Nashville is a cool town, especially downtown area.  If you do make it to Atlanta, Stone Mountain State Park is pretty neat. 

bgebrent

Atlanta and the mothership are 2 different things.  Come through and raise a pint.

Stormbringer

Holiday planning ensues ... including a visit to Mothership 2.0 ... aka Dizzy Pig HQ. We'll be stopping there en route to Shenandoah.

blind99

@JohnInCarolina you convinced me, Asheville is in the must pile.

there sure is a lot of nice stuff to see in that part of the world.  asheville is a very cool town.  i'm planning to stop there for a few days this summer. the drive through the blue ridge and smoky mountains is beautiful.  read "cold mountain" then make that trip.

if you haven't seen charleston, it's pretty fantastic.