A road trip through some of the South

[Chuckanut]

Besides New England, I am considering a road trip through parts of the South. I have not seen much of the South except for a few days near Orlando and a bit of Texas (Does Texas counts as the South?).


I am most interested in visiting the states of Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, the Carolinas and parts of Georgia. I enjoy historical sites as well as interesting architecture and scenic state parks. No doubt I will visit some Civil War battlefields. Really anything that a place is noted for is probably of interest to me.

What is the best time of the year to visit?

Any suggestions for things to see and places to go? I am really wide open at this point.

 

[Nemo2]

I've always been fond of the Natchez Trace...driven it a number of times:

https://www.nps.gov/natr/index.htm

 

[Koogie]

We spend time every February on St. Simons Island. We enjoy the coastal islands and cities all the way from Charleston down to St. Augustine.

If you want history and architecture, Charleston/Savannah/Augustine.

 

[Bamaman]

You don't say where you will be entering the South. It is a big place. If you are entering from west of the Mississippi, let's say you start in Memphis.
Memphis has some good sights,.like Elvis' Graceland and the Stax Museum. BBQ hard to beat. Bass Pro Shop there is.a destination.
For Civil War, Shiloh battlefield is 100 miles east of Memphis on the Tennessee River.
Then go on into Nashville. There is an incredible number of travel sights there,.including Music Row, Andrew Jackson's Hermitage, Belle Meade Mansion and.tours of.music stars and movie stars.
From there, go east to Knoxville and the Smokey Mountains. Then go to either Asheville, NC.area.and.the.Blue Ridge Parkway or up I-81 into Virginia and through the Shenandoah Valley. Go East to Charlottesville and Thomas Jefferson's home before going into Washington, DC. That is splitting the South down the middle.
Best months to travel are.October, November, April, May.

 

[Chuckanut]

I've always been fond of the Natchez Trace...driven it a number of times:

https://www.nps.gov/natr/index.htm

Thanks. That already has my interest way UP!

 

[Nemo2]

Thanks. That already has my interest way UP!

Last time I drove it was 2006:

 

[gerntz]

Besides New England, I am considering a road trip through parts of the South. I have not seen much of the South except for a few days near Orlando and a bit of Texas (Does Texas counts as the South?).


I am most interested in visiting the states of Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, the Carolinas and parts of Georgia. I enjoy historical sites as well as interesting architecture and scenic state parks. No doubt I will visit some Civil War battlefields. Really anything that a place is noted for is probably of interest to me.

What is the best time of the year to visit?

Any suggestions for things to see and places to go? I am really wide open at this point.

I'd start in the northern parts in late Sept & work your way south as trees are turning. Highs should stay mostly 75-80 degrees range by late Oct in more southern parts. All you're talking is probably a month+.

KY: Horse Park, couple stops on Bourbon Trail, Mammouth Cave, Red River Gorge/Natural Bridge. In Oct., Keeneland Race Course is gorgeous even without betting - as are nearby horse farms. Cumberland Gap - VA/TN/KY meeting point - worth a stop if on your way. There is Lincoln Birthplace & undeveloped Perrysville Battlefield.

TN: Nashville, Hermitage, Great Smokies, Shiloh Battlefield, Lookout Mountain Battlefield. Memphis a long ways west from the rest.

VA: Is loaded with stuff, particularly around DC - won't go into. Fredericksburg Battlefield, Charlottesville nice, Williamsburg is outstanding. Rev War Yorktown Battlefield interesting too. Easy to spend 2-3 weeks in VA.

NC: Asheville & Biltmore House great to visit. Not too familiar with rest.

SC: Charleston very interesting. Fort Sumter there. Hilton Head has good beaches & entertaining. If you go that far, Savannah, GA is nearby & beautiful.

 

[ER Eddie]

I'm planning a trip there myself in a few weeks. I got a lot of info from just googling and also from this thread:

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/living-in-tennessee-pros-and-cons-92588.html

I haven't done my trip, so I'd probably have better input if I had. From what I've heard, the nicest areas are:

- eastern TN
- western NC
- northern GA
- southeastern KY

That's a big area, though, so there's a lot to pick from. I'm going to be including Gatlinburg and the Smokies, plus Chattanooga and cities north.

I'm not a big country music fan, but Nashville is supposed to be pretty nice.

I've always been fond of the Natchez Trace...driven it a number of times:

https://www.nps.gov/natr/index.htm

I've enjoyed riding that down in MS, where it's flat. I'm sure it's much nicer in TN.

 

[Red Badger]

The Blue Ridge Parkway is awesome April through October. Iffy in the winter.

Reverse for OBX or Myrtle Beach. both are hot, crowded and expensive-ish from May to September. Very enjoyable late Sep to April.

Have fun!

 

[GalaxyBoy]

I've always been fond of the Natchez Trace...driven it a number of times:

https://www.nps.gov/natr/index.htm

Years ago I worked at the Grand Gulf nuclear plant in Port Gibson. There were a number of people who commuted from Jackson, about an hour away. They called themselves the Trace Racers. When one got a speeding ticket they would trade off the driver until the next one got a ticket. I don’t recommend that.

 

[harllee]

If you make it to eastern TN/ western NC area check out Sycamore Shoals State Park which is to the east of Johnson City, TN. During the Revolutionary War, the OverMountain men left from Sycamore Shoals to march to Kings Mountain, TN for a very important Revolutionary War Battle. Sycamore Shoals is not a large park, but has a reconstructed fort and a very good museum with a well done movie about the history. There is also interesting exhibits about the Cherokee Indians who lived in the area. You would want to visit this area from May-October, there would be the possibility of snow during other times.

 

[gerntz]

That's a big area, though, so there's a lot to pick from. I'm going to be including Gatlinburg and the Smokies, plus Chattanooga and cities north.


I've enjoyed riding that down in MS, where it's flat. I'm sure it's much nicer in TN.

I don't enjoy saying this, but I find Gatlinburg itself uninteresting at best. Smokies are great & G-burg is OK base point. Townsend, while small & remote, avoids the G-burg "hassle".

 

[Nemo2]

Years ago I worked at the Grand Gulf nuclear plant in Port Gibson. There were a number of people who commuted from Jackson, about an hour away. They called themselves the Trace Racers. When one got a speeding ticket they would trade off the driver until the next one got a ticket. I don’t recommend that.

Been to/through Port Gibson a number of times, (always loved the Rowan & Martin type 'Fickle Finger of Fate' atop the old church), but never once encountered speeders on the trace; perhaps we hit the road too early or too late.

 

[Chuckanut]

WOW! Thanks for a flood of good information.

Any thoughts on how Charleston and Savannah compare?

 

[EastWest Gal]

Don’t know much about Charleston. Back to Virginia. Williamsburg is outstanding. Shenandoah Valley as well. Shenandoah National Park is gorgeous in October. Charlottesville and Monticello. There has been new archeological discoveries there, including possibly Sallie Hemmings quarters. Farther north is James Madison’s Montpelier. Restoration started only in 2000 so it is a work in progress, which makes it fascinating. DS went to James Madison University so we spent some time there and stayed in Massanutten, a condo resort near the University. If you need to blow some dough, the Local Chop and Grill House in Harrisonburg is outstanding. Avoid JMU’s family weekend in early October though. They have an outstanding performing arts center and the school is known for its music program. Hotel rooms go way up and are scarce.

In Staunton, about an hour south of Harrisonburg, is the Woodrow Wilson presidential library and museum, at the site of his birthplace.

This is a great thread. I hope to explore the South on a road trip within the next few years.

 

[Nemo2]

Any thoughts on how Charleston and Savannah compare?

Liked them both....some ways similar, but different.

 

[gerntz]

WOW! Thanks for a flood of good information.

Any thoughts on how Charleston and Savannah compare?

I found them considerably different assuming we're talking the historical parts.

Charleston has a lot of frame buildings, tight streets with some mansions on the bay waterfront. Much the larger, busier.

Savannah is almost all (& often stately) brick homes laid out on wide streets with a number of open blocks that are parks. Many home tours. On a river that sits well below the town.

Net, seeing one tells you next to nothing of the other.

 

[ER Eddie]

I don't enjoy saying this, but I find Gatlinburg itself uninteresting at best. Smokies are great & G-burg is OK base point. Townsend, while small & remote, avoids the G-burg "hassle".

That's fine. I've been there, so I know what it's like. It's a tourist trap, but as tourist traps go, it's pretty nice. I wouldn't necessarily spend a lot of time there, but I think it's worth checking out. The bulk of my time would be spent elsewhere, but I'm going to include a drive through Gatlinburg, maybe a stop overnight.

 

[harllee]

Charleston and Savannah are both great cities to visit, especially for a history buff. Wonderful food there too. You don't want to go to either of these cities in the summer, HOT and muggy. Spring/fall is the best time to visit Charleston and Savannah. We love going to those cities around Thanksgiving, great weather then. Charleston has the Spoleto festival, I think it is sometime in the Spring. Personally I would not visit during the Spoleto Festival, too crowded.

 

[workburnout]

Kennesaw Battlefield in GA you will like. Great Civil War history hiking trails and little museum.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

+1 for everything gerntz suggested! I would vote for the very same things in KY, all places I’ve been and loved. Ditto Savannah - I’ve been more than once and loved it. If you go to Savannah you must read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (John Berendt). Wonderful, ghostly, Southern Gothic filled with the characters of Savannah. It’s not recent but was so entertaining!

 

[Red Badger]

Charleston and Savannah are both great cities to visit, especially for a history buff. Wonderful food there too. You don't want to go to either of these cities in the summer, HOT and muggy. Spring/fall is the best time to visit Charleston and Savannah. We love going to those cities around Thanksgiving, great weather then. Charleston has the Spoleto festival, I think it is sometime in the Spring. Personally I would not visit during the Spoleto Festival, too crowded.

+1.

Near Charleston is the USS Yorktown - just amazing. Also, the Folly Beach Crab Shack has the best hot sauce in the region. I buy 15-20 bottles a year.

When I go, I park at my hotel/Airbnb and use Uber during my stay near the historic district. Following a horse drawn wagon on narrow streets is a bit much for me. Also, both towns are foodie havens.

 

[rwdflynavy]

I just moved to Roanoke VA. Make sure that southwest VA is part of your VA considerations. Beautiful Blue Ridge mountains and lots to see and do. McAfee Knob is the most photographed part of the Appalachian trail, for good reason and is close to Roanoke area. Tubing on the New River is also a great summer time activity.

 

[Franklin]

Regarding Savannah and Charleston. Both are great cities and are about a 2 hour drive from one another. I have a home on the intercostal waterway in Savannah so I am biased. Agree with other post, avoid the summer months unless you like heat and humidity. In Savannah you can drive to Tybee Island (20 minutes away). It's nicknamed the Redneck Rivera. I also grew up in NE Georgia. Visit during the Autumn months for leaves. Go further north to Ashville (you will not be disappointed.) Enjoy the journey!

 

[Chuckanut]

An acquaintance has recommended a stop in Beaufort South Carolina. My initial pass indicates it's a small town with lots of grand old mansions and may be worth the stop.

Any thoughts on this place and its surrounding would be appreciated.