Road Trip! First since Covid started

[PaunchyPirate]

I’m all set to start my first pleasure road trip since Covid began. I won’t count the 4-day rush trip from PA to FL and back last March to “rescue” my Mom from her snowbird home or the second trip to FL in August to sell the home.

I’m fully vaccinated plus one month. This will be a solo trip and I’m taking a week. I will first hit Ohio’s Hocking Hills State Park. Then on to Mammoth Cave National Park. Next stop will be Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas. Then turning north to visit Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis. Turning back toward home, I will stop next at the US Air Force Museum in Dayton. Then back home to PA.

I’ll still wear my mask everywhere except in my pickup or if I’m alone on a trail somewhere. I’m staying in hotels for the entire trip.

I can’t wait!

 

[Ronstar]

Sounds like a great trip! Enjoy!

 

[skyking1]

Enjoy your trip.
I visited the museum at Dayton years ago. You used to have to sign up the day before to see the presidential and experimental hangars on base. It looks like that is no longer the case.

 

[Bamaman]

I’m all set to start my first pleasure road trip since Covid began.

Solo triptaking a week.
Ohio’s Hocking Hills State Park.
Mammoth Cave National Park.
Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas.
Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis.
US Air Force Museum in Dayton.

In between these sights, there is so many other travel sights to stop and see. For example, Mammoth Cave is a few miles from the Corvette Museum which is less than an hour from Nashville. Nashville alone is a 1 week town.

There's not enough to see in Hot Springs to make it a primary destination.

I've been thinking about making a run up to Bowling Green, Cave City (Mammoth Cave), N. Indiana RV factory tour, Kalamazoo to a premier car museum, The Henry Ford and/Ford River Rouge and Dayton's Air Museum.

In other words, there's plenty to see without driving 300 miles between travel sights/cities. Your itinerary might be virtually impossible in one week.

 

[USGrant1962]

We're heading to the Bahamas on a dive boat out of Miami on the 17th. Direct flights from DC to Miami and a very short trip to the marina. Bahamas requires a negative test to enter, so we'll do that a few days in advance. Surprisingly, re-entering the U.S. from a seaport does not require testing, only from an airport.

Anyway, DW got J&J last Friday and mine is tomorrow so we are freakin good go to!

 

[gayl]

J&J [emoji818]

So I'm planning a trip up the coast in 2 weeks. Will definitely stop at Mendocino, Fort Bragg, Humboldt ...... might even get into Oregon. Just need to make a few dog friendly motel reservations

 

[stepford]

Say hello to the XB-70 for me. Always a favorite from the Dayton museum.

 

[rodi]

Have a great trip.

The hubster is starting a road trip soon - and I'm going to fly and meet him in NOLA for part of the drive home. Need to wait till 2 weeks after my 2nd shot (which I get tomorrow.) He's excited about seeing family (everyone is vaccinated) and I'm excited for the sightseeing on the way home. Can't wait to get out of the house for more than a walk or trip to Costco. LOL.

 

[harllee]

We are fully vaccinated and wish we could go on a road trip but DH is having knee replacement next week so we have to wait..... I hope he recovers quickly enough that we can do some short trips this summer.

 

[braumeister]

Turning back toward home, I will stop next at the US Air Force Museum in Dayton.

If you haven't been there before, or even if you have but some time ago, it's worth mentioning that it has been greatly expanded in recent years. Four enormous buildings now, and it would be impossible to even walk through it all at a brisk pace in a single day. To actually enjoy the visit I would allow a minimum of two full days.

 

[marinauser]

I just came from California driving to Indiana. No issues but you should check to see that the attractions and facilities that you want too visit are actually open. Some National Park type areas are very limited currently from what I saw.

 

[Chuckanut]

I just came from California driving to Indiana. No issues but you should check to see that the attractions and facilities that you want too visit are actually open. Some National Park type areas are very limited currently from what I saw.

+1

While the great outdoors is usually open, the visitor centers, museums, historic homes and such are usually not open or highly restricted from what I have seen.

 

[ABQ2015]

Sounds like a lot of fun! I took my last road trip in October 2020 (with lots of precautions) and am now fully vaccinated and itching to get out of town. The last five months were hard so cannot imagine spending an entire year plus at home - you are to be commended. I have a May road trip planned to the California coast and a couple of national parks.

 

[Bamaman]

When I worked, every week was a road trip. 5 weeks a year in Florida. 3 weeks in California. PA, CT, NY. I'd hit VA's Shenandoah Valley every couple of months. And Louisiana was also my territory. I'd go and come many weeks staying in Gatlinburg.

Traveled so often that I didn't even use road maps in the east.

And I sure do miss it. My wife misses my road trips as I'd leave her in beach hotels in Florida while I went out to do my jobs.

 

[Winemaker]

Covid never stopped DW and I from traveling to CO, CA, KY, OH, SC, WV, NC, GA and FL. Had some of the best times ever! The spooked stayed home so virtually no crowds, and all the merchants loved us. From little old bake shops in CA to mega-Restaurants at the Biltmore, all we're so helpful, appreciative, grateful for DW and I making our journeys. we have a trip planned for Montana in June, and looking forward to it.

 

[Montecfo]

I have done quite a few solo car trips over past year up and down the east coast and down to Key West. Had some great trips and stayed distanced everywhere.

Looking forward to air travel now that i am vaccinated. Next trip will be to Texas in May to visit family and friends ans get in some beach time.

Then to the islands this summer.

 

[Dtail]

Looking forward to a potential road trip to Charleston and Savannah in August. Even though vaccinated, not sure yet on the air travel.

 

[audreyh1]

We did several long road trips during Covid, unfortunately due to DF’s health and ultimately the estate which is 1200 miles away!! We managed the trips with minimal contact with anyone else. No fannying about or sightseeing unfortunately. Not time.

We’re really looking forward to road trips and ultimately flying again for our own leisure travel.

 

[harllee]

Looking forward to a potential road trip to Charleston and Savannah in August. Even though vaccinated, not sure yet on the air travel.

Charleston and Savannah will be almost unbearably hot and humid in August. I recommend waiting until November to go to those places. In August try Asheville NC

 

[audreyh1]

Charleston and Savannah will be almost unbearably hot and humid in August. I recommend waiting until November to go to those places. In August try Asheville NC

Dtail is coming up from Florida! It will probably seem much nicer that time of year. I expect he’ll want to be back in FL by November.

 

[harllee]

Dtail is coming up from Florida! It will probably seem much nicer that time of year. I expect he’ll want to be back in FL by November.

I don't know know about that--average August daytime temperature in Tampa is 91 and its 90 in Savannah and 89 in Charleston. I have been to Charleston and Savannah in August and it is just unbearable outside. If I were leaving Florida in August I would head to the mountains of North Carolina.

 

[golfnut]

my wife and I are debating a road trip from here in Chicago burbs to Chandler, AZ in late October to attend a wedding. Since we have nothing but time on our hand, we'll travel at a somewhat leisurely pace.


Any insights on this road trip would be welcome.

 

[Dtail]

Dtail is coming up from Florida! It will probably seem much nicer that time of year. I expect he’ll want to be back in FL by November.

Charleston and Savannah will be almost unbearably hot and humid in August. I recommend waiting until November to go to those places. In August try Asheville NC

Thanks Harllee, but yes as Audrey points out, we would want to be in FLA in Nov. My DGF truly loves the heat and will not have an issue with it there at this time.
Another point of knowledge is my brother will be flying up to NJ during that time for a wedding, so this was a good time to "take advantage" of some time away just for the two of us.

Lastly, we will not fly just yet and with DGF's thrice surgically repaired back, a car trip to Asheville would be too far I presume.
We have wanted to go to these two places 2 years running now, so just wish to do it.

 

[stepford]

my wife and I are debating a road trip from here in Chicago burbs to Chandler, AZ in late October to attend a wedding. Since we have nothing but time on our hand, we'll travel at a somewhat leisurely pace.


Any insights on this road trip would be welcome.

The many National Parks of Utah are beautiful that time of year, and are kind of on your way. Who knows how bad the crowds will be this year though.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

I’m the OP here. I’ve decided to start planning the 2nd road trip before I’ve even taken the first one. This weekend, I will work out the details to get from PA up to Acadia National Park. I want to get there in May before the summer travel season starts. I’ll probably hit Watkins Glen and maybe Lake Placid in NY on the way up or back. I’ve spent quite a bit of time in New England already, but the government was shut down and National Parks were closed when I was in Bar Harbor a few years ago.

I may be stuck at home much of June as I’m having my house painted and a new driveway put in at that time (but not exactly sure when yet — weather dependent). So I have to be flexible that month. Oh, except for the week I’m flying to Yosemite. I nearly forgot about that trip!