Travel Virgins Need Your Help

[packrat44]

DW and I are leaving on a 4/5 week trip starting 1 Oct. Starting in WA state we will stop in Bozeman MT to visit FIL and MIL, then travel through Custer's Battle Field and the Bad Lands on the way to Dayton OH to visit DD. After several days (when our welcome becomes stale) head toward the Appalacians in a generally southern direction. DW has cousins near Nashville and Charleston who we will stop and see. Then, it is south to Florida and west to southern Arizona where we will winter.

Since we have not traveled much; and never back East or in the South we are virgins and need help. We are looking for what are "must see" and "must do" along the trip. Things we think we want to see/experience are the Appalacian trail; Southern plantations/old mansions; the Everglades; Key West (the bridges); New Orleans. NOT interested in Dollywood; Graceland; Disney World or places like that. Also, interesting/good (but not expensive) places to eat local cuisine. We like to explore natural wonders and are interested in history of farming, industry, hot rods and distilleries. Bottom line, we would like to have a cultural experience of the South East. Being retired military, we may look for lodging at military bases (frugal and they are a gated community with armed guards).

I know it is late to start planning this trip, but retirement keeps us so busy we hardly have free time. Besides, why do today what we can put off until tomorrow. All help/ideas/guidance would be appreciated. Also, any advice for a couple of green-horns as what and where to avoid would be helpful.

 

[FIREd]

Plantation-wise, President Andrew Jackson's home called The Hermitage (just outside of Nashville) is a nice place to visit. To the Southeast of Nashville, in Lynchburg, you will find the world-famous Jack Daniel's distillery which you can tour for free. If you do, make sure to stop by Miss Mary Bobo's, an old style boarding house located next to the distillery, to sample some traditional Southern cuisine (you must reserve in advance). If you make it to Northern Alabama and you like space-related stuff, give the US Space and Rocket center in Huntsville a try.

 

[packrat44]

Thanks FIREd

Those all sound interesting. We appreciate the suggestions.

 

[omni550]

Sounds like a fun (though long) trip.

In Dayton, OH , be sure to visit National Museum of the Air Force (free admission, BTW) National Museum of the USAF - Home More like a history of aviation. They often have retired guys giving tours and telling some interesting stories.

If you're willing to drive 3 hours north of Dayton to Dearborn, MI -- Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. Both are part of The Henry Ford... Museums, Things to do in Dearborn, Detroit Michigan

The Smokies Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Great Smoky Mountains National Park and any section of Skyline Drive Skyline Drive - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia is worth a visit.

Southern city homes (from the time of the plantations) in Charleston SC Visit Charleston, SC | Charleston Vacation Planning & Charleston Tourism Info | Charleston Area CVB and visiting Savannah, GA Savannah GA Hotels Restaurants Visitor Information for the beautiful old city with its squares and homes are well worth it. (Savannah is where "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil " was filmed.) I love the ambiance there.

Many more plantations along the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge are worth a visit as well.

You'll love the drive through the Florida Keys. The views along the way are fabulous.

omni

 

[JakeBrake]

Don't know if you are 62 yet. If so, be sure to pick up a senior pass. It's a great investment.

America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass

 

[HighRoller]

I found it well worth the time to visit the Jack Daniel's distillery and take the guided tour but be sure to get a good map/directions when heading out there from Nashville. Since you mentioned "hot rods", while you are in the Nashville area you might want to head up to Bowling Green KY and visit the Corvette museum. While in Key West you might want to check out the Ernest Hemingway home and museum.

 

[Nemo2]

In Dayton, OH , be sure to visit National Museum of the Air Force (free admission, BTW) National Museum of the USAF - Home

+1

 

[MooreBonds]

Also, interesting/good (but not expensive) places to eat local cuisine. We like to explore natural wonders and are interested in history of farming, industry, hot rods and distilleries. Bottom line, we would like to have a cultural experience of the South East.

Wow - sounds like it could be the makings for quite the memorable, epic adventure!

I don't have any specific recommendations off of the top of my head for restaurants, but I'd strongly recommend searching for places on your route that have been profiled on shows like Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives....or Adam Richman's Man V. Food.

They typically profile a ton of restaurants, and they usually are on the cheap to moderate price level....along with (usually) great local flavors/cuisine. Man v Food often involves massive eating challenges, but usually those places are the 'down home' type local joints with great food, with or without the 7 lb burger, 96 oz steak, or 10lb pizza challenge.

As far as alcohol goes, I'm sure there a ton of microbrews along the way, along with even various wineries (just about every state has at least some, and should have a handy web map showing their locations) and local distilleries.

 

[Nemo2]

If it isn't out of your way, I've always enjoyed the Natchez Trace

 

[Dreamer]

One of my favorite places out west was Yellowstone National Park. We went to the Badlands, but I don't remember how far it was from one place to another. I definitely want to go back someday.

 

[Lsbcal]

DW and I are leaving on a 4/5 week trip starting 1 Oct. Starting in WA state we will stop in Bozeman MT to visit FIL and MIL, then travel through Custer's Battle Field and the Bad Lands on the way to Dayton OH to visit DD. After several days (when our welcome becomes stale) head toward the Appalacians in a generally southern direction. DW has cousins near Nashville and Charleston who we will stop and see. Then, it is south to Florida and west to southern Arizona where we will winter.
...

Sounds nice. Hopefully the weather will cooperate for you. If you have a laptop or tablet that would come in handy to check out stops along the way. Tripadvisor is a good resource for hotel/motel and maybe even restaurant ideas.

 

[RoccoPacco]

+1 on Yellowstone (also nearby Grand Tetons and Glacier National Parks), Air Force Museum in Dayton, OH, Skyline Drive in VA, and the Smokey Mountains National Park.

I also highly recommend the Blue Ridge Parkway - particularly in late October for the leaves. It starts in VA and ends in NC -- close to TN, and you can jump on/off at several points in between. Also, in Richmond, VA is the James River Plantations -- some of the very earliest plantations in America. Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's home, in Charlottesville, VA and Mount Vernon, George Washington's home near DC are not to be missed. If you have never visited Washington DC area, I highly recommend a few day stop there - national monuments, Smithsonian museums, White House, Capital, etc.

Once you get to Florida, stop in any CVS, Publix Grocery, etc and buy a Sunpass Mini Transponder -- I think they are ~ $5, and then add money on line for tolls. Florida, and South Florida in particular, has NUMEROUS toll bridges and highways, and in the Miami area, there are no toll booths and they will bill your license plate full charge + admin costs. Tolls paid by transponders are less than paid by cash -- you'll easily pay for the transponder in savings.

I loved the Everglades, and plan to return in January/February 2013. You'll probably need strong insect repellant visiting in Oct though. Don't miss the Anhinga Trail! We loved the beauty of Sanibel Island, and in particularly, the Ding Darling NWR near Ft Meyers, FL. In Tampa, the Yuengling Brewery has a free tour with samples. We really enjoyed this (the tour and the beer). Also, the Gulf Islands National Seashore near Gulf Breeze, FL (Pensacola) is my favorite beach -- very peaceful, left in its natural state and beautiful! You won't find the "disneyland beaches" here.
If you like the military museums, the Navy Museum in Pensacola is also spectacular.

As your heading from FL to AZ, a stop in the French Qtr in New Orleans is always fun. The NPS has a free walking tour which is very informative on the history of the city. We also enjoyed the WWII museum in additional to the other "traditional" highlights.

I haven't been, but I understand the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green (60 to 90 minutes north of Nashville) is not to be missed.

We are retired military and frequently stay in Space A -- including in Key West (within walking distance of Duval Street), Homestead (south of FL and close to the Everglad NP) and close to New Orleans in Belle Isle (a 20 minute drive with a free pedestrian ferry to the qtr). We use DOD Lodging for reservations. Also, you may want to consider getting a book on Space A Lodging from your BX/PX as these books include many of the reserve and guard bases which are not yet entirely on the above website. Using Space A works very well for us. We also use Trip Advisor to find good local restaurants when traveling.

Enjoy your trip!!! You will have a lifetime of memories!!

 

[Moemg]

In Key West stay in a B&B . B&B online has a good selection . Make sure it is close to Duval street as you will need to park the car & walk.On your way back from Key West you could stop at Cape Canaveral I believe there is a military base nearby .

 

[packrat44]

DW and I are very appreciative of everyones input. We have copied all suggestions and are listing them in order of travel. Any othe suggestions would also be appreciated.

Interested in any historical re-inactment farms such as cotton or tobacco. Any museums; etc about bootlegging and whiskey running? I like early hot rods and old school stock cars.

There was mention about toll roads. Those are foreign to us. Can someone enlighten us on how to proceed/avoid/etc?

 

[omni550]

There was mention about toll roads. Those are foreign to us. Can someone enlighten us on how to proceed/avoid/etc?

Depending on what roads you are taking across which states, there are toll roads. They are usually limited-access and well-maintained (a plus) but they charge a fee (a negative). At most locations you can pay in cash...and you either get a ticket as you enter the toll road which lists the toll fee for each exit, so you know how much you owe when you exit OR there will be a highway sign saying something like "Toll $1, Pay in 1 mile". Then in 1 mile there will be a toll booth and you give the toll taker $1.

You can choose to avoid toll roads with judicious planning. However, sometimes toll bridges are just hard to avoid.

Florida has done away with toll takers and has converted to SunPass (which you can buy for about $5 at CVS drugstores in FL, and affix to your windshield, and preload via the internet with $10 -$20) Florida's Turnpike - The Less Stressway™. Without a SunPass, if you use a Florida toll road you will get a bill in the mail for the toll(s) owed plus an administrative fee. This must be paid within 30 days. Easier to get the SunPass.

For tolls in most other states...make sure you've got the cash in the car, as IIRC they don't usually take credit cards.


omni

 

[packrat44]

Depending on what roads you are taking across which states, there are toll roads. They are usually limited-access and well-maintained (a plus) but they charge a fee (a negative). At most locations you can pay in cash...and you either get a ticket as you enter the toll road which lists the toll fee for each exit, so you know how much you owe when you exit OR there will be a highway sign saying something like "Toll $1, Pay in 1 mile". Then in 1 mile there will be a toll booth and you give the toll taker $1.

You can choose to avoid toll roads with judicious planning. However, sometimes toll bridges are just hard to avoid.

Florida has done away with toll takers and has converted to SunPass (which you can buy for about $5 at CVS drugstores in FL, and affix to your windshield, and preload via the internet with $10 -$20) Florida's Turnpike - The Less Stressway™. Without a SunPass, if you use a Florida toll road you will get a bill in the mail for the toll(s) owed plus an administrative fee. This must be paid within 30 days. Easier to get the SunPass.

For tolls in most other states...make sure you've got the cash in the car, as IIRC they don't usually take credit cards.


omni

Does Florida send out the hounds and track down out-of-state visitors for collection of tolls?

 

[BTravlin]

If you do find yourself in Yellowstone NP, I recommend taking the Avalanche Peak Hike. The trail will take you to the top of a 10,500' peak in a relatively short 4.2 miles. One of the nicer views you'll ever get that is that accessible on foot. You look out all across Yellowstone Lake and the rest of the park. Make sure to have a warm windbreaker for the peak.


The trailhead is on the road leading to the eastern exit from the park.

Avalanche Peak - Yellowstone National Park | EveryTrail

 

[omni550]

Does Florida send out the hounds and track down out-of-state visitors for collection of tolls?

Dunno.

Florida gets a huge number of tourists (87 million in 2011) and, according to their state tourism site, is the top travel destination in the world. Tourism is their #1 industry.

I can't imagine that they won't pursue scofflaws.

omni

 

[omni550]

Toll road - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia is the Wikipedia entry for "toll roads'.

It covers them from ancient times to modern day.

 

[JakeBrake]

I hate toll roads and I will go miles out of my way to avoid them. However, on a recent roadtrip to the Northeast USA, we found it impossible to avoid some toll roads.

Fortunately, for that trip we were driving a Hertz rental car that had a small box in the front windshield ( I forget what it was called). That box allowed us to pass through automated toll stations. The toll was billed to the same credit card we had used to rent the car.

 

[RoccoPacco]

I hate toll roads and I will go miles out of my way to avoid them. However, on a recent roadtrip to the Northeast USA, we found it impossible to avoid some toll roads.

I believe it will also be quite impossible for the OP to avoid toll roads heading to the Everglades and Key West. As I recall the main highway around Homestead is a toll road. I also recall the most direct route thru Miami to get to Homestead/Key West is a toll road. For a $5 Sunpass Transponder and an additional $10 - $20 added to the account on line, I would just do it. In the OPs case, tolls are less using the transponder (than cash), roads are more direct, and you wont have to wait in line where there are toll booths to pay cash.

 

[HFWR]

If you're heading toward Bowling Green and Nashville anyway, might try Kentucky Bourbon Trail ...

The Country Music Hall of Fame is interesting, as is downtown Nashville: Opry, Ernest Tubb's Record Shop, old RCA studio, Gruhn Guitars...

 

[packrat44]

The 4/5 week trek begins tomorrow at o-dark-30. A bit nervous. DW does not handle sitting in the car for long streches of time, even with rest stops in between. However, she is highly motivated to visit our daughter who is working at Wright-Patterson AFB (Dayton).

Anxious to see the fall colors. We are use to heavy doses of evergreens but light on the deciduous.

Looking for more advice on things to see/do/stay-away-from from those that live or are familiar with the corridor from Ohio to southern Florida and Florida to Arizona. We are appreciative of the earlier responses and have consolidated the ideas in order of our travel. Please keep the ideas flowing.

New milestone. Just hit the 1,000 post mark.

 

[nwsteve]

Florida to Arizona. We are appreciative of the earlier responses and have consolidated the ideas in order of our travel. Please keep the ideas flowing.

Packrat
We just returned from a similar journey--Spokane to WA DC and back via Kentucky, Kansas, Colorado etc.
For your leg across the southland, consider a night in New Orleans French Qtr and enjoy some great seafood, gumbo, and crayfish. Moving West, include San Antonio and their Riverwalk. The Hampton Inn downtown if very close to the Riverwalk and quite reasonable compared other downtown options.
As you continue West, be sure to include Carlsbad Caverns in SE NM, very easily spend a day there. Actually a lot of sights in NM in general.
While in AZ, consider a visit to the Desert Museum in Tucson.
For the trip back to Wash, route yourself through S. Utah and see Zion and Bryce Canyon. As long as you get there before Nov 1 you should be able to see without too much cold yuck weather.
If you have a smartphone, download a link to Interstate Reststops Interstate Rest Areas | Rest Areas along Interstate Highways to plan out your stops for your traveling companions needs. We did, however, find a number of states are already shutting down some stops for the season. We also found it helpful to stop in at all the state's welcome centers at their borders, get a state map, and puruse their flyers for state attractions. There a lot of places of interest in every state that are not well publicized.
Have a fun and safe trip.
Nwsteve

 

[Sarah in SC]

Hey Pack, of course we think Charleston is a great destination! I'd suggest if you aren't plantation-ed out by the time you get here to go to Magnolia Gardens. That would be my top pick for our area. A tour to Fort Sumter is also nice, but try to stop in at Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island as well. And of course the Yorktown if you are interested in on the water military history. Anything I can do while you are in the area, please shoot me a PM. Goes for all y'all. Glad to help.
Enjoy the road and fair winds to you.