Road trip east to west USA

[Penelope]

My wife and I, along with husband and wife friends of ours are doing a road trip starting in NY and ending up in LA next April and May. Whilst the two guys are into all things automotive, our wives are keen on touristy stuff and all things non car related . I am after some ideas please for the following states:

Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina, Washington, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

We are also visiting Texas but Ray has us covered there and we have already been to New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and Cali etc so have those organised.

Demographic wise we are all mid 50's and love anything tourist orientated.

Thank you all

[YellowRose]

Road trip east to west USA

Hi Bill! Here are some idea, to start you off.. Just some suggestions...

Things to see next April & May on your trip.

Hershey Chocolate Co. - Great American Chocolate tours
https://www.hersheys.com/chocolatewo...late-tour.html

Carlisle, PA 2018 Spring Swap Meet, Corral & Auction
http://www.carlisleevents.com/carlis...n/default.aspx

Gettysburg & other Civil War Battlefield tours.
http://www.beyondbandofbrothers.com/...17_CivilWar_D9

http://www.gettysburgfoundation.org/...tlefield-tours

There is much to see in Washington, DC, of course.
https://washington.org/find-dc-listi...rs-sightseeing

US Battleships & Aircraft Carriers on public display along your route.... Some of these will be right off IH-10, or other major highways on your trip.
http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2015/0...n-display.html

Of course, there is New Orleans, just off of IH-10 to the south, as you come across the country, though Northern Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, into Eastern Texas, Houston, San Antonio, etc...
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...Louisiana.html

Many people travel the IH-95 Highway out of the New England area, down to Florida. Then take IH-10 West through the Florida Panhandle, Alabama, right past the USS Alabama WW II Battleship, through Mississippi, just north of New Orleans. Then on to Houston, past the USS Texas WW I Battleship just prior to it. Then on to me here in San Antonio, on through West Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and on to California, all on IH-10.

I am certainly looking forward to your visit! It has been many years since I have had friends from Down Under visit me! The last couple came in the winter, and wanted to go to the beach to see the Gulf Of Mexico. It was so cold that winter that the fish were being washed up on the shore frozen! They will probably never forget that! If you visit the Coast, you should not have to worry about that in April or May! Heat stroke in May, perhaps!

Here is a map. As you can see, the even Highways go East and West. The odd highways go north and south.

[YellowRose]

Road trip east to west USA

Bill, here is some additional information regarding the Carlisle, PA events. They happen several times a year and next year their Spring event will be in the time frame you will be here. I would suggest that you PM Carl Heller ~ partsetal, and John Peters, ~ driller. They go there a lot and in fact, they both might be at that event. driller goes to represent the LOD and us, and Carl goes to conduct business, and buy as needed. So they can tell you a lot more about Carlisle than I can. John ~ jopizz lives in New Jersey, and you will not be to far from him once you are in that area. So just some more things to think about! There are any number of the Forum membership on here that you will probably be traveling very close to as you wend your way down the East Coast and then on across to the West. What an excellent opportunity to visit with many that you have been talking with for years on here!

[Dan Leavens]

Bill sounds exciting and a great road trip planned.

[DKheld]

In North Carolina....

Make a stop in Asheville NC and use it as a base for sightseeing.

Be sure to visit Biltmore House and Gardens (or Biltmore Estates as they call it now) and eat lunch at the Stable House Café on the estate (I recommend the BBQ plate but it's all delicious). You'll probably want to spend a full day there and visit the Winery. They have 2-3 very nice places to stay on the Estate also.

You could also stay at the Grove Park Inn - free small auto museum (18- 20 cars) on the grounds with shops for the ladies right next door.

Travel the Blue Ridge Parkway to Mt Mitchell - highest point east of the Mississippi and Pisgah Inn - great views - or stay the night at Pisgah Inn and have breakfast the next morning. Pisgah is tied to the Biltmore house because George Vanderbilt who owned and built Biltmore House owned all the property up to Pisgah at one time - it's mind boggling how much land it was.

Nice little Aviation Museum nearby in Hendersonville. Drop the wives off at the Biltmore Outlet Mall on the way.

Charlotte Motor Speedway and nearby Concord Mills Outlets, NASCAR Museum downtown, Mint Museum, if you are traveling on interstate 85 near Salisbury NC around lunch or supper time stop in at Gary's barbecue in China Grove (the owner restored baby birds for a while and still has 3-4..... IN THE RESTURANT!). Back in the Mountains there is Linville Caverns, Chimney Rock, Great Smoky Mountain Railway (possible they would have a Steam Train going and can always see the movie set for the Fugitive from the diesel train), Cherokee (both the Indian history and Casino).


On the Blue Ridge Parkway headed toward Mt Mitchell.


View from the Blue Ridge Parkway looking back toward Mt Mitchell.


Heading toward Mt Pisgah and Pisgah Inn


View from the dining room at Pisgah Inn


Biltmore House - well - some of it anyhow....


Naaa.... I never take my Thunderbird anywhere - ha


View from inside the Biltmore House looking toward Mt Pisgah where George Vanderbilt had his hunting lodge - and yes - he owned ALL the land in-between.


Some folks are big fans of the old 1958 movie Thunder Road - basically about how moonshine was transported and the start of NASCAR. The cabins from the movie are still around and can be rented etc. Nothing great - just have to be a real fan of the movie I guess.

And then of course there is down town Asheville and I think Asheville now has the most breweries per size or population (something like that)

On the coast the Outer Banks are a must see.

Geez - you could spend a month in NC and still not take it all in.



Eric

[Penelope]

Thank you all so much for your comments / ideas. My job is simple, now I just hand it over to my wife who is doing all the planning, mapping and bookings.
Last year we spent 7 weeks in Europe that she had planned and it all went off without a hitch, good planning is the key.

Tidying up dates now and booking flights very shortly. Bring it on

[Dan Leavens]

Bill you are a wise man to be sure.

"My job is simple, now I just hand it over to my wife who is doing all the planning, mapping and bookings. "