I need some recommendations

[havasu]

Mama is booking us a flight to Atlanta, Georgia on April 22. We are spending 2 weeks touring the east coast. From Atlanta, to Augusta, Savannah, to Charleston, Fort Sumter, Myrtle Beach, Washington DC, Williamsburg, Gettysburg, Roanoke, Winston-Salem, Blue Ridge Hwy, then back to Atlanta.
Can anyone recommend sites to see along this route?

Oh, we are also headed thru Lancaster to see the Amish. I'm hoping someone can tell me the hot spot area of Lancaster to see Amish handmade items.

 

[Sourdough]

STONE MOUNTAIN, GA. (The Wall)

 

[Caribou]

Looking at that itinerary I would suggest...Alaska.






Sorry, wish I were joking.

 

[Bacpacker]

In Charleston, there is a lot to see and do. The Flea market area (former slave sell site) is nice and could take hours to go thru. Lots of stuff on the main street. I'll have to look up some stuff. Been several years since we were there. But had a blast.
Leaving Myrtle beach, you could go up the coast and check out the Outer Banks (OBX). Our favorite beach location. Fairly easy trip to Williamsburg from OBX.
Take your time on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Tons of Vistas and a few areas that are nice to check out. Not sure if you'll be far enough north to check out Luray Caverns, or if you like cave for that matter. But for a smaller cave it was amazing. We camped at the KOA in Luray. Blue Ridge parkway ends really close to Cherokee, NC Indian reservation there. Small scale tourist trap. The parkway also borders the Great Smoky Mountain National park at the southern end. Worth spending a day or so exploring there. Give me a shout if that is any interest and I can give a couple recomendations of places to check out.
Sounds like a killer trip

 

[havasu]

STONE MOUNTAIN, GA. (The Wall)

That is our first destination. Thank you!

 

[Bacpacker]

That is our first destination. Thank you!

Well worth doing. Amazing views from up top

 

[Peanut]

Dahlonega GA, that area was the first gold rush in the US. There are still a few mines in there.

Lots of military history in all the places you're going, major battles were fought all over VA. I'm a history buff, especially military history. 2 weeks is to short to see very much of it.

I've been to the cities you've listed. I prefer the mountains. Bacpacker knows all the great places.

Good food? something that's worked well for me. Run searches on tv shows like "diners, drive-ins and dives" at the food websites. They list the episodes and the restaurants they televised. You can check out the food before going. Or at the least get an idea of the different foods that you'll see, especially in the south.

 

[Supervisor42]

Mama is booking us a flight to Atlanta, Georgia on April 22. We are spending 2 weeks touring the east coast. From Atlanta, to Augusta, Savannah, to Charleston, Fort Sumter, Myrtle Beach, Washington DC, Williamsburg, Gettysburg, Roanoke, Winston-Salem, Blue Ridge Hwy, then back to Atlanta.
Can anyone recommend sites to see along this route?

Too many great sights on that trip to mention .
But I would skip Washington D.C. unless you plan on voting there...Which you can do now. D.C. looks just like the pictures anyway.
Yes, you can now vote there, just don't show your ID:
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/washington-dc-city-council-bill-allowing-noncitizens-vote-law

A Washington D.C. effort to allow non-citizens, including undocumented immigrants and foreign diplomats according to the Wall Street journal, to vote in local elections is now law.

The City Council passed the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act amid criticism from Republicans. Congress had a 30-day review period, during which lawmakers could have pushed to block the legislation.

 

[Caribou]

Dahlonega GA, that area was the first gold rush in the US. There are still a few mines in there.

Lots of military history in all the places you're going, major battles were fought all over VA. I'm a history buff, especially military history. 2 weeks is to short to see very much of it.

I've been to the cities you've listed. I prefer the mountains. Bacpacker knows all the great places.

Good food? something that's worked well for me. Run searches on tv shows like "diners, drive-ins and dives" at the food websites. They list the episodes and the restaurants they televised. You can check out the food before going. Or at the least get an idea of the different foods that you'll see, especially in the south.

Great idea. The wife and I took a six month drive from Alaska to California with a shortcut through Florida. Before we left she told me that she had planned for us to visit Tripple-D restaurants all over the country. I cupped both hands about halfway between my bellybutton and my chin and had the greatest grin on my face. She said, "No, not that kind of Tripple-D", then told me about the show. Can't win them all. They were good restaurants.

 

[havasu]

Too many great sights on that trip to mention .
But I would skip Washington D.C. unless you plan on voting there...Which you can do now. D.C. looks just like the pictures anyway.
Yes, you can now vote there, just don't show your ID:
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/washington-dc-city-council-bill-allowing-noncitizens-vote-law

Washington DC is essentually a pass thru location heading to Gettysburg. Since Mama has never been to the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial, Arlington Cemetery, and the Holocaust Museum (which I've been to all) I believe that it would be on her bucket list, and I feel is a must see. I mean, we will be passing right by, so why not. Yes, I can give 5 millions why not, but we will be tourists seeing the sites, and giving money to the USA instead of some stupid foreign country.

 

[Bacpacker]

If you happen to be on I-81 passing New Market Va. make sure and stop at the Museum there. Awesome place, lots of Civil war history all over the area.

 

[Peanut]

Oh, in SC... great bbq and parts of it have a vinegar/mustard based sauce. I buy the same type at a local bbq joint here, great sauce. If nothing else it's a nice change of pace to sweet sauces that are so common. Something to try anyway.

 

[Caribou]

Washington DC is essentually a pass thru location heading to Gettysburg. Since Mama has never been to the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial, Arlington Cemetery, and the Holocaust Museum (which I've been to all) I believe that it would be on her bucket list, and I feel is a must see. I mean, we will be passing right by, so why not. Yes, I can give 5 millions why not, but we will be tourists seeing the sites, and giving money to the USA instead of some stupid foreign country.

There are lots of, all you can eat crab, places around Gettysburg and Baltimore area.

 

[user 4021]

I would suggest if you are in Myrtle Beach SC area to go to Huntington Beach State Park and Brookgreen Gardens. Great places to go, but I have been going there for most of my life.

 

[Patchouli]

@havasu good luck in DC!
Going from Gettysburg to Winchester, VA would be a good trip too. Then just spin down 81 to hit the Blue Ridge/Skyline Drive (where the speed limit is 40 mph forever), then Roanoke. Harpers Ferry is an hour or less from Winchester. Winchester changed hands during the Civil War 70 times between the Confederates and the Union. There are a lot of beautiful old buildings in that city. Harpers Ferry is small but fun to hike around, the rivers, Jefferson Rock (which I used to climb on as a kid). Great view from the top of the mountain and above the little church and cemetery.
Savannah has pretty nice tours of the historical district. I would skip Williamsburg (too peopley and touristy) unless I was going to Busch Gardens to ride the rides. The traffic on 95 from Richmond to ...NYC is a nightmare.
There are a couple of "Amish" farmer's markets around the MD/PA state line, south of York. One I was familiar with was only open on Thurs., Fri., Sat. Ephrata, PA might be a good bet. I'll check with peeps back east and see if they can tell me where the markets are.

 

[DrPrepper]

Mama is booking us a flight to Atlanta, Georgia on April 22. We are spending 2 weeks touring the east coast. From Atlanta, to Augusta, Savannah, to Charleston, Fort Sumter, Myrtle Beach, Washington DC, Williamsburg, Gettysburg, Roanoke, Winston-Salem, Blue Ridge Hwy, then back to Atlanta.
Can anyone recommend sites to see along this route?

Oh, we are also headed thru Lancaster to see the Amish. I'm hoping someone can tell me the hot spot area of Lancaster to see Amish handmade items.

Winston-Salem is home to Krispy Kreme! (I lived in the Winston-Salem area for a couple of decades) Also, check out Old Salem - historical site of an old Moravian town. Reynolda Gardens is a beautiful botanical garden that may be in bloom at the time you're there. If you like living historical museums, in addition to Old Salem, if you head north on Hwy 52 to Pinnacle, you can visit Horne Creek Farm. Before she died, my mother was one of the historical interpreters there. Sounds like an awesome trip! Gettysburg is amazing if you like Civil War history. My son and I spent a week just walking the battlefield and examining all the monuments.

 

[Patchouli]

For one:
https://www.marketsatshrewsbury.com/Most of the vendors at this one used to be in a town near me in MD.

 

[Biggkidd]

Make sure to see Skyline drive and the Smokey Mountains.

 

[Frodo]

Hwy 64.
Arkansas
164 miles of garage sales

Kentucky
Blue Ridge Parkway

 

[sonya123]

We have been just about everywhere in those areas except DC through which we used to always just drive through ...
My favorites but I don't know what you like : Colonial Williamsburg, Patriot Point Charleston SC Navy museum, it has an aircraft carrier and its awesome been there several times, Cherokee NC , Smokey Mountain Park, if you want to hike I can give you details on that, there is not much in Roanoke ( we live not too far from there) , Mill Mountain maybe but it;s nothing spectacular. There is Helen , Georgia, a little pretend German town, I would skip Winston Salem, not much there I can think of, maybe go to Ashville instead.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is nice but it will take a lot longer to drive than you think, especially if it's foggy. Shennandoah NP is awesome . Atlanta: traffic nightmare, we just avoid it unless we had to drive through it. If you want to go to the beach, imo Virginia Beach is much nicer than complete tourist trap Myrtle beach, and traffic is better also ( my daughter lives there) . They have a nice aquarium. Getting to Myrtle Beach in summer is a nightmare but not sure about April. Gettysburg is awesome also, definitely go there. If you have time, visit Lancaster , its not too far from Gettysburg.
Hope this helps.

 

[sonya123]

For one:
https://www.marketsatshrewsbury.com/Most of the vendors at this one used to be in a town near me in MD.

I like Lancaster actually more....( we used to go there for war game conventions)

Sorry , don't agree with you on Colonial Williamsburg, I thought it was a pretty good natural history museum. Yes , somewhat touristy but still worth it. Our kids loved it too.

 

[Morgan101]

If you are driving you might take a little side trip from Lancaster and go the Hershey, PA. They are only 28 miles apart. It was one of the remaining company towns built by Milton Hershey, the chocolate guy. We found it very interesting.

You can also go on the web, which you may have already done, and enter "Things to do in Lancaster PA". No lack of info there.

 

[zoomzoom]

The only thing coming to mind right now is... I-95. If you haven't driven it before, prepare yourself. Your driving attention must be at 100%. It's 2-3 lanes wide (in each direction), bumper to bumper at around 80MPH (except around Washington DC which is like 5MPH). One person touches their brake or makes an unsafe lane change and there's often a chain reaction of drivers behind hitting their brakes at varying degrees which often causes a wreck somewhere in there.

 

[Frodo]

If you can go to Arkansa
Their is a diamond mind that will let you pan for diamonds, their ave been huge yellow diamonds found there
Most likely will not find anything but it should be a fun day

 

[SoJer]

Can anyone recommend sites to see along this route?

+1 for Colonial Williamsburg (if ya've never seen it..) Yeah, "touristy", but so'z Disneyland..

If you can 'swing this wide', my Folks did a Eastern-roadtrip last Fall, for their 50th, and said This place was Awesome: http://www.parrotmountainandgardens.com/

Addy: 1471 McCarter Hollow RoadPigeon Forge, TN 37862 ...Looks like it Might be not too-far off yer path? Looks fairly easy to jaunt down to ATL, from there, at least..

Plus - Anytime ya can spend Any time in / near the Smokeys is So Worth.

Fwiw..
jd

 

[BBLife]

Moses Cone Memorial Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway. There is an Apple Orchard not to far from it that is probably closed but their storefront may be open and could be fun. Jump off the parkway in a few places to see Blowing Rock, Banner Elk and Boone.

 

[Weedygarden]

2 weeks is to short to see very much of it.

I thought the same. I lived in Washington, DC for 2 1/2 summers, but I was in a heavy duty training course. I had very little time for doing touristy stuff. I think a person could spend weeks just there, maybe months, and not see it all. I think it is about what kind of interests a person has--military, history, museums, zoos, art museums, historical churches, monuments, architecture...

 

[sonya123]

The only thing coming to mind right now is... I-95. If you haven't driven it before, prepare yourself. Your driving attention must be at 100%. It's 2-3 lanes wide (in each direction), bumper to bumper at around 80MPH (except around Washington DC which is like 5MPH). One person touches their brake or makes an unsafe lane change and there's often a chain reaction of drivers behind hitting their brakes at varying degrees which often causes a wreck somewhere in there.

I was going to write that this morning but didn't have time. I have driven to literally every State in the continental US, it was our goal to do that for many years, took us 20 and I-95 is THE worst interstate in the entire US ( second to I-5 in California and I-75 through Atlanta)
I have driven up I-95 so many times when we still lived in Florida, I don't know how many.
If at all possible, avoid it, unless you are not bothered by massive traffic, lots of accidents and bad drivers everywhere.
The worst is from about Fredericksburg to past NYC. All of it is bad

One more comment: I would personally skip Savannah , there is not much there. It's just an old city . We stopped a few times to have lunch, and it took me longer to find a place to park than we spent there. Charleston is much nicer and much more to do. You don't have unlimited amounts of time.
Here is my top 6 , ( but we don't really like large boring cities, don't shop and don't go out to eat much, we like outdoor stuff, historical stuff and some touristy places , so if you don't like that sort of thing ignore my comments)
Charleston/Patriot Point, Smokey Mountain area , Blue Ridge Parkway, Shenandoah . Colonial Williamsburg and Gettysburg
For beach: Virginia Beach or Outer Banks ( but that's time consuming to get to)

 

[sonya123]

Moses Cone Memorial Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway. There is an Apple Orchard not to far from it that is probably closed but their storefront may be open and could be fun. Jump off the parkway in a few places to see Blowing Rock, Banner Elk and Boone.

Been there in that area lots of times! We used to go skiing at Sugar and Beach Mountain, kids leaned at Appalachian ski area ( snowboarding)
Another fun thing to do around there is gem mining . Does your wife like jewelery? I have some really pretty emerald earings from that area

 

[BBLife]

Been there in that area lots of times! We used to go skiing at Sugar and Beach Mountain, kids leaned at Appalachian ski area ( snowboarding)
Another fun thing to do around there is gem mining . Does your wife like jewelery? I have some really pretty emerald earings from that area

Gem mining ... My wife is a nut for that! We buy the $1000 barrels when we go and she is happy for the year in terms of B-day and Anniversary gifts.