Help Me Plan My Trip

[TheOtherMe]

I will be going to Toronto in late April and returning to Iowa via the East Coast.  

I will leave Toronto on May 3 for the US.

I am wanting to visit the following states:  Maine, Vermont, Delaware, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Alabama.

I know I will have to go through other states to do this.

I am looking to see historical sites.  I might like to visit Plymouth Mass.

I know I will be stopping in High Point, North Carolina to visit the High Point Museum.  I know this sounds totally weird but I will be going to the Delaware State Hospital Cemetery in New Castle Delaware.

Other than that the only things I know are:

I do not want to drive through NYC or Washington DC

Where do I cross the border from Canada?  I'm told it's easier to cross in New York and then drive to Maine.   I spent time in Niagara Falls last trip so I have no interest in going there.

I want to head home from Alabama where I will be visiting friends in Anniston.


I am hoping to do this in two weeks.  I am willing to spend more time if that's what it takes.

Advice?  I'm sure I won't take all of your advice but I am not familiar with the East Coast.

Thank you.

[chiver78]

you had best let me know if you want to see Plymouth Rock. just sayin.... 

[happyhoix]

Hmm don’t know about some areas, but I would come down from WV to NC and head west - Asheville NC is worth a visit, beautiful Blue Ridge vistas. George Vanderbilt built a giant Golden Age mansion in French chateau style in Asheville- interesting for history buffs - and the city has the second highest number of micro breweries per capita in the US. Then go west towards Knoxville, stop at the Smoky Mt National Park if you like mountains and trees, then head South to Chattanooga. If you like American civil war history stop at the Chickamauga battlefield just South of Chattanooga. From there take 59 to Alabama. If you’re a space enthusiast the Huntsville Air and Space Museum is really good - or visit their minor league baseball team the the Rocket City Trash Pandas. My favorite part of Alabama though is Gulf Shores.

[jerseygirl]

Two weeks to do all that will be very rushed. Suggest you plan for more time or if you must take only 2 weeks then fewer places

[pulmonarymd]

I second Asheville and the Biltmore House. A must see.

There is no quick way to get from upstate NY to Maine. That is quite a bit of driving. And if you are in MA or CT, there really is no good way to avoid traffic, even if you try to go around NY, there are just too many people. The best way to avoid NY and DC is to go on I-81, and that is a popular route for trucks, and there is frequently road work in the summer. I agree you need more time or to scale it back.

[finnime]

To sidestep Washington, D.C., take route 13 from Delaware down the eastern shore and over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, to North Carolina.

I agree with the others about the impossibility of trying to make it easily from Canada to Maine and Vermont down to Delaware. Crazy traffic. You can go route 81 and muddle through Connecticut and Pennsylania but that is, as described, home to truckers of all sizes and stripes. The Saw Mill Parkway (route 15) in New York is one way to keep away from 95 as much as possible.

I know these things from extensive east coast travel. I've spent many, many months of time (years) driving, first from Virginia Beach and then from Maryland to New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts. This is why I'm prematurely aged!

[pulmonarymd]

I have had to do NE to DC or Charlottesville multiple times a year for the last 11 years. I feel your pain.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

If you drive through Toronto along the lake, you can ultimately cross the border at the Champlain border crossing.  If you drive to Plattsburgh, you can pick up the ferry to cross Lake Champlain at Cumberland Point.  The ferry lets off in North Hero, VT.  In North Hero, there is a guest place called Shore Acres.  I’ve not stayed here, but have had dinner here many times and they have an excellent chef and it’s a gorgeous facility on the lake.  

shoreacres.com/

From there, it is about 20 or so miles to Burlington, VT which is a neat city to check out.  If you continue down, you’ll hit Manchester, New Hampshire, then cross into MA.  You might want to check out Boston, then it’s an easy shot to Maine from there.  You might want to consider staying north of Boston and taking the T into Boston.  Lots of historical spots there. 

If you backtrack through MA and drive further west, I90 across MA runs through NY as the NY Thruway and it will run into I81 south, which will avoid NYC and DC.  

Otherwise, I think you can cross from Canada into NY at Newburgh, near Watertown and pick up 81 there, but this will take you away from Vermont and Maine.

[Cookies Galore]

You're going to have to go through PA or NJ to get to Delaware, my vote is PA since NJ just sucks to drive through. Interstate 81 isn't great, but once you get onto 476 it's easy traveling. I live in southeastern PA and take 476/76/95/202 often and traffic is really only bad during certain times of day; it's really not all the time bad traffic. Or else I'm just used to it.
Although, now that I think about it, PA roads just suck. Our traffic might not be as bad but you do have to be careful with potholes right now. But I'm biased when I say PA is really pretty and has a lot of historic sites, especially in the Brandywine area of Chester County, PA and northern Delaware.

I'm going on a ladies trip to WV in June and if you hit Harper's Ferry then you can see WV/VA/MD all in 20 minutes, lol. George Washington's bath tub is in Berkeley Springs, WV! Haha.

[pulmonarymd]

Going to Delaware from NE on 81 takes you way out of the way, unfortunately, not sure it really saves time. You could do the Garden State parkway to Cape May and take the ferry. Just need to avoid beach traffic. But the traffic in Delaware over the bridge where all the roads merge has been a nightmare for years.

You could spend the whole time in NE or NY, PA, NJ, PA doing historical sites at a leisurely pace and not have to worry so much about traffic. Trip is too ambitious, it would be better and more enjoyable if it is scaled down. The traffic up here is just too bad to have a tight timeframe.

[TheOtherMe]

Mar 30, 2022 8:59:47 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

you had best let me know if you want to see Plymouth Rock. just sayin.... 

That's in the plan.  

[TheOtherMe]

Mar 30, 2022 10:33:12 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

If you drive through Toronto along the lake, you can ultimately cross the border at the Champlain border crossing.  If you drive to Plattsburgh, you can pick up the ferry to cross Lake Champlain at Cumberland Point.  The ferry lets off in North Hero, VT.  In North Hero, there is a guest place called Shore Acres.  I’ve not stayed here, but have had dinner here many times and they have an excellent chef and it’s a gorgeous facility on the lake.  

shoreacres.com/

From there, it is about 20 or so miles to Burlington, VT which is a neat city to check out.  If you continue down, you’ll hit Manchester, New Hampshire, then cross into MA.  You might want to check out Boston, then it’s an easy shot to Maine from there.  You might want to consider staying north of Boston and taking the T into Boston.  Lots of historical spots there. 

If you backtrack through MA and drive further west, I90 across MA runs through NY as the NY Thruway and it will run into I81 south, which will avoid NYC and DC.  

Otherwise, I think you can cross from Canada into NY at Newburgh, near Watertown and pick up 81 there, but this will take you away from Vermont and Maine.

That hotel looks like my style.  

I have been to Boston several times and done the Freedom Trail, eaten on the shore, etc.  

Most of trips east have involved Paul McCartney so I have hit most of the big cities.  Made a vacation out of Boston and New York.

I've been to DC for work twice and spent every evening and the weekend sightseeing.  

[TheOtherMe]

Mar 30, 2022 9:49:25 GMT -5 happyhoix said:

Hmm don’t know about some areas, but I would come down from WV to NC and head west - Asheville NC is worth a visit, beautiful Blue Ridge vistas. George Vanderbilt built a giant Golden Age mansion in French chateau style in Asheville- interesting for history buffs - and the city has the second highest number of micro breweries per capita in the US. Then go west towards Knoxville, stop at the Smoky Mt National Park if you like mountains and trees, then head South to Chattanooga. If you like American civil war history stop at the Chickamauga battlefield just South of Chattanooga. From there take 59 to Alabama. If you’re a space enthusiast the Huntsville Air and Space Museum is really good - or visit their minor league baseball team the the Rocket City Trash Pandas. My favorite part of Alabama though is Gulf Shores.

I do like Civil War history.  The only battlefield I have been to was in Mississippi and it was pouring the entire day so didn't really see much.

I don't care for space history and I'm not wanting to go as far south as the Gulf Shores.  Just hit the northern part of Alabama and start home.

[nidena]

If at any point you'll be on a toll road, it is to your advantage to request an EZPass and link it to a bank/CC account.  This will save you time and money, in the long run, and the transponder can be used on nearly every toll road between you and the East Coast and as far south as Florida except where they use the SunPass.  It doesn't expire.  I've been in Indiana for two years and mine is still active (and ready for when I head to PA and DE for visits).

[pulmonarymd]

In VT, I would recommend the town of Woodstock. About as pretty as any small town I have ever seen. Middlebury is also nice, and there is a college there. VT in the summer is just pleasant overall.

[TheOtherMe]

0Since I am that far north, I must go to Vermont and Maine.  Somehow in all of my trips to NJ and Philly, I have missed Delaware.  I need to go to that cemetery there because it's where an ancestor is buried.  He was in the mental institution for over 40 years.  The cemetery has been restored and I want to pay my respects.

I have to go to that part of North Carolina because the cabin that my first ancestors that came to the US has been moved to the museum and refurbished.  It's close to Greensboro.  

I'm willing to skip West Virginia, South Carolina and Alabama but I think the other states are close enough together that I should be able to at least drive through them.   If I don't go farther south than Greensboro, I can head home from there.

I do not want to go whale watching or spend much time on the water.  I will have to check how long the ferries are.  I don't like being on water. 

[TheOtherMe]

I have an IPass which is accepted in all of those states, so I am good there.  It's also accepted in Canada.

I got the IPass when I drove to Toronto last fall.  The Toronto family also uses it.  We each have a transponder connected to my card.

[pulmonarymd]

I think you are not realizing the distance from Maine to NC. Depending on where you are in Maine it could be 800-1000 miles if you are trying to avoid the big cities(less if you go through NY and DC, but then you have traffic. Boston to NY is about 200 mile, NY to DC is 200 miles, DC to Greensboro is 300 miles. You can get pretty far east in NE if you try. Hell Burlington, VT is 300 miles. It is a lot of driving to get to all those places

[minnesotapaintlady]

Mar 30, 2022 11:37:35 GMT -5 pulmonarymd said:

I think you are not realizing the distance from Maine to NC. Depending on where you are in Maine it could be 800-1000 miles if you are trying to avoid the big cities(less if you go through NY and DC, but then you have traffic. Boston to NY is about 200 mile, NY to DC is 200 miles, DC to Greensboro is 300 miles. You can get pretty far east in NE if you try. Hell Burlington, VT is 300 miles. It is a lot of driving to get to all those places

I don't think it's the distance so much as the traffic.  Where TOM and I are from 200 miles is a 3 hour drive and that's if you stop for gas and a bathroom break.

[pulmonarymd]

Mar 30, 2022 11:44:36 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Mar 30, 2022 11:37:35 GMT -5 pulmonarymd said:

I think you are not realizing the distance from Maine to NC. Depending on where you are in Maine it could be 800-1000 miles if you are trying to avoid the big cities(less if you go through NY and DC, but then you have traffic. Boston to NY is about 200 mile, NY to DC is 200 miles, DC to Greensboro is 300 miles. You can get pretty far east in NE if you try. Hell Burlington, VT is 300 miles. It is a lot of driving to get to all those places

I don't think it's the distance so much as the traffic.  Where TOM and I are from 200 miles is a 3 hour drive and that's if you stop for gas and a bathroom break.

True, you can’t do 70mph in many of these states. People sometimes think theses places are closer than they are. And once away from the cost, it is hilly. Our roads aren’t just straightaways either. The distances I stared are by the shortest routes. They are the most congested. Avoiding them adds distance to the trip so it doesn’t always save time. When you live up here, you are always having to plan your trips around traffic and hope you calculated correctly

[plugginaway22]

When in Delaware there is the gorgeous Winterthur Museum and Gardens and of course Longwood Gardens, very close by in PA. Both historic estates that we love to visit. 

[chiver78]

Mar 30, 2022 11:51:41 GMT -5 pulmonarymd said:

Mar 30, 2022 11:44:36 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

I don't think it's the distance so much as the traffic.  Where TOM and I are from 200 miles is a 3 hour drive and that's if you stop for gas and a bathroom break.

True, you can’t do 70mph in many of these states. People sometimes think theses places are closer than they are. And once away from the cost, it is hilly. Our roads aren’t just straightaways either. The distances I stared are by the shortest routes. They are the most congested. Avoiding them adds distance to the trip so it doesn’t always save time. When you live up here, you are always having to plan your trips around traffic and hope you calculated correctly

you absolutely can!      

[pulmonarymd]

Mar 30, 2022 12:04:12 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

Mar 30, 2022 11:51:41 GMT -5 pulmonarymd said:

True, you can’t do 70mph in many of these states. People sometimes think theses places are closer than they are. And once away from the cost, it is hilly. Our roads aren’t just straightaways either. The distances I stared are by the shortest routes. They are the most congested. Avoiding them adds distance to the trip so it doesn’t always save time. When you live up here, you are always having to plan your trips around traffic and hope you calculated correctly

you absolutely can!      

Yes. On that unicorn day when there is no traffic, the sun is shining, and it is 70 degrees. When all the planets align

[giramomma]

We did Maine via Canada and then NY state, etc. I'll check with DH to see where we crossed over from Canada in Maine. It might take a bit to get back to you, so bother me if I forget. I think you have my number.

It took is 2.5 weeks. If you are going down south, I would plan a longer trip. From my house to Raleigh it's a 16 hour straight drive. We've done like two days of 8.5 hours on the road. But, I'm assuming you'll want more than one 5 minute bathroom break.

We also saw the Biltmore and drove through the blue ridge mountains.

Are you interested in going to place like Kitty hawk? National Parks? Plantations?

Georgia has a nice GWTW museum in Atlanta, along with the MLK..

[Cookies Galore]

Mar 30, 2022 11:17:47 GMT -5 nidena said:

If at any point you'll be on a toll road, it is to your advantage to request an EZPass and link it to a bank/CC account.  This will save you time and money, in the long run, and the transponder can be used on nearly every toll road between you and the East Coast and as far south as Florida except where they use the SunPass.  It doesn't expire.  I've been in Indiana for two years and mine is still active (and ready for when I head to PA and DE for visits).

I got my EZPass in 2006 and only just got a replacement transponder in the mail last week. I had it longer than I've been with my spouse! Lol

[Cookies Galore]

Mar 30, 2022 10:57:53 GMT -5 pulmonarymd said:

Going to Delaware from NE on 81 takes you way out of the way, unfortunately, not sure it really saves time. You could do the Garden State parkway to Cape May and take the ferry. Just need to avoid beach traffic. But the traffic in Delaware over the bridge where all the roads merge has been a nightmare for years.

You could spend the whole time in NE or NY, PA, NJ, PA doing historical sites at a leisurely pace and not have to worry so much about traffic. Trip is too ambitious, it would be better and more enjoyable if it is scaled down. The traffic up here is just too bad to have a tight timeframe.

I love the Cape May ferry! A few years ago we did an Ocean City, MD to Ocean City, NJ trip (started the week with friends and ended it with family). The ferry was a great way to break up the drive and have a beer in the middle of the trip.

[pulmonarymd]

Mar 30, 2022 13:15:01 GMT -5 Cookies Galore said:

Mar 30, 2022 10:57:53 GMT -5 pulmonarymd said:

Going to Delaware from NE on 81 takes you way out of the way, unfortunately, not sure it really saves time. You could do the Garden State parkway to Cape May and take the ferry. Just need to avoid beach traffic. But the traffic in Delaware over the bridge where all the roads merge has been a nightmare for years.

You could spend the whole time in NE or NY, PA, NJ, PA doing historical sites at a leisurely pace and not have to worry so much about traffic. Trip is too ambitious, it would be better and more enjoyable if it is scaled down. The traffic up here is just too bad to have a tight timeframe.

I love the Cape May ferry! A few years ago we did an Ocean City, MD to Ocean City, NJ trip (started the week with friends and ended it with family). The ferry was a great way to break up the drive and have a beer in the middle of the trip.

I enjoyed it too. I agree it is a great way to break up a drive. Doesn't necessarily save time, but you do save on the aggravation of driving

[cooper88]

I don't have any suggestions but I do love a good long solo road trip. The best I ever went on was the grand circle Utah route. Have a blast!

[TheOtherMe]

Mar 30, 2022 13:06:33 GMT -5 giramomma said:

We did Maine via Canada and then NY state, etc. I'll check with DH to see where we crossed over from Canada in Maine. It might take a bit to get back to you, so bother me if I forget. I think you have my number.

It took is 2.5 weeks. If you are going down south, I would plan a longer trip. From my house to Raleigh it's a 16 hour straight drive. We've done like two days of 8.5 hours on the road. But, I'm assuming you'll want more than one 5 minute bathroom break.

We also saw the Biltmore and drove through the blue ridge mountains.

Are you interested in going to place like Kitty hawk? National Parks? Plantations?

Georgia has a nice GWTW museum in Atlanta, along with the MLK..

I do have your number so I will bug you.  I would like to know where you crossed in to the US from Canada.

My main stopping point after the NE is the historical museum near Greensboro.  I can get home from there.

My parents' vacations allowed only for bathroom breaks at gas stations when we stopped for gas.  That's pretty much what we did on the drive to Toronto last fall.  Of course I had my sister who felt unwanted and wasn't paying a dime for this trip with me, so I just wanted to get there and get out of the car.  I might have wanted to hit her.

I can't do 8.5 hour drives any more.  I can do 7 or 7.5 hours.  Last fall on my way home, I did stop at some welcome centers in states just to walk around.  

I lived in the Rocky Mountains so mountains don't impress me.  I have the two must sees and am pretty open after that.  

If it takes 2.5 weeks, it takes 2.5 weeks.  I will get to the states in the NE, the cemetery in Delaware and the historical museum near Greensboro.  

I am very open to meeting up with boardies along the way.  Not for big meals or anything, but coffee like giramomma and I did several years ago.  By the time I get that close to home after this trip, I will only want to come home.

[stillmovingforward]

Mar 30, 2022 13:36:40 GMT -5 cooper88 said:

I don't have any suggestions but I do love a good long solo road trip. The best I ever went on was the grand circle Utah route. Have a blast!

You did Utah?! I'm planning to do a pass through there soon as a bucket list trip for gramma. She loves the outdoors but can't hardly walk anymore. Please, find me ideas!