NYC to Atlanta to Naples over the holidays

[RickL]

My wife and I are planing to drive from NYC to Atlanta for Christmas. We're giving ourselves 4 days/3 nights (12/20- 12/23) for the trip. What are the most scenic routes, and what are the most interesting things to do along the way?

After Christmas we're planning to drive from Atlanta to Naples Fla. This time we're giving ourselves a bit more time -- 6 days/5 nights, and again we'd like suggestions for scenic routes and points of interest.

[DonnaR57]

Welcome to RTA!

If this were me, I'd head into Pennsylvania, using I-80 to I-81. Hickory Run State Park, and Hershey Park in the Harrisburg area come to mind. A little off I-81 is Gettysburg -- we found that fascinating, but YMMV. Head back for I-81 south to Middletown, VA, where you pick up I-66 east. Then south at Front Royal on the Skyline Drive....IF it's open. Bear in mind, that's 105 miles that can take 5-6 hours to drive, but it is SO pretty! It stops at Waynesboro, where you can catch I-64 west to I-81 south again. That's a pretty drive in itself, if the Skyline Drive isn't open.

You'll see the turnoff to Great Smoky Mountain National Park before the turn off to I-75 south, which I would take to I-24 west into Atlanta.

That's what I'd do, spending a whole day in Shenandoah National Park/Skyline Drive if I could.


Donna

[AZBuck]

While I generally agree with Donna's recommendations, I'd make one small change - using I-78 from New York City into Pennsylvania, and then start looking at some of the multitude of possibilities along the route south that she has laid out. I have listed a few of them in a previous discussion and would urge you to read through them.

As for you greater amount of time on the shorter run down to Naples, some of the sites I would recommend include FDR's Little White House, Andersonville, and Okefenokee Swamp

AZBuck

[Lifemagician]

Hickory Run State Park ...

A lovely and intriguing place, especially the Boulder Fields.

Continue a little further south along route 903 to the lovely old village of Jim Thorpe. Be sure along the way to check out the memorial to the man after whom the town is named. A lot of history at that site.

To see some of the best of rural PA, you could then continue along US-209 through all the lovely towns and hamlets, all the way to the Susquehanna River, at Millersburg, (unfortunately the ferry across the river does not run in winter). Then follow the river into Harrisburg.

Lifey

[RickL]

Donna,

Thanks for all of your suggestions. They sound great. We're somewhat familiar with Hershey and Gettysburg, but everything else that you mention will be new to us.

Our big concern is weather and road conditions. Do you know of a good source of information on those matters that we can access on our smartphone as we're driving? I think as backup we'll plot a "safety route" using major highways through big cities.

We'll probably try to visit Great Smoky Mountain Nat'l Park on the way home in early March.

Rick

[RickL]

AZBuck

I've printed your "previous discussion" --East Coast Loop -- but haven't yet digested all it's contents. Your suggestions for stops on the way to Naples sound like just the sorts of places we want to visit. Thanks.

Rick

[RickL]

Lifemagician,

Jim Thorpe PA will definitely be a stop for us. Your route from there to Harrisburg, however, sounds more like something we'd like to do in summer. And maybe we will. NYC's not that far away. Thanks.

Rick

[glc]

If you have a usable browser on the phone, safetravelusa.com has links to each state's road conditions site.

[DonnaR57]

Most smartphones either have a weather app installed, or you can download Weather Channel's app for free. We have both, and sometimes one won't work to get the local temp when the other will. Other apps that we've found to be handy are GasBuddy and Hotels.com, though not for the purpose of weather and road conditions. :-)


Donna

[RickL]

Thanks glc