Eastern US Road Trip

I am a soldier in the US Army, returning shortly to the US. My fiance and I are planning a road trip for mid-December along the East Coast. We are both reasonably young (22 & 23 respectively). The plan for now is to drive to one major destination with multiple smaller stops en route, and then more destinations back to New England. Financially, we are on what we consider a fair budget for this trip, as we both have decent jobs and budget ourselves most of the year. We are looking for any exciting, romantic, and plain out fun destinations anywhere in the eastern US. We've been apart for a year now and looking for a good experience to help bring us back together. Most of the so-called 'Romantic Vacations' we have looked at seem pretty boring for us, as they appear to be geared toward older couples who have been together for many years. Any and all advice that anyone would be willing to offer would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Welcome to the RTA Forum!

I completely understand about having a different definition of "romantic" than than sitting around somewhere peaceful. I'm a firm believer that bungy jumping or whitewater rafting could be a "romantic" activity in the right setting.

That said, I don't know what your interests are, and my knowledge of the east coast is somewhat limited, so I'll just give you a general tip. Keep things simple and flexable. Have a few ideas of places you'd like to go, but allow yourselves to stop at places you'll discover along the way.

there are lots of resorts in the Pocono's (north east PA) that cater to newlyweds.

In Cape Cod there is a place cuddles and bubbles its a hot tub hotel never been there but it is romantic and December is off peak season too

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Originally Posted by barron419

Any and all advice that anyone would be willing to offer would be greatly appreciated.

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Welcome back to the states! The thing about romantic experiences is that they always occur in a place beyond three dimensions. What usually makes a road trip great is what happens in that space between your ears. The only difference between a "road trip" and car trip to the grocery store is the observation and recognition that you are on a ROADTRIP. That is pretty much how it works with romance and romantic experiences. There are millions of cool places you can go and explore with your girlfriend, but they will always play a secondary role to "just being together."

Several of the active members of this Great American RoadTrip Forum were married and/or formed long-lived and fun relationships in October -- Evidence that is this a great time to renew relationships of all kinds. For me, I like to kayak/canoe and get in the flow of a running river (especially if I am in the back and my bride does all of the hard paddling...) I also like to drive roads I have never seen and "just see where they go". Luckily for me, Megan shares these passions (although she really has never fully appreciated the oft-repeated experience of getting stuck or sliding off the trail in off-highway trips) but the point is, it is the sharing of the experience in real-time that makes it romantic (not the destination). Just about anyplace will do -- as long as you both embark on this adventure. Even though you both know each other, you might find this quiz a handy tool to use prior to hitting the road together again.

Happy Planning!

Mark

Cape Cod is an relaxing place to be in the off-season. If you're looking for some alone time, I can't think of a better place and time.

A couple of times, my significant other and I have stayed at Dunscroft by the Sea in Harwichport in their cottage - a little bungalow that we have all to ourselves at this bed & breakfast.

Since most of the locals will be wishing for warmer weather, you shouldn't have any problem finding a place to stay.

Much as I like New England and Pennsylvania, and the suggestions for both have a lot of merit, I think that they are both a little too close to home to serve as a romantic getaway. Following your own outline, I'd suggest Charleston, SC as your 'major destination' and follow the Appalachians down and the coast back (or vice versa). Along the Appalachians some fun destinations might be the caves of northern Virginia, quaint towns like Lititz, PA; Emmitsburg, MD; Winchester and Lexington, VA, great scenic roads like Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway, gorgeous hiking venues like Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and canoeing along the rivers and canals of South Carolina. On the coastal route, you've got the Outer Banks of North Carolina (and the ferry rides!), historic locations like Ft. Raleigh and Williamsburg, a ton of enticing wildlife refuges led by Chincoteague Island, and the great cities including Washington, Philadelphia and New York. In Charleston itself, there are carriage rides through the old antebellum neighborhoods, the boat ride out to Fort Sumter, the beaches and the genteel plantations among other attractions

You could probably do that round trip in a week, but two would be more relaxed and romantic. As far as places to stay, I highly recommend that you tend toward Bed & Breakfast type establishments over the more typical motels or even the 'honeymoon lodge' sort of place. As Mark said, 'romantic' is more a state of mind than anything else, and when travelling with my wife, I've always found that the personal attention and level of comfort afforded at B&Bs has done more to put my wife and me in the right frame of mind than anything else.

AZBuck