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I'm taking my very first road trip from New Jersey to Florida. I really want to do some sightseeing along the way.
Does any one know of anything cool to see along the way... maybe like the worlds largest rubber band ball or an awesome place to eat. Anything of great interest or stupid interest would be great.
Thank you all in advance.
Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!
Before anyone can tell you what's "cool to see along the way", they'd have to know which 'way' you're going. There are several different physical ways and a large number of philosophical ways to make that journey. So do plan to just blast down I-95 in a couple of days with just an occasional stop to photograph yourselves in front of some landmark? Do you want to take a week on a route hugging the coast, with maybe a few long ferry rides, beach time, and wildlife refuges thrown in? Or would you like to follow scenic byways down the Appalachian Mountains seeing national parks, caves, Civil War sites and the like. From where in New Jersey to where in Florida? How many days? One-way or round trip? Each of those would present entirely different possibilities and entirely different answers to your questions.
AZBuck
As of right now i am planning on take !-95 for most of the route i maybe going out of my way to stop in Balitmore and then again to see Rock City.
We have about 28-30 hours on the road to play with, so going off road is possible since it only takes about 20 hours to get to Florida from Northern Jersey. And there's always on the way back ( same route).
I would probably prefer to see the national parks/wild life on the way back from Fl. and more of the stop quick picture on the way to Fl. but again pretty flexible.
When you say you have 28-30 hours, is that from the time you leave your driveway until you get to Florida? In that case, you really only have time to make the drive, take 8-9 hours out for sleep, get gas, eat and go to the bathroom. There will be no time for meaningful stops in Baltimore or Rock City. If you have 28 hours of driving time spread out over 2-3 days then you'll just have time for about a 4 hour stop in each of those locations. Better yet, think in terms of total miles per day. A day of steady driving, with a few short time outs for meals, mental health breaks, and a little exercise will net you about 550 miles. You'll have to do two of those to get to central Florida. I'm just trying to give you a feel for what you can realistically expect to accomplish on a trip of this sort.
Now, as to what to see along the way. On the way down where you're under some time constraint and may already be oversubscribed with the two stops you mentioned, the only place I'll suggest is that you make a quick stop at South of the Border in Dillon, SC. While it doesn't have the world's biggest rubber band ball and I'd hardly call the cuisine there awesome, in its own way it is the epitome of roadside kitsch and a place everyone should stop at once just for the experience. Don't worry, if you're driving down I-95 you can't miss it.
On your way back if you can add just a day and want to see some nature, then I'd recommend that you leave I-95 in South Carolina an head up I-26/I-77, with perhaps a nature break at Congaree National Park, up into southwestern Virginia. Then a drive up the Blue Ridge Parkway and through Shenandoah National Park before using I-66 to rejoin I-95 in the Washington area for the final run home.
AZBuck
Thank you the return drive sounds so exciting, i am just as excited to return home as i am to head to florida now.
Hello Sabina,
It seems your reference to Rock City was a euphimism, but in the event you're serious about it, it's well west of even the western swing-out so aptly described by AZBuck. The views, stops, caverns, etc along the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive are superior in the eyes of most, though the kitsch is absent. Then again, stopping at the NC/SC line at South of the Border will give you a "heaping helping" of that. SOB is a fun place, honestly.
Oh, and if you do run up I-77 to southwest VA to catch the Parkway, and if you pass by Mount Airy, NC in the lunchtime timeframe, by all means go into town and eat at Snappy Lunch. Mount Airy is the true-to-life hometown of Andy Griffith (depicted as Mayberry's bustling neighbor community of "Mount Pilot"). Snappy Lunch is the diner depicted in the show. Snappy Lunch serves fried pork chop sandwiches which are to die for (or from--if you eat too many of them). Gotta get there early--when the day's supply of pork chops has been served, Snappy Lunch closes for the day, even if it's just a little past noon!
Have a safe and enjoyable trip!
Foy
In April I am taking a 10 day trip to fl from jersey.
Since I have to leave mid afternoon I am planning on taking the lewes ferry from cape may and stopping in VA beach for the night after going down the chesapeake bay bridge.
Then camping one night in ocracoke, taking the cedar island ferry and getting back on 95. Spend a night in sc near the highway then spend the next night at Anastasia state park in st augustine. Finally hit my "destination" of Bahia Honda state park about 30 miles up from Key West. After 4 days there we will go nearly straight home with one night in atlanta and another somewhere on the road.