NYC to Miami at the end of July

Hi! I'm from the UK, and myself and two other guys (we're all 24-28 years old) are coming over to the USA on the 20th July for almost 3 weeks.

We're primarily coming over to go to two of the Warped Tour dates (NYC and Charlotte, NC).

We'll be spending from the 20th-23rd July in Manhattan! Then picking up the car and working our way down the East coast, ending up in Miami two weeks later to spend a few days there. Flying back from Miami airport to the UK on the 8th August.

I'm after advice on where to go, where not to go, where's good for a small group of young (ish) men. We've not booked any hotels apart from for the New York stop off. Maybe even ideas around a possible route... the limitations we have are not leaving NYC until the 23rd July, we need to be in Charlotte for the 30th July, we need to be in Orlando for the 4th August (one of the guys is heading home to watch the Olympics 100m final), and in Miami for the 6th August.

My first thoughts are:

NYC -> Philly/Washington -> Virginia Beach -> Charlotte -> Charleston (via Francis Marion Nation Park) -> Jacksonville -> Orlando -> Miami.

I know that's a very loose plan, but I guess that's what brought me here...I need some guidance in firming up where we should go by people that know what they're talking about!

We're open to all suggestions on where to stay. Rather than staying in a Motel 8 off the highway for the entire trip, we want to explore some cool things and enjoy some scenery too.

Thanks for any help,

Steven

Welcome aboard RTA!

That's a nice plan you have there -- you can drive from NYC down to Miami in 3 days easily, so with two weeks you have lots of time to see something! Matter of fact, the only glitch I see in your plan is that the 24 year old may have a problem with a rental car. (The choices are: the 24 year old may not be one of the drivers, you'd pay an extra fee for young-driver, or if you rented through a consolidator such as carhire3000 they may wave the fees.)

So much to see and do ... poke around this site and see what interests you. Off-hand, Philly and Washington DC are both full of museums, memorials and historic buildings. Philadelphia even has the world's largest pipe organ ... in the middle of a department store. It's called the Wanamaker Organ. Up and down the coast are Civil War battlefields, and some Revolutionary War memorials and sites.


Donna

Thanks very much for the info! The Smithsonian in Washington is definitely on the list of places to visit, with all the museums etc.

It's me that's 24, but fortunately I get to celebrate my 25th birthday when we're out there (on the 27th July). So I will be able to share the driving after that date which is useful!

Are there any lakes, beaches, forests etc en route down the East Coast to Miami, that are worth a day trip to?

Thanks,
Steven

There are quite a few. We have a few regulars who are REALLY familiar with the East Coast (more so than I am). However, off the top of my head --

Cape Hatteras off the shores of North Carolina.
Myrtle Beach, SC

I don't know if you're interested in space or space history, but Kennedy Space Center is south of Jacksonville and north of Miami. Cocoa Beach has some good beaches, I'm told.

Watch the Trip Reports forum in early July. I'll be traveling in the opposite direction at the end of June/early July, and plan to drive the coastal route for the most part.


Donna