Combining Revolutionary and Civil War Road Trip

Hi! Very new to this and have limited time to plan. Could use lots of help!

We are planning a trip that include sites from colonial times through the civil war to match what we’ve learned this year homeschooling. We will be driving from TX and plan to see our daughters along the way in Savannah and Virginia beach. We have three weeks or more and want to make it all the way up to Boston. Any advice would be wonderful! My issue is whittling it down, but also visiting places/sites that may be visited less than the norm. We leave in late May and have most of June. I have a list of different places, but want to make sure I’m not leaving anything out. We could also go south a bit to Saint Augustine to the fort if we have time. We have flexibility so, I’m more interested in making it a thorough trip that makes learning fun!! We will be teaveling in our RV (class c), so travel time and routes will need to be taken into consideration as well as RV parks. We are pulling a small car, so we could travel from the RV park to sites and back. Thanks so much!!!

Welcome to RTA!

I love to see themed trips like this. It would be helpful if you could share the names of the sites on your list "that may be visited less than the norm".

If this is a round trip, as I'm assuming it is, you should plan to make it a loop trip, for a better use of what time you have.

Best thing to do right now is start to sketch this out, day-to-day. Whenever I am wondering "can we get to XXX", I figure out how much time that's going to add to our schedule. Many times, I realize (sadly) that we cannot do everything we want to do in the time we have, and then I start to cut back. That's when you may have to decide, "what do we *really* want to accomplish?"

I would say, even though it is definitely a more visited site, DO NOT miss Gettysburg. As you probably know, that was a pivotal time in Civil War history. Same with Vicksburg, though depending on where you live in TX, that could be fodder for a weekend/long weekend/winter-spring break trip.

Boston is a place where you may want to re-think your use of a car. Leave the RV and car outside of town and take public transportation in. First, you're likely to get lost; second, parking is at a premium; third, the driver will be able to look around and not worry about #1 or #2.

If you don't already know this as a homeschooler -- many of our national parks/monuments/battlefields/sites have a junior ranger program. Some even have them for "senior rangers", done by adults of any age. These are fun learning activities that often bring things to life for the student, rather than a "stop at the pull-out, read the sign, look around, snap a picture, move on" mentality.


Donna

Hi Donna!
Thanks for your comments. Very helpful, especially about using public transport and the JR Ranger program.

So far this is the list I’m working with devided by states:
PA
Fairmont Park
Morris Arboretum
Historic German Town
Chestnut Hill
Eastern State Penn
Reading Terminal Market
Independence Hall
Betsy Ross House
Constitutional walking tour
National Library Museum
Independence Seaport Museum
Once Upon a Nation
Museum of the American Revolution
Independence National Historic Park
National Constitution Center
City Tavern
Christ Church
Franklin Court
Elfrethe’s Alley
African American Museum
National Museum of American Jewish History
Battleship New Jersey
USS Olympic
Ben Franklin’s grave
Washington Crossing Historic Park
US Mint
Valley Forge
Gettysburg (all things associated with)

Boston
USS Constitution
Freedom Trail
North End
Old North Church
Bunker Hill
Boston Tea Party ship & museum
Common Wealth Museum
Boston Common
Faneuil Hall
Lexington Green & Historic Inns, visitors center, historic walking trails
Concord Museum, Old North Bridge, visitors center
Old Ironsides

Williamsburg and Jamestown VA
Manasas, Richmond, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Appomattox, Lynchburg
Hollywood Cemetery
Blue Ridge Parkway
Shenandoah Valley

Georgia
Kennesaw Mountain Nat’l Battlefield (Atlanta) GA
Pickett’s Mill GA
Sweetwater Creek State Park
Chickamauga
Andersonville GA POW union camp
Fort Pulaski (Savannah) GA

Maryland
Washington D.C. (all things associated with)
Pentagon
Antietam
Civil War Trail
Star Spangled Banner House
Fort McHenry

Tennessee
Chattanooga Battlefield
Bellemeade TN
Shiloh TN
plantation and winery

NY
West Point
Mount Vernon
Haven’t done research on NY yet, need more!

New Orleans
Civil War Museum, New Orleans LA

Mississippi
Vicksburg

Texas
A few local museums in and around Fredericksburg

The trip will be round trip. I am hoping to take a route that includes TX through LA to GA and up the coast then down into the Blue Ridge area making our way to TN. Not sure if we can fit all that in, but sure would like to! Please feel free to add on to this list or to tell me what I should cut for times sake.

In Philadelphia, you can park in one place to reach the historic district and hit many things at once. I don't see the Liberty Bell on the list, but you should take the kids.

Another thing that is amazing to do in historic Philadelphia: take a 7-block walk up the street to Macy's Department store, where the old Wanamaker organ resides. There are short concerts given inside the store for all to hear, free. Check the link for the schedule. My husband and I are music lovers anyway, and this was very unique for us to hear a live concert inside a nice department store like that.


Donna

You've done an excellent job of researching, so I'll just add a couple of thoughts.

Adding to what Donna said, touring Independence Hall requires a (free) ticket, so make sure to get that early. The Liberty Bell on the other hand is free, with no ticket, but there can be very long lines. Philly isn't much better than Boston for getting around by car, so it's another areas you might consider using public transit.

I didn't see you mention anything in the Carolinas, but I'd make sure to include Fort Sumter to your list, if you haven't already.

A stop in Natchez could be worthwhile as you travel to Vicksburg, There is the Natchez National Historic Park, as well as the small, but historically significant Forks of the Road site.

Don't be afraid to get off the Interstate, as it's remarkable how many civil war related battlefields and markers you'll find just driving down the road - as my wife likes to say, the entire south is a Civil War site!

Finally, while they aren't direct part of the Civil War, and you probably have more than enough stuff already, it would at least be worth considering stopping at one or two of the many Civil Rights sites across the south, especially in places like Atlanta, Birmingham, Montgomery, and Slema. (Although maybe that's your trip for next year?)

We are professional musicians and will love that!!! Thanks for the tips! And yes! How did I miss the Liberty Bell on my list??? Sheesh!

Thanks for your ideas! I was considering North Carolina. I’ll definitely add it!