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  1. Default Suggestions for Austin to Niagara Falls

    So far I'm thinking of... (* next to places I might spend the night at...)

    Austin -to- *Little Rock -to-Memphis-to-*Great Smoky Mountains National Park-to-*Shenandoah National Park-to-Washington Dc-to-Philadelphia-to-*New York, NY-to-Buffalo, NY-to-*Niagara Falls---and coming back---

    Niagara Falls-to-Fort Knox area-to-New Orleans-to-Austin

    -------------------

    Any attractions or foods good/special around those areas I should pay a visit/bite?

    Thanks.
    Last edited by Mark Sedenquist; 06-28-2007 at 11:35 PM. Reason: Removed extra white spaces for clarity

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Tucson, AZ
    Posts
    10,376

    Default Mountains and Rivers

    Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

    I actually like your proposed routing very much, especially the way you're going to follow the Appalachians on the way north and the Ohio-Mississippi on the way south. So I only have a few minor suggestions for additions or alterations. One would be to look at using the Natchez Trace Parkway for at least part of your trip north. You could drive it all, in fact, if you took I-20 to Natchez and used the Parkway up to Nashville. It's just a great road, and you'll have the chance to visit Memphis on the way back. Also look at US-15 up the Susquehanna River valley as a way to connect from central Maryland through Pennsylvania to western New York. And think about Letchworth State Park.

    On the way back, there are quite a few scenic roads following the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers that are worth exploring. While in the Fort Knox area consider a relatively short side trip to Mammoth Cave National Park. But, as I said, you've already got the makings of a great trip set up in your general layout.

    AZBuck

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Central California
    Posts
    378

    Default Great trip, great preparation

    And I hope you are going to take some time to enjoy it.

    There are so many interesting historic places along the way. I'll try to restraing myself and give you just some of the highlights I'm familiar with. You can do research in a guide book to see which ones are of interest.

    Little Rock: Historic Arkansas Museum

    Memphis: Beal Street for music and food.

    Nashville: The Hermitage - Andrew Jackson's Home

    Knoxville: Fort Loudoun

    Cherokee, NC: Oconaluftee Indian Village

    Natural Bridge, VA: Monacan Indian Village

    Staunton, VA: Frontier Culture Museum

    Charlottesville, VA: Monticello - Thomas Jefferson's home, Ash Lawn-Highland - James Monroe's home, Michie Tavern

    Fredricksburg, VA, Hugh Mercer Apothocary, Rising Sun Tavern

    Mount Vernon: Mount Vernon - George Washington's home

    McLean, VA: Claude Moore Farm

    Georgetown, DC: C&O Canal

    Washington, DC: Too many to mention, but don't miss the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Monument, the VietNam Memorial, the Capitol, the White House (from the street only), the National Archives, the Supreme Court Building and as much of the Smithsonian as possible.

    Baltimore, MD: Fort McHenry

    Wilmington, DE: The Hagley Museum

    Philadelphia, PA: Independence Hall and Congress Hall, the Liberty Bell Center, Constitution Center, Bishop White and Todd Houses, Declaration House

    Philadelphia Area: Valley Forge, Pensbury Manor - William Penn's home, Washington Crossing, PA and NJ

    Trenton, NJ: Old Barracks Museum

    Bethpage, NY: Old Bethpage Village

    Croton-on-Hudson, NY: Van Courtland Manor

    New Paltz, NY: Historic Huguenot Street

    Newburgh, NY: Washington's Headquarters

    Victor, NY: Ganondagan State Historic Site

    Niagara Falls, NY: Old Fort Niagara

    Erie, NY: Erie Maritime Museum

    Depending on your route south some of these will be available...

    Kirtland, OH: Historic Kirtland

    Ambridge, PA: Old Economy Village

    Zoar, OH: Zoar Village

    Millersburg, OH: Yoder's Amish Farm

    Coshocton, OH: Historic Roscoe Village

    Indianapolis, IN: Conner Prairie

    Lexington, KY: Boonesborough

    Pleasant Hill, KY: Shaker Village

    Harrodsburg, KY: Old Fort Harrod

    Goodlettsville, KY: Historic Mansker's Station

    New Orleans: Laura Plantation, St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, Hermann-Grima House, Old Ursaline Convent, Natchez Riverboat

    Lafayette, LA: Vermillionville

    Natchitoches, LA: Fort St. Jean-Baptiste, Melrose Plantation, Cane River Creole National Historic Park

    Whew! That is a lot, but of course that isn't all of it either, just most of what we've seen along your route.

    Take your time and soak it all in. This is an historically rich part of the country!

    Craig Sheumaker

    co-author of A Traveler's Guide: America's Living History - The Early Years

  4. Default

    That's a long road trip!!

    I'm in Austin and I usually drive to Detroit every few years, my family is there. if you happen to go through Memphis, you have to go see Graceland, even if you don't like Elvis. His house is much smaller then what I thought. While you're in Memphis, go to the visitors center. There is a huge prymaid (sp?) which I think is a convention center, it makes a great photo op. If you happen to go through Arkansas, not too far from Texarkana, there is the Diamond place (I forgot what it is called). It's open to the public and I think it is the largest Diamond mining place. Whatever you find you can keep and yes people have actually found huge diamonds here. If you happen to make a stop in Louisville, KY make sure you go downtown. the slugger museum is there with the world's largest baseball bat outside the museum (another photo op). Also in Louisville is the huge Kentucky Downs, where they have the famous horse racing held. There are so many places to visit on this route. I usually take about 2 weeks to go. I went to Niagra Falls a long time ago, they are absolutely beautiful! Make sure to go at night also because they shine colored lights on the falls, at least they used to.

  5. #5

    Default nice!

    Cool list, Craig, that should give the OP something to think about!

    The 'diamond place' that was mentioned was, I presume, Crater Of Diamonds State Park. You can read my thoughts on the place here. Whilst you're there, have a read of the rest of the topic, maybe something else will take your fancy.

    I'd concur with Memphis being worth spending time at. Graceland was really cool - I came away an Elvis fan! - but I'd add the National Civil Rights Museum, housed in the old Lorraine Motel, as a must-see. Be sure to have plenty of time for this, however, and eat before you enter. I didn't and I hadn't, I regretted that. I also spotted the pyramid but, despite zooming up and down the side of the river, and crossing over Mississippi and back, I was unable to get close to the thing for a photo. Grr!

  6. Default More Suggestions for Austin to Niagara Falls

    Updated itinerary...

    Austin
    ---to---
    Hot Springs National park
    ---to---
    Garvan Woodland Garden
    ---to---
    Little Rock: Little Rock Central High School
    ---to---
    T.O. Fuller State Park
    ---to---
    Memphis: The Pyramid Arena, Graceland, National Civil Rights Museum, Beale St.
    ---to---
    Great Smokey Mountains National Park
    ---to---
    Shenandoah National Park
    ---to---
    Washington DC: National Zoo, all the President/War memorial and monuments, The Castle and Museums, White House, and maybe the Pentagon.
    ---to---
    Baltimore: Harbor???
    ---to---
    Philadelphia: Pat's or Geno's or Jim's or Leo's Philly cheesesteak, Liberty Bell Center, Independence Hall, Congress Hall, Constitution Center, Bishop White & Todd House, Declaration House
    ---to---
    Statue of Liberty & maybe Ellis Island?
    ---to---
    New York: Time Square, Smithsonian, Central Park??? What else?
    ---to---
    Buffalo: Wings???
    ---to---
    Niagara Falls
    ---to---
    Ceveland???
    ---to---
    Cedar Point Amusement Park (17 roller coasters!!! 17!!! 90+ mph!!!)
    ---to---
    Fort Knox Area
    ---to---
    Maybe Mammoth Cave National Park?
    ---to---
    Nashville???
    ---to---
    Natchez Trace Parkway
    ---to---
    Lake Pontchartrain Causeway
    ---to---
    New Orleans: French Quarters, Bourbon St, House of Blues,... what else? Good places for Jambalaya?
    ---to---
    Baton Rouge???
    ---to---
    Austin

    More suggestions? Particularly Cities with ???

    Thanks.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Tucson, AZ
    Posts
    10,376

    Default ? -> Suggestions

    A few things off the top of my head for those cities you still have questions about:

    Baltimore: The Inner Harbor, of course, but also Fort McHenry and the Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum

    New York: One of the all time great (and free!) harbor rides - the Staten Island Ferry, the American Museum of Natural History, the Guggenheim, the Village (The Smithsonian is in Washington)

    Cleveland: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Cuyahoga Valley National Park

    Baton Rouge: The Old State Capitol

    AZBuck

  8. Default Exchange for Canadian $$$ or just use credit card?

    I plan to cross border into Canada for about 2 days to Niagara Falls. Is it better to exchange for Canadian $$$ or just use credit card in Canada? Most places take american bank based credit cards?

    Thanks.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Tucson, AZ
    Posts
    10,376

    Default Credit Card

    No Contest. Just put it on your credit card and you are guaranteed to get the correct exchange rate. Just be sure to call your card company before you leave and let them know that you'll be traveling out of the country. I have had cards shut off when I suddenly start charging things thousands of miles from home!

    AZBuck

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Green County, Wisconsin
    Posts
    13,831

    Default E-banking

    I generally find that ATMs give a better exchange rate than most of the money exchange places available at the border. Credit Cards will give the same or a similar rate, but check the fine print on your cards, because some of them will add an extra charge for foreign transaction.

    Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted in Canada, but places that take Discover seem to be few and far between.

    Of course, right now the exchange rate is nearly equal. $1US is only worth $1.05 Canadian, and according to a friend who was just in Toronto last month, many stores are taking US dollars as equal to Canadian dollars.

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