Southeast RoadTrip Suggestions

[ayricka]

I'm going to be leaving on a 4-day solo roadtrip in about 3 weeks and I'm still having trouble deciding where to go and what route to take... I need help!

As I said, I only have 4 days (Friday through Monday)... will be leaving from Tampa, Fl and heading North and out of Florida. I'm mostly into scenic places or places of historical significance. I'm also totally okay with speed runs, if the destination is worth while. Aside from that, I'm completely open to any/all suggestions.

Thanks oh so muchness,
ayricka

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

When faced with a dilemma such as yours, the simplest approach often yields excellent results. You say you don't know where you want to go. OK - start with what you do know: You have four days. Since you (presumably) don't want to spend all four days just sitting in your car burning gas, let's use a more reasonable limit to define the major parameter of the trip. Let's say three relatively easy days of driving interspersed with a day's worth of time actually seeing some of the venues that driving can get you to. The next constraint is geography. Starting from Tampa means that you're not going to go very far east, west, or for that matter, south. So we're looking at a trip that goes basically north. Combine that with the three day constraint and that says 'triangle' to me.

OK - so what does a triangular route to the north look like? Try this: Tampa to Mobile to Savannah to Tampa. And what's along such a route? Only the following. Several national wildlife refuges and scenic highways (e.g. US-98) along the Gulf, the Pensecola division of Gulf Islands National Seashore, the battleship USS Alabama in Mobile Bay, the Civil Rights memorial Center in Montgomery, Auburn University, FDR's Little White House in Warm Springs GA, Andersonville National Historic Site, Savannah, Cumberland Island National Seashore, and Okefenokee Swamp - not to mention numerous state parks and local history and heritage centers.

AZBuck

[ayricka]

That's awesome... thank you! I've been to Savannah several time but have been considering going to Mobile for a while. I'll have to check into the other stops... FDR's house sounds interesting.

Any suggestions for stops in Tennessee? I have family in Chattanooga... so, I was thinking of driving up to Gatlinburg, via GSMNP, then heading West over to Chattanooga... are there any places or routes off the beaten path that I should consider?

Thanks again!

[AZBuck]

If Mobile and FDR's Little White House make the cut for places you'd like to see, then Tennessee is out. You simply don't have time in only four days to drive to them all and have time to see anything once you're there. You could make the case, as you have, for going to Chattanooga and the Great Smoky Mountains instead but then Mobile and Warm Springs would be too far out of the way.

That's actually one of the hardest things to do when planning: face the reality that you simply can't go everywhere and do everything and still have fun. The choice is yours, but trying to fit then pounds of potatoes into a five pound bag will not be enjoyable.

AZBuck