1

This is in Massachusetts.
It appears you are going to "Charleston" (no 'w').

You have ten destinations in 14 days. Three of those nights are taken for xAlexandria. So you have roughly ten destinations in 12 days.
Plus travel. It appears by the addition of Fancy Gap that you want to drive the xBlue Ridge Parkway. It's a slow road. You'll need at least two days for that.

So you're looking at, at best, one day per place (excluding xAlexandria). You can do it, but then not everyone is into drive-by tourism.

Your profile says you are from the UK. I suggest you spend some quality time with a map.

If you want any other information, please indicate your interests (history, hiking, art, music, food, night clubs, strip clubs, etc.), time of year, method of travel ("road trip" implies car, but since others have used it to mean other things, please clarify) and age.

2

Setting off first day of October, Old Alex and Front Hotels already booked, trying to fill in the main part of the trip. I have done plenty of trips in the states with these sought of distances, but mainly west coast. I don't know this area at all, so would welcome any feedback on the route. Savanah was kind of a stretch, but I thought the rest looked OK. Any suggestions on what to include or exclude would be good.
Like short to medium hikes. No interest in night clubs ( or strip clubs!) Wouldn't mind seeing a couple of historic sights (think Little Big Horn), but not bothered about spending hours in old houses or museums. Would like to listen to some live music in a bar somewhere on an evening.
Just the 2 of us and don't mid early starts and long days.

3

The general idea (DC to the Outer Banks and back in 14 days) is a winner, adding in Charleston and Savannah make it kind of a haul.

It could be done, but you'll be skipping a lot of stuff along the way and you'll find that much of your vacation is spent driving or sleeping.

If you fly in to one place and out of the other (rather than doubling back) then it should be a great trip. Enjoy the Southern Cuisine.

4

Oh I found Monticello and Jamestown each to be worth the visit.

5

I could give you a loop full of what you want without even leaving xVirginia, if I chose.

Day 1 - Drive to Harpers Ferry. Visit the town, take a short hike up Maryland Heights, move on to xLuray.

Day 2 - Luray Caverns in the morning, drive Skyline Drive through Shenandoah, taking a hike for some falls or the like. Stop in Charlottesville.

Day 3 - Monticello. Tour UVA. Wander the city, or maybe visit a nearby winery.

Day 4 - Drive to Lexington. Tour VMI. Wander the town. Head into the mountains for a short hike.

Day 5 - Drive to Bedford for the D-Day Memorial. Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway to Rocky Knob, then to Floyd for some evening music (this must be a Friday).

Day 6 - Cut east to Kitty Hawk and thereabouts.

Day 7 - Relax in the xOuter Banks, or try hang gliding, windsurfing, beachcombing, etc.

Day 8 - Drive to xVirginia Beach to check out the Bridge-Tunnel, then up to Williamsburg.

Day 9 - Jamestown and Yorktown. (Note, there are two of each--one is the actual site owned by the NPS and the other is an interpretive site owned by xVirginia).

Day 10 - Richmond.

Day 11 - xRichmond, Petersburg.

Day 12 - Drive to Fredericksburg, end in Old Town

Day 13 - DC area
Day 14 - DC area

Or something like that.
Obviously you can shorten or lengthen any part of this, but once again, that Floyd stop is only on Fridays.

6

I don't think any of these variants are terribly rushed, assuming you drop Savannah, as I would. Lots of days with driving, but they're generally short drives, or at least relaxing ones (Blue Ridge). With your interests, Charlottesville should definitely be added.


I just read that Abe Lincoln thought that hike was too steep and turned back. Wimp. It's worth doing.

Speaking of Abe and Little Big Horn, you could detour to Antietam, but then there are plenty of Civil War battlefields more directly on your route. You don't say exactly when you're coming, but check sesquicentennials.

7

Wow that's a great list bzook!! You are giving me wanderlust.

Personally I did not find Richmond or Petersburg all that interesting, although I was pretty young at the time. There are also some great theme parks in the area.

I'm a big fan of Baltimore's Inner Harbor. Although I didn't find to be a budget travel destination, if one can splurge a little, it is well worth the visit.

Edited by: LongIslandBob

8

Nearly half way through my trip now. Been through parkway ans Smokey. Currently in Asheville about to head East. Probably stop over in Raliegh. Any suggestions about hotels in Outer Banks area, preferably within walking distance to places to eat. Budget $100 ish?