jodibryan

I am road tripping from Pittsburg to Sarasota over a 3-4 day period in March. What and where are some great places along the way that I can not miss and only require a few hours of time to enjoy? Fyi, I am not a foody, I don't drink, I love the great outdoors, history, culture, beauty, oddities and anything free!

emalloy

You could head east to Gettysburg, then south to Harper's Ferry and down the Shenendoa Valley with stops at some of the other Civil War sites for a history fix.

Perhaps a bit of time on Skyline Drive/Blue Ridge Parkway for beauty with a stop at Luray Caverns for some oddity.

Ackislander

Good suggestions.

Harper's Ferry was a pleasant, funky, surprise.

New Market, Virginia, to visit the battlefield. It will make you cry.

Monticello is a must if you haven't been.

Luray Caverns and Natural Bridge

The Blue Ridge Parkway, but parts could be closed by snow or ice

Lexington and Staunton, Cute Towns

Note lack of stuff between Virginia and Georgia. There are many interesting roads through the Mountains and Nantahala National Forest, but the trees will be leafless and it may be icy and will be cold.

Pick up US 441 in North Carolina, and pass through Madison, GA, near Athens. You will want to move there.

Milledgeville, Georgia, was the home of Flannery O'Connor. You can visit.

441 crosses I-16 at Dublin, and there is a modern hotel at the junction. Lodging is scarce from there to Lake City, FL near I-10. This area seems to have lost a lot of population since I was a child, and there wasn't a lot back then.

Stay on 441 past and through the edges of Okeefenokee Swamp to Lake City and Gainesville, FL, where you pretty well have to join the interstate for the rest of your trip to Sarasota.

Gretchen

Note lack of stuff between Virginia and Georgia.

Now THAT smarts. LOL

As you come down I77 you could come a bit east through Winston Salem for a tour of Old Salem--a nice historic village with a beautiful museum of Southern Decorative Arts.
And not far from WS is Seagrove-Jugtown--wonderful hand made pottery center.
And the NC Zoo.
If you wanted to head to the coast you could go to Brookgreen Gardens at Litchfield (south of MB) and then on south to Georgetown (Revolutionary War historic district) and on south with some small plantations until you reach Charleston.
There is Hunting island south of there for a bird refuge (is that right Sue?).

jodibryan

wow! Thank you for all the suggestions, I love them all, especially the war sites and yes I would probably cry. I haven't had a chance to see many of them except for a few 20 or so years ago when I lived in Va. Beach, Va. And saw a few close to that area. I live in Sarasota now so I don't need Fl. Suggestions. I do love Charleston and Athens. I stopped there on a road trip 3 years ago, I drove the Blue Ridge 2 years ago on a road trip. I am going to check these out on a map and see how far off course they are from basically a straight shot which is about 1000 miles anyway. I am traveling with a couple of girlfriends and of course it's hard to accommodate everyone. One of the girls mentioned "a replica of foamhedge" does anyone know where this may be? Thank again, awesome suggestions and right up my alley! Can't help the pun. Lol.

jodibryan

Hello again,

Anything we've got to see with a south west heading? Especially in the WV, VA and KY area. Can't find a dang thing there!

Thank you!

Gretchen

Geez. tiresome.

You're going all the way into Kentucky?
If you want to go all the way over to I75 there is Pleasant Hill not far from Lexington.
But that seems pretty far east before heading south.
If you're headed that way, go to Asheville.

jodibryan

Thank you for the input. We are still in the planning phase of the trip. I do think we have decided to head southwest and then come back east to Fl. I went to Ashville 3 years ago on a solo road trip, Great suggestion! Great town!