A3Queen

My husband kids and I are flying into NJ to see family on 12/26 for a couple of days. We'll be able to leave Ocean City NJ on 12/28 and would like to get to Charleston SC by New Year's eve. So we're thinking:
12/28 NJ to where in Virginia?
12/29 Virgina to where in North Carolina?
12/31 to Charleston
1/2 to Savannah
1/4 Charlotte NC for our flight home on 1/5 (LAX)

can anyone give me suggestions for Virginia and North Carolina stops at this time of the year? our kids are 16 & 17 years old. Thanks for any guidance ! Michele

vjpblovesitaly

Just drive all the way?

SAnParis2

I would likely remove a few of the stops. Skip Va. & hit the Wilmington, NC area, then on to Charleston. I would plan to spend more time in Charleston as well (rather than any other places you ahve mentioned). In CLT, you'll want to stay Uptown, not near the Airport.

DancingBearMD

The Wilmington area is lovely but would be a significant detour off the I-95 track. Some thoughts:

--I'd shoot for Petersburg, VA to stay the first night, there are lots of hotels there and gets you south of Richmond. (Don't take the bypass around Richmond or you will rejoin 95 South of Petersburg). There is a Civil War battlefield there you could visit if you wanted. You could make a stop along the way in Baltimore (Inner Harbor or Fort McHenry) or DC. You could go to Mt. Vernon, which is south of the DC Beltway, then cut back to 95 via Route 1. Or you could see Civil War stuff in Fredericksburg, VA. Or you could detour onto Hwy 301 somewhere in MD south of Baltimore, and visit George Washington's birthplace which is a short detour off of 301 after you cross the Potomac into VA, then take 301 back to 95.

--Shoot for Florence, SC for the second night's stay. Along the way stop for some great NC pork barbecue at Parker's or Bill Ellis in Wilson, NC (stay on 95 to 264, hit the barbecue then get on 301 South to rejoin 95--Parker's is actually right on 301, Bill Ellis is just one more street over. Another possible stop would be the Airborne Museum in Fayetteville.

--If you have any interest in NASCAR, the morning you wake up in Florence you could head over to Darlington Speedway to see one of the earliest NASCAR tracks and visit their museum. In any event, being in Florence will give you an easy third day's drive to Charleston.

OR, make your second night in Wilmington, then drive down to Charleston along the coast, through Myrtle Beach, Pawley's Island and Georgetown, SC.

DancingBearMD

Also, I wouldn't stay in Uptown Charlotte coming from Savannah, unless you will arrive early enough to actually visit the area. Instead, I look at somewhere in the Pineville area, where the Charlotte belt road, 485, hits I-77. There is a big mall there and lots of hotels, and it's an easy shot . I agree that you don't want to stay right next to the airport.

SAnParis2

Florence, SC...Really ??!! Pineville, ditto. There is nothing in Pineville, except for a Mall. Granted, if you are looking for a place to sleep only, fine. Otherwise, Geeesh... The Pineville/Mall exit is probably about 3-4 miles East of the I-77/I-485 interchange, off of I-485. AT any point should you wish to cut over & follow 17 down the coast, you can't go wrong there, either.

DancingBearMD

I just picked Florence for distance and the fact that it is a crossroads with several decent hotels. Unless you chose to leave I-95 and go to Wilmington, there just isn't all that much interesting for a night's stay while heading South on 95 from Richmond.

Same for Pineville--I'm assuming it's a functional stop, as I said "unless you will arrive early enough to actually visit the area." By all means, OP, if you leave Savannah early and will make it to Charlotte by early afternoon, stay Uptown and enjoy the afternoon and evening. Visit the Mint Museum of Craft & Design and the Museum of the New South, and find someplace interesting to eat, perhaps in the Dillworth, Elizabeth or South End areas right outside Uptown.

DancingBearMD

Another thought--between Charleston and Savannah, stop in Beaufort, SC.