East coast USA
 

Hi. We’re doing a road trip down the East coast in June. We’re starting in New York and Washington and ending in Charleston and Savannah. I think we’re fairly sure about both ends but we have 4 or 5 nights in the middle (between leaving Washington DC and Charleston) where we’re not sure exactly what to do and how long to spend. We’d like to do the Skyline Drive/Shenandoah National Park and aren’t too fussed about going as far as Asheville (although we may be wrong there). Any ideas of an itinerary for that part would be brilliant, we haven’t been to this part before at all so we may be missing areas that we haven’t thought of. Really appreciate any ideas. Thanks.

Charlottesville, VA. Tour the campus of the University of Virginia which was founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819.. Visit the 1826 Rotunda and wander around the Fralin Museum of Art on campus. Tour Monticello, Jefferson’s home and James Madison’s home, Ash Lawn-Highland. Check out the restaurants in the lively downtown. Have a drink in the 1784 Michie Tavern and eat southern cuisine.

Williamsburg, VA. Visit the Jamestown Settlement Museum, Colonial Williamsburg, 1607 Historic Jamestowne, Colonial National Historic Parks, walk around the 1693 William and Mary College campus, Williamsburg Botanical Garden, and Busch Gardens.

Great Dismal Swamp. This large swamp on the border of Virginia is heavily wooded with cypress, black gun, juniper. Wildlife includes black bears, river otters, bobcats and alligators. Freedom seekers (runaway slaves) created a colony (called maroons) in the swamp. There is the national wildlife refuge and a state park. There is a visitors center, boardwalk and miles of trails for hiking and biking. Explore by kayak deep into the wilderness.

New Bern, NC This old Colonial town was founded in 1710 by Swiss and German settlers who named it after Bern, Switzerland. The town has three historic districts with some homes and buildings dating back to the early 1700s. It exudes Old South charm and is filled with quaint boutiques and eateries, riverfront attractions, lively entertainment. Visit 1770 Tyrone Palace and gardens.

Wilmington, NC. Reportedly this antebellum Old South town has the largest historic district in North Carolina with many buildings dating from the 1840s. It features a vibrant riverfront. It is an authentic Southern town with good beaches and better water and waves like at Wrightsville Beach.

Beaufort, SC. This historic town has lovely antebellum homes and trees dripping with Spanish moss and a fairly lively downtown. There is the Spanish Moss Trail, a rail-trail for bicyclists and walkers, which goes to Yemasee. Eat fresh seafood.

Half the places listed below are well off your route.

My late husband was from Waynesboro, VA and we visited family often. I always loved to visit Charlottesvilla for the food and culture, you can visit Monticello (Jefferson's home) and also the University of Virginia. President Jefferson also designed some of the buildings there including the Rotunda.
Roanoke is a nice city, we only stopped for lunch once, and another time to visit Natural Bridges (doesn't take long).
Skyline Drive is much shorter and you have low speed limits on a lot of it, so don't stay on it the whole way. Shenandoah Park starts right near Rockfish Gap IIRC.

Are you driving back then making a loop possible.. Are you spending some time in DC?
YOu could go south of Washington to Wilmington NC which has a nice historic district and beach.
Then go west with a stop in Winston Salem NC and its Old Salem.
Then go to Asheville and visit Biltmore House.
Head south to Charleston

Hi. Thanks for this. We’ll be coming from Washington having spent a few days there and will most likely now leave from Ashville to go to Charleston.

Don't overlook my recommendation of Winston-Salem's Old Salem. It is a little gem. You don't have to go to Wilmington so you could go diagonally to WS and then on to Asheville.
What is your return plan?

Thanks. We’ll look into Winston Salem. Our plan is to head straight to Charleston from Ashville.

Winston salem would be before Asheville as I outlines above. It would or could be on the way to Asheville either from DC or Wilmington if you added that stop.

You could visit the Outer Banks in NC.

Love Asheville, unique with plenty to see and do.

Asheville is really nice and just north of there you can visit Blowing Rock and Boone which is really cute and in the mountains and also is a college town. In fact my SIL got her fine arts degree at Appalachian State.

If you go to Asheville, you can also easily visit Great Smokey Mts. National Park (50 minutes west) and drive a short distance on the Blue Ridge Parkway and either drive or hike up Mt. Mitchell—the tallest mountain east of the Mississippi River (at 6,684’).

If you stay in Ashville, be sure to make dinner reservations. I was there last June and every place was booked. We had to do take-out.

Thé Moogseum on Broadway in Asheville is an immersive, interactive exploration of the life and work of Robert Moog. Theramins, oscilloscopes, and synthesizers invite you to try your hand and to challenge yourself to create music. And have fun!

https://moogseum.org

Thanks for all your helpful replies.