bellhouse

My son and I are trying to decide on whether to drive or fly to take him up to college in Greensboro, NC this August. We're leaning towards driving if we can come up with some interesting places to see/things to do on the way up - so we hope you can help. We would be starting in Bradenton, FL, which is south of Tampa on the west coast. We would take I75 north, then head east on 20. His girlfriend and her family, who live near Bradley, SC, which is southwest of Greenwood, is the one stop that is set in stone! From there we're open - whatever would be fun and be in the direction of Greensboro. Outdoor stuff, somewhere that isn't flat, would be fun. I would love to go rafting, but it looks like that might be pretty far out of our way. One question: is there a way to avoid Atlanta? It looks like 129, which heads north from Macon and interects with 20, might be a possibility for getting off the interstate. How long would that take vs. 75 to 285 to 20? Also, my grandfather's family moved from Dixie, GA, to Moultrie, GA, before ending up in Florida. I thought it might be fun to go see those two places. Anybody know anything about them?

beach_dweller

It's a little hard to tell what your priorities are. How big a hurry are you in? How important are the stops along the way? How much do you want to see mountains?

Anyway, because you must stop near Greenwood, you have the possibility of venturing a little off course (via Interstate 26) and spending some time in the NC mountains. You could easily pick up I-40 in Asheville and get to Greensboro that way.

If that's too much of a detour, and you want a more direct route, then you'll be seeing Columbia SC and Charlotte NC with some rolling hills but no mountains.

xrae

You can be in the mountains within an hour from Charlotte -- simply detour on US 321 north to the Boone/Blowing Rock NC High Country. Then you can take US 421 through N. Wilkesboro and Winston-Salem to Greensboro.

For rafting, check French Broad or Nolichucky Rivers in NC/Tenn -- it may be close enough for you -- not nearly as far out of the way as some in NC.

bellhouse

I know that was pretty vague, but I was hoping I'd get a number of posters throwing out ideas and then work from there. Since then I've come up with a maybe-plan of getting to Moultrie, GA, the first day. The next day poke around a little (my grandfather was born there and his father was in buxiness there), try to find Dixie (goes back a few more generations), and then head up towards the Chattooga. Go rafting the next day, and then head to Bradley, SC, for two days with girlfriend and family, then take a day to get to Greensboro. We stopped in Columbia while Will was looking at colleges (he was born there), and also Asheville. He's a history and archtitecure buff, so I was wondereing about small, old southern towns - perhaps get in some barbecue.

Sunshinesue

So it sounds like you will take 75 to Valdosta then drive over to Moultrie. Moultrie is a quiet little town, not much there. But it does have a number of antique shops. Also, if you are interested in checking out Grandpa's roots, Moultie has an excellent genealogy library.

Sunshinesue

By the way, Dixie is on US 84 about half way between Valdosta and Thomasville. It is really just a community - probably no more than a couple hundred people live there, if that.

You could get off 75 in Valdosta and take 84 west to go through Dixie. Then go to Moultrie. The easiest way would be to go on to Thomasville from Dixie then take 319 north to Moultrie. Thomasville would be a nice place to visit if you have a little time.

bellhouse

Sunshinesue - Thanks for the information on Dixie. My great-great-grandparents farmed there, but he was killed in the Civil War and after that my g-g-grandmother remarried and moved to Moultrie. I didn't expect to see much, really - just go. We also pay for the upkeep of some family graves close by, or rather, my brother took it over after my dad died. I plan to get the name/address of the church and go by there. It's pretty much the same with Moultrie. My father lost track of his relatives there and there aren't any Bealls listed now in the phone book, but I just want to see the town. My grandfather moved from there about 1907 or so.

Gretchen

I am interested in your possible decision to fly to take your son to college. I assume he must be your oldest because I don't know how you could get his "stuff" there on a plane!! ;o)
And once you are there you will certainly need a car (I know, rental) to go to WalMart to get all the other "stuff" that he needs!!
It's a nice drive.

starrsville

Here are some ideas, based on your comments -
On the way from Brandenton to Moultrie, a bit off 75 -

http://www.floridastateparks.org/ichetuckneesprings/
I've not been there, but a poster shared this state park recently and it sounds as you and your son would enjoy it. I'm stopping on my next drive down 75.

If either of you like amusement parks, outside Valdosta -
http://www.wildadventures.net/rides_...rs_thrills.php

From Moultrie to Bradley, SC via Macon GA, a couple of ideas -
If you enjoyed the movie "Fried Green Tomatoes, detour a bit north of Macon and eat at the Whistle Stop cafe in Juliette, GA
If you want a VERY nice place to stay, consider the Ritz Carlton Reynolds Plantation on Lake Oconee (south of I 20)

If he wants to do some whitewater and you don't want to detour to western NC, consider the new whitewater park outside of Charlotte NC (on your route to G'boro)
http://www.usnwc.org/happening.asp

I googled the following route -
Bradenton to Fort White, FL to Moultrie to Macon to Bradley to Greensboro NC. I've driven those areas quite a bit and I agree with the route. My nephew went to college in G'boro too.

bellhouse

Gretchen - this son and our next younger one have been at boarding school in the northeast, so we're used to (1) me taking a carry on of my stuff and each of us taking to suitcases of their stuff plus UPS, plus (2) I'm not too excited about 11+ hours back if no one volunteers to go up with me. I know it's sort of wimpy, but my car has 110,000 miles on it and it's been so long (um, 25 years) since I've driven that far all by myself. I'm sure I'll rise to the occasion, though.

Starsville - Thanks for the ideas. The Ichni (cna't spell it) is near Gainesville and is fun, but I want to get a bit further. The Charlotte thing I'll look into - I didn't know about that. Fried green tomatoes - yum and fun! I found the Agrirama in Tifton and the air museum at the airbase (something Robbins or Robbins something). Anyone been to those?

ncgrrl

Which school is your son going to attend?

bellhouse

William is going to Guilford.

ncgrrl

Ah, he's going to be a fighting Quaker. Hope he can go to a football game and hear the chant of 'kill 'em, Quakers! Kill 'em"

As a poor college student in Greensboro, I recommend steak and cheese subs at Ghassan's. One location is in an A-frame building near the Coliseum.

palmettoprincess

If your son wants to visit Bradley in the mean time, Allegiance Air has CHEAP direct flights between Clearwater and Greenville Spartanburg.

bellhouse

I got sidetracked by and hadn't checked back for a while. I can't wait to hear people yelling "Kill 'em Quakers"! I grew up with "Go, Gators" which had a nice ring to it, then went off to a school with the 'Dores and on to graduate school (husband) with the Demon Deacons. You sort of wonder....Thanks for the suggestion of Ghassan's - he/we will check it out.

PalmettoPrincess - thanks VERY much for the tip on the airline. His girlfriend lives near Greenville and she has always flown through Charlotte to get here. I'll check into Allegience Air for her visits.

palmettoprincess

Hope Allegiance Air works out. They have been advertising $60 one-way fares.

bellhouse

I looked them up and they also fly direct between St. Pete and Greensboro, where Will is going to college! They only fly 3 days a week, but if only one way fits into his vacation schedule it will beat having to change in Charlotte both ways. Thanks so much!

ausc59

If you are still looking to by-pass Atlanta, you can pick up Hwy 16 off of 75 - take it East and pick up Hwy 44 in Eatonton to intersect with I-20 - not a bad drive and you will go right past the turn for the Ritz-Carlton mentioned earlier.
I find books on tape fill the time when I'm driving alone. I'm become so engrossed in them before that I have completely missed my turn to home!

bellhouse

I was in Atlanta for the day on Friday - it remineded me of how much I want to bypass it on the way to NC! So, thanks for the info on Route 16. That's what we'll do!

hazardnc

The town of Shelby, NC is not too far off I-85 by way of hwy 74. In Shelby, there is Bridges BBQ, the best bbq in this neck of the woods. Or stop in Lexington for their famous 'cue.

Better yet, get on 26 and go north to Tryon or Saluda. Both are pretty little towns in the foothills. Tryon has a restaurant I love called the Caro-Mi with home cooking served family style. There is also a lovely little waterfall called Pearson's Falls, managed by the Tryon Garden Club. Here's a link to info about the area:
http://www.nc-mountains.org/historic_sites.htm. It will take about 2 hours to get to Saluda from Greenwood.

After visiting here, you can take 74 back to I-85, passing through Shelby for the bbq (Bridges in on 74) and then head north to Greensboro. This drive will take about 4 hours, not including a stop for lunch.