Looking for advice re: the best time of year to do this explore. Retired so very flexible. Plan is to fly to Orlando and drive to WA, DC area or vice versa. Time allowed is also flexible. My guess is two or three weeks to hit most of the high points.

If I could, I would do April. Check with the Azalea Society of America to see predicted bloom times for Savanah and Charleston and plan on being there then.

A few places I would suggest seeing
St. Augustine, Florida
Savanah, Georgia
Charleston, SC
go up the coast from Charleston and stop at
Brook green Gardens (this is a stunning sculpture garden and well worth a stop)
Myrtle Beach area is fun if you enjoy that sort of place, but it may be filled with Spring Break college kids depending on their break times.
Williamsburg, VA (tour Williamsburg, Jamestown, etc.)
Richmond (see Agecroft and the old Jefferson Hotel)
Fredericksburg, VA
Washington, DC
When you go to Mount Vernon just outside of DC, there is a wonderful little Frank Lloyd Wright house very nearby. It is on the property of Woodlawn Plantation and well worth seeing.

I would add Beaufort, SC to that list. If you really enjoy beaches I would also add a diversion along the North Carolina Outer Banks using Route 12 and taking the ferry from Cedar Island over from the mainland.

Totally agree with Dukey 1, especially the outer banks. I wasn't sure if they would have enough time or the best way to do it.

Is there a reason you tagged this for Delaware?

traveling between Florida and DC one would not be visiting Delaware.

For Orlando check out the weeks that have the fewest visitors (April can be spring break for some schools and avoid easter by all means) - so as to avoid the worst of the crowds.

If you want to see cherry blossom in DC check out the most likely weeks and get hotel reservations now - and let that decide the order of the rest of the trip.

JanisJ, please...get happy for a change, OK?

Dukey: What in my post seemed 'unhappy'?

I was trying to help the OP. Many if not most Fodorites click on specific states/countries and only respond to threads that concern places they know about.

If the OP should have tagged it for DC and Florida and the Carolinas and Georgia -- then he'd probably get more helpful advice.

So if it was a simple mistake I was going to tell him how to get the thread tagged correctly . . .


Capisce?? Probably not . . .

I like Sassafrass' list, except for Myrtle Beach, but that's a personal opinion of Myrtle. Some people like it; I'm not one of them. Plus, IMHO, it's a PITA to get to.

Best time of year: spring or fall. You should hit some nice weather in that part of the US in those seasons, with cooler temps as you head north, and driving isn't bad on the highways those times of the year.

May would be the best time because everything would be green.
I would go up the coast, Fernadina beach, take ferry ride at night to see Cumberland Island. St Mary's Georgia is often overlooked but very nice.

Savannah and Tybee Island.

http://www.ncdot.gov/ferry/

http://ocracokeguide.com/getting-here
Ocracoke to Ducks Head

If by chance you have time Annapolis is worth a visit and you aren't that far from the beautiful beaches of Delaware. 301 to 50 will get you there.

I might go in early October, but think May would be good also. No worry about school vacations then, and I think October is one of the most beautiful months in DC. Early October can be very mild. I presume beaches are not a goal here or it would have been mentioned and one would probably not fly into Orlando (at least for FL beaches). Unless there is some good reason to fly into Orlando, I would not. I'd fly into some place closer to I95 on the east coast, like FLL, JAX or West Palm Beach. It doesn't matter that much, but if you are just leaving anyway, I'd go elsewhere.

Thanks Christina, Someone addressed the question. "Best time of year" Mentioned to fly into Orlando just because it's south of DC. Final determination will be wherever I can get the best direct flights from Seattle. and Yes to someone else the Delaware tag was an error. Didn't know how to fix and assumed no one would think I was that geographically challenged. Sounds like late fall will be it. Thanx all.

I'd actually fly into Miami and spend a day or two there, eating Cuban food and seeing the Art Deco buildings in South Beach. St. Augustine is a must see as well.

Ps- I've driven DC to Miami in a day. What a mistake!!

You don't have to "do" Myrtle Beach to enjoy one of the prettiest parts of the SC coast. Brookgreen is in Pawley's Island basically and there are great places to stay. Georgetown is also worth a look
There is nothing "painful" about getting to the MB area. It is Route 17 and a pretty drive up from Charleston to Wilmington.