Road Trip Advice - Nashville to DC
 

Hi,

I am trying to plan a road trip - we arrive at Nashville late July and leave from DC on the 9th Aug, we have 18 nights. A family of four, two teens aged 17 and 14.

Currently I am thinking:
2 nights Nashville
4 or 5 nights Gatlinburg
3 nights Charleston
6/7 nights Williamsburg area
2 nights Washington

My younger daughter would like to see/stay at Outer Banks and I am now wondering if we should stay at Outer Banks for up to a week so can have a bit of relaxation time, but then I think that we are too far to make day trips to Williamsburg area to see the historical areas along with a day at Busch Gardens. We don't want to have too many different stopovers as it is nice to get to a place, and then do day trips out to near ish places.

I would be ever so grateful if anyone has any advice on the itinerary I have put together so far and any thoughts on any areas we really should see, or areas we could miss out. We hope to see lots of variety in areas, and we understand that we can't do everything, but we also don't want to rush in and out of places just for the sake of saying we have been there.

Many thanks

Are you flying into Nashville and flying out of DC?
What do you and your family enjoy doing? Outdoors, adventure, relaxed/chill, history, theme parks, music, ect?

I would completely re-think your itinerary.
Why so much time in Gatlinburg and Williamsburg, and so little time in the other locations?
Eliminate Gatlinburg completely...unless you really enjoy traffic gridlock, packed sidewalks, hillbilly putt-putt golf, fake "moonshine" bars, wax museums, endless t-shirt shops, ect.

I'd do something like...
Nashville - 3 nights
Asheville - 3 nights
Charleston - 5 nights
Williamsburg - 3 nights
DC - 4 nights

Hi,

Thank you very much for your reply. We'd like a little bit of most things, outdoors, adventure, relaxed, history, theme parks, food, interesting/quirky/beautiful sights, walking round new places and exploring.

We don't want to spend too much time in the cities of Nashville and DC - we fly into Nashville and out of DC and will spend a day sightseeing in each, but would prefer more of our time focused on other areas in SC, NC and VA (we've visited quite a lot of cities in USA already on previous road trips).

The plan for Williamsburg area was to have a base somewhere for close to a week where we can chill by the beach or pool as well as visit local places of interest and Busch Gdns (obviously beach would be depending on exact location and if we stayed closer to Virginia Beach than Williamsburg etc), that is why so much time there, not necessarily because Williamsburg has a big pull of things we want to do and see - but my youngest daughter is also very keen to at least see Outer Banks which is proving harder to add in and I don't really want to add in extra stops. From when we have done road trips previously, we are happier when we have a base for at least a few nights and we are less keen on one or two night stops.

I was originally looking at staying at Asheville, but Gatlinburg area looked like it could be a very unusual stay and something a bit different that teenagers would like - but yes, I have read that it may be considered a bit tacky and is very busy. What makes Asheville stand out as a better place to visit and stay?

Do you have any advice on what the beach areas around Charleston are like, would it make more sense to stay around that area and have the beach/chilled time there rather than Williamsburg area?

Many thanks for all your thoughts and advice.

Certain people really like Gatlinburg, or else it wouldn't attract millions of people every year. For me, it is one giant tourist trap from hell. Your dates are peak tourist season, so the roads/sidewalks/stores/attractions will be packed. Use Google Street View to get a sense for what Gatlinburg has to offer and whether it fits your style (airbrushed t-shirts, souvenir stores, "moonshine", ect.).
I'd much prefer staying in Bryson City (or maybe Townsend). Relaxed/quaint/authentic, easy access to the national park for hiking/exploring, easy access to white water rafting & tubing. Close enough to take a day trip to Gatlinburg if you are so inclined.

Asheville is nearly the polar opposite of Gatlinburg, though its increasing popularity means traffic/congestion can be an issue. You won't find any wax museums, Ripley's attractions or a dozen "hillbilly putt-putt" locations. The Biltmore is a must-see, easy to explore sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway, lots of great natural sights to visit.

I would definitely use Charleston as your base for beach/chill time. Stay on Isle of Palms and rent a condo/house with a view of the ocean. Beaches are wide, clean and uncrowded. Take an eco/dolphin boat tour, rent jet skis, go parasailing, see Patriot's Point, horse carriage tour of Charleston, visit plantations, ect.

I don't have much advice on your Williamsburg section of the trip. If you stayed around Norfolk/Virginia Beach, you could possibly take a day trips to the Outer Banks, Busch Gardens and Colonial Williamsburg.

What is the rental car plan? Are you planning on a one way charge picking up in Nashville and dropping in DC? Or, do you plan to fly from Nashville to DC with two car rentals? If you wanted to do this trip with one car rental, you could fly to a different city (Charlotte?) and make a big loop turning in the car where you rented it.

Hi,

We will hire one car for the whole time - collecting from Nashville and dropping it at DC - and the flights are already booked coming from the UK.

Thanks

Do you have any advice on what the beach areas around Charleston are like, would it make more sense to stay around that area and have the beach/chilled time there rather than Williamsburg area?

Yes. Williamsburg will be a good base for a number of things you mentioned enjoying, but day trips to Va Beach or the Outer Banks isn't one of them. Too much traffic in general or way too much beach traffic at the weekends.

There are many beautiful beaches in South Carolina, as mentioned. I'll throw in Litchfield (family beach) and the adjacent Myrtle Beach if you are interested in the boardwalk, arcade, theme park experience.

Is there something particular about the Outer Banks that is appealing to your daughter?

You mentioned have visited the US a number of prior times, so you are probably aware that you're traveling in the peak heat & humidity season.

I wouldn't do Williamsburg or this whole part of the country at this time of year. These places like Williamsburg and Busch Gardens involve times spent in line in sun and staggering heat. I assume you are fixed by school vacation days?

The Atlantic beaches are really more a weekend getaway for locals or a break from the hideous summer mugginess than they are must sees. However the water is clean and warm and there is surf. Traffic is bad getting to the various Atlantic Beaches, and don't even consider going during the weekend.

This is an important piece of information.
Given that you are coming all of the way from the UK, I would absolutely avoid Gatlinburg, as well as the Virginia Beach/Busch Gardens area as well.
There is no reason to travel all that way to spend your time stuck in tourist/traffic gridlock.

I'd focus on the areas previously mentioned...Bryson City, Asheville, Charleston, Outer Banks

Here is what I would do, given your stated interests:

2 nights Nashville
3 nights Gatlinburg
3 nights Charleston
3 nights,Nags Head,NC
5 Nights Williamsburg
2 nights DC

That's 17 nights. Then you have to decide where to add the other night left.

You should go to the Outer Banks if your daughter wants to go.

Dollywood in Gatlinsburg is a great theme park, worth a full day. It's also far more unique (and American) than Busch Gardens. Don't miss the Mystery Mine Coaster! Plus their waterpark is worth some time too. Also, you absolutely should take a drive from Gatlinsburg to Cades Cove in the Smokey Mountains National Park. There are quite a few cabins left from an old Appalachian settlement along a scenic drive. Lots to explore. It is also an excellent spot to see bears. If you suddenly see people parked along the road, it's probably because they've spotted a bear. On the way back, you can stop by The Sinks waterfalls. You haven't mentioned anything about hiking.....

Williamsburg is a treasure. There are actual historic places to visit as well as re-creations by the state of Virginia which provide history and entertainment. Then there is CW, Colonial Williamsburg, the granddaddy of historic preservation sites. It's completely awesome and one of the top sites to visit in the US. Take the auto-tour of the Yorktown Battlefield. The level of interpretation is astounding, and the self-guided tour will take you to many interesting sites. I'm not sure if there's anything comparable in Europe to the National Park Service's battlefield sites.

I have traveled to these places in summer. They are fine. Yes, there is summer heat, but you will get through it. Yes, there will be other people, but you be fine just like they will.

"Williamsburg is a treasure. There are actual historic places to visit as well as re-creations by the state of Virginia which provide history and entertainment. Then there is CW, Colonial Williamsburg, the granddaddy of historic preservation sites. It's completely awesome and one of the top sites to visit in the US."

True--and so is Washington DC the actual capital of the USA. I am always amazed at the little time given to Washington by foreign and domestic tourists.