See America Tour

RGar974417 wrote:
Also,if you are 62 or older and don't have the America the Beautiful pass, get it. It's $20 if you send for it or $10 if you buy it at a National Park. It gives you free admission to any National Park and half price on camping in any federal (National Forest,Park, COE etc ) campgrounds.

In December, 2016 it was reported the price is increasing to $80.00 , but the effective date had not been determined. Got mine at a NWR (Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge office) on I-40 near Brownsville TN.

Get it while you can.

RoyF wrote:


Most of the places we visited were very well known, but there were a couple of surprises (for us). Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Conn., may be well-known in the northeast but was new to me They restore old sailing ships. I would love to go back again. The Clark Institute of Art in Williamstown in northwest Massachusetts had an amazing art collection that was a complete suprise to me.

For Boston, New York, and Philadelphia, it is possible to find RV camping close enough for a rail-trip into town. We skipped New York (having visited numerous other times) but made day trips into the other two.

Been going to Mystic Seaport since I was in elementary school (standard school trip) but hadn't been there for prolly 2 decades before 2002. Boy, what a re-opening of my eyes! Enjoyed it so much we have been members for the past 10 years. It's gotten pricey since my wasted youth (pretty sure it was free for school visits back in the "daze") but I'm sure the stock market had something to do with their aggressive attempts to revitalise the operating and acquirement funds. that being said I hope being a member helps to offset costs and increase the fantastic work they are doing reminding us of our sea past:c:.

If I didn't live in this area, I'd park the car and RV in a nearby campground then visit Philly, NYC, and maybe Boston. None are areas that need personal wheels to get around.

Most every year, we grab a NJ Transit train @ Penn Station going to Trenton, NJ,then switch to a SEPTA train into Philadelphia; costs less than the Amtrak trip although about an hour longer. We spend 2 nights there, normally at the Penn's View (every room decorated differently, some with Jacuzzi tubs and/or gas fireplaces). Great little hotel/B+B with a credible Italian restaurant and wine bar on premises called Panorama. I say only credible since you are surrounded by restaurants of different cuisines in this town. Philly's food scene is ever changing and since I don't know your food likes/dislikes I'll leave you to make your own choices; suffice to say you can have fun.
A fast food run at the closest to you Philly steak sandwich (we get a sandwich for Gino's and one from Pat's, all trips, and after 10 odd years still can't tell which is better prolly cause we eat too fast to take proper notes, LOL) or just take a walk through the Reading Terminal and all will be well.

Amazing town for art, both on the streets and housed in museums.
We visit the Rodin Museum every. time we. go even though it's quite tiny. Also of course the "Rocky steps museum AKA MOA; the Barnes Foundation, the Independence Seaport (not of the caliber of Mystic IMO but still essential to understanding maritime's role in this region) and the Franklin Science Museum all are worth a stop.

Then of course you have all the historical sites and exhibits.
And Fairmont Park which puts NYC's Central Park to shame in terms of size and scope. NOT that I'd tell any Pennsylvanian that...oops.

Boston, hmmmmmm Beantown. I haven't been there much in the last 20 years (Got to fix that!) yet know it's still there, LOL. Nothing to say about it past the memories of a swan ride, Boston Pop during the 4th of July concerts, visit to Paul Revere House and USS Constitution (had a toothache for that. Yes. I remember it well); Isabella Gardiner Museum; late night eating in Roxbury before the trolley closed down for the night in my mostly about to be a teenage wasteland (my older sister attended college in Boston and got stuck with me ;))lifer; Faneuil Hall and visits to Cape Cod and the islands.

However you visit the NE....you are going to enjoy yourselves I suspect.

When we went back east we visited Gettysburg. If you want a good tour sign up for one of the tour guides that actually drive your car. Cost around $60 for a 2 hr tour. Very informative. Also visit Intercourse PA, it is Amish county and you can look online for a covered bridge tour of Lancaster county. Gives you GPS coordinates. We also visited Monticello, Williamsburg and Jamestown. In Bath Maine you should see the Maine Maritime Museum

Also,if you are 62 or older and don't have the America the Beautiful pass, get it. It's $20 if you send for it or $10 if you buy it at a National Park. It gives you free admission to any National Park and half price on camping in any federal (National Forest,Park, COE etc ) campgrounds.

Here's few suggestions.Gettysburg National Historic Park. If you like history then you will love Gettysburg. Pa has some good state parks and there are 3 in the general vicinity of Gettysburg.Codorus, Gifford Pinchot and Pine Grove Furnace State park. All of them have electric hookups and several water hydrants in every loop. They also have bath houses and dump stations. They run about $26 a night. Assateague National park is another one we love. The NP campgrounds have no hookups but most loops allow generators. They have water and a dump station. We stayed in site C-48 which I think is the nicest.The wild horses will come right into your site looking for food so make sure you put it away.Check out the visitor center and the ranger demonstrations.
Next suggestion would be Huntington Beach State Park which is about 10 miles south of Myrtle Beach, SC. It has a mix of full hookups and water and electric and open and shaded sites.It's a short walk to the beach,they have a nice store with free wifi. They also have a great nature center and guided walks.It was $18 a night 3 years ago.Be sure to visit Atatlaya,the home where the owners of the land lived. You are right down the road from Murrle's Inlet where they have some good restaurants. Next would be Disneyland and Ft Wilderness. If you haven't been there before, you should spend a few days there. I would suggest stay right in the park at Ft Wilderness. It is expensive but worth it for a few days. We were in the 400 loop so we could walk to the landing and take a boat to the Majic Kingdom.You are also near the dog park, the Hoop de Do Revue ( reservations needed for the show0, the pool and Chip and Dale Show. You can pick up a bus in the front of your loop to go to the Animal Kingdom.If you get to Pa and want to see some local history, we are located between Philly and Harrisburg and would be glad to show you a few things. Just message me. One thing I would suggest if you like history and plan on traveling I-80 in Nebraska, I would suggest the Harold Warp Pioneer Museum. If you like history,old cars, trucks,motorcycles, snow mobiles, you will want to spend some time there. They have a campground with full hookups. It's not the greatest place we ever stayed, but it was ok for overnight. I believe it was $35 for full hookups but that included one ticket to the museum. Another place would be the National Museum of the US Airforce at Wright-Patterson near Dayton,Ohio. We stayed at Buck Creek Lake State park on the east side of Dayton. This is a beautiful state park with electric hookups and lots of room between sites. They even have a seperate beach for campers. I'll give you one more. Pipestem State resort Park in southern West Virginia. You have your choice of full hookups or water and electric. There is so much to do: golf,mini golf,tennis, indoor and outdoor pools, sauna,horseback riding, archery nature walks and 2 nice restaurants,one which you can only get to by cable car. Well have a great trip.

brooks379 wrote:
If you want to see "fall colors" I would take I 86 (most all of it has been repaved)across Western NY to Binghamton, NY then I 81 N to I 88 east ( Coopersville, NY baseball hall of fame ) to near Albany, NY
I have travelled all over the north east and that is one pretty drive without the hassle of the big cities. It's a nice laid back ride. Used to be pretty bumpy but has been repaved the whole route I 86, 81 and I 88

Cooperstown, NY

Clicky

If you want to see "fall colors" I would take I 86 (most all of it has been repaved)across Western NY to Binghamton, NY then I 81 N to I 88 east ( Coopersville, NY baseball hall of fame ) to near Albany, NY
I have travelled all over the north east and that is one pretty drive without the hassle of the big cities. It's a nice laid back ride. Used to be pretty bumpy but has been repaved the whole route I 86, 81 and I 88

GScottLockwood wrote:
My wife and I are retired and are planning to take a extended trip from Montana to the northeast of the US down south to Florida along the Gulf of Mexico ending up in the Phoenix area. The idea is to leave Montana in the summer maybe early August travel across the northern tear catch some fall color in New England and eventually end up in Arizona by December or January. We typically only cover about 250 miles a day and often will spend two or three days in one location to see the sights. Anyone have route suggestions things to avoid or things to see along such a trip would be great.

In the NE, starting at the time you are planning to begin, by Labour Day, it should be easier to book stays without advance reservations although FHU spots will still be at a premium.

I visit this site to try to get a heads up on foliage time frames:

http://www.leafpeepers.com/contents.htm

The NE is filled with Colonial and Revolution history, so much so that many of us here take it for granted. Perhaps, take the time to read a book or three before embarking, pick an area of interest and gorge on it. Personally, I'm in love with the different styles of stone walls yet acknowledge I'm prolly in the minority, LOL.

The Hammonasset Indian Festival in CT is an event I try not to miss.
Route 1 is a lovely road to travel on as it meanders through the shore towns of CT. You can drive with a TT or 5er attached but it's better with just a car.

Local towns will have various fund raisers sponsored by the fire and police depts. Often they offer lobster dinners in Fall since the carnivals are generally offered during the Summer. We spend several weeks in this area so just depend on local Penny Savers (always outside the local laundromat and some supermarkets) and banners for dates. You can probably plan in advance by using one of the links in GScottLockwood's post.

The Connecticut River Museum in Essex give us a day or so of fun including the river boat tour; fortunate that a vintage car show was in town the last time we were there. Same for the Essex steam train ride which we've done twice and laughingly call the "Grandparents' Express". Gillette's Castle is fun as well and if you can, take your vehicle minus the RV over the river via the Hadlyme ferry.

No specific eateries to recommend around Essex since Benny's changed ownership but there are many appealing looking places w/i the town.

More restaurants that I like that are in CT:

Captain Scott's, just outside of New London. Nice outdoor venue for the car only. It might become our new go to for a shore meal since Clam Castle closed. Lobster rolls done CT style (means no mayo as is common in ME; I respect them too but in a different way;). Worth a stop if you are visiting the Nautilus and/or the city of New London. Steamed mussels, clams fried scallops, clam strips and whole; oysters and clams on the half shell, decent fries and nothing wrong with their ice cream stand.

Abbott's Landing, Noank, CT..............jes' divine and the setting is picturesque.


It's really not summer for us if we don't stop at Branford's Lobster Shack. Winding roads that are also not RV friendly (there's a "wouldn't want to get caught there during a rainstorm" tunnel under a railroad bridge with a stated height of about 5':eek). Still the locale located next to a working shipyard makes me think of early times even if it's mostly pleasure boats now.

The Place, Guilford, on Rte 1, an open air seasonal seafood restaurant across the street from a Walmart's, some kinda dollar store and a Big Y. Makes it fun to stock up on many needs. I'm pretty sure this Walmart's allows RVs to overnight, if that's good news for ya.

Since I'm talking about Guilford, try and make a stop at Bishop's Orchards, a working farm/ upscale market. Still have never done pick yourself there but it's offered in season. Lots of fresh produce, local wines, and prepped meals, Amazing cheese selections and fantastic apple cider doughnuts which we always buy more of to take back home anddddddddddd they nevah make it if I don't stick them in the trunk,LOL. You could eat your goodies from there in the town's gazebo, which is located in the center. Great Sousa music if you get there the right time of year.

One of the best cheese-mongers I know of on the east coast is located in Madison, CT on the far side of the Stop and Shop supermarket's parking lot; takes advance orders. A more than credible diner breakfast is available at Madison Coffee Shop, on Boston Post Rd (AKA Rte 1). Listening to the locals talk, as you sit on a stool or w/i a booth, is priceless with your classic American breakfast food.

Develop a detailed itinerary and then be prepared to abandon it.
Always be ready to stop for several days any place you really like.
You can cut the corner so to speak if you burn out on traveling and see the fall color in a place like Michigan.
Make sure the lady is happy. If she isn't make a course correction. Check into a nice hotel and surprise her some time.

GScottLockwood wrote:
My wife and I are retired and are planning to take a extended trip from Montana to the northeast of the US down south to Florida along the Gulf of Mexico ending up in the Phoenix area. The idea is to leave Montana in the summer maybe early August travel across the northern tear catch some fall color in New England and eventually end up in Arizona by December or January. We typically only cover about 250 miles a day and often will spend two or three days in one location to see the sights. Anyone have route suggestions things to avoid or things to see along such a trip would be great.

Upstate NY might just amaze you - problem in the East are the Big City/Roads and Bridges can really slow you down - Amish Country - Washington DC - The Ocean - Williamsburg - Asheville - Blue Ridge - Lake Toxaway............................I could go on and on - so much to see .....so little time.

Bwest of Luck,