Touring South & East US

[Tweeter]

Planning on touring the South & East side of the US starting January or Febuary 2019 - will probably start at Gulf Shores Al. & surrounding area & then head North. I would like your suggestions on states to visit & places to stay. We plan on staying a month at each place & touring the area in our tow vehicle then moving on to the next. We are full timing in a 42ft motorhome & want to see America - we enjoy just about everything so would appreciate any points of interest you can share. We plan on working our way to Maine in Oct. then head back towards Texas. Thank you everyone for your suggested routes & sights.

[lryrob9301]

Might I suggest the Louisville, KY area during the first week of May. This is the week before the Kentucky Derby and there are lots of free and low cost things to attend that week. DO NOT plan on going to the Derby, way too expensive and crowded. If you like horseracing go to the Kentucky Oaks on Friday before the Derby, still somewhat expensive, lot less crowded, and you get to see Churchill Downs in all it's best.

[gonesouth]

The best areas to visit is to take the seacoast road up from the Carolinas to Canada. The beach runs from Key West to Connecticut and it is fabulous. There is a ferry from Maryland or Delaware to New Jersey.

[MRUSA]

If you want to be in Maine in October make your reservations now. It is peak time there and spaces for a 42 footer, always in short supply in Maine, will be all booked in advance.

[ljr]

Magnolia Branch Wildlife Reserve

Campground within a wildlife reserve in southwest Alabama operated by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians.

[2_Retired]

Previous posts are right. In the northeast it is very difficult to find a free place to stay overnight. Most rest areas on major highways do not allow overnight parking for RVs - even on the Interstates. Most communities have local laws outlawing overnight parking in commercial parking lots, like Walmarts - lots sometimes are not big enough for shoppers, let alone RVs. Rest areas on secondary roads are now all but extinct - and the few that are left only have room for a car or 2. Even some campgrounds are being turned into housing developments. Taxes are high and land is too valuable for use as a campground. Some cash-strapped states are even selling off state parks or closing camping areas because of costs. Here are a couple of sites that might be helpful: www.rvdumps.com (locations of dump stations); www.freecampgrounds.com; htps://freecampsites.com Hope you can find what you are looking for!

[jplante4]

Tom/Barb wrote:

Merrykalia wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:
We'd rather travel the less traveled roads, nose around the local towns, and corner taverns to talk to the locals.
stay at Walley's lot. dump when and where we can, and charge off the get-set as required.

should we do this in the east ?
Are you allowed to simply find a wide spot pull out and drop the jacks?

In the east, there are not a lot of places that this is acceptable, nor welcome. I can think of a few places that you could do this, but most of it is in National Forests and they have pretty stringent rules against it. There are some places that you could do this, but the success would depend on NOT having a ranger drive by.

Don't the secondary highways have rest areas, or other pull outs?

There are very few left. It seems when funds get redirected, rest areas are the first to go. Of the ones that are left, overnight parking is prohibited or full of trucks. Government regs required truckers to stop, but no consideration was given to where they would do this.

[Tom_Barb]

Merrykalia wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:
We'd rather travel the less traveled roads, nose around the local towns, and corner taverns to talk to the locals.
stay at Walley's lot. dump when and where we can, and charge off the get-set as required.

should we do this in the east ?
Are you allowed to simply find a wide spot pull out and drop the jacks?

In the east, there are not a lot of places that this is acceptable, nor welcome. I can think of a few places that you could do this, but most of it is in National Forests and they have pretty stringent rules against it. There are some places that you could do this, but the success would depend on NOT having a ranger drive by.

Don't the secondary highways have rest areas, or other pull outs?

[Lancslad]

Savannah, Charleston, Wilmington, Outer Banks, Williamsburg, Washington Dc Etc

[Songbirds]

Tweeter wrote:
Planning on touring the South & East side of the US starting January or February 2019 - will probably start at Gulf Shores Al. & surrounding area & then head North. I would like your suggestions on states to visit & places to stay. We plan on staying a month at each place & touring the area in our tow vehicle then moving on to the next. We are full timing in a 42ft motorhome & want to see America - we enjoy just about everything so would appreciate any points of interest you can share. We plan on working our way to Maine in Oct. then head back towards Texas. Thank you, everyone, for your suggested routes & sights.

Here in FLORIDA check out Camp Florida is shown broken into four parts. So having lived in Florida most all of my life I would suggest a target zone I-75 and I-4 cross as east on I-4 are tons of RV dealerships, Campgrounds. Tampa Bush Gardens or east Disney Northwest Cristal River and lots of Places to eat as well as (VOTED BEST BEACH IN THE WORLD) Clearwater Beach. And so much More check out Lazy days RV 1/4-mile East of I-75, along with others in less than 8-Miles General RV, Air Stream, Camping world just to name a few. with lots of RV Camping Grounds to set up base camp and spring from. A helpful book called "One Tank Trips" from Tampa, have fun and enjoy.

[Merrykalia]

Tom/Barb wrote:
We'd rather travel the less traveled roads, nose around the local towns, and corner taverns to talk to the locals.
stay at Walley's lot. dump when and where we can, and charge off the get-set as required.

should we do this in the east ?
Are you allowed to simply find a wide spot pull out and drop the jacks?

In the east, there are not a lot of places that this is acceptable, nor welcome. I can think of a few places that you could do this, but most of it is in National Forests and they have pretty stringent rules against it. There are some places that you could do this, but the success would depend on NOT having a ranger drive by.

[mccsix]

Make sure when in GS Ala you visit the Natl Naval Air Museum aboard NAS Pensacola a full day effort especially if you time it for the free Blue Angels airshow every Tues/Wed (next to the Museum). Have lunch at the Cubi bar which they bought over from the Philippines.

[jplante4]

I'll throw in a word for Cape Cod, but I would stay off Cape (the KOA in Middleboro, Normandy Farms in Foxboro or Maple Park in Wareham) and take a day trip in the middle of the week to the Cape. Summer traffic is heaviest Friday night and Saturday morning on all roads around the bridges.

[wnytaxman]

If you get to Letchworth State Park and the Finger Lakes head on over to Niagara Falls and even stop in Buffalo. Buffalo? Yes, that same city has been going through a revival and it has some of the best historic architecture in the country. You can even zip line from a grain elevator painted like a giant Labatt's can. Fun things in an unexpected place.

[JoeH]

All great suggestions above. In Florida hit some of the springs, Georgia, Savannah and up around Blairsville. Then over to Asheville and maybe Maggie Valley and Cherokee. Head up the Blue Ridge. Stop at Gettysburg. Maybe look at Letchworth State Park in NY and then over to Watkins Glen and the Finger Lakes. Over to Lake George/Adirondacks then potentially Boston/Cape Code and then up to Bar Harbor Maine. We do this , or similar trip/stops most every summer.

You didn't mention what kind if coach you had, but if it's on a Freightliner chassis, stop at Gaffney before you go to Asheville for your annual service if you need it. Great work and reasonable price.