Get off the interstate
 

Travel tips ? As snowbirds we like to take our time commuting back and forth through the eastern states. Been doing this for years. Have done all the most famous attractions, big cities, monuments, parkways etc. Every once in a while we find some not so obvious gems. Helen Georgia (Swiss Village), Beaufort South Carolina (Coastal Town), Macon Georgia (Old homes and cemeteries), Pinehurst North Carolina (Golf town designed with New England Architecture) to name a few. Anyone have a favorite on let's call it the more obscure tourism list ?

Beaufort, SC....beautiful little town...like a mini Charleston with a lot more charm. Beautiful plantation homes....used in many films over the years....great LOCAL seafood restaurants.

Main street along the river front with shops of different types.

Well worth taking a detour/break to visit this quaint picture of the old South.

If you're visiting the northern states on the coast, there are lots of options. In mid-autumn, a must-tour is Rte 15 in Connecticut. Known as the Merritt Parkway, the Berlin Turnpike, the Wilbur-Cross Parkway, and simply Rte. 15. The most scenic area of that road is the Merritt.

In Massachusetts, Marblehead in Essex County is a gorgeous spot for window shopping, gallery visits, and just watching the boats come and go. Especially splendid in early summer. It's on the way to Salem, if you're interested in the history of the early american Witch Trials.

I can't get off the interstate. I need to make "good time".

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When we were snowbirds and traveled between Avalon, NJ & Captiva, we would take the costal roads and would stop at different coastal towns. We weren't in a hurry. We would use the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, which is 17.6 miles long. I'd suggest this route just for the bridge. And then we'd get the Cape May ferry to to NJ.

Don't know how far off the Interstate you want to venture, but the Blue Ridge Parkway between Ashville, NC and Roanoke,VA is fantastic.

Mount Airy North Carolina. About 8 miles east of I-77. Andy Griffith's home town. Just like Mayberry!

We just made the trek up to MA. Half of Georgia with 3 and 4 lanes on RT 95 was stop and go :rant-rave:, and then 2 lanes in S. Carolina moved right along. The next day (Saturday), the DC area was similar to Georgia? I wished we had taken the western route.

Having driven the Blueridge both directions 3 times, we think the best part is from Cherokee N.C to Ashville. With the speed limit set 45 and 469 miles, take your time and enjoy! If heading north, you can continue for another 105 miles on Skyline drive thru the Shenandoah NP.

Take the time and enjoy the beauty of this country!

when i was a snowbird i would drive from the villages to bedford nh no stop now i live right her

And which part makes the tourism list should I pay undivided attention to ? I'm in no hurray to get right "her". She is with me all the way every mile.

Stop and smell the roses

Take some roses with you and smell them on the way. That way, you will still be able to make good time.

I am sincerely looking for places to visit on my trips back and forth - 1400 miles. Since my in-laws have lived here since they retired I have made this trip each year for over 45 years. This is not my ultimate cup of tea. Please be constructive.

Sorry. Stop at Savannah, Georgia, just off of I-95. It is much more convenient than going to Charleston, SC, but very similar cities. Also, there are inexpensive hotels right at the I-95 exit. I lived in Savannah for 15 years.