Comments on: Where to go between Key West and NYC?

Question: Where to go between Key West and NYC?

lodev — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:10:42 -0800

Road trip from Florida to NYC. Where to go, what to do?

I'm flying in to Ft. Lauderdale from San Francisco on September 24th. I need to be in New York City on October 4th. What to see/do in the meantime?

Tips on where to go in New York are readily available, but I'm sort of stuck on the part before that. I've got 1,5 week in which I'd like to see Key West, Washington DC, Miami. But where else can I go and what's a reasonable route to take? I'll be renting a car. Thanks in advance for your tips!

And of course, should you live along my route I'll be happy to buy you a beer!

By: amro

amro — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:20:48 -0800

Savannah.

By: amro

amro — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:21:32 -0800

Oh, and the reasonable route is I-95.

By: amro

amro — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:25:11 -0800

This guide to road-tripping on 95 might be hekpful.

By: EmpressCallipygos

EmpressCallipygos — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:26:42 -0800

When I took a big road trip, the book ROAD TRIP USA was my Bible. It sticks to the smaller two-lane highways, and instead of going state-by-state, it picks a few coast-to-coast or border-to-border routes and covers the country that way instead. One of the routes he follows IS your route -- he starts north and goes south, but he does follow a route from Atlantic City to Key West.

He actually has a web site based on the book -- the section devoted to that route is here.

By: mygothlaundry

mygothlaundry — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:27:52 -0800

Get off I-95 on I-26 and detour to Charleston. Then you could go on up the coast to Wilmington or then, hey, be hardcore and take the coast back roads up through the Chesapeake Bay bridge tunnel, thus avoiding the horror that is I-95 in DC.

If you do stay on 95 all the way (and may the gods have mercy on your soul) be sure to stop at South of the Border, because it's sleazy, depressing and fabulously weird and, really, you shouldn't miss its terribleness.

By: mdonley

mdonley — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:03:02 -0800

Maybe skip Key West to save time?

Charleston and Savannah.
The Outer Banks of North Carolina: see the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse!
Assateague Island.
Gettysburg, if you've never been to a Civil War battlefield.

Here's a map I made showing the route, via the White House. Watch out for hurricanes!

By: spec80

spec80 — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:07:36 -0800

re: South of the Border - do not get the ginger soda. It is quite horrible.

By: lodev

lodev — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:18:28 -0800

Wow. Thanks for the great tips so far!

By: Haruspex

Haruspex — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:40:13 -0800

Go tubing on the Ichetucknee.

By: thinkingwoman

thinkingwoman — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:30:07 -0800

if you don't mind a detour, I81 up through the shenandoah valley is just gorgeous.

By: thebrokenmuse

thebrokenmuse — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:45:19 -0800

Savannah! And I have a perfect place for that beer you've promised. =)

By: drjimmy11

drjimmy11 — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:31:05 -0800

be hardcore and take the coast back roads up through the Chesapeake Bay bridge tunnel, thus avoiding the horror that is I-95 in DC.

I'm thinking you're referring to the thing that connects Va. beach to Maryland's eastern shore? I beg you not to go that way. There's a reason Md's own governor once referred to the eastern shore as a "shithouse," though ocean city can be kind of fun in a trashy way. But those parts of md. and Va. way down there south of O.C. are literally the worst place I have ever been in my life. Just awful. Don't go there.

As far as "I-95 in DC" - actually 95 is broken up by 495, the capital beltway - just avoid it at rush hour. You'll probably want to spend a day in DC anyway.

By: drjimmy11

drjimmy11 — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:35:21 -0800

Oh and check out the National Aquarium in Baltimore. As a native, I can safely say it's one of the very few worthwhile things to see there. Skip Harbor Place- it's just a mall by a stinky body of water. If you like baseball, Oriole Park is nice- you might be able to catch the very tail end of another losing season. There's Fort McHenry too if you're into American history.

Do not attempt to tour the real life locations of "The Wire."

By: lodev

lodev — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:43:47 -0800

I'm not sure if I'll actually drive up there after all, as there might not be that much to see. (No offense intended to people living there of course :-)) I might fly up to Washington, and then take the train to NYC.

Anyway, should I drive, and pass through Savannah I'll certainly MefiMail you, thebrokenmuse.
Thank you all for the inspiration!