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Advice/Ideas for a road trip needed!

Advice/Ideas for a road trip needed!

Old Jul 30, 2012, 6:06 am
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Advice/Ideas for a road trip needed!

So my husband and I will going to Philly soon to visit my family. We'll be there for 2 weeks. Labor Day weekend we are going up to the Poconos but after that I wanted to take a day or 2 road trip somwhere. Did Washington DC last year. I was thinking Virginia Beach as I have never been there but not sure.
So can anyone recommend a trip somewhere for adults as well as 9 yr old.

Thanks
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Old Jul 30, 2012, 6:25 am
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How about Cape May NJ, Williamsburg VA, or Rehoboth Beach DE?
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Old Jul 30, 2012, 2:20 pm
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Virginia Beach is way too far for a 2-day road trip from Philly. If you want beach, the southern NJ or Delaware beaches are the place to go--the weather should still be pretty good the week after Labor Day, and prices will be down (although if you want to stay overnight I would advise you to book lodging immediately).

Lancaster County and/or Gettysburg would be great places to hit, particularly with a child, if you have a Philly home base. You can do Lancaster on Saturday (most things are closed there on Sunday) and continue on to do Gettysburg the next day, if you want. It's about a 2.5-hour drive from Gettysburg back to Philly.
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Old Jul 31, 2012, 6:16 am
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Originally Posted by travelmad478
Virginia Beach is way too far for a 2-day road trip from Philly. If you want beach, the southern NJ or Delaware beaches are the place to go--the weather should still be pretty good the week after Labor Day, and prices will be down (although if you want to stay overnight I would advise you to book lodging immediately).

Lancaster County and/or Gettysburg would be great places to hit, particularly with a child, if you have a Philly home base. You can do Lancaster on Saturday (most things are closed there on Sunday) and continue on to do Gettysburg the next day, if you want. It's about a 2.5-hour drive from Gettysburg back to Philly.
^ Virginia Beach is quite a drive from Philly, as is Williamsburg. I second the Lancaster County/Gettysburg suggestions. You could also stop at the Harley Davidson factory for a tour, if you'll be in the area during the week. If you're interested in chocolate, you can swing up to Hershey, to Hershey's Chocolate World.

That said, if you're up for meeting an FT'er while you're in the area, let me know. It might give jackal and I an excuse to finally get together after we've kept postponing it.
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Old Jul 31, 2012, 12:10 pm
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Thanks everyone for the replies. Much appreciated

Yes, I guess you're right about the drive but I grew up just outside of Philly (before moving to Norway 12 yrs ago) so I have been to most of those places as has my family (who still live there). We went to the Harley factory a few yrs ago actually and loved it...we own a harley so of course my husband and I had to visit that place We visited Lancaster on that same trip. Those Amish make such great food!

What about Albany? I saw Priority Club points break has a hotel on the list near Albany.

Kipper...I want to take my husband to a shooting range. Can you recomend any good ones near Philly or Delaware County?
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Old Jul 31, 2012, 12:19 pm
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How many hours are you willing to drive? Albany is also a major haul, at least 4 hours from Philly--and longer if you are doing it on a summer or winter weekend, which means Catskills traffic on the NYS Thruway. That does not say "1-2 day trip" to me.

If you feel like spending half of your trip in the car, then by all means do that, but even then I would give Albany a miss. It's not an attractive or interesting place (and I say that with love and experience, since some of my best friends live there).

Perhaps it would be more useful to let people know what places you've already ruled out, how far you want to drive, what you actually want to see/do, etc.
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Old Jul 31, 2012, 3:58 pm
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Originally Posted by nordictat2
Thanks everyone for the replies. Much appreciated

Yes, I guess you're right about the drive but I grew up just outside of Philly (before moving to Norway 12 yrs ago) so I have been to most of those places as has my family (who still live there). We went to the Harley factory a few yrs ago actually and loved it...we own a harley so of course my husband and I had to visit that place We visited Lancaster on that same trip. Those Amish make such great food!

What about Albany? I saw Priority Club points break has a hotel on the list near Albany.

Kipper...I want to take my husband to a shooting range. Can you recomend any good ones near Philly or Delaware County?
I'll ask Mr. Kipper, as he can check PAFOA (PA Firearms Owners Association) message board for recommendations. I'll PM you any suggestions he finds within a day or two.

If you are up for a drive out towards York, you and your husband are welcome to join us at our sportsmen's club. It's members and their guests only, so there wouldn't be a fee to shoot there.

Other suggestions
What about driving out to Johnstown (fairly long), touring the flood museum, taking the train from Johnstown to Altoona and back to go around Horseshoe Curve, and taking in an Altoona Curve baseball game?

Have you driven down to Baltimore and Annapolis?
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Old Aug 1, 2012, 6:40 am
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Originally Posted by nordictat2
Kipper...I want to take my husband to a shooting range. Can you recomend any good ones near Philly or Delaware County?
I'm not kipper, but I recently went to Targetmaster in the Chadds Ford area (just inside the PA state line). Cost about $120 for two of us, two hand guns (rented) and three boxes of ammo (plus targets and ear protection). Seemed a bit pricey but in exchange, I got dirty guns with misaligned sights and the opportunity to sweep up my own brass (maybe that's the norm at these places). Still, I'd probably go back.
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Old Aug 1, 2012, 6:53 am
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The Crayola factory tour in Easton, PA is always a hit with kids. Pearl S. Buck Museum in Doylestown (on the way to Easton).
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Old Aug 1, 2012, 11:19 am
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Originally Posted by nordictat2
So my husband and I will going to Philly soon to visit my family. We'll be there for 2 weeks. Labor Day weekend we are going up to the Poconos but after that I wanted to take a day or 2 road trip somwhere. Did Washington DC last year. I was thinking Virginia Beach as I have never been there but not sure.
So can anyone recommend a trip somewhere for adults as well as 9 yr old.

Thanks
Virginia Beach from Philadelphia taking US 13 is a long drive...270 mile 5-6 hr drive.

If you are thinking of doing a beach look at instead of coing down to Cape May, NJ and then you can take a ferry across to Lewes, DE amd then to the Delaware beach towns.

Also if you do the beaches...the weeeknds are still busy then where hotels with charge alot so target travel to there say mid week.
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Old Aug 1, 2012, 11:29 am
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I would second doing Baltimore...the aquarium (given you have a 9 yr old) is one of the best in the country.an do the pedal-wheel boats.

Other options--if you are going to the Poconos already you could go to the catskills from there...or road trip into the are north of there (cooperstown) or down the hudson river valley.

Some other options...about a 4 hrs one way drive....

1. Charlottevills, Virginia and see Monticello and see Shenandoah national park

2. Fredericksburg, VA just south of there is an amusement park...i think its kings dominion....between fredericksburg and charlotteville you have virginia wineries.

3. The eastern shore of maryland (st Micjhaels)--closer to Philadelphia.
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Old Aug 1, 2012, 11:40 am
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Originally Posted by djp98374
Some other options...about a 4 hrs one way drive....

1. Charlottevills, Virginia and see Monticello and see Shenandoah national park

2. Fredericksburg, VA just south of there is an amusement park...i think its kings dominion....between fredericksburg and charlotteville you have virginia wineries.
Charlottesville is at least a 5-hour drive, and it's farther still to Shenandoah. Kings Dominion is about 4.5 hours. I cannot imagine either of these being a pleasant 1- or 2-day trip.

Originally Posted by djp98374
3. The eastern shore of maryland (st Michaels)--closer to Philadelphia.
That's a nice idea, and within 3 hours of Philly.
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Old Aug 2, 2012, 5:16 am
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Bitburgr...Thanks. Sounds like exactly what we're after but I sure don't want any misaligned sights so I will have to make sure we don't get crappy guns lol.

Guercifal...thanks for the tips

Djp...I wouldn't mind seeing the Aquarium but my nephew just went there with his school before summer (I was just told) so I doubt he'll want to go there again so soon but that we could do another day ourselves maybe
St Michaels..hmmmm I will look into that.


Again..thanks everyone for taking the time to reply and you have given me some good ideas!
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Old Aug 2, 2012, 1:31 pm
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If you want to go to Virginia Beach, you might want to stay 4 days. Busch Garden
Europe and Water CountryUSA are nearby, I am sure your 9 y.o. will love it there. Not to mentioned Yorktown, Jamestown, and Williamsburg, full of American settlements history.
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Old Aug 15, 2012, 8:00 pm
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great thread- we have the same opportunity, but for 4 to 5 days, and I have been going nuts trying to think of some places to go!

we have not been to Cape May or the Poconos, so those are possibilities for us. Have been every where else mentioned, so would welcome more ideas.

for the OP - highly recommend St Michael's. We have been several times, and have taken friends who all loved it. Do not think you will be disappointed!
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