Wanted: recommendations for Trip to the Southeast
Feb 10, 2016, 1:42 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: HAJ
Posts: 137
Wanted: recommendations for Trip to the Southeast
Hello,
my wife (25 yrs) and me (30 yrs) are currently planning our next vacation to the Southeast USA in May/June for us and our son (2.5 yrs).
So far, we haven’t booked anything, but we already have an idea about what a trip could look like. I would like to share that with you guys and see if you have any advice on what we definitely shouldn’t miss along the way.
We’re the laid back kind of people and like a good mixture of hanging out on the beach, enjoying nature as well as city life. We’d also like to see one or two old plantations, however we’re not interested in art museums etc. Also, I can’t wait to try out a couple of BBQs along the way (have already written down some recommendations from the BBQ-Thread):
Day 1: Flight to ATL (nonstop, probably DL DUS-ATL), pick up rental car, sleep somewhere near the airport
Day 2: Drive to Savannah (maybe stop along the way in Macon?)
Day 3-5: Savannah and beaches in the area
Day 6-10: Charleston and beaches in the area
Day 11: Drive to Great Smoky Mountains NP (maybe stop along the way in Columbia?)
Day 12-15: Great Smoky Mountains NP
Day 16: Drive to Atlanta (maybe stop along the way in Chattanooga?)
Day 17-20: Atlanta
Day 21: Flight back from ATL
So, this is our basic route as of now. And we’re still unsure about the following and would be glad for any advice you guys might have:
1) Would you consider May/June a good time to travel to this area? I think it should be nice and warm, but not too hot around this time of the year?
2) Is there anything interesting to see along the way (Macon, Beaufort, Columbia, Spartanburg, Asheville, Chattanooga)?
3) Is it worth to make a detour to Hilton Head Island, Fripp Island or Edisto Beach?
4) We would like to rent vacation homes for Savannah, Charleston and Atlanta. We’re looking at Airbnb and VRBO at this time. Is there any other site that we should consider?
Thank you in advance for your feedback!
Peter
my wife (25 yrs) and me (30 yrs) are currently planning our next vacation to the Southeast USA in May/June for us and our son (2.5 yrs).
So far, we haven’t booked anything, but we already have an idea about what a trip could look like. I would like to share that with you guys and see if you have any advice on what we definitely shouldn’t miss along the way.
We’re the laid back kind of people and like a good mixture of hanging out on the beach, enjoying nature as well as city life. We’d also like to see one or two old plantations, however we’re not interested in art museums etc. Also, I can’t wait to try out a couple of BBQs along the way (have already written down some recommendations from the BBQ-Thread):
Day 1: Flight to ATL (nonstop, probably DL DUS-ATL), pick up rental car, sleep somewhere near the airport
Day 2: Drive to Savannah (maybe stop along the way in Macon?)
Day 3-5: Savannah and beaches in the area
Day 6-10: Charleston and beaches in the area
Day 11: Drive to Great Smoky Mountains NP (maybe stop along the way in Columbia?)
Day 12-15: Great Smoky Mountains NP
Day 16: Drive to Atlanta (maybe stop along the way in Chattanooga?)
Day 17-20: Atlanta
Day 21: Flight back from ATL
So, this is our basic route as of now. And we’re still unsure about the following and would be glad for any advice you guys might have:
1) Would you consider May/June a good time to travel to this area? I think it should be nice and warm, but not too hot around this time of the year?
2) Is there anything interesting to see along the way (Macon, Beaufort, Columbia, Spartanburg, Asheville, Chattanooga)?
3) Is it worth to make a detour to Hilton Head Island, Fripp Island or Edisto Beach?
4) We would like to rent vacation homes for Savannah, Charleston and Atlanta. We’re looking at Airbnb and VRBO at this time. Is there any other site that we should consider?
Thank you in advance for your feedback!
Peter
Feb 10, 2016, 11:52 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Gulf Coast
Programs: Hilton Honors Lifetime Diamond; National Car Rental Executive Elite
Posts: 2,318
Hello,
my wife (25 yrs) and me (30 yrs) are currently planning our next vacation to the Southeast USA in May/June for us and our son (2.5 yrs).
So far, we haven’t booked anything, but we already have an idea about what a trip could look like. I would like to share that with you guys and see if you have any advice on what we definitely shouldn’t miss along the way.
We’re the laid back kind of people and like a good mixture of hanging out on the beach, enjoying nature as well as city life. We’d also like to see one or two old plantations, however we’re not interested in art museums etc. Also, I can’t wait to try out a couple of BBQs along the way (have already written down some recommendations from the BBQ-Thread):
Day 1: Flight to ATL (nonstop, probably DL DUS-ATL), pick up rental car, sleep somewhere near the airport
Day 2: Drive to Savannah (maybe stop along the way in Macon?)
Day 3-5: Savannah and beaches in the area
Day 6-10: Charleston and beaches in the area
Day 11: Drive to Great Smoky Mountains NP (maybe stop along the way in Columbia?)
Day 12-15: Great Smoky Mountains NP
Day 16: Drive to Atlanta (maybe stop along the way in Chattanooga?)
Day 17-20: Atlanta
Day 21: Flight back from ATL
So, this is our basic route as of now. And we’re still unsure about the following and would be glad for any advice you guys might have:
1) Would you consider May/June a good time to travel to this area? I think it should be nice and warm, but not too hot around this time of the year?
That will be perfect timing. It will be warm, but the humidity will not have set in yet.
2) Is there anything interesting to see along the way (Macon, Beaufort, Columbia, Spartanburg, Asheville, Chattanooga)?
Avoid Macon. Columbia has the university and not much else. Spartanburg has a BMW plant and nothing else.
Knoxville and Chattanooga are great in the summer. Downtown Knoxville is fun, especially the area around the TVA headquarters. There's a square with a ton of restaurants and shops that's pretty neat. Downtown Chattanooga is a blast and the north shore district across the river is very neat. Asheville is great for craft beer and hippies and the Biltmore House.
3) Is it worth to make a detour to Hilton Head Island, Fripp Island or Edisto Beach?
Atlantic Ocean beaches are kind of bland. The sand and water are not as nice as the Gulf of Mexico. Hilton Head Island is a wealthy retirement community with very little to do if you're not wealthy or retired. If I remember correctly, there are no public beaches on HHI. You have to be staying at a hotel or condo to visit the beaches. My wife and I spent a weekend at HHI when we were your age and have no desire to go back. It's just to old, quiet, and slow.
4) We would like to rent vacation homes for Savannah, Charleston and Atlanta. We’re looking at Airbnb and VRBO at this time. Is there any other site that we should consider?
Thank you in advance for your feedback!
Peter
my wife (25 yrs) and me (30 yrs) are currently planning our next vacation to the Southeast USA in May/June for us and our son (2.5 yrs).
So far, we haven’t booked anything, but we already have an idea about what a trip could look like. I would like to share that with you guys and see if you have any advice on what we definitely shouldn’t miss along the way.
We’re the laid back kind of people and like a good mixture of hanging out on the beach, enjoying nature as well as city life. We’d also like to see one or two old plantations, however we’re not interested in art museums etc. Also, I can’t wait to try out a couple of BBQs along the way (have already written down some recommendations from the BBQ-Thread):
Day 1: Flight to ATL (nonstop, probably DL DUS-ATL), pick up rental car, sleep somewhere near the airport
Day 2: Drive to Savannah (maybe stop along the way in Macon?)
Day 3-5: Savannah and beaches in the area
Day 6-10: Charleston and beaches in the area
Day 11: Drive to Great Smoky Mountains NP (maybe stop along the way in Columbia?)
Day 12-15: Great Smoky Mountains NP
Day 16: Drive to Atlanta (maybe stop along the way in Chattanooga?)
Day 17-20: Atlanta
Day 21: Flight back from ATL
So, this is our basic route as of now. And we’re still unsure about the following and would be glad for any advice you guys might have:
1) Would you consider May/June a good time to travel to this area? I think it should be nice and warm, but not too hot around this time of the year?
That will be perfect timing. It will be warm, but the humidity will not have set in yet.
2) Is there anything interesting to see along the way (Macon, Beaufort, Columbia, Spartanburg, Asheville, Chattanooga)?
Avoid Macon. Columbia has the university and not much else. Spartanburg has a BMW plant and nothing else.
Knoxville and Chattanooga are great in the summer. Downtown Knoxville is fun, especially the area around the TVA headquarters. There's a square with a ton of restaurants and shops that's pretty neat. Downtown Chattanooga is a blast and the north shore district across the river is very neat. Asheville is great for craft beer and hippies and the Biltmore House.
3) Is it worth to make a detour to Hilton Head Island, Fripp Island or Edisto Beach?
Atlantic Ocean beaches are kind of bland. The sand and water are not as nice as the Gulf of Mexico. Hilton Head Island is a wealthy retirement community with very little to do if you're not wealthy or retired. If I remember correctly, there are no public beaches on HHI. You have to be staying at a hotel or condo to visit the beaches. My wife and I spent a weekend at HHI when we were your age and have no desire to go back. It's just to old, quiet, and slow.
4) We would like to rent vacation homes for Savannah, Charleston and Atlanta. We’re looking at Airbnb and VRBO at this time. Is there any other site that we should consider?
Thank you in advance for your feedback!
Peter
ATL-Savannah is less than 4 hours. There's no need to stop in Macon. Nothing to see or do. I-16 between Macon and Savannah is flat, straight, and boring. Do NOT speed going through Treutlen County. There are speed traps all over the place.
Savannah is a great city. The beach is another 7-10 miles past the city, so be prepared to drive out to Tybee Island. If you want to experience true southern American gluttony at it's finest, have dinner at The Crab Trap. It's "Where the Elite Eat and Shop in their Bare Feet".
Charleston is my favorite city in the southeast. The food can't be beat. Charleston is known for seafood as much, if not more, than it is for barbecue. The battleship at Patriot's Point is a neat experience for an afternoon.
Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are world-renowned tourist traps. They're hilarious and fun little day trips.
There is GREAT white-water rafting between Knoxville and Chattanooga, if you're into that sort of thing. Lots of tourist-friendly trips down medium rapids that take 2-4 hours.
There's a ton to do in Atlanta... Stone Mountain, Georgia Tech, Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield, etc. Check out a Braves' game at the soon-to-be-empty Turner Field. The College Football Museum and the Georgia Aquarium frame Centennial Olympic Park. Don't waste your time at The Underground.
PM me if you have more specific questions. I lived in Atlanta for 12 years and traveled throughout the southeast.
Feb 10, 2016, 2:22 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: mountains of western NC
Programs: Life, Love and Laughter
Posts: 8,533
In general, it looks as if you have a good plan. How hot the weather is in June varies from year to year. You could easily hit a stretch with 90s (35 C.) with high humidity. Or you could get lucky with the highs in the 80s (near 30 C.)
Depending on how you feel about hot weather, I would recommend doing most of the trip (except for the Smokies) in May.
In the Smokies, of course, the weather will be MUCH cooler than at the beaches, especially if you explore the higher elevations. By late May, the ocean temps should be comfortable for swimming.
Biggest change I would recommend is add some time in and around Asheville and spend less time in Atlanta. Asheville is gorgeous that time of the year. And there is such a diversity of things to do and see here. You should also do the drive from Asheville to the Smokies on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I've done it more times than I can count, and the beauty never ceases to amaze me. But allow a full day for that drive (80 miles) as you will want to stop many times at the innumerable vistas and to take some short hikes.
(full disclosure, I live near Asheville and was born and raised in Charleston, so I have my preferences
)
I went to Hilton Head once for a day. I'll never be back. Stick with Charleston and Savannah. Edisto Beach is nice if you like peace and quiet, and might be worth a side trip for a 1/2 day between Savannah and Charleston. Beaufort is nice, but smaller and rather similar to Savannah and Charleston.
I don't feel like Macon, Columbia, or Spartanburg are worth a stop. Greenville, SC is nice, as is Chattanooga, so you could consider stops there.
There are some threads in this forum on the Smokies you should read. Keep in mind that the Smokies are huge and diverse. For example, GSMNP has more species of trees than Europe. One of my favorite places in the Smokies are Cataloochee, where you can see the elk (if you're lucky you might see the baby elk that time of the year, though the mothers do tend to keep them pretty far from the road). Another favorite place is Big Creek, where you can play in the creek and see waterfalls. There are some swimming holes your child could probably go in. Both of those are on the east side of the park.
As the above poster said, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge (and Cherokee) are tourist traps and quite different than the beauty and tranquility you can find inside the park.
I also like the far western side of the park, near Townsend, TN.
There are also many threads here about Charleston.
Magnolia and Middleton Plantations are next to each other. I can't really recommend one above the other. Both are worth visiting, but they are similar enough that a visit to one will suffice.
If your Charleston plan is just to go the beach for the day, then any of the beaches are nice. But if you plan to stay at any of the nearby beaches, Isle of Palms, Sullivan's Island, Folly Beach, Seabrook or Kiawah; you should know that there is a bit of a difference among all the islands.
If the weather is good (not too hot, not raining) a real adventure would be to take the ferry to Bull Island for the day. It's a wildlife refuge about 30 miles northeast of Charleston with alligators, many kinds of birds, etc. There is something very special about walking on a pristine beach for miles without seeing any buildings nor any humans (except whoever came over on the ferry for the day).
Feel free to ask more specific questions, and I will do my best to answer.
Depending on how you feel about hot weather, I would recommend doing most of the trip (except for the Smokies) in May.
In the Smokies, of course, the weather will be MUCH cooler than at the beaches, especially if you explore the higher elevations. By late May, the ocean temps should be comfortable for swimming.
Biggest change I would recommend is add some time in and around Asheville and spend less time in Atlanta. Asheville is gorgeous that time of the year. And there is such a diversity of things to do and see here. You should also do the drive from Asheville to the Smokies on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I've done it more times than I can count, and the beauty never ceases to amaze me. But allow a full day for that drive (80 miles) as you will want to stop many times at the innumerable vistas and to take some short hikes.
(full disclosure, I live near Asheville and was born and raised in Charleston, so I have my preferences
)I went to Hilton Head once for a day. I'll never be back. Stick with Charleston and Savannah. Edisto Beach is nice if you like peace and quiet, and might be worth a side trip for a 1/2 day between Savannah and Charleston. Beaufort is nice, but smaller and rather similar to Savannah and Charleston.
I don't feel like Macon, Columbia, or Spartanburg are worth a stop. Greenville, SC is nice, as is Chattanooga, so you could consider stops there.
There are some threads in this forum on the Smokies you should read. Keep in mind that the Smokies are huge and diverse. For example, GSMNP has more species of trees than Europe. One of my favorite places in the Smokies are Cataloochee, where you can see the elk (if you're lucky you might see the baby elk that time of the year, though the mothers do tend to keep them pretty far from the road). Another favorite place is Big Creek, where you can play in the creek and see waterfalls. There are some swimming holes your child could probably go in. Both of those are on the east side of the park.
As the above poster said, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge (and Cherokee) are tourist traps and quite different than the beauty and tranquility you can find inside the park.
I also like the far western side of the park, near Townsend, TN.
There are also many threads here about Charleston.
Magnolia and Middleton Plantations are next to each other. I can't really recommend one above the other. Both are worth visiting, but they are similar enough that a visit to one will suffice.
If your Charleston plan is just to go the beach for the day, then any of the beaches are nice. But if you plan to stay at any of the nearby beaches, Isle of Palms, Sullivan's Island, Folly Beach, Seabrook or Kiawah; you should know that there is a bit of a difference among all the islands.
If the weather is good (not too hot, not raining) a real adventure would be to take the ferry to Bull Island for the day. It's a wildlife refuge about 30 miles northeast of Charleston with alligators, many kinds of birds, etc. There is something very special about walking on a pristine beach for miles without seeing any buildings nor any humans (except whoever came over on the ferry for the day).
Feel free to ask more specific questions, and I will do my best to answer.
Feb 12, 2016, 12:44 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: HAJ
Posts: 137
Hello,
thank you guys so much for taking the time to answer! That was just the kind of advice I was hoping for.
So yeah, I guess we will skip Macon then and head from Atlanta straight to Savannah. My wife found a Tanger Outlet near I 75, so maybe we’ll stop there for a brief shopping excursion and lunch, but that’s it.
As for the beaches, we will skip Hilton Head Island then and see if we feel like making a detour to Edisto Beach on the day we’re driving from Savannah to Charleston.
I am really excited about Charleston, because I’ve heard from so many people that it’s absolutely stunning. Thanks also for the advice about Patriots Point! We will definitely go there, because I’m really into airplanes and ships. My wife will just have to tag along for half a day here.
Then after that we’re thinking about adding one or two nights in Asheville. The Biltmore looks interesting and we definitely want to take our time to drive the Blue Ridge Skyway to the National Park.
Once we’re there, we’re probably gonna end up in a cozy cabin somewhere in the mountains and do daytrips from there (Cades Cove, Clingmans Dome, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and maybe Knoxville). I would also love to do some whitewater-rafting, but honestly I don’t think that’ll work because of our son. But we’ll just save that for when he’s older.
After that, on the way to Atlanta we will probably build in one night in Chattanooga as well, so that we will have enough time to check out the city and Rock City Gardens and Ruby Falls.
So again, thanks a lot for the advice and if you or any other FT-member has something else on their mind, please feel free to let me know.
Peter
thank you guys so much for taking the time to answer! That was just the kind of advice I was hoping for.
So yeah, I guess we will skip Macon then and head from Atlanta straight to Savannah. My wife found a Tanger Outlet near I 75, so maybe we’ll stop there for a brief shopping excursion and lunch, but that’s it.
As for the beaches, we will skip Hilton Head Island then and see if we feel like making a detour to Edisto Beach on the day we’re driving from Savannah to Charleston.
I am really excited about Charleston, because I’ve heard from so many people that it’s absolutely stunning. Thanks also for the advice about Patriots Point! We will definitely go there, because I’m really into airplanes and ships. My wife will just have to tag along for half a day here.
Then after that we’re thinking about adding one or two nights in Asheville. The Biltmore looks interesting and we definitely want to take our time to drive the Blue Ridge Skyway to the National Park.
Once we’re there, we’re probably gonna end up in a cozy cabin somewhere in the mountains and do daytrips from there (Cades Cove, Clingmans Dome, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and maybe Knoxville). I would also love to do some whitewater-rafting, but honestly I don’t think that’ll work because of our son. But we’ll just save that for when he’s older.
After that, on the way to Atlanta we will probably build in one night in Chattanooga as well, so that we will have enough time to check out the city and Rock City Gardens and Ruby Falls.
So again, thanks a lot for the advice and if you or any other FT-member has something else on their mind, please feel free to let me know.
Peter
Feb 12, 2016, 7:54 pm
#5
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Gulf Coast
Programs: Hilton Honors Lifetime Diamond; National Car Rental Executive Elite
Posts: 2,318
Hello,
thank you guys so much for taking the time to answer! That was just the kind of advice I was hoping for.
So yeah, I guess we will skip Macon then and head from Atlanta straight to Savannah. My wife found a Tanger Outlet near I 75, so maybe we’ll stop there for a brief shopping excursion and lunch, but that’s it.
As for the beaches, we will skip Hilton Head Island then and see if we feel like making a detour to Edisto Beach on the day we’re driving from Savannah to Charleston.
I am really excited about Charleston, because I’ve heard from so many people that it’s absolutely stunning. Thanks also for the advice about Patriots Point! We will definitely go there, because I’m really into airplanes and ships. My wife will just have to tag along for half a day here.
Then after that we’re thinking about adding one or two nights in Asheville. The Biltmore looks interesting and we definitely want to take our time to drive the Blue Ridge Skyway to the National Park.
Once we’re there, we’re probably gonna end up in a cozy cabin somewhere in the mountains and do daytrips from there (Cades Cove, Clingmans Dome, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and maybe Knoxville). I would also love to do some whitewater-rafting, but honestly I don’t think that’ll work because of our son. But we’ll just save that for when he’s older.
After that, on the way to Atlanta we will probably build in one night in Chattanooga as well, so that we will have enough time to check out the city and Rock City Gardens and Ruby Falls.
So again, thanks a lot for the advice and if you or any other FT-member has something else on their mind, please feel free to let me know.
Peter
thank you guys so much for taking the time to answer! That was just the kind of advice I was hoping for.
So yeah, I guess we will skip Macon then and head from Atlanta straight to Savannah. My wife found a Tanger Outlet near I 75, so maybe we’ll stop there for a brief shopping excursion and lunch, but that’s it.
As for the beaches, we will skip Hilton Head Island then and see if we feel like making a detour to Edisto Beach on the day we’re driving from Savannah to Charleston.
I am really excited about Charleston, because I’ve heard from so many people that it’s absolutely stunning. Thanks also for the advice about Patriots Point! We will definitely go there, because I’m really into airplanes and ships. My wife will just have to tag along for half a day here.
Then after that we’re thinking about adding one or two nights in Asheville. The Biltmore looks interesting and we definitely want to take our time to drive the Blue Ridge Skyway to the National Park.
Once we’re there, we’re probably gonna end up in a cozy cabin somewhere in the mountains and do daytrips from there (Cades Cove, Clingmans Dome, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and maybe Knoxville). I would also love to do some whitewater-rafting, but honestly I don’t think that’ll work because of our son. But we’ll just save that for when he’s older.
After that, on the way to Atlanta we will probably build in one night in Chattanooga as well, so that we will have enough time to check out the city and Rock City Gardens and Ruby Falls.
So again, thanks a lot for the advice and if you or any other FT-member has something else on their mind, please feel free to let me know.
Peter
When you visit the outlets in Locust Grove, make sure you get the full southern experience by eating at Waffle House. Scattered, covered, and smothered!
Patriots Point is awesome. Make sure you walk through the submarine, too.
Driving from Chattanooga to Atlanta, you'll pass through Dalton. 90% of the country's flooring is made in Dalton. Carpet, file, hardwood, etc. Just a fun fact.
There's a neat children's science museum in Cartersville called Tellus. Might be a little advanced for your son, but it's a neat place to nerd out for a few hours.
Feb 22, 2016, 11:49 pm
#6
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: AZ
Programs: DL, AA
Posts: 359
What a great trip you are planning.
Charleston is one of the best foodie cities. ACCDraw.2 highly recommends
The Ultimate Coconut Cake from the Peninsula Grill for dessert. The hotel
& restaurant are family favorites.
https://www.peninsulagrill.com/main/menu
Charleston is one of the best foodie cities. ACCDraw.2 highly recommends
The Ultimate Coconut Cake from the Peninsula Grill for dessert. The hotel
& restaurant are family favorites.
https://www.peninsulagrill.com/main/menu