Travel across the USA

[Big Al and Donna]

During the months of April, May and June My wife and I are going to take a long road trip from Boise,ID south to Metter GA.
Fron there we are going to head North to Maine and then across the middle of the US and back to Boise.
We would love to hear from any and all about great places to go and great places to see.
This will be our first long trip with the Bighorn and she wants to see everything this great country has to offer.

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

Al & Donna, Have a safe trip! We hope it's filled with great fun and memories. If you're anywhere near north central Indiana in early June, try to get to the Heartland Rally in Goshen. That would be a great way bring an end to your journey.

 

[jpmorgan37]

Big Al & Donna;

We are leaving Westport, WA in early May and ending up in Savannah by July 1st, so may see you on the road somewhere along the way. We try to stay off of the Interstates as much as possible. After leaving Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, we will head across Northern Montana and North Dakota into Minnesota and then drop down into Illinois and from there to the Rally. You should try the make the North American Heartland Rally in Goshen in June. You'll be glad you did. Safe travels.

John

 

[cjbearden]

Have a wonderful adventure. If you travel through ARKANSAS, recommend Lake Catherine RV park near Hot Springs National Park. Drink the natural spri ng water, gather a bottle of the hot water from some of the fountains near the Visitor Center; have one of the famous hot springs bathes & massage; visit the horse racing track. Do a search online for "Hot Springs, AR".

Hunt for diamonds @ Murfreesboro, AR! Best time to go is after rain shower.

Don't forget the Bill Clinton Library in Little Rock.

If you happen to pass through Vicksburg, MS, stay @ Americana RV Park - a park for one of the Casinos. Free shuttle to casino & wonderful free breakfast buffet. Name has changed several times so check online.

Be sure you have some discount club memberships - Passport, Camp Club USA, Camping World's Presidential Club, TACO card (TX 10% off), check out Happy Camper. There are other threads on the forum about club memberships.

God bless you.

 

[leftyf]

Hunt for diamonds @ Murfreesboro, AR! Best time to go is after rain shower.

You ever find anything there? Me neither.

 

[cjbearden]

No, Lefty, haven't found a diamond yet but would like to go on a hunt again. Maybe in April as we head to Benton, AR for a few days (doc visits, family, etc.) April showers - might just be the time. Maybe I can go on my April 11 birthday and get some new bling!!!

 

[leftyf]

No, Lefty, haven't found a diamond yet but would like to go on a hunt again. Maybe in April as we head to Benton, AR for a few days (doc visits, family, etc.) April showers - might just be the time. Maybe I can go on my April 11 birthday and get some new bling!!!

They oughta call that place "Heartbreak"...a lot of kids leave there really disappointed. I just didn't enjoy sitting in the dirt digging all day.

Now, if they had let me blow something up...it might have been fun.

 

[jmgratz]

For those that do not know: when you enter Texas stop at the Texas Visitor's center. At the center pick up a Texas Association of Campground Owners (TACO) book. The book lists a lot of campgrounds in Texas by areas of the state. There is a card in the book (we call it the TACO card). Tear out the card and present it at any of the campgrounds listed in the book and you will get a 10-15 % discount. There is no charge for the book and they are also available at TACO member campgrounds. The card is good for the year you are in so since this is a new year you will need a new book. Also just as the campgound if they are TACO members or give a TACO discount. Some give it without the card. Remember, Texas, it is like a whole nuther country. Some trivia: Texas is the only state that can fly the state flag at the same level as the U.S. flag because Texas used to be it's own country.

 

[SmokeyBare]

Big Al,

Sounds like a nice road trip ! If you've not been into South Dakota yet... Mount Rushmore... Crazy Horse Mounment... Custer State Park... the Corn Palace in Mitchell are a few places we've enjoyed.

But I'm guessing your heading south as you leave Boise that time of year... Yellowstone National Park... as you head east out of the park there is Cody WY home to Buffalo Bills museum.

Saint Louis Missouri has a nice casino on the opposite side of the Arch which has a great RV park on their property. There is an easy walk from the casino to a public transit train that will drop you quite close to the Arch and the walking area of Saint Louis.

Nashville Tennessee is well worth a visit. With the Grand Old Opera... the Opera Hotel is very beautiful... There is a nice campground close to Chattanooga Tenn... Called Chester Frost County Park in Hixson Tenn.

Stone Mountain is a must see near Atlanta Georgia. There is a campground at the mountain... Cable car to the top... steam train ride... plenty to do there... if it's shopping and restaurants your in need of by then... try the Underground section of Atlanta. CNN Studio conducts tours...The World of Coke is down town as well...

South of Atlanta is also Pine Mountain Georgia area... there you will find Callaway Gardens...Warm Springs which was Franklin D Roosevelt's little White House... as well as FDR State park.

There is also Plan's Georgia... Home to Former President Jimmy Carter... Andersonville is the location of the famous Andersonville Military stockade of the Confederate army during the American Civil War.

After your Metter Georgia stop... heading north you'll have a chance to do some beach camping along way...Tybee Island Georgia... Hilton Head Island SC... Charleston SC is has lots of History...

I've always avoided NYC area so my next area we've been around would be Mystic Conn home to the US Navy's Submarine Base. Want to do some gambling... there is Foxwood & Mohegan Sun Casino's near by...

Massachusetts has plenty of history and interesting sites as well... The Cape... Martha's Vinyard...Plymouth Rock... USS Constitution... Walking tours as well as Duck boat tours of Boston's highlights... The Big Dig... north of Boston. is Gloucester's picturesque fishing village... Salem with it's witch's and the Witch trials...

Some great Seafood diners are along the coast of Mass... One favorite campgrounds we visit often is Salisbury Beach State park. The drive north into New Hampshire and along Route 1-A is very exciting... plenty of views of the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean...

Maine has a great town to shop at.... Freeport is home to over 170 shops & outlet stores... the coast drive will offer fantastic views of the Ocean... Boothbay Harbor...Rockland home to Maine's Lobster Festival...Searsport.... Bar Harbor

We enjoyed going to the local fairs and festivals on our New England Trips. Ever watch an Ox Pull? See the local 4-H kids work a team of Oxen through several maneuvers... These were far different than what we had in Ohio...

I've tossed out a few ideas... but there so many I've missed.... Our interests and travel styles may not be what others enjoy... What ever you do... where ever you go... your cross country trip will be an Exciting Adventure !!!

 

[leftyf]

Some trivia: Texas is the only state that can fly the state flag at the same level as the U.S. flag because Texas used to be it's own country.

Used to be? Bubba, me and you gotta talk.

 

[ludwigdavid]

As an upstate New Yorker I would recomend that New York City is a great place to take a camper. Do not take camper into NYC but stay on the Jersey side and venture into the city. The place we stayed was Liberty Hollow campground and marina. It is not much of a campground but a great place to get to the city from and is safe with a good view of the statue of liberty. to get to the city you have a choise of the ferry right next door or the path train 5 blocks from the campground.
goodluck
David & Diana

 

[TRAVELER07]

Hello Big Al and Donna, If you are going thru Michigan in Aug 27-30 stop at the Mich rally at Lakeshore CG in St Ignace,there is alot to see and do there Mackinaw Island,Soo locks deep lake fishing ect also if you are in the Detroit area visit Henry Ford museum and Greenfield village in Dearborn Mich.also we have alot of beautiful Great lake shoreline any more info on Mich I would be glad to let you know,happy travels,TRAVELER07

 

[caokgafamily]

Big Al,

I live about 70 miles from Metter, are you visiting family ? There are 2 nice state parks close to Metter. You need to check out George L Smith State park & Magnolia Springs. I deer hunt every year about 19 miles from Metter. We did a cross country trip 3 years ago 7400 mile, My GPS made it easy, my DW can't read a map.

Be safe & have fun..
Steve

 

[Clark]

So much to see.
Nashville, TN for the Grand Ol Opry/ downtown tours / Opryland Hotel.
Natchez Trace Parkway is a lovely drive.
Gatlinburg, TN has access to the Smokey Mountain NP and wonderful crafters.
New Orleans is great early in the year.
St. Augustine, FL - Lovely quaint downtown / Spanish Fort / lunch in the swimming pool / drive on the wide white sand beach.
Savannah, GA is a lovely old city on the river. Tour the old homes and have lunch/dinner on the river.
Williamsburg, VA is a wonderful experience at any time of the year.
Washington D.C. and surrounding area is on your list I am sure.
Gettysburg NP (15 miles from my home) is wonderful.
Mystic Seaport, CT (see film Mystic Pizza) is very nice. Acquaium, Seaport reconstruction, Indian Museum, and the Pizza is as good as advertised.
Cape Cod and Nantucket, MA is worth a week anyway.
Historic Boston while in the area.
Acadia NP near Bar Harbor, ME is a weeks worth also. Wonderful views, trails, food, towns.
Stowe, VT area
Watkins Glen, NY for the Glen itself and nearly 50 wineries around the lakes.
Longaberger Baskets in Ohio

Have a great time and enjoy yourselves.
Clark

 

[jmgratz]

- In Waco, Texas there is the Texas Rangers (not the baseball team but Law
Enforcement) museum.
- Don't forget Austin, Texas with the Capital building, and LBJ Library.
- Johnson City (not far from Austin) has the LBJ ranch - neat
- How about Houston, with so much to see. Many museum, a great Zoo and NASA
where you can see artifacts and information on all sorts of space information. The
Aquarium restaurant in downtown Houston has a aquarium you walk under, shark
tank, ferris wheel and great food. And a class A horse race track.
- Then Kema just south of Houston with many restaurants, shops, a dog track.
- And Galveston only 45 minutes south of Houston

 

[jmgratz]

Like they say...Texas, it's like a whole 'nuther country. (I think it is)None