Question re: Eastern USA route to take New Brunswick, Canada to Florida

[SilvrT]

If all things go as planned we'll be travelling with our 5th wheel in tow from New Brunswick to Florida somewhere around mid - late September, 2017

 

Would like to travel through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, the Carolinas, Georgia.

 

Want to stay away from the major cities as much as possible.

 

Any route suggestions / great places to visit would be much appreciated. We're allowing up to a month or more travelling time, arriving in Florida somewhere maybe first part of November. Hopefully missing any bad fall weather such as early snow fall, hurricanes, tornados, etc

 

Hope to hook up with some of the members here along the way.

 

We hope to spend the least amount of time at campsites or RV parks ... prefer either boondocking it or Gov/Fed/Public lands camping.

 

(hope that's not asking too much)

 

http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/Themes/default/images/icons/modify_inline.gif

[leroy]

Don't know what part of NB you are leaving from or where in Florida you are going but I was just up to NB in August on my motorcycle from Texas. I stopped by the World's Longest Covered Bridge at Hartland, NB. I arrived there after traveling Maine Highway 11 and connecting with US 1 at Fort Kent to Madawaska, ME (NE most town in lower 48 states). ME 11 was a good ride and relaxing.

 

Last year I visited Acadia National Park, very nice. Many years ago I took US Highway 1 along the coast of Maine. A lot of towns but more interesting than the I 95. If you go I-95 the part that is a toll road will not be cheap pulling a 5th wheel but traffic wasn't an issue.

 

New London, CT has the USS Nautilus, the first atomic submarine, you can tour plus a submarine Museum.

 

If you want to avoid the mess of cities in the east move over to the west no later than when crossing into MA from NH. I needed to make time this August so I took I-495 to the west but avoided the MA toll road. I did run into traffic, a lot of construction, and too much rain. If I go to your part of Canada again I will go far to the west of those eastern cities.

 

Don't get me wrong there is a lot to see in those cities but I just try to avoid them. I live in Dallas so I need a break from them.

 

When going through Hartford I did not have any traffic issues along I-84 to Scranton. There are also some nice secondary roads that I have been on in the area.

 

Last year we were at West Point so we "took in" a lot of the sites along the Hudson River. A lot of history there if you get that far west.

 

Washington, DC is a good visit but a lot to see. So you need time.

 

If you get to I-81 and like history there are many exits taking a person to many historical sites. For an interstate it is not bad as far a scenery goes. Of course in Virginia there is the Blue Ridge Parkway. There may be a limit on trailers. Any of the highways near I-81 would be good for scenic drives.

 

Eastern VA I am not as familiar with but there is a lot of history there. Williamsburg, VA I have been told is good to visit but I haven't been there. Also Norfolk, VA has a naval museum. I did enjoy riding across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.

 

If you are on I-81 or near it in eastern TN there is the Smoky Mountain National Park. Also that part of NC is really nice. There is a lot of historical sites in all of these states if that is of interest to you.

 

I would avoid Atlanta if you are that far west. I-75 in Florida can get busy the farther south you go. Traffic down there shouldn't be as rough as it is later in the year, or earlier. The routes along the coasts can be congested.

 

I liked my visit to St. Augustine, FL. I think they now have some strict parking rules on RVs so check into it if you go. Disney has some very nice trailer camping. I usually don't care for that kind of setup. However, one year we pulled our trailer to Disney and got a great campsite with a shuttle to the park nearby.

 

Tampa, FL has a nice aquarium. Also there is a town sort of inside Tampa, Ybor City. I stumbled onto it. It is where they used to make a lot of cigars with tobacco grown from Cuban seeds. It was like a little Cuba. When I was there several years ago I found it very interesting and full of history.

 

In Sarasota is the Ringling Brothers home and Museum. I guess they are still open to visit. Also I liked the botanical garden in Sarasota. Farther south is Nokomis. It has probably the prettiest beach in Florida. There is a state park, Myakka River State Park, not far away to camp in. I have boated up the river. Many years ago my uncle said you could see alligators all along the river. We didn't see any when I was there. Venice beach south across the bay from Nokomis is nice too. It used to be the best place in the Northern Hemisphere to find sharks' teeth. My cousin found several very large ones over the years. It was on some nature show once. They did some dredging a few years ago and ruined it at least for awhile. I don't know if it is good today.

 

Near Homestead there is a Coral Castle that was featured on some TV program. Many years ago we stopped by there. It was unique and interesting. The Everglades National Park was very interesting but the mosquitoes were terrible however it was in August.

 

And of course there is always Key West. I haven't been there but it is on my all time bucket list, just to say I was there.

 

Enjoy your trip. I am sure more will give you ideas.

[djh3]

WE go up to the North Georgia area by NC boarder most years. We have also stayed in Franklin NC. So the way I go up there and stay the heck away from Atlanta, is from that area I use US 441 and angle down towards Macon. Then catch I 75 south to Florida. Savannah is a neat place, but I dont recall any camp grounds very close, might be a couple out by I 95 and that would be maybe 30-45 min drive to the historic district downtown where the restaurants and things are. A little south of Sarasota is also Ft Myers and the Edison home museum.