Buy tickets online to save time though. We didn't think
we had to do that, but ended up killing a couple of hours
before we could go in.

We went down from Delaware, cut over from DC and came
down 81 through the mountains. Beautiful drive! Fort chiswell, VA
Had a mansion that was gorgeous that I want to go back
and tour. I saw quarries along the way, but maybe I didn't
know what I was looking at.

Also, where you go over into WV, there was a pretty river
Setting where they had kayaking and tubing (I think you
could rent them there). Looked interesting.

I hope you have a nice trip.

Otherwise, the Smokey Mountains area of North Carolina.

If you go along the coast, try Charleston, South Carolina, for a fine historic district, or Savannah, Georgia, for the same.

Maybe you could go down to Atlanta one way and come back another way to maximize your sightseeing potential.

Its a one way trip, though. I just put jamestown on the list of places to stop.

The far end of that leg of the trip is Savannah. Charleston is a bit closer. Maybe I will head inland between Richmond and Savannah.

local places.

Two sites I recommend are:

roadsideamerica.com - which has loads of some of the strangest things to see in this country.

roadfood.com - for small, local great restaurants

When we travel, I pick out places from those site, put the GPS on "Avoid freeways" and go.

IMHO, it's the only way to travel.

We plan to stay with a combo plate of family, friends, friends of friends, and new friends. Or camp. No hotels if it can be avoided.

But that's just me

Congaree National park is worth a stop. Linville Falls. Outer Banks.