Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Road trip down east coast on I-95

This is topic Road trip down east coast on I-95 - suggest tourist stops in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 11-11-2012, 10:49 PM:

Hiya folks. My wife and I are planning a road trip from DE to Orlando next month and we're looking for tourist stops along the way. Historic stuff is great to suggest. For example, we're planning to hit Fort Sumter. We have been to Jamestown/Yorktown area before and a lot of the DC stuff. We're mainly looking for ideas south of DC. From Richmond on down, and not too far from 95 as we'd like to try to stay on course for the most part. So... any suggestions?

Thanks

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 11-12-2012, 02:29 AM:

Williamsburg seemed nice when I was there, if you're into the whole "historic city" thing. Then again, my parents and I had moved away from NC 20 years ago come Thanksgiving so I assume things might've changed by now...

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 11-12-2012, 06:37 AM:

Ft. McHenry near Baltimore is worth a stop--this is where F. S. Key wrote the National Anthem. They used to have a nice little movie (16mm at the time, maybe still?) and presentation there.

Not sure how much time you have, but Richmond is worth a visit, especially if you are interested in Civil War history.

Williamsburg is not on I-95; it's an hour detour each way (via I-64). Worth a visit if you have some time, but it won't be "on the way."

South of the Border is a giant tourist trap just across the SC border, but their billboards are at least entertaining.

Charleston is worth some time, but stay away in the spring and summer...the heat there is brutal.

Posted by Joe Elliott (Member # 4006) on 11-12-2012, 06:43 AM:

There's St. Augustine. It is the first continuously occupied city in the US. Near the Fort there is a shopping district that is an original cobblestone street. It is too narrow for vehicles, so you walk through. There is of course two forts in that area, Castillo de San Marcos, right in town, and the Mantazas, south of town. If your in to ghosts, both the St. Augustine lighthouse and Castillo de San Marcos have been investigated by Ghosthunters TV show, and the lighthouse in particular they have said is one of their favorite locations in the US.

Posted by Rick Raskin (Member # 1561) on 11-12-2012, 12:24 PM:

Savannah GA is right on I-95 and worth a visit. Interesting river front historic area and creepy old cemetery nearby. "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" (1997) was filmed there; so if you've seen the film you can kind of get a flavor for the place.

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 11-12-2012, 12:39 PM:

Depending on what you mean by Touristy. I say get off 95 and take US 1 or 13/17 or even 301 out of Richmond, much more interesting and more to see. You can get back on 95 after dark and make up some time if that is a consideration, but 95 itself is a snooze and everything looks like everywhere else in the country.

Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 11-13-2012, 05:58 AM:

This is always a great place to go for information from around the country. This is cool info, guys. You've given me some stuff to think about. Thanks!

Posted by Matthew Ortado (Member # 5620) on 11-13-2012, 06:46 AM:

The B&O Railroad museum in Baltimore is five minutes off of 95.

Posted by Jake Spell (Member # 5294) on 11-13-2012, 10:40 AM:

As someone who lives in Charleston I can tell you that its going to be chilly at Fort Sumter since its in the middle of the harbor. How long do you have for said tourist stops?

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 11-13-2012, 11:22 AM:

The National Museum of the Marine Corps is just off I-95 in Quantico, VA. Get off at Joplin Road, VA secondary route 619 (Exit 150). Drive south 1 block to the US-1 intersection. Hang a right on US-1 southbound for a short distance and you're there.

Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 11-15-2012, 09:25 PM:

Jake, I'm not sure how long we have to stop, but I'm glad you mentioned how cold we can expect it to be at Sumter.

Posted by Jake Spell (Member # 5294) on 11-15-2012, 09:31 PM:

Sure thing, PM me if you have any other questions about the city. WHile here make sure you go over the Arthur Ravenel Jr Bridge (US 17). Its the longest cable stayed bridge in North America and if you want you can even walk/bike it. It shouldn't be too crowded here since that's well outside the tourist season.

Posted by Tony Gallimore (Member # 5358) on 11-17-2012, 11:26 PM:

Mark, If you didn't stop by Mount Vernon your last trip around DC, it would make for an interesting afternoon. Jefferson was quite an interesting gentleman. Charleston, SC is pretty neat if you're into history, plantations etc. Plan on a few days there though, to take a few tours and get the whole picture. Yeah, Fort Sumpter might be a little chilly, but it'll be worth it! Happy travels!

Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 11-18-2012, 09:44 PM:

Hi, Tony. Thanks. Mount Vernon was Washington's place. I agree it is a great place to visit, and we go there a couple of times a year. We did the "National Treasure" tour there under the mansion, and we try to do the candle light tour at Christmas time every year which is really nice too.

Jefferson's house is Monticello, which is also really nice. We've also been to Poplar Forest - which is Jefferson's retreat - I think it's in Virginia. Also a nice stop.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 11-19-2012, 01:32 PM:

quote: Martin McCaffery
I say get off 95 and take US 1 or 13/17 or even 301 out of Richmond, much more interesting and more to see.

Not only that, in Florida it's where all the crazy people drive out of the asylum drive. And THOSE people do not understand the speed limit. People there going at 95mph while tailgating AND zooming across lanes willy nilly and without signaling. I drive in NYC -- I don't think I am a wussy driver, in fact I am fairly aggressive, but in Florida, I was a cowering sissy boy. I was driving 5-10 miles over the speed limit and EVERYONE is passing me. I look in the rear view mirror to see cars ZOOMING up to within half a cars length and tail me like that. Incredible.

Stay safe, see the more scenic routes as Martin suggests, and stay the eff of I95. If you think I am exagerating, even the Floridians warned me about taking 95. In all my driving years, I have seen exactly two fatalities where I drove by an accident and saw people actually dead on the ground. In only two weeks in Florida going back and forth from Port St. Lucie and Fort Lauderdale, I saw THREE fatalities, one were I saw a severed leg on the road 20 feet from the rest of the poor soul. I could barely keep driving. That's all the stats I need.

Posted by Adam Holland (Member # 4539) on 11-19-2012, 01:39 PM:

Well if you could include the Great Bayou State of Louisiana into your plans I could provide you with a wealth of hot spots to hit.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 11-20-2012, 06:28 AM:

While in the DC area, a visit to the Gettysburg battlefield and museum is absolutely worth it, though it is probably around an hour's detour from the 95. I visited while staying with friends in Hyattsville in 2008, and if I remember correctly it was about a 40-minute drive from there. Some photos I took on that visit (on Kodachrome):

Mississippi Memorial

North Carolina Memorial

The Devil's Den, where 2,500 casualties were sustained on the second day of fighting. Annoyingly, high contrast Kodachrome doesn't scan very well (unless you have a $2k Nikon scanner!) - there's a lot more visible detail in the original slide.

The battlefield is so huge that you have to drive around it: the museum sells an audio tour CD that you can put in your car and hear a combination of directions and historical info about the three days of the battle. Being there really gives you a sense of how enormous and decisive it was, even more so given that (obviously!) there is no film or audio of the battle.

Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 11-25-2012, 09:26 PM:

Gettysburg is an amazing place. The Civil War era is her favorite part of history, and the more I learn about it, the more it fascinates me. Partially because I strongly feel like there are some dark periods of history that we are dangerously close to repeating - this being one of them. The more I learn, the more it solidifies our precarious position in my mind. But I digress.

We had a guided tour in Gettysburg by a fellow named Howard Calp. He got in our car and drove us around the battle field and explained a lot of what happened in great detail. If anyone ever gets a chance to visit Gettysburg, you should take it. And if you have a chance to make a reservation for the guided car tour, do it. Ask for Howard when you do. He was great.