Road trips will be big this summer, with surveys revealing that many people are planning to hit the road rather than fly to reach their vacation destination. One found that over half of respondents said they would travel in an RV. Whether you’re packing up your car, truck, or RV for an East Coast road trip, there’s so much to see and do, you’ll want to plan it out carefully unless your time is unlimited.
The East Coast is filled with fascinating cities and charming towns, rich history, beautiful beaches, and outdoor adventures galore. Of course, with so much to choose from, it can also make planning a bit overwhelming. That said, by following these steps, you’ll have a much easier time planning an escape you won’t soon forget.
Choose Your Route With Top Destinations in Mind
You don’t have to plan out the entire trip, but you should have at least an idea as to which destinations are must-visits. The most popular route that primarily follows I-95 runs from Fort Kent, Maine, to the southern tip of the Florida Keys is about 2,060 miles. But there are other options, such as starting from I-81 in New York near the border of Canada, which travels through more mountainous areas, heading into Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, providing easy access to the famous Blue Ridge Parkway.
Book Accommodation
While you might want to plan some of your trip by ear, if there are places you know you want to spend time in, it makes sense to book accommodation ahead. In some cases, it may be necessary to reserve a spot in advance in the busy summer months. All getaways really need to include at least one especially memorable stay, perhaps one of the most unique Vrbo rentals. Of course, you’ll want to book it well ahead, no matter what the season, to ensure availability.
Pick Your Top Attractions
As you do your planning, you’ll want to know what some of the attractions are along the way and make time to enjoy them. The first step is checking out the many different options. If you’re a history buff, you’ll find plenty from Boston’s Freedom Trail to the many sites, battlefields, monuments, and museums. There’s an especially high concentration around Philadelphia, Gettysburg, Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia. You could make a detour and visit the beautiful beaches and wild horses in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, too, and if you want to explore national parks along the way, Maine is home to spectacular Acadia National Park, which boasts mountain peaks and ocean coastline. Shenandoah National Park in Virginia is ideal for mountain lovers in particular, and Congaree National Park in South Carolina is home to the southeastern U.S. region’s largest area of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest. In other words, it’s filled with Spanish moss, cypress trees, and plenty of wildlife from gators to river otters. Into the weird and wacky? Be sure to download the Roadside America app as it will reveal lots of must-stops from quirky works of art and giant pieces of furniture to massive balls of yarn.
Now all you need to do is to pack a cooler with drinks and snacks, fill up the gas tank, crank up the tunes and go.
