Give me your recommendations for road trip locations.

[Mongler98]

Please tell me what locations you would recommend to go to, can be anywhere east of the Rockies this time!
Anything you have seen or been to or whatever where ever! zoo's, museums, the best chilly dog stand, motorcycle/car spead musems, small and big, crazy restaurants that stand out... anything...
We have done this before but this time we are up to suggestions. We will make a pin point for each location and then connect the dots with a decent drive that we can do though the night.
Here is some context. We like to drive 6 to 8 hours and be somewhere new for a full day. this time we are willing to say in an area for 2 days with a B&B as we now have the $.
My family and I are going to Madison OH for my grandmothers funeral (she was 1 week away from her 101'st birthday)
We are going to do another road trip from Colorado, we are stopping in Nebraska to pick up my sister and then stopping in Gladbrook, Iowa to see Matchstick Marvels for a 2nd time, then we are up for options. The next area would be Chicago area, then to Madison OH, then its off to wherever for a week. we are thinking of going to to Main, and New York, then back down to Frederick (old home) to see family and take care of my (dare i say from the last thread) items.... then its back to Colorado.

Locations i would seriously consider is anywhere in between the lakes in Michigan for a 1 day, we would like to go to Niagara falls.
We might even make a stop in North Carolina to visit a friend so mostly east coast. Distance is not a big deal.
will be the 2nd week in May though whenever we are done!

 

[Mongler98]

For context, this was our last road trip we did in 7 days with 4 more days stopped in Nebraska

 

[Vwkaferman]

I did some work back in the day in Waukesha, WI. There was a market there that had THE BEST cheese. I think they closed their Waukesha store but this is the place, looks like still open in Madison. Bring a cooler and ice packs. Awesome store with more than just cheese.

Brennans Market

I’m not a Harley guy (rode Kawasaki’s and Suzuki’s) but the Harley museum in Milwaukee is amazing. Worth the stop if you have time.

Some fantastic beers too in “Wesconsin” (heh) that they don’t ship out of state if you’re into beer. Spotted cow and Sprecher are two that I routinely brought back from my trips up there.

Just Outside of Louisville is Col. Sanders wife’s restaurant. Can still get chicken exactly how they made it back in the day.Claudia Sanders Dinner house

I’m sure I have more floating around my noggin. Spent 20 years (still going off and on) on the road upgrading A/V systems in Courtrooms amd whatnot.

Safe travels!

James

 

[jmodge]

Take all back roads. Like the mouse who got swallowed by the elephant, run around and around until you're all pooped out.

 

[jmodge]

and if that doesn't work for you, https://www.stahlsauto.com/, is pretty cool.

This one is in the country, you may not get through it in one day. They have car, vintage motorcycle shows, and swap meets. check their schedule, http://www.gilmorecarmuseum.org/

 

[Mongler98]

So far so good. Definitely checking those all out. It's funny but I find cheese to be incredibly interesting.

Take all back roads. Like the mouse who got swallowed by the elephant, run around and around until you're all pooped out.

So if we did a road trip traditionally then absolutely. But our gig so far is drive at night and take 4 hour turns (I can do till about 3am) then get to a truck stop type of area and use showers and then go do whatever we planned all day. Saves on hotel and lodging cost. Usually get a few more hours sleeping in the car. The escape definitely easier to sleep in than the cayenne. Also I dont mind hitting a deer with the escape (already happend last trip).
So we will stick to highways for the most part unless it's part of our destination to do otherwise (take of the dragon or pike's peak sort of thing).

I definitely want to go to the harley davidson location and was on our last list!
Elvis mansion and the Dolly Parton estates are on our list too. We know some friends in Chattanooga Tennessee and that was one of our stops last time!

So I'll give one back to anyone who would be in DC.
https://hillwoodmuseum.org/hillwood-home
This place is insane. Even though it might not look like something you might enjoy... you definitely will.

 

[1854sailor]

Portillo's in the Chicago area. Great hot dogs and the only place I've ever been where you gan get a roast beef sandwich with an Italian sausage as a condiment. Also there's the Gilmore Museum in Hickory Corners, MI, just NW of Battle Creek, with a really great car and motorcycle collection...

 

[JimTom]

I would hit the blue ridge parkway from the red dot on your map. Lots of great scenery and places to hold up for a night. Would put you headed south towards NC. Truck stops and campgrounds make great places to clean up and refresh.

Edit: nevermind you were looking for mostly highways

 

[Mongler98]

I would hit the blue ridge parkway from the red dot on your map. Lots of great scenery and places to hold up for a night. Would put you headed south towards NC. Truck stops and campgrounds make great places to clean up and refresh.

Edit: nevermind you were looking for mostly highways

as long as its part of the destination or on the way worthy detour that goes that way.... im totally fine with that.

 

[vandermic07]

I second the Blue Ridge. We went from Cherokee NC to Waynesboro VA. Took us 4 days but we stopped a lot. It was amazing.

 

[Mozambiquer]

A couple places I really enjoyed on our last few road trips...
-Tail of the dragon in northeastern Tennessee
-Niagra falls
-Colonial Williamsburg
-Chattanooga Tennessee (lookout mountain, Ruby falls, a really good restaurant in Saint Elmo 1885 grill, cloudland canyon falls...)
In Missouri where I live.
The devil's icebox in Columbia
Grand gulf state park in koshkanong.
Swinging bridges near Brumley, and if you can find it, the concrete UFO.
The current river near Eminence.

Those are a few of the places we've enjoyed.

 

[Mongler98]

thanks for the input. Anything more would be great. im finishing up our map so ill post that tonight with what we have planned so far and from where after we are still hungry for sights.

 

[dhangejr]

Lava Hot Springs Idaho, Snively Hot Springs over in eastern Oregon, if you like gold mining check out Sumter Oregon, up in Montana there’s a spot called Virginia City once a year they have a big to do, but it’s a very well preserved ghost town. Another place up in Washington liberty another cool spot kind of a ghost town I believe they film a TV show northern exposure just outside out of there. There’s a Stonehenge memorial over in Easteror Washington on the Columbia Gorge . The Columbia Gorge is incredible. Lots of cool stuff out there bridge of the gods. Some neat towns dams and power stations.. Oh yeah back in Twin Falls Idaho Shoshone Falls is rad. That’s where evil Knievel try to jump and failed. Grace Idaho has the knitter ice caves. Super cool. Not too far there is soda Springs Idaho and they have a spring that Launch is as high as Old Faithful. They claim that they had to go put a boost valve on the spring and soda because it was disrupting Old Faithful. That whole area is the Yellowstone caldera. Jackson hole Wyoming lots of sales people go up there and go ski that’s a really cool town I guess West Yellowstone, that’s the name of the city. There’s a spot called cook city over in Montana also really cool. So if you’re ever out in the Pacific Northwest enjoy!

 

[jmodge]

The Thornton Quarry | Thornton History

The Thornton Quarry Thornton Quarry is one of the largest aggregate quarries in the world,. The quarry is 1.5 mile long, 0.5 miles wide, and 450 feet deep at its deepest point. The Quarry is so vast that the entire village of Thornton could sit comfortably on its floor.

www.thorntonilhistory.com

Since you will probably be on this road, I assume, look at this. Kinda cool for a hole in the ground. It’s visible on the north side of the highway as you’re cruising through

 

[dhangejr]

@jmodge That’s bad ass!

 

[jmodge]

It’s something really out of the ordinary when cruising the highway in that region

 

[dhangejr]

I’ve driven through all of mountain roads some go through the mountain but never for that long ! Over in butte Montana they have one of the deepest mines in America. It’s cool, Back in the day you could just go explore it but now I believe you have to pay two bucks to get in and take a tour

 

[Mongler98]

OK Here it is so far.
Bold is where i need more things to do
Most of the trip driving is at night but the day drives will be the drive from B to C to D and F to G is WIDE OPEN to sugesitons and will be mostly evening. BUT G to H is durring the day and we are looking for things here.
J to K we are taking the blue riidge parkway and skyline drive.
Looking for lots of stuff to do after L
We have a few days left to a full week from M on. so please. lets here it.
If there is anyone who wants to meet up... let me know. I'm buying!
B: Museum of American Speed (need something to fill the evening and a night stay in NE.
C: Match Stick Marvels
D: Harley Davidson museum
E: Madison OH (grandmothers Funeral) she was 8 days from here 101'st birthday. The entire reason we are doing the trip
F: Niagara Falls
G: Lincolns Son's Estate
H: 3 day stay in a B&B in Maine ( Brooklin) Whale Watching Charter.... Fishing Charter... and exploring)
I: PJD Motorcycles Yes its Jr. from OCC
J: Family stay and piking up my like 20 guns but I'm having them shipped back..... (seriously)
K Winston Salem (visiting Friends)
L: Chattanooga (visiting more friends)
M: Elvis Estate
K: Torture Museum

 

[Mongler98]

btw all of your sugesiotns are awesome and im trying to fit as many of them in as i can. i only have so much time to get to OH i might be able to fit the Gilmore in if we are done with HD in time... also buy some cheese!

 

[jmodge]

Sorry about your grandma, enjoy the rest of the family. My Aunt Ann’s 100th is next Sunday. Gilmore is really cool, I doubt you’ll get anywhere near seeing everything

 

[jmodge]

The quarry is between D and E as you round the bottom of Lake Michigan after driving through Chicago and before you enter Michigan. It can be viewed from the highway as you pass by on your left. If you enter Michigan without seeing it that means you missed it because you were watching the road instead of looking off to your left like you’re supposed to

 

[TDNation]

If you are interested in trains there's the Union Pacific Railroad Museum in Council Bluffs, IA. They're only open Thursday through Saturday though. I've never been, but my brother who works for UP says it's pretty cool.

 

[Mongler98]

She was put into ICU isolation as she got covid. She did not last more than 20 hours once she got sick. Stupid CA would not let her family be there with her in those hours reguardless of vax status.
A side note about her. Growing up in Madison OH her home was one of 3 homes in town that had a telephone. Her father was a train conductor. So they knew everyone as they would all come there to use the phone. She was (obviously) born in may 12th 1921.
She could also do math in her head as she was an accountant for the railroad. She could do like 12 columns x 20 some rows with of math in her head.

 

[1854sailor]

While you're in Brooklin, ME stop by the Wooden Boat School and Brooklin Boat Yard. Not at all car related, but amazing craftsmanship. Also, on either your way to or from Brooklin, you MUST have a Lobsah roll at Red's Eats in Wiscasset.

 

[Mongler98]

While you're in Brooklin, ME stop by the Wooden Boat School and Brooklin Boat Yard. Not at all car related, but amazing craftsmanship. Also, on either your way to or from Brooklin, you MUST have a Lobsah roll at Red's Eats in Wiscasset.

100% will do.
im acutally supper into boats specifically wood built. ive been following Acorn to Arabella and Sampson Boat Co (tally Ho') rebuild since day one.
we are actually very disappointed we missed the open house by a week......

 

[jmodge]

While you're in Brooklin, ME stop by the Wooden Boat School and Brooklin Boat Yard. Not at all car related, but amazing craftsmanship. Also, on either your way to or from Brooklin, you MUST have a Lobsah roll at Red's Eats in Wiscasset.

We’ve got one of those in Hessel MI, upper peninsula. A wooden boat every August. That’s some cool stuff

 

[Mongler98]

, you MUST have a Lobsah roll at Red's Eats in Wiscasset.

So I have actually never had lobster in anytjing other than a soup or salad and it was only twice I've had it. Always wanted to try it.
I can see why its considered delicious and what not. I do like it. But its definatly not as good as its hyped up as. It's a $3 sandwich/ roll that's right now $31 bucks. Side of scallions and chicken nuggets and fried and 2 drinks for $65 bucks.
What a ripoff.
Food was as good as it gets and definitely a 10/10 for what it should be. No argument there. But the price ...... I'm glad I did.
As of the time of this posting were in the car right after eating there.
If it was reasonable cost.... 9.5/10 but becuase its popular from TV maybe it's gotten bad or something but $65 bucks for what should have been $35 to $40 for basically county fair food.... it was delicious but I would avoid this stop again.
Spoiler alert: Maine was not good to us! But we are having a blast.

 

[1854sailor]

...It's a $3 sandwich/ roll that's right now $31 bucks...

"...$3 sandwich..."?? 25-30 years ago maybe. You can't get a Whopper from Burger King for $3 these days. Scallions or scallops? If it was scallops that wasn't a bad deal because fresh local scallops here are ~$30/lb. The last time I was in Baltimore, jumbo lump crab meat was $60/lb... Glad you liked it, though.

 

[Mongler98]

Wasn't implying that lobster or scallions were that value but that what we got was equal in quantity and taste to something that was a $3 sandwich you got what I'm saying

 

[1854sailor]

Wasn't implying that lobster or scallions were that value but that what we got was equal in quantity and taste to something that was a $3 sandwich you got what I'm saying

Scallions...