Jersey to Orlando

[EagleFan]

Looking to drive to Orlando during Easter break for a couple days and want to split the drive (both ways) into a couple days each way. Looking for good ideas for locations to stop to see along the way. Might as well make it more than just a long drive with Disney in between.

Any recommendations for sights along the 95 corridor?

[CU Tiger]

On I-95 you'll pass right by Savannah.
If youve never been its worth it once.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

On I-95 you'll pass right by Savannah.
If youve never been its worth it once.

That was the only place that seemed to stand out when I was looking at the map. Looking to stop there on the way back. Still need to look it up to see what would be the best to see in terms of bang for our buck with limited time.

[JPhillips]

Savannah is great and should be very hospitable that time of year.

St. Augustine, FL is America's oldest city and has some nice historical sites if you're into that.

NC and SC are pretty sparse on I95, but I guess there's South of the Border!

[Suicane75]

The thing I remember most about my trip from Jersey to Orlando and back was Savannah. The smell. The fucking smell. It smelled like rotten fucking eggs and I still vomit in my mouth a little when I think about it.

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

The thing I remember most about my trip from Jersey to Orlando and back was Savannah. The smell. The fucking smell. It smelled like rotten fucking eggs and I still vomit in my mouth a little when I think about it.

One of the bars had graffiti that said, "Kiss her where it stinks, take her to Savannah."

[Suicane75]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

One of the bars had graffiti that said, "Kiss her where it stinks, take her to Savannah."

I seem to remember somebody said something about Sulfur, I don't remember exactly though. I remember stopping at a restaurant for breakfast and even inside the smell was so still so thick that we just left before our order came as we couldn't fathom trying to eat. Is South Of The Border that fireworks place? That was good times, but I was 11, so yeah.

[JPhillips]

I believe the smell is paper manufacturing. Where I grew up in Ohio we would occasionally get the smell depending on the wind. The paper plant was about thirty miles away!

[lighthousekeeper]

I did the drive from Jersey to Orlando with the wife and kids a couple years ago. All we did was make sure that we chose a hotel along the way that had a good indoor pool. Besides that, the only notable stop was a brief 15 minutes at South of the Border.

[EagleFan]

South of the Border... check

[CU Tiger]

South of the border is a giant gas station tourist trap and fireworks shop. Fun for kids.

Jacksonville and St Augustine have some fun but you are either almost to Disney or just left so probably wont want to stop.

Wilmington and even Charleston have tons to do but you are veering an hour off I95 at that point. If anyone is a Naval/marine buff the USS North Carolina is permanently docked in Wilmington and you and the kids can run and crawl all over it. Really cool to see a 1930s Battleship. Really a neat experience.

[albionmoonlight]

Agree with Savannah being worth it.

If you are going to take a detour, then I think that Charleston is more worth it than Wilmington. Although CU is right about the battleship. I've never been, but I've only heard good things.

You go right through Richmond, VA, but I am very underwhelmed by Richmond as a tourist city.

You do pass Kings Dominon later in VA, if you are of the amusement park mindset.

Meh on South of the Border.

And, for the most random recommendation in this thread, Buddy's BBQ in Fayetteville, NC: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Buddy's+Bar-B-Que/@35.0412525,-78.882233,3a,90y,285.63h,88.03t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s5DxqH0FEI9ax5eVsjGZUwA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x1ed0db22ce5d74be!6m1!1e1

Typical Southern meat and three place. The waitresses all have big perms and call you hon. And the walls are decorated with NASCAR and Mayberry-type stuff. The food is good, but the atmosphere is why you go. Very authentic local NC place. If you happen to be needing lunch around when you will be passing F-ville, then I'd take the slight detour to go there instead of roadside fast food.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

NC and SC are pretty sparse on I95, but I guess there's South of the Border!

I drove to Myrtle Beach from Jersey with an ex about 10 years ago...I think my lasting memory from the trip was how NC was 180 miles of absolutely nothing to see.

[JPhillips]

Just to be clear, I was mostly joking about South of the Border. IMO, it's a great place to pee, but that's about it.

I'd also agree with what CU said regarding St. Augustine, but it is an interesting city if you want to stop on the return trip.

[corbes]

I have not been to Buddy's specifically but absolutely endorse that the trip plan needs to include real eastern NC bbq.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

Agree with Savannah being worth it.

If you are going to take a detour, then I think that Charleston is more worth it than Wilmington. Although CU is right about the battleship. I've never been, but I've only heard good things.

You go right through Richmond, VA, but I am very underwhelmed by Richmond as a tourist city.

You do pass Kings Dominon later in VA, if you are of the amusement park mindset.

Meh on South of the Border.

And, for the most random recommendation in this thread, Buddy's BBQ in Fayetteville, NC: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Buddy's+Bar-B-Que/@35.0412525,-78.882233,3a,90y,285.63h,88.03t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s5DxqH0FEI9ax5eVsjGZUwA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x1ed0db22ce5d74be!6m1!1e1

Typical Southern meat and three place. The waitresses all have big perms and call you hon. And the walls are decorated with NASCAR and Mayberry-type stuff. The food is good, but the atmosphere is why you go. Very authentic local NC place. If you happen to be needing lunch around when you will be passing F-ville, then I'd take the slight detour to go there instead of roadside fast food.

That could work out well. Fayetteville was where I was thinking of stopping for the night on the way down (looks about half way). Looking in the Darlington area on the way back for overnight but stopping at Savannah on that first day of the return trip.

[General Mike]

Originally Posted by Logan

I drove to Myrtle Beach from Jersey with an ex about 10 years ago...I think my lasting memory from the trip was how NC was 180 miles of absolutely nothing to see.

I've done the trip to South Carolina many times, to see family in Columbia, and to go to Myrtle Beach as a kid, and I agree, super boring going down 95.

As far as stops a long the way, I enjoyed Busch Gardens Williamsburg as a kid, but you are getting off that main corridor.

[Dutch]

I'll be in Fayetteville next week, may give Buddy's a try. Was there for almost all of last year, but never went to that side of town.

My evenings there normally consisted of Texas Roadhouse, Carolina Ale House, and Mac's Speed Shop (if I was in the mood for sitting down somewhere for dinner and a beer).

[britrock88]

Originally Posted by Logan

I drove to Myrtle Beach from Jersey with an ex about 10 years ago...I think my lasting memory from the trip was how NC was 180 miles of absolutely nothing to see.

It's weird, because 85 and 40 in NC are jam-packed with civilization. 95, not so much.

[Bisbo]

Colonial Williamsburg is an interesting stop, which has a lot for kids to see and do.

[ISiddiqui]

I know we're talking about the FL, GA, SC, and NC parts, but I-95 goes through some interesting parts in the more northerly parts of the drive, including Richmond, D.C., and Baltimore. I always enjoy the Smithsonian in D.C. And the Confederate White House in Richmond fascinated me.