Need Help Planning a Road Trip

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   Fellow Tippmanites,

I have a girlfriend from overseas who will be making her next visit in August. As a part of her stay, we're going to take drive up the East coast and visit various attractions along the way. While I have a few stops in mind, I need assistance planning this trip to the hour. I also need help making this as economical as possible.

The trip will be sponsored by both of our families, and is to be about a week long. We can do one big budget activity, any thing else should be of a reasonable cost. I realize I've complained about money issues before, but I think this will be well worth the sacrifice.

The three places we will absolutely visit no matter what anybody says:

Washington DC (no less than 2 Days)
NYC (no less than 2 Days)
Six Flags Atlanta (or a better theme park with a lot of roller coasters)

Places to go and activities we are considering throughout the trip:

Georgia Aquarium
Appalachian Mountains
Broadway Show (Book of Mormon preferred but tickets are crazy expensive)
Niagara Falls
Smithsonian

Right now I can only think of the usual tourist traps. I need the hive mind of this forum and the rest of the internet to come up with locations that are worth it but less well known. This trip isn't for drinking and partying in different cities, we want to see and do things that she has no access to in Turkey where she lives. If you have an experience or hospitality to offer along our route, we can visit you along the way.

The best window to do this is in August. I'm looking to depart Orlando after a day of work for a stop on the way to Atlanta the first night. We want to be at 6 flags the moment it opens on the next day, for we plan to ride every coaster there. From then on, there is no specific agenda.

Thanks for your input. I'll keep you posted as the plans progress and will link to pictures and videos of what we've done as we go along the trip.

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Tolgak Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Platinum Member Master of MSPaint and bri's Daddy Joined: 12 July 2002 Location: BEHIND YOU! Status: Offline Points: 1239486	Post Options Post Reply Quote Tolgak Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Need Help Planning a Road Trip Posted: 28 June 2011 at 9:19am
	Fellow Tippmanites, I have a girlfriend from overseas who will be making her next visit in August. As a part of her stay, we're going to take drive up the East coast and visit various attractions along the way. While I have a few stops in mind, I need assistance planning this trip to the hour. I also need help making this as economical as possible. The trip will be sponsored by both of our families, and is to be about a week long. We can do one big budget activity, any thing else should be of a reasonable cost. I realize I've complained about money issues before, but I think this will be well worth the sacrifice. The three places we will absolutely visit no matter what anybody says: Washington DC (no less than 2 Days) NYC (no less than 2 Days) Six Flags Atlanta (or a better theme park with a lot of roller coasters) Places to go and activities we are considering throughout the trip: Georgia Aquarium Appalachian Mountains Broadway Show (Book of Mormon preferred but tickets are crazy expensive) Niagara Falls Smithsonian Right now I can only think of the usual tourist traps. I need the hive mind of this forum and the rest of the internet to come up with locations that are worth it but less well known. This trip isn't for drinking and partying in different cities, we want to see and do things that she has no access to in Turkey where she lives. If you have an experience or hospitality to offer along our route, we can visit you along the way. The best window to do this is in August. I'm looking to depart Orlando after a day of work for a stop on the way to Atlanta the first night. We want to be at 6 flags the moment it opens on the next day, for we plan to ride every coaster there. From then on, there is no specific agenda. Thanks for your input. I'll keep you posted as the plans progress and will link to pictures and videos of what we've done as we go along the trip.


oldsoldier Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Crazy old guy Joined: 10 June 2002 Status: Offline Points: 6725	Post Options Post Reply Quote oldsoldier Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 June 2011 at 10:03am
	NYC- Do not drive into city, stop in NJ and take a train into Manhatten. Grand Central Station is a must see and that is where you will enter the City. Walk to Madison Square Garden, (do the Nathan's across the street for lunch, and stop at a Bodega for snacks, the NY expieriance). Walk along Times Square (got to see the Naked Cowboy), Central Park (Strawberry Fields). Take one of the Tour Buses http://www.newyorksightseeing.com/ for a grand view, walk on, walk off where ever your fancy feels like. All day ride 24hr pass is a bargain. Also take Tour Bus on Brooklynn Loop on a night run, view of Manhatten is a real moment. Mid town tour is all over Manhatten, stop at Battery Park and take the Staten Island Ferry to Staten Island and back (its free) and you can see The Statue of Liberty as well as Ellis Island for free. And the trip is reeditedll, kinda a mid day break before lunch. Ground Zero walk can be a thoughtfull expieriance, and the Church is a real need, can see the pew George Washington used, and the marks on the pews from all the firemen and police resting after 9/11. Walk along 9th Ave mid town for a tour of resteraunts of the world for dinner, take your pick. Now for B'way shows...there are brokers hawking tickets all the time, sell outs are not sell outs, brokers have the tickets. Get to any show about 2 hours before curtian and shop the brokers, deals can be found. Take a Subway train trip just for grins and giggles, see how the other half lives. Motel chains have rooms but book on net, cheaper than a walk in. Also to get a cab, walk into any Hotel, stand a few minutes walk out to door man, hand him a 5 and you have an immediate cab, waving one down in Manhatten is an adventure. 42nd is loaded with all sorts of family entertainment, Times Square, Central Park, you will not be able to get a full NYC expieriance in 2 days. And if there is a TV or movie being made you can watch or be a walk through extra. Me and Momma did a walk through for a Law and Order filming awhile back. Drive to Buffalo/Niagra Falls through up state NY, rte 17/I-86 is a good run and a nice view, or I-87 (Thruway, toll road), Albany west shows you a good view of up state in a pass through. Real way to do it is backroads so depends on your timing. Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown may also be worth a look. PM your thoughts and ideas and I will get you through a good two day NYC expierience.


Ceesman762 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Time for a C-Section! Joined: 15 November 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 5029	Post Options Post Reply Quote Ceesman762 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 June 2011 at 10:06am
	Think about hotels in Westchester,Queens or Jersey, it would be cheaper than staying in the city.
	Innocence proves nothing FUAC!!!!!

pntbl freak Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Wanna do something about it? Well do ya? Joined: 16 June 2002 Location: My Hiding Spot! Status: Offline Points: 9212	Post Options Post Reply Quote pntbl freak Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 June 2011 at 10:53am
	I've always wanted to do an east coast trip and hit up all the MLB stadiums out there.


oldsoldier Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Crazy old guy Joined: 10 June 2002 Status: Offline Points: 6725	Post Options Post Reply Quote oldsoldier Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 June 2011 at 10:55am
	Can get deals downtown and cheaper than train fare and room in NJ. Super 8 at 59 W 46th Street (Times Square) if you check in around noon will give you a room for under booking price, you go in give your internet reservation number and then just haggle a bit. We stayed last July for $79.95 for a twin queen room. Mid week is best, seldom do rooms fill mid week, so they would rather have someting and someone in room than empty. The 'art of the deal' and haggling is a NYC artform.


oldsoldier Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Crazy old guy Joined: 10 June 2002 Status: Offline Points: 6725	Post Options Post Reply Quote oldsoldier Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 June 2011 at 10:59am
	Now that Yankee Stadium is gone (that new monstrosity inhales deeply, no tradition) no real reason to hit NY stadiums. Shea is gone, Meadowlands gone, all the traditions gone....not worth the trip anymore. Even the Garden is a fiasco anymore. Back in the day we went to Hartford for NHL games, and minor league baseball (Oneonta Yankees back when they were the Oneonta Yankees)


Reb Cpl Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Has to say "yes" to "are you a cop?" Joined: 10 June 2002 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 14210	Post Options Post Reply Quote Reb Cpl Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 June 2011 at 11:06am
	If you're interested in a baseball game, Camden yards. You'll be in in that area anyway, and Camden is a beautiful park. Also, if you're going between Niagara falls and NYC, let me know. Perhaps I can be of assistance in some manner.
	?

Ceesman762 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Time for a C-Section! Joined: 15 November 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 5029	Post Options Post Reply Quote Ceesman762 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 June 2011 at 11:16am
	Don't go into the South Bronx....
	Innocence proves nothing FUAC!!!!!

SSOK Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group The Savior of Christmas Joined: 01 September 2005 Location: PRNJ Status: Offline Points: 5919	Post Options Post Reply Quote SSOK Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 29 June 2011 at 1:19am
	There is a Six Flags in NJ as well. Why Georgia? In the tristate area there are a few attractions/things to do but not a lot. Perhaps a few things to tack on to your NYC trip. I would reccomend a daytrip on the beach (somewhere clean and quiet, not Seaside).


Tolgak Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Platinum Member Master of MSPaint and bri's Daddy Joined: 12 July 2002 Location: BEHIND YOU! Status: Offline Points: 1239486	Post Options Post Reply Quote Tolgak Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 August 2011 at 8:35am
	The plans didn't go quite the way we thought, but everything's still going well. Right now I'm in our hotel in NYC, just a few blocks away from Times Square that we booked with my dad's points ($40/night). We spent the last two days downtown and will be heading uptown today. We have a pass for the GreyLine tour busses. The guides haven't been very good, but the ride is great. So far we've been to: Times Square Statue of Liberty Observation platforms of both the Empire State building and Top of the Rock (Rock is better) South Street Seaport China Town (bought the obligatory fake Rolex) Ground Zero (1 WTC is going to look awesome) Macy's United Nations The food so far has been awesome. Had pizza at a place I've been to on a band trip about 6 years ago - Rudy's. We had hot dogs off the street, but they weren't anything special. The Doughnut Plant was great but super expensive. We had various snacks as well. We made a mistake eating at a mediocre restaurant last night, but after walking forever, we didn't know what to go for. We did the lottery for The Book of Mormon, and will be doing it again tonight. There were about 200-300 people there, and 10 names are usually drawn, so the chances of winning aren't too bad. Today will take us to Central Park and the Guggenheim and whatever else is around that area. We'll be going to plenty of museums in DC so I'm not going to bother with some of the others in NYC Tomorrow we take a bus to DC where we'll meet some family friends. I've got plenty of pictures so far, but I wont have the time to upload them for quite a while. Thanks for the advice everybody, this has been quite fun so far.