5 days in America

[crispybits]

OK FISO, inspire me.

I'm going to New York for a wedding in September. I'll probably only stay there 2-3 days because I've been there before and I want to see something else of the country.

I also want to visit a friend in Atlanta for 4-5 days.

That leaves 5-6 days free to do as I please. What I'd love to do is see some genuine small town America so I'm thinking that my last day on the road will end in Senoia (a small town about 2 hours drive south of Atlanta, and also the setting of Woodbury in the Walking Dead TV series)

But what else to do? Coming in from the south just looking at the map doesn't seem too interesting, just long stretches of open countryside. New Orleans probably 10-11 hours drive away is the first real point of interest down that way. I could come in from the north and there's a big national park there that might be nice, but not for more than 1 day. Beyond that just fairly nondescript looking towns and cities. I love the sea but the nearest coastline to the east of Atlanta doesn't look incredibly inspiring either.

I could do the road trip section out of New York and visit Atlantic City driving down the coast road southwards but part of me says that I'm gonna be disappointed if I try that because it's going to bore me a little.

So, you've got 5 days. Day 1 you leave New York (by plane or car) and day 6 you have to arrive in Atlanta (by plane or car) - how do you spend those 5 days? Give me some ideas please

[murf]

September should be when all the trees are turning red/brown and beautiful, lots of that north of NY I think

[Hotpot]

Fly to Vegas, 4/5 days in Vegas, fly to Atlanta.

Job done.

[unc.si.]

I'd be tempted to head into New England from New York then fly to Atlanta from Boston,

ie head up to New Hampshire - go through the White Mountains and to some of the inland and coastal towns in Maine - head back down to Boston and fly to Atlanta there.

Bridgton in Maine is worth a visit for a slice of small town New England

I've driven across America a couple of times and the general area round Georgia isn't the most inspiring tbh. Lots of countryside but not a lot of any note, although if you do drive down to Atlanta it's worth going across the Blue Ridge Parkway (Virgina - singing compulsory. The Shenandoa river is round there as well somewhere if you really want a sing-along!!)

[Pouzar99]

It ultimately depends on what interests you, Crispy, but I would second Unc's recommendation of New England. Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine are ravishingly beautiful at that time of year. Driving Vermont's Highway 7 north towards the Canadian border is awesome and a stopover in, say, Bar Harbor, Maine, is well worth the effort. Great lobster country. I have driven on Highway 7 a number of times and bicycled from New Brunswick through Maine enroute to New Jersey once and loved it. Gorgeous country, friendly people, nice pubs or taverns with excellent local beer. If you drive south there is not much of interest until the Carolinas, unless you fancy a tour of Washington, D.C. Best of luck whatever you do.

[gazwood]

I echo the Vermont and New Hampshire shouts. I went to Burlington and the White Mountains during the summer of 2010 during a road trip from New York to Canada and it was stunning.