Driving and trying to ease the guilt....

[Cyrra]

...of pulling the kids out of school for two weeks to hit Disney.

So in a few short weeks we will be leaving SW PA and heading down to the World for two fabulous weeks. So in order to ease our guilt of pulling the kids (10 & 12) out of school we decided to try to stop at some interesting/educational places along the way. We will be taking 79S outside of Pittsburgh to 19S, 77S, 26S, to 95S in GA. Does anyone have any great ideas of fun eductional places to stop along those routes? We figured we would at least hit the New River Gorge in WVa around lunch time for some sight seeing and some sandwiches, any other ideas out there? Not in too big of a rush either going down or coming back so any suggestions are cool.

Thanks!!

 

[gmeh1]

St. Augustine, FL. The oldest city in the USA.

 

[chartle]

Just did that trip in May and the first 5 hours or almost a third of the trip is all W Va. I looks like you found something in W Va but we never did.

You don't really pass any thing thats really historic or educational.

Maybe Savannah? Not sure how far out of the way you want to go.

 

[Aunt Michelle]

Try this site http://www.civilwartraveler.com/

You should be able to hit some Civil War sites on both sides of the Mason-Dixon.

 

[Junebugwv]

The Visitor Center at the New River Gorge Bridge is definitely worth a stop for educational purposes.

http://www.nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/crvc.htm

In Beckley, WV, The Exhibition Coal Mine is a great place for a ride into a coal mine with a veteran miner.

http://www.beckley.org/exhibition_coal_mine/index.html

Near Beckley, at exit 45, is the Tamarack. All crafts are made by WV artisans and the Food Court has very good food. If you happen to be there when the artisans are working, it is a real treat.

http://www.tamarackwv.com/

If you are pressed for time, the visitor center at the New River Gorge would be my first choice. Then I would have a little research on the tunnels out of WV into VA. Just let them read the history of the tunnels as you are in the vicinity.

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/back0705.cfm

 

[Cyrra]

Thanks! I knew you guys would have some great ideas...off to check those links.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

Is Harper's Ferry out of the way?

How about Charlottesville, VA? Colonial Williamsburg? Savannah, Ga? Andersonville or Plains, Ga?

 

[pixieMandy]

We live in northcentral PA and we are planning at stopping at Jekyll Island, GA, on the way back from Disney in April. We've been there before and we love it! The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is there and you can see injured or sick sea turtles be rehabilitated. There's many old "cottages" (more like mansions!) that were owned by the wealthy Vanderbilts, etc. that you can explore. Driftwood Beach is just gorgeous, and last time we did a boat tour and got to see dolphins. This time we're going to to the longer tour to Cumberland Island to see wild horses as well.

 

[Robert P]

I like the historical aspect of both St Augustine, FL and Savannah, GA.

Note: If possible, try to time your drive to avoid Charlotte, NC rush hours (4-7 p.m. roughly, but 4:30 - 6:00 is the bad part). That should be the worst traffic you'll hit from 77 down to WDW.

 

[rwdavis2]

I understand the guilt but if the stops don't cover something specific to their classes this year why bother? The purpose of the trip is to go to WDW so just go.

 

[nancyjvanwyk]

I understand the guilt but if the stops don't cover something specific to their classes this year why bother? The purpose of the trip is to go to WDW so just go.

I am going along with this suggestion. Just have fun and do the Land attraction and that will be enough of an education