Vacation in the USA - Recommendations please

[Markus]

Hello folks,
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Day out with Thomas for my 5 year old on May 9th</SPAN>
- ???
- Charleston, SC around May 18th
- Charlotte, NC > visit at Dennis Olthoff's shop

Do you have any recommendations regarding points of interests near our route. Especially but not exclusively Museums for Cars, Trains, Airplanes etc. or race events of any kind or anything else.
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Thank you in advance for any tips.<o></o>
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Regards,<o></o>
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Markus

 

[Jim Craik]

Battleship USS Alabama outside Mobile, much more modern than the USS Texas. This museum also has the submarine USS Drum and several aircraft, including an SR71 Blackbird!

Nasa Space Center Houston

 

[Garry]

Markus,
The Air Museum in Addison,Tx (a suburb of North dallas) is worth a visit. There are some WWII planes on display. May is racing season for NASCAR, but you will need to check on-line at Texas Motor Speedway's web-site for what will be scheduled. They also race CART INDY SERIES cars there as well.

In Houston, Please see the NASA Space Center for a great time for both adults and children. There are fantastic displays of the Space Shuttle, Apollo, Saturn V rocket, etc. There is also a full scale mock-up of the landing site on the moon with the moon-rover on display. Enjoy!

I almost forgot to add that there is a Six Flags Over Texas amusement park in the Dallas area as well. That is really fun for the Kiddies. Pack sunscreen as it is beginning to warm up by then and the sun can be brutal if you are out in it all day.

Garry

 

[Aaron L.]

Depending on when exactly you go, you ABSOLUTELY MUST go to the new orleans jazz and heritage festival. All sorts of great vendors and food and all kings of bands from the local garage bands all the way up to the heavy hitters. For one of the best examples of great southern cooking Loretta's pralines is a good bet. Loretta absolutely shows quintessential southern hospitality to everyone she's around (her pralines are excellent too for that matter).

 

[Ron Earp]

While in Charleston don't miss the USS Yorktown and the sub they have on display. Was just there a few weeks ago.

 

[Dave P]

Markus:

Charlotte motor speedway and Hendrick motorsports both are free. There is a Train museum in Spencer North Carolina also. It has a round house also. Billy Graham library is also nice.

 

[Bill Musarra]

Markus,
On your way to Charleston you have to stop off in Savannah, Ga. One of the oldest communities in the U. S. While there you have to take in River Street and the haunted tour. There are lots of tour carriages(better than the buses, and you will see some of the greatest buildings and scenery and information about the city. Resturants on River Street like Spankys with their original Chicken fingers, and Fiddler's for their all you can eat Snow Crab legs, and the Chart House(a little expensive). An area you will want to try is Market Square about 3 blocks from River St. for some great restaurants(Belford's) and on Sundays at Wild Wings there is usually entertainment. Lots of things to be seen on walking tours if you want the exercise. They may still be doing the roof top garden tours. I believe at the Tourist center thy still have the old Steam Lococmotive tours?
Savannah Travel Guide - Savannah, GA Reviews and Travel Tips - TripAdvisor
For racing there is Roebling Road, but it isn't a spectator driven raceway. Lots of SCCA and other events
Roebling Road Raceway

I lived there for 5 years. Loved it, wish I didn't have to leave there. Lived 2 doors down from Mrs. Wilkes boarding style restaurant on West Jones St. Supposedly BO visited the place on one of his visits. about 4-5 blocks from River St. If you need any other info on the area, just email me.

Bill

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

Not on your route, but there is an excellent car collection museum in Naples, FL, on the West Coast- the Collier collection. Have fun. It sounds like a nice itinerary.

 

As long as your in Texas,
The Chaparral cars are on display there.
You just might enjoy checking them out ?
They are in Midland Texas.

Chaparral Cars on Display

Cheer's

Curtis

 

[Grady]

Charleston,
Rainbow Row and the Battery, walking tour or carriage, many restaurants

Magnolia Plantation & its Gardens (circa 1680)
Magnolia Plantation & Its Gardens | Packages, Coupons & More for Magnolia Plantation & Its Gardens in Charleston, 29414 | Charleston Area CVB

Museums, aquariums, historic Forts, maritime museums.

The Olthoff shop is about 35 minutes north of Charlotte, in the country...a nice drive. Two and one-half hours west of Dennis you'll find the Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville, and little further west, The Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway (U.S. National Park Service)


It really depends on your interest and what you would like to see. If you have been to the Palace Versailles. Then you may not be interested in the Biltmore here in Asheville (largest private residence in the US)

There are many miles in your itinerary and thousands of sites and happenings.

The beauty of the US is its Parks and its people. Take your time and I'm sure you'll find us as friendly and say, "the people are just like us!" Just as I have found in the many times my family has been in Germany and Europe. My son went to university just outside of Munchen. I was there last year for the F1 race at Nurburgring. Enjoy your stay.
Grady- Asheville, NC

 

[Chris Kouba]

Markus,

I can't help much with landmarks or things to do in those areas but for logistics, check in with Tom Schwab (EGILTOM on the forum). He too did a bit of an excursion ~two years ago and could probably give you a few good tips.

Enjoy your trip!

Chris

 

[John Fitzpatrick]

Markus- My wife and I live an hour north of Houston, right on your way down from Dallas, and you would be welcome to stay in our home over night (we have two spare bedrooms). NASA is only a 20 minute drive from the Battleship Texas and Galveston island, about 45 minutes away, has a railroad museum, the Texas Flight museum, and an indoor butterfly garden & insect zoo which I think is creepy but kids seem to love. My wife is a native of Galveston (her family survived the hurricane of 1900), and we'd be pleased to be your tour guides. Auch, ich sprechen ein bisschen deutsch!

 

[Ron Earp]

I second Grady's recommendations on Charleston. If you have time for only one Southern coastal city I'd vote Charleston. Savannah is pretty decent, but as a frequenter of both towns my nod goes to Charleston. I'll be down in Savannah (Pooler/Roebling Road actually) next weekend for the double SCCA SARRC race and will hopefully check out some more Savannah action.

 

[Pat]

You are in for a treat!
New Orleans (I grew up there) go to the jazz clubs on Magazine Street towards uptown. They are the real deal versus the tourist rip-offs in the French Quarter (with a couple of exceptions). As noted, Jazz Fest is fantastic. Have at least one meal at Arnauds (it's one of the exceptions).

Drive eastward on Interstate ten (I-10) when you leave and two great stops are the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola and the Tallahassee Antique Car Museum. Both are a great afternoon.

If you find yourself in Orlando, shoot me an e-mail!

 

[BenL]

Depending upon how you're getting from Mobile, AL, to Charleston, SC, the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Birmingham, AL might be worth a detour.

Barber : Car Collection

"The collection now has over 1200 vintage and modern motorcycles and as well as a substantial collection of Lotus and other racecars."

I've never been there, but it's on my list of places to visit.

 

[EGLITOM]

Markus

I lived in the metroplex area for on year

Great Texmex food: Uncle Julios
5301 Camp Bowie Boulevard
Fort Worth, TX 76107-4838, United States

Great BBQ:

http://www.angelosbbq.com/ Fort worth

Railhead Smokehouse Inc‎2900 Montgomery Street, Fort Worth, TX 76107-5613, United States<NOBR>(817) 738-9808</NOBR>‎

Great steaks:
Hoffbrau steakhouse
1712 South University Drive, Fort Worth - <NOBR>(817) 870-1952</NOBR>
<NOBR></NOBR>
<NOBR>Butcher´s Dallas</NOBR>
<NOBR>http://butchershopsteakhouse.net/</NOBR>
<NOBR></NOBR>
<NOBR>and close by a great blue and jazz bar</NOBR>
<NOBR></NOBR>
<NOBR>The froggy bottoms </NOBR>
<NOBR></NOBR><NOBR>603 Munger Avenue</NOBR>
<NOBR>Dallas, TX 75202
Phone Number: +1 (214) 969-0300
</NOBR><NOBR></NOBR>

Dragstrip: Texas Motorplex - NHRA Drag Racing Bugs in 25 years on May 2nd

Stock Yards Fort Worth: Historic District : http://www.fortworthstockyards.org/

Great girls: PM me )

TOM

 

[Markus]

Hello again,

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Thank you very much for all the useful ideas.
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It is really interesting to follow up on your input and to learn that an Internet research does not reveal all the details.
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Once more the forum proves to be a place to get good advice and even more ........
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In my original thread I forgot to mention that I was living in Charleston, SC for almost 5 years. Sorry for the extra effort and I agree with all the comments about Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA.
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Grady,<o></o>
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I absolutely confirm your statement about the US and its people!!!
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We are looking forward to our vacation.

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Thank you again,
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Markus