My bf and I (from Europe) want to visit the East coast states + Tenessee.
We love beautiful parks, nature, forests (flat, easy access because I am on a wheelchair), cute neighborhoods with cute old houses 😀 and we are big foodies (so if they are so iconic bbq places do tell )
We are not intersted in NYC, museums and all that.
What are your recomendations?
We are thinking of 3 week holiday.
9 comments
Tennessee is really nice btw .
If you’re road tripping in that area, you need to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway from Virginia into NC. Absolutely gorgeous drive and gorgeous overlooks.
The problem is that flat and forests don’t really coexist on the east coast. From a driving perspective you could take the plane to DC and then head out on I-66 to Front Royal, Virginia and take Skyline Drive/The Blue Ridge Parkway down to Tennessee.
If I were you I would spend time in New England. The scenery is really pretty and you will get those cute towns and old (for us!) houses. Also GREAT breweries if you appreciate that. You will probably want to google accessible trails in the different states on your itinerary since every state will have options. A few I remember (it’s been awhile since I lived up there) are Diana’s Bath in NH, Stowe VT bike path, and Burlington VT lake path. There are also mountain gondolas which may be accessible. My brother uses a wheelchair too 🙂
Rent a sports car and tour the Blue Ridge Parkway area.
Smokey Mountains National Park is very beautiful. Most national parks have very accessible areas. Hopefully an expert will pipe up.
Do you know what time of year?
Whilst it is situated in a very mountainous region, [Gatlinburg Tennessee](https://www.gatlinburg.com/) has loads of attractions in town and is surrounded on all sides by nature. [A quick google gives at least a few wheelchair accessible attractions there.](https://curbfreewithcorylee.com/2021/02/10/wheelchair-accessible-gatlinburg-tennessee/)
It’s such a beautiful area and I’d highly recommend it.
And as a bonus, it is about 15-20 minutes away from Pigeon Forge which is (also) a huge tourist attraction in Tennessee.
I think you’ll need to do your homework on what parks you want to visit.
Many National Parks and Lakeshores have a “scenic drive” which will get you some good views of whatever there is to see, and the pullover areas are generally accessible. But when we’re getting into the hiking routes within national parks, state parks and national forests, a lot of them just aren’t very accessible. Even a place like Turkey Run in Indiana, a notoriously flat state, [you’ll be going across a narrow bridge](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Turkey+Run+State+Park/@39.8909207,-87.2006059,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1sAF1QipP1TTOVB3Gh0jsgTrdRG4eT93ADni3O54lthvo5!2e10!3e12!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipP1TTOVB3Gh0jsgTrdRG4eT93ADni3O54lthvo5%3Dw203-h152-k-no!7i4032!8i3024!4m5!3m4!1s0x886d359641f31495:0xe5bc9f6d4c615b42!8m2!3d39.8909207!4d-87.2006059) to get to the hiking areas, [up and down a bunch of stairs](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Turkey+Run+State+Park/@39.8925058,-87.2036308,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1sAF1QipNhRLfITiXUl7hvt5NesNgkWZnjPzKZM9YO3sgM!2e10!3e12!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipNhRLfITiXUl7hvt5NesNgkWZnjPzKZM9YO3sgM%3Dw203-h134-k-no!7i2048!8i1360!4m5!3m4!1s0x886d359641f31495:0xe5bc9f6d4c615b42!8m2!3d39.8909207!4d-87.2006059), and the best routes involve going up and down ladders and walking along wet rocks.
Maybe consider Michigan? There’s lots of great towns along the coast of Lake Michigan, generally flat. The towns tend to have a lot of amenities due to tourism while also not being an incredibly urban environment. I was in the Leland/Suttons Bay/Traverse City area last summer and had a bunch of good food, did the Sleepy dunes National Lakeshore, good times.
Three weeks is long enough for you to do DC for a couple days, then spend two days in Richmond which is an incredible food city, so a day trip to Williamsburg, then head east and stop in Charlottesville on your way to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Take the parkway and Interstate 81(/state route 11 if you have time) down through the Appalachians and Southwest Virginia to Tennessee.
You’ll definitely want to hit Breaks Interstate Park, and then head to the border in Bristol, which is a city whose Main Street straddles the state line between VA and Tennessee; it’s literally Tennessee on one side of the street and Virginia on the other. It’s the birthplace of country music and has lots to occupy you for a day.
From there head into Tennessee and make sure to stop at Dollywood, Nashville, and then conclude in Memphis on the mighty Mississippi River.
Honestly, I’m jealous and want to do this trip now.
>OH also **Do all states still require covvid vax to dine in? Or mostly they don’t? **
No one can predict what may happen in the future but in general most governments are moving away from vax checks and masks, even in major urban areas.