Part II map of Eastern states

This trip runs from Rhode Island through Vermont, New York, and more Eastern states to South Carolina. Referencing from above, this trip takes me to the original destination (Charleston, SC). Now, Part II is my shortest segment! You see some long drives without waypoints. I’ll likely see some interesting stops along the way and add them “on the fly.” This section takes me to five states I haven’t visited in many years.

Part III map of Eastern states

This trip eventually led me home. Part III runs through nearly a dozen states! And runs through two more states I haven’t visited in many years. And here’s a Table of Contents for the remainder of the post.

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Temporary table of contents for new posts

• Quirky Places
  • Summary post of the quirky attractions
  • Midwest Awesome Quirky Attractions
  • Mid-Atlantic Weird Wonderful Places
  • New-England Quirky Fun Attractions
  • Southeastern Weird Visiting Places
  • Quirky Wonderful Home Stretch
• Overview of Presidential sites
  • Links to individual posts for each president visited to date
  • Posts will occur starting in March of 2022
  • It will likely be into the Summer of 2022 before they are all completed

Quest to visit all 50 states….again!

As I mentioned above, I visited all 50 states during Navy, vacation, and business trips. I set a new goal to revisit all 50 after January 1st, 2014. Prior to this trip, I’d been to 40 states on my revisit quest. Part I of the trip took me to four more: Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Part II & III take me into Vermont, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. That brings me to 48! Oregon and Hawaii remain when this trip ended!

While one purpose of the trip is to visit these states, I’m also focusing on several major categories along the way. First, I’m doing it for the pure enjoyment of seeing so many attractions. Second, I already mentioned, I want to share my experiences with you! Third, I expect to see attractions in all the identified categories.

Update: In April 2022, I visited Oregon and Washington, bringing me to 49. In January 2023, I spent 10 days in Hawaii! That brought me to 50! And here’s the link to that trip.

Trip Categories and other facts

So, the main categories include National Parks; Presidential homes, museums, and birthplaces; iconic sports venues; odd, weird, quirky, and kitschy attractions; unique places; a few museums in addition to the presidential libraries and museums; state capitals; and other attractions. The maps above are now complete. I saw 27 attractions related to a president of the US.

On a trip in 2019, I set a “rule” that I would stop at every historical site indicated by highway road signs. I quickly found that to be impractical! Using those signs as a guide and stopping when something draws my interest made more sense. I’ll also took suggestions and visited some places I hadn’t considered.

Did you know that the US states reached almost equal division by the Mississippi River? There are 26 states entirely east of the river. There are 22 states entirely west of the river. Minnesota and Louisiana have some parts east of the river, but since most of their land is west of the Mississippi, they are considered western states. (Currently a 26/24 split.) Now, if California does as threatened by some, and divides itself into multiple states…..

26 States in 26^x2 Days blog posts plans

Consequently, I will write a general blog post for each state. I’ll also write separate posts for each presidential location, national park, and other locations I decide can accommodate a full post. For the odd, weird, quirky, kitschy locations, I provided a summary post and four individual posts about a number of sites in each post. While I’m writing about each state, I may decide to write a post about other topics as well.

Premium subscribers saw this content daily as I drove. I wanted to preview for them before posting to the public blog and seek their input for comments and suggestions. I’ve received some helpful suggestions. Now, all of us benefit from sharing!

In summary, I plan to visit a total of 27 states (including Iowa) and see many different attractions along the way. (Since I live in Minnesota, even if I see some attractions, I can’t call it “visiting”!) I’ve already identified a few people I know in these locations that I may visit. Maybe coffee or lunch is on the agenda! Currently, my Classic Rock Recollection includes my road trip playlist, a list I play to kick off every road trip. Premium subscribers voted in the theme song, “I’ve Been Everywhere,” by Johnny Cash and others.

So let’s get on with all the Eastern States

Each state will eventually have a very brief summary here, one representative picture, and a link to the post or posts about that state. However, for this initial post, I’ll just give a draft of the summary. I may post pictures during my trip but will complete most of this post upon return from the trip.

By the way, early picture posts will mostly come from my phone. I’ll retrieve and edit my Nikon pictures after my trip when completing the posts.

Below are the states in the order in which I visit them. Again, just a very brief piece here and more later.

Starting here, you’ll find individual posts about each state. As I work toward completion, you’ll see more over time. This post will include a picture representative of my visit to that state. Of course, each state post includes pictures from the state.

Midwestern states

Wisconsin

My very first stop is the Chippewa Falls Museum of Industry and Technology. The big draw for this one is the story about the first supercomputer, the Cray. Interestingly, Chippewa Falls is the hometown of Seymour Cray. While he attended the University of Minnesota and worked for several Minnesota companies, chief among them Control Data Corporation, he formed Cray Research in Chippewa Falls when he left CDC. Also of interest, Leinenkugel’s Brewing, the well-known Wisconsin beer maker, makes its home here. (Here’s a link to the detailed post.)

While in Wisconsin, other attractions include Wisconsin Dells, Taliesin, the Wisconsin State Capital in Madison, and several stops in Milwaukee. I hope to see the Harley Davidson Museum, but that will be part of another trip if I run out of time. My last stop in Wisconsin is the Lake Express Ferry terminal in Milwaukee which will take me across Lake Michigan to…

Michigan

… the entry point of Muskegon, Michigan. After a quick visit to Muskegon, I’m on my way to Grand Rapids. And the first Presidential Museum appears on my route. President Gerald R. Ford’s hometown. While his Presidential Library is in Ann Arbor at the University of Michigan, the museum showcasing his life and achievements remains in Grand Rapids. He and his wife, Betty Ford, are buried on the grounds. Here’s a link to a short post about the views of the museum I saw.

And, my first COVID casualty hits me here. The Museum closed to visitors about two days prior to my scheduled visit. From there, I stopped in Saugatuck for a quick lunch. Here’s a link to the Michigan post.

I’ll follow the highway from Michigan as it approaches Lake Michigan and likely view the lake. From there, I go into…..

Indiana

..and my first planned stop at the Indiana Dunes National Park (link to National Parks site) on the shores of Lake Michigan. Since I visited Notre Dame (South Bend) on another trip, it’s not included here. The next planned stop is a military battlefield, a famed ice cream shop, and Purdue University in West Lafayette. (Purdue isn’t really on the schedule, but I will stop to see it. After all, it is a Big Ten university!) Here’s a link to the Indiana section of the trips.

Two Presidential museums, President William Henry Harrison and his grandfather, President Benjamin Harrison, appear on my route. As a side note, Benjamin Harrison V (his great-grandfather) signed the Declaration of Independence (along with a few others, of course!)

And I can’t miss the site of arguably the most famous auto race in the US, The Indy 500! The track and the associated museum make my list. Several other stops include one of the quirky places on my list. Following those stops, I’m entering….

Kentucky

.. at Louisville. The Louisville Slugger Museum, Churchill Downs, and the Muhammad Ali Center get the nod for places to see here. The Zachary Taylor Presidential center and another quirky place draw my attention here before continuing on to…..

And here’s more about the visit!

Initially, I visited Kentucky after leaving Indiana. That part included Louisville, Frankfort, and a couple of other attractions. Here’s a link to the post. Later, I “circled back” on my way home and come into Kentucky from Tennessee, making it the next to last state I visited east of the Mississippi.

Ohio

…entering Cinncinati, where I’ll initially see the William Howard Taft National Historic Site and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Ohio claims home for eight US Presidents, more than any other state. However, I’ve only visited five Presidential Museums in Ohio. Want to know why? Follow here for more information on that!

Ohio consumed three nights and the better part of four days of my time, as there are several quirky places to see as well. The NFL Hall of Fame is in Canton, the statehouse is in Columbus, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (shortened to Rock Hall?) is in Cleveland. The post (link here) includes most of the places I visited in Ohio. Had a great visit! From Ohio, I enter…..

North Eastern States

Pennsylvania

…and visit Pittsburgh and a unique church south of there. I hope to see Falling Water, a Frank Lloyd Wright house as well. More in Pennsylvania later, but from here, I’m into…

West Virginia

… and a quirky attraction in Point Pleasant, the WV state capital, and the Greenbriar, a historic hotel/resort. Along with a couple of other stops at New River Gorge National Park and the National Radio Astronomy location. My personal interest comes from a Navy friend who did this work for his career. (After the Navy, he spent much of his career in Fairbanks, AK.) (I will likely hit the corner of West Virginia again when I come back around, heading south.) From here, I head into…

Virginia

… with the first stop likely to be a historic town, then into a Civil War battle memorial, an extension of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, and another quirky attraction. I’ll see more of Virginia on my way back south again. Now, for a quick stop in…

Washington DC

…where I only made one stop. We visited here in 2019, and I’ve been here about half a dozen times over the years. I’m thinking of the Washington National Cathedral because it’s easy in and out! Although, the Georgetown area makes my “wanna-do” list as well.

For more information, tap or click the image above to visit the post.

From there, into….

Maryland

…and Annapolis to see the State Capital and the Naval Academy. Following those stops, it’s into Baltimore for a couple of historic attractions and supposedly a great ice cream treat! Oh, another quirky stop as well. And into….

Delaware

..for the State Capital and a couple of quirky stops. I may even pass through Greenville, home of Joe Biden, the current US President, interestingly, the oldest US president, before heading back into…

Maryland, again

.. because I have to get around the Chesapeake Bay, another bay, and visit Ocean City for several interesting attractions. Ocean City is mostly a summer beach place, so some places may even be closed when I get there. Followed by crossing back into….

Delaware, again

.. just to board the Lewes-Cape May Ferry. (Sounds like George Washington, crossing the Delaware!) From there into…

New Jersey

.. of course, Cape May. From there, I’ll visit another quirky place, a presidential museum, an Ivy League university, and a couple of others. I expect to see the Statue of Liberty, which is actually in New York, but I’ll likely catch a ferry ride from the New Jersey side. (Still haven’t decided if I will drive into NYC or if I will stay in NJ and take the PATH train.) A couple of other places as I head north but first….

New York City

… to see the 911 Memorial, a couple of iconic buildings, Central Park, Broadway (but not a play), Times Square, and maybe the Intrepid Museum. It’s New York, so I’ll add a few extra stops. I’m trying to find “affordable” hotels in Manhattan, but I don’t think those words go together! I certainly need to visit as many iconic places as I can build into my time there before heading back into…

New Jersey, again

….to “driveby” Met Life Stadium and a couple of cities mentioned in the song “I’ve Been Everywhere”! Again, I’m debating whether to stay in Jersey overnight or drive into “The City”! But, after that, I’m back into…

New York (state this time, another Eastern state)

… and visit the site of Woodstock! Hey, I’m a boomer; what do you expect? I’ll also see another Presidential museum and the state capital. Places in the song “I’ve Been Everywhere” lie along the route. Maybe, a couple of other stops, but I’ll be back! Just another part of 26 States in 26×2 Days. From here, I’m headed into ….

New England states

Massachusetts

…to see another Presidential museum, and I hope to catch “The Big E,” which is the name everyone calls The Big East Exposition, a “state fair” that includes all six New England states. Again, a couple of places in the theme song. With “great anticipation,” I head into….

Connecticut (still another Eastern state)

… and a tribute to a great American author, an Ivy League University, a couple of seaport towns, and a great little town where an eating place spawned a movie! I’ve got a few others on my list, and a friend told me to explore Connecticut a bit. I’ll see the state capital as well. But, onward and “upward,” into…

Rhode Island (and unique Eastern state attractions)

.. where I’ll see Newport, the site of Bob Dylan’s “going electric” in 1965 at the Newport Folk Festival. (And, to think I’m seeing that on the 26 States in 26×2 Days!) I’m still looking for a couple more stops in Rhode Island. Before publication, I found a small island with an hour ferry ride (each way) considered one of the top visits in Rhode Island, and unique! Will I go? Depends on the time. Of course, there is another quirky site and the state capital. And, from there into…

Massachusetts, again

.. to Lizzie Borden’s Bed & Breakfast! Another museum, an iconic sports venue, and a museum of two presidents. No, not JFK; we visited there back in 2016. Did you know that JFK was the youngest US president? Of course, any trip through Massachusetts wouldn’t be complete without visiting Salem to see the Witch Trials Memorial! Then, proceed into…

New Hampshire then Maine

..and initially, drive through the narrowest part of New Hampshire to have a lobster roll in Kittery, Maine. We spent 6 days in Maine in 2016, so no need to see much of it on this trip. (We did see Acadia National Park at that time.) Then into New Hampshire for nearly a dozen stops. Another president here and another ****henge visit! Also, a Revolutionary War site, the state capital, and several scenic and historical places. Proceeding logically into the next state, which is…

Vermont (and still an Eastern state!)

…initially visiting Concord and on to Montpelier, the state capital. At this point, I have three quirky sites on my list. I also have historical attractions. One president resided in Vermont, Chester A. Arthur, in the northern part. It’s about 20 miles from Canada. Wouldn’t that be a good way to supplement 26 States in 26×2 Days? I don’t know if I’ll make this an international trip! I’ll see if Canada closes its border to Americans again with COVID spiking. The route continues along Lake Champlain and visits several historic sites before going into…

New York state, again

..where I have about 15 places to visit. First, I’m going a bit out of my way to visit Lake Placid, home of the Miracle on Ice in 1980. Lake Placid gets recognition from Conde Nast as a beautiful small town. Another president is on the list. And visiting western New York, I must see Niagra Falls. And run into another ****henge place! I hope to meet a friend from one of my contract jobs back in 2013/14. That will be in Buffalo.

I’m not sure if the Buffalo Bills stadium is iconic, but at least it’s one of the oldest, completed in 1973. The only older stadiums are Soldier Field in Chicago (1924), Lambeau in Green Bay (1957), and Arrowhead in Kansas City (1972). Soldier Field underwent almost a full rebuild in 2003, so which one is really older? Actually, the Bills stadium is “iconic” in that replacement efforts happen regularly as some consider it (arguably) the worst in the NFL, especially since the Raiders left the Oakland Coliseum! And it was hard to be worse than the Oakland Coliseum!

After visiting another museum and a few other stops, the route takes me into….

Pennsylvania, again

….and this time, I’ll see more places. One of the first places appears in a popular song released in 1982. Which town appears in the song? More later! Then a town named after an almost mythical athlete who received two gold medals in the 1912 Olympics. Again, does anyone know who that is?

And then a town known both as the hometown of an American racing family and a biblical name! In addition to the state capital and Gettysburg National Military Park, several other stops occur before driving into…

Maryland and West Virginia

..and just to see a scenic overlook in Maryland and a historical site in West Virginia. Since I’ve already been in both states, these two places are along the route. Visiting Harpers Ferry, WV, to see the National Historic Park. Abolitionist John Brown led his group to overrun an arsenal. Due to fatalities on the government side, Brown was executed, but the event played a key role that led to the Civil War. From there, back into….

Virginia, again

…to see four Presidential museums, two Civil war sites, a state capital, a National Park, and a couple of quirky attractions. George Washington’s Mount Vernon (the first president of the USA) visit happened in 2018, so I won’t see it this time. Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello likely ranks as the most famous or important of the Presidential sites after Mount Vernon. But, of course, there are several presidents from Virginia, and here’s James Madison. Although I’ve visited Colonial Williamsburg, it’s on my list to see again. But in the typical “Driveby Tourist” fashion! After driving over (and under) a unique combination bridge/tunnel (and back again), I’m off to …..

The Carolinas (Eastern states)

North Carolina

… and my first stop at the state capital. I don’t think I’ll pass back and forth between states again! North Carolina presents several opportunities to see historic attractions. And some quirky locations pop up again! In the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area, three major universities “live” within about 50 miles. All three represent college basketball at its best over the years.

Research Triangle Park locates in the area, the largest research park in the United States, and a premier global innovation center. The park represents research and technology connections between universities and industry. Its 7,000 acres house hundreds of companies, including science and technology firms, government agencies, academic institutions, startups, and nonprofits. Many well-known companies operate research centers here. And I move on to….

South Carolina

… and find a quirky location called “South of the Border.” It’s a combination of travelers’ oases, shopping locations, and amusement parks. Due to the nature of some of the locations on the campus, South of the Border finds itself on the list of well-known quirky locations!

Of course, there’s much more to South Carolina. I’ll see a national park, South Carolina’s capital building, several historic locations, and more. Myrtle Beach, a well-known tourist trap, oh, I mean destination, found its way to my list. I expect to spend a couple of days in Charleston as that was to be my primary location. Historic Fort Sumter, the antebellum buildings, the beauty of Charleston, in general, create the potential for a great stop on the 26 States in 26×2 Days trip! And, I move on into….

Deep South states (but still Eastern states)

Georgia which may be South (but still an Eastern state)

… with my first stop in historic Savannah. From there, I’ll stop by Augusta National, home of the Masters. As a member of “The Great Unwashed,” I won’t get onto the course but just stopping by and viewing the outside is worth the stop! There are a couple of quirky locations in Georgia as well. And the Ty Cobb Museum, one of the greatest baseball players of all time.

Oops, back into North Carolina and Tennessee

There are several attractions in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, including Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (I know, I said I wasn’t going to go back and forth between states again.) So I’ll drive about 450 miles to see these attractions instead of about 70 miles from Athens, GA, and…

Finally back into Georgia!

.. and into Atlanta, that great southern city includes a Presidential museum and the Martin Luther King National Historic Park. Of course, I’ll see more than that, but I’ll write more about it then. The state capital stands in Atlanta as well. After a couple of additional stops, I’m into ….

Alabama

… and, Birmingham! Currently, I’m looking at several Civil Rights museums as well as other historical attractions. I’m currently still doing some research for Birmingham. But from there to Montgomery and the state capital. And I’ll be back in Alabama! I’ll see a couple of other places as well before crossing the border into….

Florida

…and visiting the highest elevation in Florida. At 345 feet above sea level, it’s the lowest high elevation of all US states. While here, I’ll likely visit Panama City, Fort Walton Beach, and Pensacola. By the way, I spent 8 months in Pensacola in the Navy, many years ago! So, it’s gotta be on the 26 States in 26×2 Days trip. But, move along back into…

Alabama, again

… where I’ll go to LA (that’s Lower Alabama for us non-southerners!) While here, I’ll visit the “Red Neck Riviera” (actually, that begins in Florida) for more beach locations. I’ll also visit another quirky location, Bamahenge!

Of course, I MUST visit Foley, Alabama, the hometown of Kenny “The Snake” Stabler, a Hall of Fame Raider Quarterback! Then, several more historical sites and the University of Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium, home of the Crimson Tide. (“Roll Tide.”) Following those visits, I’m into….

Mississippi

… and on to Starkville, home of Mississippi State and the Presidential Museum of Ulysses S. Grant. The unusual fact is that Grant was born in Ohio, but his Presidential Library is here! Mississippi’s destinations also include part of the historic Natchez Trace and now a National Park managed Parkway. Of course, Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, so that is a must-stop!

I’m scheduled to see other historic attractions and a couple of locations celebrating old-time blues music, many of them in Mississippi. Following that, I’ll be headed into….

Middle central states and back into Midwest but still Eastern states

Tennessee

…. with the likely first stop in Memphis. Six of the scheduled attractions revolve around music, such as Graceland, Beale Street, the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, the Tina Turner Museum, and more. The National Civil Rights Museum takes in Martin Luther King’s assassination site and several other locations in Memphis.

The remainder of Tennessee is historic locations, two presidential museums, and Nashville! (I’ll try to fit in a visit with a Navy friend south of Nashville.) After Nashville, I’ll enter….

Kentucky, again

… with the first scheduled stop being another ***henge! Mammoth Cave National Park, the National Corvette Museum, another quirky location, and the Trail of Tears Park and Heritage Center make up most of the Kentucky portion of the trip. But, if you remember, I already visited Kentucky at the beginning of the trip. And, I’m on into…. (Jump to Illinois if you want to, but here’s a bit more about my second visit to the state.

But, before we move on, gotta make a visit to Mammoth Cave National Park, the National Corvette Museum, and a couple of other attractions. Here’s a link to the post for Kentucky. As I move through Kentucky, I realize I’m on the “home stretch” just a couple more days, and I’ll be finished.

Illinois

… another quirky site; a giant statue in Metropolis, IL! Then, the quirky stop to top all quirky stops on the trip. Casey, IL, is obsessed with giant “things”! The town residents created 12 (and counting) Guinness Book of World Records items. They include the world’s largest: Rocking Chair, Pitchfork, Mailbox, Wind Chimes, Golf Tee, and more. The town also created “big things,” but not world records. They include Antlers, Bird Cage, and Bat; Spinning Top and Toy Glider; Knitting Needles and Crochet Hook; and others.

I’ll see a couple of scenic locations and another place name in the theme song. Since I’m winding down the trip, I’m likely to be ready to get home, but first, I’m entering….

Iowa (not an Eastern state)

…with the first stop in Riverside at the “Future Birthplace of James T. Kirk.” According to the story, references found indicate that Capt. Kirk was born in Iowa but in no specific city. Riverside decided to claim the title! After visiting another town in the theme song, I’ll see the Herbert Hoover Presidential Museum. And, by the time I get this far, I may see the Field of Dreams movie site. I’ve been there before, so I may skip it.

From there, I head to Waterloo, partly because it’s another town in the theme song, and to visit the infamous Charles Manson Intersection. Really, it’s just an intersection of Charles St. and Manson St. and was created long before the serial killer. No intent to “honor” him. Apparently, it’s a bit morbid but also funny!

Then I’ll round out my Iowa visit by seeing the Buddy Holly crash site near Clear Lake and the Hobo Museum in Britt. (By the way, I visited the Surf Ballroom where his last concert was held a couple of years ago.) Following those stops, I’m back into …..

Minnesota (not an Eastern state)

… and possibly a stop at the Jolly Green Giant statue in Blue Earth and the SPAM museum in Austin. And, no visit to that part of Minnesota should exclude the world-famous Mayo Clinic. My final stop may be Northfield, where the Jesse James gang unsuccessfully tried to rob the local bank. “Defeat of Jesse James Days” continues to be celebrated in Northfield every September.

And, I think it’s time to head home and end the 26 States in 26×2 Days.

Summary of 26 States in 26×2 Days! (Eastern states)

Well, that was quite a trip! I visited 27 states in 57 days. I can definitely say, “It’s been great!”.

Classic Rock Recollection

Classic Rock Playlist (and not just for 26 States in 26×2 Days!)

Here is my Road Trip Playlist. Every song has some connection to trips, driving, or meaning related to road trips. For example, Number 1 on the list, I read in a book from one of my favorite authors, John Sandford, that every road trip starts with that song!

1. Sharp Dressed Man by ZZ Top
2. Turn the Page by Bob Seger
3. Highway Star by Deep Purple
4. Running on Empty by Jackson Browne
5. Midnight Rider by The Allman Brothers
6. Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
7. Life is a Highway by Tom Cochrane
8. Runnin’ Down a Dream by Tom Petty
9. Highway to Hell by AC/DC
10. Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd
11. Born to be Wild by Steppenwolf
12. Where the Streets Have no Name by U2
13. Truckin’ by The Grateful Dead
14. Road to Nowhere by Talking Heads
15. All Night Long by Lionel Richie
16. Here I Go Again by Whitesnake
17. Rocket Man by Elton John
18. I Can’t Drive 55 by Sammy Hagar
19. Hollywood Nights by Bob Seger
20. Day Tripper by The Beatles
21. On the Road Again by Willie Nelson
22. I Get Around by The Beach Boys
23. Little Red Corvette by Prince
24. 26 States in 26×2 Days Boogie (No, just kidding!)
25. Travelin’ Man by Ricky Nelson
26. I’ve Been Everywhere by Johnny Cash
27. Highway 61 Revisited by Bob Dylan

Roadtrip Playlist summary

The list is based on both research I’ve done and personal favorites. A few of the songs aren’t really to my taste overall, but they appear on several “road trip songs” lists. A couple may not be Rock n Roll, but it’s my list! And I could go on, and on, and on. Since I started with ZZ Top, I had to save the best for last, Highway 61 Revisited by Bob Dylan!

#thedrivebytourist #the-driveby-tourist #Staneasternstates