Recommendations for US vacation around turn of the year 23/24 - NC, SC, FL

[Markus]

Hello folks,

We will travel to the US from last week of December thru first week in January (2 weeks).
Arrival and departure will be Charlotte, NC.
Fixed stops in Charleston, SC - St. Augustine, FL - Cape Canaveral, FL.
Do you have any recomendations for me?
- museums (cars, planes, tech stuff)
- race events
- car shows
- BBQ restaurants (good ones)
- NASCAR stuff
- regular tourist stuff
- etc. (Yes, wintertime)
How is the weather around the turn of the year in NC? Lower temps are OK but I don't really care for freezing.
How about Greenville area (strong advertisement was made here just recently)?

Thanks in advance for any tips.

Regards,
Markus

 

[Lee Patterson]

If you like golf (or tennis, or just relaxing) look at Ponte Vedra Beach west of Jacksonville. The Ponte Vedra Inn and Club is right on the ocean and a great place (not cheap since you will be there at PRIME time in season rates everywhere). 30 minute drive south to St. Augustine to do many things there. Further south to Coco Beach and tour at the Cape (NASA). You could hit Dayton as well. Not sure if they have a tour of the track. IMSA will be there around that time as the 24 Hours and Roar are end of January. All the beaches along that stretch are really amazing. My advice, make reservations for everything you plan to do well in advance - food, tours, tickets, hotels. Stuff is really busy already at at that time of year, you will really be fighting the crowds.

 

[Neil]

Hello folks,

We will travel to the US from last week of December thru first week in January (2 weeks).
Arrival and departure will be Charlotte, NC.
Fixed stops in Charleston, SC - St. Augustine, FL - Cape Canaveral, FL.
Do you have any recomendations for me?
- museums (cars, planes, tech stuff)
- race events
- car shows
- BBQ restaurants (good ones)
- NASCAR stuff
- regular tourist stuff
- etc. (Yes, wintertime)
How is the weather around the turn of the year in NC? Lower temps are OK but I don't really care for freezing.
How about Greenville area (strong advertisement was made here just recently)?

Thanks in advance for any tips.

Regards,
Markus

When you are in Charleston, I would recommend visitinf two places for sure-

1. The aircraft carrier in the harbor that is open to the public.

2. Fort Sumpter, where the American Civil War started.

 

[Joel K]

NASCAR Hall of Fame - Charlotte, NC

Hendrick Motorsports Museum - Charlotte, NC

Hendrick Motorsports Museum - Automotive Museum Guide

Hendrick Motorsports Museum welcomes visitors at no charge, and fans are encouraged to view our race shops during normal hours of operation.

automotivemuseumguide.com

May be too far out of the way - Don Garlits Drag Racing Museum - Ocala Florida

Drag Racing Museum in Ocala, FL

Visit the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing in Ocala, FL, and educate yourself on the sport's notable history.

garlits.com

 

[Chet Zerlin]

Naples might be a little long of a drive but the Revs Institute here is world class. I’ve been volunteering there as a station guide since 2015. Amazing collection of race cars including two GT40s and a Jaguar D Type. Great seafood here too!

 

[Markus]

Gentleman,

Thanks for your recommendations, please keep them coming....

Markus

 

[Jeff Young]

Well, this is my area of the world. I live in Raleigh, lived in Sumter SC, and have traveled up and down the east coast.

For BBQ, note that the BBQ changes quickly in this region. From Charlotte/western NC where it is BBQ pork, chopped with a red sauce, to eastern NC (my favorite) where it is chopped with a vinegar sauce, to South Carolina which has its own mustard sauce on chicken and a really good hash to Brunswick stew on the coast of Georgia. I'd do some internet research and find NON-chain places to stop.

Don't miss Savannah, GA. It's a very quirky version of Charleston. Old by US standards, beautiful city, great architecture and great restaurants. If you are oing to Cape Canaveral try to make it to Daytona USA too. The exhibits at the track and the tour are worth a day. Edisto Island is a cool quirky beach. Hilton Head is more upscale. Myrtle Beach is trashy and touristy, stay away. Wilmington NC is another good old coastal city and the beaches around it - Kure, Carolina, Topsail -- are very nice.

 

[BenL]

If there's a rocket launch, see if you can find a place at a beach on Rt 1 facing the launch (we did it by accident, we overhead a tourist asking a waitress for suggestions to watch a launch that evening. We saw a small light go up into the sky).

Do you like nature? A tour of a swamp could be fun. There are both airboats (small, flat bottom boats with a giant propeller in back to push air). There are also normal boat tours of swamps. We did the latter at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge Florida/Georgia border.

Manatees are cute creatures you won't find anyplace else.

 

[Rick Muck- Mark IV]

Naples might be a little long of a drive but the Revs Institute here is world class. I’ve been volunteering there as a station guide since 2015. Amazing collection of race cars including two GT40s and a Jaguar D Type. Great seafood here too!

Big second on the Revs. We spend time in Naples, and I always go, still seeing new things every time. Third Saturday is cars and coffee at Ferrari of Naples and the Revs does a cars and coffee event as well. Go online for the news (and note that a GT40 MK III will be joining 1049 and the MK IIB!) TAPPET-Oct-2023-Public.pdf (revsinstitute.org)

 

[Rick Muck- Mark IV]

Naples might be a little long of a drive but the Revs Institute here is world class. I’ve been volunteering there as a station guide since 2015. Amazing collection of race cars including two GT40s and a Jaguar D Type. Great seafood here too!

So, do you know Fran who was a guide working the GT40 area? Had a great story about someone questioning his information about the cars. They asked what makes you think you know about these? "Because I've owned them!."

 

[Bill Kearley]

Markus, If you can, take in a top fuel drag weekend some where, It will give your senses a sensation like you have never had before.

 

[Markus]

If you like golf (or tennis, or just relaxing) look at Ponte Vedra Beach west of Jacksonville. The Ponte Vedra Inn and Club is right on the ocean and a great place (not cheap since you will be there at PRIME time in season rates everywhere). 30 minute drive south to St. Augustine to do many things there. Further south to Coco Beach and tour at the Cape (NASA). You could hit Dayton as well. Not sure if they have a tour of the track. IMSA will be there around that time as the 24 Hours and Roar are end of January. All the beaches along that stretch are really amazing. My advice, make reservations for everything you plan to do well in advance - food, tours, tickets, hotels. Stuff is really busy already at at that time of year, you will really be fighting the crowds.

Hello Lee,

Thanks for the tips:


St. Augustine


Cape Canaveral and by dumb luck we saw a Falcon Heavy from start to booster return and a Falcon 9 all at the same evening within 3 hours...


Daytona Beach and Speedway - no race but at least some V8 roar (driving experience)

Regards,
Markus

 

[Markus]

When you are in Charleston, I would recommend visitinf two places for sure-

1. The aircraft carrier in the harbor that is open to the public.

2. Fort Sumpter, where the American Civil War started.

Hello Neil,

I was living in Charleston for 5 years - nevertheless we visited once more the USS Yorktown (even though I know every rivet of it by it's first name )


They used to have a submarine (the Clamagore) at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum which was obviously scrapped for various reasons....

Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum - Charleston Harbor, SC - Patriots Point

www.patriotspoint.org

Navy submarine Clamagore towed from Patriots Point to be scrapped

The somber ceremony aboard the aircraft carrier Yorktown, punctuated by The Navy Hymn, was the culmination of years of wrangling over the fate of the diesel submarine first commissioned in

www.postandcourier.com

Great memories....

Regards,
Markus

 

[Markus]

NASCAR Hall of Fame - Charlotte, NC

Hendrick Motorsports Museum - Charlotte, NC

Hendrick Motorsports Museum - Automotive Museum Guide

Hendrick Motorsports Museum welcomes visitors at no charge, and fans are encouraged to view our race shops during normal hours of operation.

automotivemuseumguide.com

May be too far out of the way - Don Garlits Drag Racing Museum - Ocala Florida

Drag Racing Museum in Ocala, FL

Visit the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing in Ocala, FL, and educate yourself on the sport's notable history.

garlits.com

Hello Joel,

thanks for the tips.

Unfortunately the Don Garlits Drag Museum was out of our reach but Charlotte was very nice.


NASCAR Hall of Fame


Hendrick Motorsports Museum and Charlotte Motor Speedway

​

Charlotte downtown and as I learned also called "Queen City


And finally a steak (guess which one)

Regards,
Markus

 

[Markus]

Well, this is my area of the world. I live in Raleigh, lived in Sumter SC, and have traveled up and down the east coast.

For BBQ, note that the BBQ changes quickly in this region. From Charlotte/western NC where it is BBQ pork, chopped with a red sauce, to eastern NC (my favorite) where it is chopped with a vinegar sauce, to South Carolina which has its own mustard sauce on chicken and a really good hash to Brunswick stew on the coast of Georgia. I'd do some internet research and find NON-chain places to stop.

Don't miss Savannah, GA. It's a very quirky version of Charleston. Old by US standards, beautiful city, great architecture and great restaurants. If you are oing to Cape Canaveral try to make it to Daytona USA too. The exhibits at the track and the tour are worth a day. Edisto Island is a cool quirky beach. Hilton Head is more upscale. Myrtle Beach is trashy and touristy, stay away. Wilmington NC is another good old coastal city and the beaches around it - Kure, Carolina, Topsail -- are very nice.

Hello Jeff,

thanks for all the tips - see also posts above....


"The Smoke Pit" BBQ in Concord, NC - altough it was a smaller "cain" it was very good

Locations – The Smoke Pit Online

www.thesmokepitonline.com

Baker's BBQ in Summerville, SC - small family business - very good

Baker's BBQ of Summerville

Best BBQ in Summerville! One of the most unique dining experiences in town!

bakersbbqofsummerville.com

Regards,
Markus

 

[Markus]

If there's a rocket launch, see if you can find a place at a beach on Rt 1 facing the launch (we did it by accident, we overhead a tourist asking a waitress for suggestions to watch a launch that evening. We saw a small light go up into the sky).

Do you like nature? A tour of a swamp could be fun. There are both airboats (small, flat bottom boats with a giant propeller in back to push air). There are also normal boat tours of swamps. We did the latter at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge Florida/Georgia border.

Manatees are cute creatures you won't find anyplace else.

Hello Ben,

thanks for the tips - see pics above.

Like you we have been absolutely lucky. After reading the posts here I was checking if there are any rocket launches scheduled, at this time I could not find any launches from Cape Canaveral.
Once coming closer to Cape Canaveral I was checking their website and "Wow" - two launches in one night (Falcon Heavy and Falcon 9). It was raining all day but in the evening we had a perfect sight with almost no clouds. We did not wanna takre the risk and end up in a place where we cannot see properly so we decided to spend the extra bucks and bought tickets at the Kennedy Space Center right at the Apollo/Saturn V Center - just 4 miles from the launch pad.....


Grandstand with live video display and a moderator which guided us through the entire start procedure until the boosters returned.....

Regards,
Markus

 

[Markus]

Big second on the Revs. We spend time in Naples, and I always go, still seeing new things every time. Third Saturday is cars and coffee at Ferrari of Naples and the Revs does a cars and coffee event as well. Go online for the news (and note that a GT40 MK III will be joining 1049 and the MK IIB!) TAPPET-Oct-2023-Public.pdf (revsinstitute.org)

Hello Rick,
Thanks for the tip - unfortunately Naples was too far away - so we had to save it for the next trip to Florida....

At least we saw some "original" GT's at Holmann & Moody



and more nice cars alt Dennis' shop....

Regards,
Markus

 

[Markus]

Markus, If you can, take in a top fuel drag weekend some where, It will give your senses a sensation like you have never had before.

Hello Bill,

Thanks for the tip - a drag race is always worthwhile - unfortunately currently there was no real drag racing season and we could not really find a race.
Fortunately for me I saw already the 2008 NHRA race in Las Vegas.

I still remember the "senses" I got back then....

Regards,
Markus

 

[Markus]

To end this thread - once more thanks to everybody for all the replies. Thats what makes this forum so special.

After all it was a very nice trip - it was my anniversary trip - 20 years ago I moved to the US to work there for 5 years - great refreshing of my memories. Nice country, nice peoply, plenty of car stuff.... and much more.

Thanks,
Markus

 

[Rick Muck- Mark IV]

Hello Rick,
Thanks for the tip - unfortunately Naples was too far away - so we had to save it for the next trip to Florida....

At least we saw some "original" GT's at Holmann & Moody
View attachment 135939 View attachment 135940 View attachment 135941


and more nice cars alt Dennis' shop....
View attachment 135942 View attachment 135943 View attachment 135944 View attachment 135945 View attachment 135946
Regards,
Markus

Good thing you didn't go to the Revs, closed for remodeling!