Roadtrips on the east coast

Student Story by Helena B.

Studying at UNC Wilmington, you will have several long weekends that you can use to explore the eastern part of the U.S. The first long weekend in the Fall semester is Labor Day. Labor Day is a public holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September every year. It honors the contributions, and social and economic achievements of American workers. Depending on your time schedule (many students do not have classes on Fridays or if they do, classes end before lunchtime) you will have three to four days to go somewhere you have never been before and have a lot of fun.

The next long weekend will be Fall Break which is at the beginning of October. There will be no classes on Thursday and Friday and again, you have time to travel around and broaden your horizon.

Places to go

Three to four days are outstandingly suitable for a roadtrip to a city which is not more than six hours away from Wilmington. Here are some examples of places to go:

1. Washington D.C., the capital of the United States. Washington D.C. is amazing. Everything is in walking-distance: The Capitol, The White House, Washington Monument, World War II Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, etc. You can look for hotel deals and will find hotels which are not too far from the center but also not too expensive.
2. Atlanta, Georgia is a great place to go if you would like to experience the world’s largest aquarium. Inform yourself about opening hours and book your tickets online to save money. Atlanta also provides the legendary Coca-Cola World and the American news channel CNN is located in that city. Pay attention if you would like to go out at night. Some districts are safer than others.
3. Asheville, NC. Asheville is a small city in the mountains of North Carolina. If you enjoy spending time in the nature, go hiking, and informing yourself about some history, Asheville is a great place to go. You can drive along the famous Blue Ridge Parkway and enjoy the breathtaking view. The DuPont State Park is also highly recommended and only 45 minutes away.
4. Charlotte, NC. Charlotte is the largest city in North Carolina and home to the corporate headquarters of companies such as Bank of America or Wells Fargo. Charlotte has a beautiful skyline and a beautiful city center.
5. Charleston, SC. Very beautiful and only 3 and a half hours away. You can see old, historical buildings and visit the Charleston Museum or the Waterfront Park.
6. Savannah, Georgia is regarded as one of the most beautiful places in the U.S. with many green areas, beautiful houses and a historic port. Parts of Forrest Gump were filmed in Savannah. The river is forming most of the border between the states of South Carolina and Georgia.

Thanksgiving week

For Thanksgiving (the Thursday before the last weekend in November) you can also take into consideration destinations such as New York City or Miami. New York, for instance, will already be festively decorated. There is the famous parade of Macy’s, the largest department store in the world and other attractions such as Top of The Rock or the 9/11 memorial.

But, no matter where you go and how long you will stay, roadtrips are always fun and it is worth taking the time to organize these trips. Get together with one or two people of your travel group and look for AirBnbs, hotels, activities, weather etc. and you will have a time that you will never forget.