East Coast Vacation Spots
Vacation Ideas

This area is horse country, with over 500 horse farms, and is the site of the world famous Kentucky Derby" horse race.

This is also historically an area of Bourbon distilleries that include Jim Beam and the oldest distillery in the country, Maker's Mark.

While exploring this wonderful vacation destination, be sure to visit The Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, the Covered Bridges and Cedar Creek Lake.

If you are planning a family kayaking adventure vacation in Florida you should check out the on-site kayaking at Brevard Zoo, in Melbourne. Expedition Africa is a kayak trip through a replication of the Nyami River Delta.

The Wetlands Outpost Kayaking is a guided kayaking ecotour through 22 acres of restored wetlands in the nearby Merrit Island Wildlife Refuge and the Pine Island Conservation Area. This 10-acre African savanna is the rhino & giraffe habitat.

The Nyami River winds throughout providing kayakers a great up-close view of the animals. This is a great way for the whole family to enjoy nature as kids as young as five can participate.

Be sure to pay a visit to the Birmingham Museum of Art and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. At the Arlington Antebellum Home and Garden you can dine in the historic garden room and tour the 1840's era home and gardens.

If you love flowers or just appreciate the beauty of nature come to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. With a Garden Conservatory, over 20 themed gardens, and over 3,000 varieties of plants you will have a feast for your eyes. Four popular spots are the Japanese Garden, the Wildflower Garden, the Fern Glade, and the Garden for Southern Living.

Ohio is an east coast vacation spots with one of the largest Amish populations in the country. You can learn about the Amish and their fascinating way of life by visiting Yoder's Amish Home in Holmes County, Ohio. This is the heart of Amish country and Yoder's farm is an authentic Old Order Amish working farm. The farm is open visitors and guides will provide a tour of the two homes, the barn and one-room schoolhouse. You will learn about the Amish culture, history and their beliefs.

Yoder's Amish Home is an excellent idea for a family vacation. The kids will love petting the farm animals and everyone can enjoy a fun buggy ride. Don't forget to stop at the bakery for some delicious fresh homemade breads, cinnamon rolls or cookies. In October it's time for the Old Fashion Apple Butter Stirring and the last weekend in August is the Old Fashion Butchering Days.

The Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway makes a great road trip to add to your list of vacation ideas in South Carolina. This is one of the many National Scenic Byways and provides an excellent way to see the varied beautiful scenery of the "Palmetto State". It runs for 130 miles and follows an old Cherokee Indian footpath that ran through the scenic Cherokee Foothills.

There are plenty of places along the route to stop and enjoy local activities and sights. King's Mountain National Military Park and Cowpens National Battlefield provide historical and educational insights into local military action during the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. The town of Gaffney is a good spot to soak up some real Southern culture. Campbell's Bridge is the only covered bridge that is still standing in the whole state. There are three fine state parks, Table Rock, Keowee-Toxaway and Caeser's Head which all provide a great spot to relax and enjoy the great South Carolina outdoors.

The railroads have been abandoning a lot of their tracks across the nation and a big move is on to transform these miles and miles of paths into useful recreational purposes. Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail is part of that effort and, in fact, is considered to be one of the most beautiful trails in North America. Traveling this trail you be in for some incredible scenery as well as interesting features such as train trestles and bridges.

Reelfoot Lake is Tennessee's largest natural lake. It's only a couple hundred years old because it was formed by earthquakes that shifted the landscape of the northwestern corner of Tennessee back around 1811. Today it's a National Wildlife Refuge and an important part of Reelfoot Lake State Park. The lake is 18 miles long and is a huge bird sanctuary. Among the 240 or so bird species that can be found here are Canada Geese, mallards and bald eagles. This is a bird watcher's paradise and there are two observation towers to help you spot them.

You can watch for wildlife along the 2.75 mile auto tour route, take part in a guided Bald Eagle and Waterfowl Tours or go hiking on the three hiking trails. Take a pontoon boat cruise on the lake or head out on a canoe. Visit the R.C. Donaldson Memorial Museum. Reelfoot Lake is also great for bass, crappie, bream, and catfish fishing.

During the winter these trails are used for cross-country skiing. Don't miss the overlook with it's wonderful view of the Cheat River Gorge. Head down into Cheat River for swimming and boating. There are picnic areas and shelters for the family to relax and enjoy the surroundings. At Glade Run you can fish in the 6 acre pond for the trout that are regularly stocked there.

Return from East Coast Vacation Spots to 1001 Vacation Ideas Home