Driving from New York/New Jersey to Charlotte

Hi

We are travelling to the US from Australia in June. We are going to stay in New York/New Jersey from 15 June until 23 June when we need to leave to head to Nashville booking in at the Grand Ole Opry on 30 June. So we have about a week to drive to Nashville. I want to go via Charlotte to visit and stay with friends for two nights.

I%26#39;m considering catching AMTRAK from New Jersey to Washington having one or two nights there and then hiring a car and driving to Charlotte and then onto Nashville.

Would like some help please with the following

Should we drive from New Jersey or take the train to Washington and drive from there. While my hubby will be driving I%26#39;m a bit scared of driving from New Jersey ... will the traffic just be too awful? Will it be any different leaving Washington?

What should we look at in Washington? After leaving Washington do you have any recommendations of what to do along the way.

Many thanks.

Driving from New York/New Jersey to Charlotte

If you drive from Washington to Charlotte the conventional way ( I-95 and I-85) there is little to see except a couple of Civil War battlefield sites. When you get to Winston-Salem, NC, there%26#39;s Old Salem ( check out their website). The most scenic route would be to drive over from D.C. to N. VA where the Blue Ridge Parkway begins and head south on that. Beautiful and leisurely drive.

What to see in D.C. ? Too much to recommmend! You%26#39;ll want to see the Smithsonian museums, but there are scores of others also. The Cathedral, The Capitol, The Zoo, etc... just pick up a guide book when you get there and buy a metro pass and take off! Or, you could buy a ticket on one of several tour company buses/shuttles that will let you get on and off frequently anf they will take you around to major sites and get you oriented. Getting around D.C. is easy- IF you take public transport - don%26#39;t drive.

Best wishes.