If you could take a road trip through any area of the U.S., where would you go?
Recently, Chevrolet teamed with data scientist Randy Olsen to create the “perfect” road trip through various regions in the country. Certain regions include the Midwest, Northeast, West Coast, Texas, and Florida.
While their maps certainly are efficient and have a fair share of entertaining landmarks, there simply isn’t enough mileage to cover everything. Previously, we covered notable places missed on the Lone Star State map. Today, we’ll venture into the Northeast U.S. region and check out which spots are worth the detour.
• Military Aviation Museum – Virginia Beach, Virginia
The U.S. Military Aviation Museum is just south of where the Northeast road trip begins, or ends, depending on where you start. Located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, the Aviation Museum provides one of the largest private collections of World War I and World War II-era military aircrafts in the world.
Take a journey through history and experience the evolution of aircrafts that helped to shape the 20th century. Airshows and aviation camps take place throughout the year so you can see the historic planes in action.
If you happen to be a thrill seeker, you can take a first-hand adventure of your own by going for a ride on an authentic WWII aircraft. And once you are done, you can take a drive down to scenic Virginia Beach for a relaxing walk on the Atlantic shores.
An experience like this will surely make your road trip soar!
• Coney Island – Brooklyn, New York
How can you pass up a chance to visit the home of Nathan’s Famous National Hot Dog Eating Contest?
Sharing a similarity with the Aviation Museum, Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York, gives visitors a chance to mix a little bit of history with some exciting thrills and entertainment.
Two of the island’s biggest attractions are its historic roller coasters, The Cyclone and The Thunderbolt. NYCGo.com says that The Cyclone’s “famous 85-foot first drop and harrowing barrage of 60-mile-per-hour twists and turns have inspired extreme reactions of either fanatical devotion or lifelong terror since 1927.”
While the Thunderbolt is a modern spin of the original, the updated version stands right around where the first used to be and provides just as many thrills as it did decades ago.
Of course, you can’t visit Coney Island without trying its food. Visitors can get a glimpse of what professional hot dog eaters go through by grabbing a “coney” over at the event’s official sponsor and food provider, Nathan’s Famous, with restaurants located on the Boardwalk and Surf Avenue.
• Absecon Lighthouse – Atlantic City, New Jersey
Sightseers can have a 360-degree glimpse of the Jersey shore at the top of the U.S.’s third tallest lighthouse. Completely restored in 2003, “the Inlet Public/Private Association adopted the lighthouse as a symbol of the rebirth of the Inlet section of town,” according to AtlanticCityNJ.com.
Visitors can visit the famous lighthouse and stroll the two-acre property which also has a Keeper’s Cottage museum and gift shop. Plus, once you’re done, you can make your way back into town for fine dining, shopping, or one of the many famous Atlantic City casinos.
Where would you go if you made your road trip through the northeastern U.S.? Let us know on our official pages on Facebook and Twitter, and happy travels!
Written by:
James Mayfield is the Director of Content at Santander Consumer USA and has been creating content on financial topics for more than 10 years. In addition to writing for the Santander, RoadLoans and Chrysler Capital blog sites, his work has…
More articles by James Mayfield
