Trip from MO to Charleston

(I know its a while off but...) I have decided I want to plan a trip for next year from the Kansas City Mo area to Charleston SC. Just starting to get my ideas together. Looking towards a trip late May or early June. Of course like any other BMW rider, I have no plans for the big slab. I would like suggestions for roads and places to see and must do sites, restaurants, local brew pubs, etc. My preference is to camp at state parks. My initial plan is to leave from a suburb of KC and head to Charleston, via Memphis and Nashville. Plan on running south on the Dragon. On the return trip I would like to stop in at Barber Motorsports. Other than that my plan is totally open. I am planning on a two week trip so I don't have to hurry (500-700 miles a day) Preferences, suggestions, thoughts??? Your input is appreciated!

After a quick look at a map, I'd think about heading south and picking up US RT 60 around Springfield, over toward Paducah, KY, then US 68-80 out of Murray, KY through the Land Between the Lakes, over to Bowling Green, KY (stop in the Corvette Museum). Then angle my way toward Ashville, NC (see the Biltmore), ride some of the Blue Ridge, maybe Deals Gap, etc. then on over to Charleston. Just some suggestions. I'm sure there are some people more familiar with the Charleston area than I am. I've ridden RT60 across that area and it's a nice road. Great BMW Dealer in Cape Girardeau. The "Land Between the Lakes" is also very nice.

Steve

500 to 700 miles a day isn't going to leave time to enjoy the areas you are passing thru. if your evenings entertainment is riding pilon she won't be much fun at the end of a 700 mile day. I'd think 350 to 400 is a bit more realistic.

travel time

On my trip to Redmond I averaged about 500-550 miles a day. I planned my days so I could take part or a whole day seeing the sites. Granted some of the days were more mileage oriented but there were some large distances to cover between sites just due to the lack of anything special to stop for. Planning on taking a day in Memphis & Nashville and probably at least a couple in Charleston area and another at Barber Motorsports.

Kc-Memphis-Birmingham suggestion

A nice mix of two and four lane (non-interstate) would easily get you from KC to Memphis in one day. I would suggest Highway 50 from KC to Jefferson City, then follow 63 south until you intersect I-55 just north of West Memphis, Arkansas. From Memphis to Birmingham it's about a four hour ride on 78, but a more scenic route would be to ride highway 64 east across southern Tennessee and pick up I-65 to drop down into Birmingham from the north. That adds a couple of hours to the Memphis- Birmingham trip.

sellis said:

After a quick look at a map, I'd think about heading south and picking up US RT 60 around Springfield, over toward Paducah, KY, then US 68-80 out of Murray, KY through the Land Between the Lakes, over to Bowling Green, KY (stop in the Corvette Museum). Then angle my way toward Ashville, NC (see the Biltmore), ride some of the Blue Ridge, maybe Deals Gap, etc. then on over to Charleston. Just some suggestions. I'm sure there are some people more familiar with the Charleston area than I am. I've ridden RT60 across that area and it's a nice road. Great BMW Dealer in Cape Girardeau. The "Land Between the Lakes" is also very nice.

Steve

Click to expand...

This is also a great suggestion. If you are going through Paducah, you must take a short detour across the Ohio River to Metropolis, Illinois and visit the Giant Superman statue.