Anyone have a decent route already planned from the Philly area to Deals Gap? I have been looking on HD.com and every other damn site out there to find a decent route and I have a headache just trying to find a good route that has limited highways. Any help or direction to a better scenic trip planner website would be greatly appreciated!

 

Fast? = 700 miles from Philly to Tellico Plains in one day via Int 81, 40, 75. 13 hours or so counting gas/food stops...

Slow? = ??? miles down Blue Ridge parkway camping/hotel one night along the route.

 

From Philly it tough, you may as well take 95 down
I left from NY and took 81 down into Front Royal VA, then got on SKyline Drive to the Blue Ridge into Cherokee NC. From there it only about 90 miles to the Gap

 

It looks like if you could make your way to Winchester or Haggerstown you could take 11 south all the way to Wytheville VA. then take 21 south to 221 south into NC. Take I40west to Asheville then take the Blue Ridge Parkway to Cherokee then make your way to Deal's Gap...Look I am not sure how much time you have or want to take but you know...I would haul *** on I81 south to when it starts to get Hilly then get on 11 because it follows 81...Once you get in the mountains like let's say past Wytheville then just pick a route....This way you will save time and see the scenery of the mountains. Buy you a Rand Mcnally Atlas...look at NC, VA, and TN and pick the squiggly roads....That's how we go there.... we always pick roads that are Grey....

 

By the way...Don't plan it too much...

 

Use to do that ride, I use to live by the airport.
Where in Phl you starting from and how long you wanna take?

 

I figure, everything between you, and Harrisburg, is a day trip, and you'll tour that area at your leisure.
this is the reverse of a route we took in 2007, heading NORTH. but the roads are "nice" and the pace is good. there are plenty of towns along this route, so you'll get up to speed, and then whoa it down, in the little burbs.... but that is kinda fun sometimes.

I-76 (PA turnpike) to exit 317 Fort Littleton/US-522
US-522 south (forever LOL) to Front Royal VA (actually 100 miles)
Then either take Skyline Dr (slow, and touristy, AND toll)
or?
Take US-360 (another 100 miles to beginning of the BRP

Depending on YOU, and the folks you'll be with...... One way would be to slab it like David R said, rest the night, and hit Deals Gap, Cherahola, Natahala etc, in one day (maybe 200 miles, but WORK !) plus time at the store, buying t-shirts etc
then head home via the BRP/skyline dr and 360/522 back to PA turnpike.

go to http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/ and have them send you the free map, as well as visitor's guide.
Personally? I'd figure on 3 days to do the BRP, between side trips, and stopping to gawk, that works right for me.

While on the BRP, schedule a half day in Bedford VA at the D-Day memorial

 

If you like the road less traveled route try 30 West out of Philly. Hit 160 South and pick up 219 South. 219 is one of the most scenic rides in the East(IMHO). Hit 460 West to 52 South and pick up the Blue Ridge Parkway at Fancy Gap VA. Your on your own from there.

 

Wallingford next to Media. Doesn't really matter to me. I road up to Niagara Falls last May and when I hit NY i got on one road that was 120+miles straight highway boring as hell hated every minute of it, it was cold and gray. I am looking for turns and hits. Google maps says 750miles if i took a route that was 1000 and it wasn't all highway I'd be fine with that.

 

That Blue Ridge Parkway seems like the ticket. My actual destination is Nashville. So taking the parkway all the way gets me pretty close. Thanks for all the directions. My goal is to take about two to three days for the entire trip no real rush, the ride is the vacation for me, destination is the vacation for the girlfriend LOL