VansAirForceForums  
Home > VansAirForceForums

- POSTING RULES
- Donate yearly (please).
- Advertise in here!

- Today's Posts | Insert Pics

  #1  
Old 05-30-2016, 03:49 AM
mullokintyre mullokintyre is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: TATURA, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
Posts: 10
Default Nola to Orlando

Greetings Fellow R-vers,
I am an Australian R-ver, and together with my wife, am heading to the US over Christmas.
We plan to drive from New Orleans to Orlando then down to Miami.
I have no limit on time, so looking for interesting things to visit on the way.
We don't mind making 100 mile detours if something is worthwhile visiting.
I am open to suggestions- not just aviation related, but non aviation things as well.
Looking forward to being inundated with ideas.
Thanks,
Mick
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 05-30-2016, 03:57 AM
Sam Staton Sam Staton is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Green Cove Springs, FL
Posts: 234
Default Museum in New Orleans

There is a very good museum downtown, near the Hilton Garden Inn, that covers the genesis and history of the Higgins boats that is worth a visit. Without them, the invasions that won WW2 would have been much more bloody, if not impossible.
Also, you might want to plan some time for Pensacola - the Museum of Naval Aviation is phenomenal!
__________________
RV6 N585SS - building on!
O-360-A1G6D converted to A1A
Dual Powertek EFII
VPX-Pro
Astronics PPS
Hartzell C/S
Dynon SV1000 & SV700
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 05-30-2016, 06:22 AM
mturnerb mturnerb is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Ponte Vedra, FL
Posts: 1,474
Default

Mick:

I've lived my entire life (except for a few years in the military) in the general area you describe. I'm sure lots of folks will have thoughts and suggestions but one thing I really enjoy is getting off the "main roads" (US Interstate Highways) and traveling on older US Highways through some of the small towns that have much more interesting (to me) architecture, places to eat, and people to visit and chat with. Just east of New Orleans for example you can drive through Mississippi on US 90 which is a beach-side road and a beautiful drive. (It's slower than the Interstate but I-10 is pretty boring). Sadly, many of the beautiful old Southern homes along that road got wiped off the map by Hurricane Katrina but still it's a fun drive. In Biloxi I suggest lunch or dinner at Mary Mahoney's restaurant - it's been there for decades. In Mobile, Alabama check out the USS Alabama - a WWII era battleship with a very nice museum including static displays of WWII and cold war era aircraft including a B-52.

From Mobile you could take US 98 to Pensacola, and then perhaps US 90 to Tallahassee, Florida. Fairhope Alabama is a particularly nice town and a great place to be at sunset on a nice day. The National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola is NOT TO BE MISSED. While you're there you just might see the Blue Angels practicing. US 98 from Pensacola is also a great option - you might take it to Fort Walton Beach then drive North to Crestview and take US 90 from there.

Interesting towns along US 90 include Crestview, Defuniak Springs, and Marianna. I recently flew over to Crestview - the airport there is worth a visit with quite a bit of transient military traffic as well as a facility that de-commissions big jets (think 747, A330 etc) - I only taxied by there but it's easily viewable from the FBO/ramp area. If you're a diver, there are many springs in this part of Florida that have crystal clear water with constant year-round water temperature. Not a diver myself but I'm told they are great places by friends into that hobby.

By the way, a huge number airports in the US Southeast started life as WWII training bases (some even before WWII). The weather in the area and flat land make for great training conditions - Marianna's airport is just one of many of those old bases. Many of them have fascinating history and interesting old buildings and road networks. Flying around this area you see many abandoned old training fields - a classic sight is a triangular arrangement of 5000-foot runways that seemed to be a common setup.

Between South Mississippi and central Florida there are many active military bases and particularly training bases. These include the Naval station at Pensacola (where the museum is), Whiting Field, Eglin Air Force Base, Fort Rucker (base of US Army helicopter training), and Tyndall Air Force Base. While you can't "tour" the bases you will likely see quite a number of aircraft from the bases as you drive through the area. Flying the area is "interesting" with military training at all levels, aircraft of every speed and performance profile, and quite a bit of civil and commercial traffic as well. (If you make to Jacksonville I'd love to give you an aerial tour of North and Central Florida)

From Tallahassee I would drive down US Hwy 27 and US 441 to Orlando. Lots of small and mid-size towns along the way. Many US small towns are shadows of their former selves due to economics and people moving from rural areas to larger cities, but still much to see along the way. The University of Florida campus in Gainesville is one of the nicer campuses I've seen in the south but I'll get some pushback from others about that opinion I'm sure. Just south of Gainesville, Payne's Prairie is a fantastic natural area with lots of 'gators (and Gators) and other Florida wildlife. Nearby is a fantastic little town called Micanopy.

So much else I could think of but this might give you some food for thought. Feel free to PM me if you'd like. I'm between RV's (plan to build a -14 eventually). I'm sure any number of RV-ers would be happy to have you visit as well - looking forward to all the responses this thread generates.
__________________
Turner Billingsley

RV-14A built/sold N14VB
RV-10 in progress as of May 2020

https://tbrv10.blogspot.com/
https://turnerb14a.blogspot.com/

Last edited by mturnerb : 05-30-2016 at 07:16 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 05-30-2016, 07:19 AM
turbo's Avatar
turbo turbo is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Stuart, FL /Hartford, CT/Virgin Gorda,BVI
Posts: 3,122
Default

we like aussies here in stuart. right off of I-95 in south florida. stop by and spend the night in RV Hotel on the water. might even see a gator.
__________________
TURBO YES =VAF= Payed Jan2019
Ed D'Arcy
RV6-A 5,200+ hrs, R-44 1,600 hrs, Helicycle 320 hrs, gyro sold,35,000 miles flown in 2015
Stuart, Fl / S WINDSOR,Ct / Virgin Gorda, BVI - under major repair from hurricane damage
VAF #840 EAA AOPA FAC FABA QB SPA
addicted pickle ball player
https://i.postimg.cc/tn3h4svg/IMG-3101.jpg
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 05-30-2016, 08:07 AM
ShortSnorter ShortSnorter is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: NOLA
Posts: 229
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam Staton View Post
There is a very good museum downtown, near the Hilton Garden Inn, that covers the genesis and history of the Higgins boats that is worth a visit. Without them, the invasions that won WW2 would have been much more bloody, if not impossible.
Also, you might want to plan some time for Pensacola - the Museum of Naval Aviation is phenomenal!
I second both of these! Since its opening, the "D-Day Museum" in NOLA has out done itself with continuous additions and improvements.

The Naval Air Museum is an absolute MUST!
__________________
Ryan
RV-14 In-Progress
Build Site
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 05-30-2016, 05:19 PM
GalinHdz's Avatar
GalinHdz GalinHdz is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: KSGJ / TJBQ
Posts: 2,039
Default

From NOLA head East on I-10, visit the US Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, FL and the US Air Force Armament museum at Eglin AFB. After Jacksonville, go south on I-95 and spend a night or two at St. Augustine (KSGJ) which is the oldest city in the US. Then continue south on I-95 and visit the Kennedy Space Center. Depending on when you are there you might get to witness a rocket launch. From there you can go to Orlando and Miami. IMHO all are things you must do.
__________________
Galin
CP-ASEL-AMEL-IR
FCC Radiotelephone (PG) with Radar Endorsement
2020 Donation made
www.PuertoRicoFlyer.com

Last edited by GalinHdz : 05-30-2016 at 06:37 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 06-08-2016, 01:09 AM
mullokintyre mullokintyre is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: TATURA, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
Posts: 10
Default Nola to Orlando

Thanks to all who responded with ideas.
The end result is that we are going to spend an extra week getting from Nola to
Miami where we fly out to the Caribbean.
So may things to see, so little time to see them ..

Mick
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 06-08-2016, 11:18 AM
MJarreau MJarreau is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: LA (Lower Alabama)
Posts: 267
Default FOOD

Eat in New Orleans, many options from cheap to expensive, ALL GOOD. Try Crawfish at Salvos just south of New Orleans on Bell Chase Highway, worth the drive.

The D-Day museum in NOLA is fabulous, don't rush your way through it.

The Eisenhower Museum (affiliated with D-Day) has a film of the Omaha Beach 72 years ago. See it, if it is available. Powerful. Humbling.

I live in Mobile, AL. The USS Alabama is a museum here and is really nice to see. The Naval Museum in Pensacola is an absolute must. It should be given no less than 4 hours.

Have a wonderful trip. If you stay in Mobile, AL, please send me a note and we'll have you over for dinner!

Best,
Michael
__________________
DUES REMINDER: JAN 2021
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 06-08-2016, 08:52 PM
jpowell13 jpowell13 is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Posts: 671
Default Other ideas

Drago's in the New Orleans Hilton is very popular for oyster dishes these days. You need a reservation.

When you visit Jackson Square stop in the Central Grocery and try the Muffaleta Sandwich. They invented it. (One Muffaleta is easily enough for two.)

The town of Chalmette (just south of NO) is where Andrew Jackson and his ragtag army defeated Gen Packingham in the War of 1812.

Never been through it, but the John C. Stennis Space Center is supposed be interesting and fun if you're into space flight. It is on your route (in Mississippi near NOLA). They developed the Saturn 5 rocket and are working on a Mars rocket.

John
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 06-09-2016, 05:24 AM
BillL BillL is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Central IL
Posts: 5,516
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by MJarreau View Post
The Naval Museum in Pensacola is an absolute must. It should be given no less than 4 hours.
+1

I stumbled on this when it was a fledgling about 30 years ago. It had the very best displays and lineage of engine development I have ever seen, Smithsonian included. Currently, it is much larger, and the engines are distributed, but still there. If aircraft engines (piston and turbine) interest you.
__________________
Bill

RV-7
Lord Kelvin:
“I often say that when you can measure what you are speaking about,
and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you
cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge
is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind.”
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:14 AM.


The VAFForums come to you courtesy Delta Romeo, LLC. By viewing and participating in them you agree to build your plane using standardized methods and practices and to fly it safely and in accordance with the laws governing the country you are located in.