Road Trippin' It - For the First and Last Time?

[Beach_Bum]

@PrepVet If your sojourn from Wisc to FL has no set timeline and you aren't in a hurry, I would suggest getting off the interstate whenever possible.

If you enjoy hiking, I would take a few days to a week to stay and explore the Red River Gorge (RRG) in eastern KY. There are a few here that would likely show you around the Daniel Boone Byway and Kentucky Adventure Trail.

Then meander down to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Plenty of hiking opportunities or enough scenic loops to enjoy the scenery.

Make your way out of the Smoky Mountains and either head south to Atlanta (Stone Mountain and Georgia Aquarium are always on my itinerary when in the area). Or you can head south east avoiding all the major metro areas except for Athens though you can skirt far enough east to Toccoa Falls.

Crossing into Florida, you'll pass St. Augustine on your way to the Space Coast. There will be the Christmas in July Bronco Gathering the first Saturday after the 4th of July. It is held in St. Augustine - specifically Butler Beach. Last year, there were 60 Broncos in attendance. They are expecting a lot more this year.

Sponsored

 

[Brian’sBronco]

Can you tie one to the roof or something? Don’t have kids and my dad made due with a 2dr Tempo and then a Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, but there was only two kids and not three. I guess I don’t understand the need for huge vehicles, but do appreciate them and their horrendous gas mileage.

 

[BlueBronco]

@PrepVet If your sojourn from Wisc to FL has no set timeline and you aren't in a hurry, I would suggest getting off the interstate whenever possible.

If you enjoy hiking, I would take a few days to a week to stay and explore the Red River Gorge (RRG) in eastern KY. There are a few here that would likely show you around the Daniel Boone Byway and Kentucky Adventure Trail.

Then meander down to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Plenty of hiking opportunities or enough scenic loops to enjoy the scenery.

Make your way out of the Smoky Mountains and either head south to Atlanta (Stone Mountain and Georgia Aquarium are always on my itinerary when in the area). Or you can head south east avoiding all the major metro areas except for Athens though you can skirt far enough east to Toccoa Falls.

Crossing into Florida, you'll pass St. Augustine on your way to the Space Coast. There will be the Christmas in July Bronco Gathering the first Saturday after the 4th of July. It is held in St. Augustine - specifically Butler Beach. Last year, there were 60 Broncos in attendance. They are expecting a lot more this year.

OP, do all this, but do it topless in your Bronco. You will have a whole new appreciation for it and for life in general for that matter.

 

[Lowcountry Bronco]

Why not get a rental unless you feel you need something as big as the Expedition for every day use?

 

[E. J]

Some good recommendations here that should make for an adventure. Staying off the interstates for Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and northern Georgia will be nice.

Another Campellite here. Assigned three times to Fort Campbell-'87, '98, and '02.

 

[Red Mountain Pass]

Unfortunately, and experienced first hand, the 4 door Bronco backseat is fucking uncomfortable, especially with 3 people back there. The rock stars would designed it should all be fired, and sent to Canada permanently.

Stay pumped!

 

[RUZ]

If you're taking the tribe cross country, this is your automobile.

 

[PrepVet]

Can you tie one to the roof or something? Don’t have kids and my dad made due with a 2dr Tempo and then a Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, but there was only two kids and not three. I guess I don’t understand the need for huge vehicles, but do appreciate them and their horrendous gas mileage.

The mileage in my 15 Expedition EL 4wd with tow package was better than my Bronco. I am surprised every time I do the math. But the Bronco is my fun to drive and interesting to look at.

 

[BT!]

I bought my 2 door MT after selling the TJ hoping it would be good for road trips. The speed and power are fine with the 2.3 and a ford performance tune. The ride is excellent. The issue is mileage. 15.8 with cruise control at 83mph on 275 18 highway tread tires with obx rims. Couple that with the tiny gas tank and the 250 mile range blows. Ive purchased method 318 rims which saves 4 to 5 pounds a corner which arent in yet but im not hopeful.

 

[PrepVet]

@PrepVet If your sojourn from Wisc to FL has no set timeline and you aren't in a hurry, I would suggest getting off the interstate whenever possible.

If you enjoy hiking, I would take a few days to a week to stay and explore the Red River Gorge (RRG) in eastern KY. There are a few here that would likely show you around the Daniel Boone Byway and Kentucky Adventure Trail.

Then meander down to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Plenty of hiking opportunities or enough scenic loops to enjoy the scenery.

Make your way out of the Smoky Mountains and either head south to Atlanta (Stone Mountain and Georgia Aquarium are always on my itinerary when in the area). Or you can head south east avoiding all the major metro areas except for Athens though you can skirt far enough east to Toccoa Falls.

Crossing into Florida, you'll pass St. Augustine on your way to the Space Coast. There will be the Christmas in July Bronco Gathering the first Saturday after the 4th of July. It is held in St. Augustine - specifically Butler Beach. Last year, there were 60 Broncos in attendance. They are expecting a lot more this year.

This is what I was looking for. Thank you! I will be down there before the 4th but that sounds interesting.

OP, do all this, but do it topless in your Bronco. You will have a whole new appreciation for it and for life in general for that matter.

I've taken many road trips in my youth with the top down on my Mustangs or Jeeps. Always been fun.

Why not get a rental unless you feel you need something as big as the Expedition for every day use?

Why would I have to rent something to move my own kids around? That's stupid.

Some good recommendations here that should make for an adventure. Staying off the interstates for Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and northern Georgia will be nice.

Another Campellite here. Assigned three times to Fort Campbell-'87, '98, and '02.

Agreed. I was stationed there, but I didn't spend that much time there. I was too busy off playing in the sand. lol

Unfortunately, and experienced first hand, the 4 door Bronco backseat is fucking uncomfortable, especially with 3 people back there. The rock stars would designed it should all be fired, and sent to Canada permanently.

Stay pumped!

I haven't sat in the backseat, it's fine for my two younger kiddos, but as soon as my teenager gets back there, even by himself, it sucks. Three kids across the back is a nightmare.

I bought my 2 door MT after selling the TJ hoping it would be good for road trips. The speed and power are fine with the 2.3 and a ford performance tune. The ride is excellent. The issue is mileage. 15.8 with cruise control at 83mph on 275 18 highway tread tires with obx rims. Couple that with the tiny gas tank and the 250 mile range blows. Ive purchased method 318 rims which saves 4 to 5 pounds a corner which arent in yet but im not hopeful.

I didn't buy my Bronco expecting amazing MPG, but I was expecting it to be better than it is. But it is what it is and that is only a minor complaint.

 

[Lowcountry Bronco]

Why would I have to rent something to move my own kids around? That's stupid.

The write-up made it sound that you were selling off the Bronco to have more room for kids on trips? Is that not the case?

My reply back was to get a big rental for the trips unless the Bronco doesn't meet the in town needs too, in that case get whatever the hell you want, was just trying to help.

 

[BostonSasquatch]

If this one trip is a major deciding factor, then a rental, maybe a camper or RV, could be the solution (finances permitting). It would encourage you to get off the interstate and see more, and camp out more (weather and family agreeing). But no way do you want to squeeze three kids into a Bronco back seat for that mileage. Remember: these are their childhood memories, and you want to give them good ones. Life is full of compromises and difficult choices.

Consider the Daniel Boone Historic Byway in Kentucky. Much of it, I understand, is sedan-friendly, and an Expedition with good rubber should handle it. I don't know the road, but if you started at the west end, and drove east, you might access the easier parts, and then leave it as you got into the trickier Appalachian Mountain sections. But do your research: This, from an off-road website:
The Daniel Boone Backcountry Byway (DBBB) is a high clearance 4wd route comprised of improved and unimproved county and public roads over 100 miles long centered around the scenic Red River Gorge and Daniel Boone National Forest in eastern Kentucky.
The DBBB is of moderate difficulty and open to licensed vehicles only. It is designed for entry level off-roading and providing a safe and rewarding driving experience.

Incidentally, it was an Expedition which hauled my Badlands Sas out of mud at Wilson Hot Springs, just off the Pony Express Historic Byway in Utah.

 

[DefNotBuddyLee]

If you want to stay on theme with launches, there is always Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX. Not sure how that fits your trip because you would be hitting bottom south of the US and then would either be zigging back and forth around or just following the gulf coast to your destination in Florida.
If you want to change things up to an Amusement Park crawl, you could hit up Six Flags outside of Dallas, TX then make your way to Fiesta TX and Sea World in San Antonio on your way to Houston. If you like waterparks, stop at Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels, TX on the way to San Antonio (I think it still holds the title for largest water park but not sure). Feel free to stop at the "Big Texan" in Amarillo if you want to try the 72oz steak challenge or just to experience what I believe every non-Texan views of Texas. Make sure to gas up at one of the Buc-ees locations while in Texas as well.

 

[RiotSquirrel]

I'm biased, but if you can swing it on your way down or back then driving or stopping along the beach road(s) in the Emerald Coast part of FL is a winner. you can't see the beach the whole drive but if you dive off the interstate to Panama City Beach or Destin or Pensacola Beach-Navarre Beach it's scenic and there are stops that should give you some good final Bronco moment photo ops. bonus if you can take the top off for it.

i'll also second the recommendation for driving/hiking in the Smokies, and making a stop at the Georgia Aquarium. There's a giant tank with a whale shark there and i could have stayed in that room for hours.

beach life photo tax:

 

[Yeti-X]

Prep Vet I was just in your neighborhood or back in mine depending on how you look at it lol. You could always stop in windrock ORV park I heard it has really nice trails. Sorry to hear about possibly getting rid of the Bronco

Sponsored