Need vacation ideas, photo opportunities

So I am trying to plan a vacation for my husband and me for late September. We are located in southwestern PA and are looking to travel about 5-6 hours away. Any idea of areas that have lots of outdoor photo opportunities? Probably West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland or a little further south. Just thought I'd see if any of you have good suggestions. Thanks for any tips!!

Tammy

Tammy, this would probably get more response in the "discussion" forum. However, here goes: PA has some beautiful areas in the fall. If you feel you want to go "away", WV is gorgeous, state parks being good locations. I love Kentucky for all the horse farms and beautiful country. Tennessee is a favorite in the fall (Oct is best), especially Great Smoky Mountain NP.

Are you guys both photographers or are you just looking to go somewhere that would be good for photography? I ask because if only one of you are a photographer, it might get a bit boring for the other. Why not go somewhere you both want to go - and make photo ops available to you. There's always something to shoot, everywhere. It's just about what you see as a "outdoor photo opportunities".

If you're looking for scenic landscapes, I'd second the Great Smokey Mountains NP.

Yeh, somewhere in the Smokies. My wife and I stayed a week at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina last fall. Lots of art and crafts, beautiful scenery and history. The Grove Park Inn was in itself a treat. Lots of places within easy driving distance to visit. Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway offers lots of photo ops.

Of course, the N.C. coast is great too! Taking the ferries to the barrier islands is fun with many things to shoot (lots of light houses ). Ocracoke, Cape Hatteras, etc.... September is a good month (especially toward the end of the month) as the tourist season is coming to an end yet its a perfect time to enjoy the coast.

If Great Smoky Mountain NP is to far for you I would suggest Shenandoah National Park which extends to Blue Ridge Parkway... Plenty of photo opportunities there for sure...

Fly to iceland!

It's about that length on a plane

Scotland. My wife just said airfare to Europe is at a all time low

TheMissouriShooter wrote in post #7895905
Scotland. My wife just said airfare to Europe is at a all time low

It is! We just paid $1100 USD roundtrip from Sydney Australia to Paris.

Thanks for all the tips everyone. We are both into photography and our favorite part of any vacation are the photography trips. I've been looking into the Smokey Mountains. It seems absolutely beautiful and I'm figuring would be very pretty that time of year. And it seems they have some very nice cabins! And Shenandoah Valley looks great too! Thanks again for all the tips, I'll look into all of them!!
Tammy

Also would someone be able to move this to the discussion forum that was suggested/
Thanks
Tammy

I'd consider a trip to Newport, Rhode island, drive up through NY state. Take the ferry to Block Island from Newport. BI should be awesome in Sept, less tourists and some great places to shoot. Newport will give you some great ops , too, like the mansions.

Win

Not sure exactly where you are located, but here's a vote for going in the other direction. Philly to Boothbay Harbor is about 8 hours. Bar Harbor just a little bit further. Wonderful coastline everywhere you look.

blueM wrote in post #7909503
Not sure exactly where you are located, but here's a vote for going in the other direction. Philly to Boothbay Harbor is about 8 hours. Bar Harbor just a little bit further. Wonderful coastline everywhere you look.

We are in the far southwest corner of PA, very close to the West Virginia border. I think I put southeastern PA in my original post, sorry about that. (blond moment lol)

Thanks for all the tips everyone! I'm looking into all these places!
Tammy

In that case I join those suggesting Blue Ridge Parkway.

Ok so I think we have decided on the Smokey Mountains. Little longer drive than we were looking for but I don't think we can pass it up. Have any of you been there? Does the park have actual trails you can walk on or are you kinda on your own? Anything in the area any of you would recommend. Thanks again for all the advice!!