Ok. I want to do a road trip this summer in about 10 days but I have no clues how to start, how many stops should I make, what to do,… Basically, never done it before, and never been in any before.
So, assume you want to do the same thing, please answer the following questions:
You must visit South of the Border.
Only 10 miles to South of the Border!
I’m not sure which road it is but I believe that it is just south of the North Carolina border with South Carolina.
SOB (South of the Border) is indeed just south of the border between North and South Carolina on I-95. It’s definitely funky and off-beat; perhaps worth a stop just for the weirdness. But there ain’t much there to keep you coming back.
Wear sunscreen while driving, especially the driver’s left arm. You don’t want Yankee/Farmer tan and have all those Floridians make fun of you.
I’ll need more information. For example, are you starting from the east side of PA or the west side of PA? That would change which route and destinations I’d recommend. I’m from Ohio but live in Florida: I’m the perfect person to ask.
Well, on second thought. My mind flashed back to the middle of the second day of driving, the very first time I made the solo drive from Ohio to Florida. South Florida. I found a mall in Jacksonville and got out to call my mother. (I was 22.)
Dogzilla: Hi Mom, I’m in Jacksonville.
Dogzilla’s Mom: Hey! You made it! You’re in Florida!
D: Nope. It’s still 300 miles to Boca. I’ve got about six hours to go!
DM: Oh.
D: In fact, if you ever want to see me again, you better send a plane ticket, because I am NEVER making this drive again!
(my mother just laughed)
DC has museums, the National Zoo, more than enough for a thread all by itself. Definitely a stop at SOB, SC is required. Then you can check off ‘Tacky’ on the itinerary. Brookgreen Gardens on Highway 17 south of Myrtle Beach, SC is a must visit-the first public sculpture garden in America-it’s breathtakingly beautiful. Beware of fire ant mounds. South Carolina also has a website listing many plantations which can be toured-the last one I went to was Waverly in Georgetown County. If you’re into NASCAR, then visit Timmonsville, SC-birthplace of 3 time champ Cale Yarborough. Georgia has vicious swamp rabbits that grow to the size of a Mini Cooper, so be careful. Florida has lots of old people, Cubans, and alligators. The latter two likely drive better than the former. 
Viet Nam Veteran’s Memorial, if you have any baggage related to that.
I’m guessing you’re too young for that, but if you know someone who does, take them there.
What do you like to do at the beach? Do you want solitude or wild and crazy times? Do you like relatively cool water (east coast of Florida) or warm water (west coast of Florida)? Do you like dirty brown sand (east coast) or white sand (west coast, mostly)? What do you want to do when you’re not at the beach?
If you go to Brookgreen Gardens be sure to drive a little further south to Georgetown and grab some oatmeal raisin cookies at the Kudzu Bakery. Truly worth the visit.
Well, I’ve made that drive a number of times and am familiar with several variations, having left from/arrived at both sides of both states. It takes about two days to get there and, for some reason, I always end up stopping in Rocky Mount regardless of where I left from (except the once when I drove from north of Pittsburgh to Savannah in one day; not recommended by any means).
Which cities should I stop in the way down there? And do what?
DC is a great recommendation if you don’t hit it at rush hour and aren’t otherwise flustered by heaps of congested traffic. On the plus side, most of the museums/attractions are free!
Baltimore, my current locale, is also nice; we’ve some nice art museums, tasty crabcakes, and we love when the tourists come to our Inner Harbor (Nat’l Aquarium, ships, shops, etc.).
I mentioned Savannah earlier, and it was a plenty nice place to visit for a day or two. I mainly spent time with friends, so I can’t speak to its tourist attractions, however. 'Course, if you’re coming from the western side of PA, you may be more interested in hitting Atlanta. See my previous comments about DC’s traffic, however, and double them.
I recommend checking out RoadsideAmerica.com and picking some fun adventures there. A small sampling:
Maryland
American Dime Museum
Great Blacks in Wax Museum
Virginia
Foamhenge
Florida
Weeki Wachi Springs
Tarpon Springs/Sponge Docks
Which beach shoud be my final destination?
In Florida, the only attractive west coast beach I’ve been to was Panama City Beach.
How much should I expect to spend?
This varies wildly. I can’t even begin to estimate. Whatever you do, don’t forget to figure gas into your budget!