space man

Well i am sitting here thinking Florida is not the best place to own a GT-4. I have never been to TOTD. Is it worth a 1600 mile adventure? If any of you have any recommendations for stops hotels side trips i would like to hear your thoughts. I will be leaving just north of West Palm Beach.

German_Saint 2.0

Drove from NOLA over to Amelia Island and then up to my new home outside of Nashville. A stop I would recommend bc it's along the route and also a good thing I'd like to do is the performance center in Atlanta. That seems like a good Porsche adventure stop. I haven't gotten around really any of the roads in "Dragon" area but I do love the elevation of Chattanooga and lower humidity with the spyder convertible. I met a nice guy with a cayman gts and there are a few rallies during the year / easy enough to find.

I think you'd enjoy it- I like the roads in TN. Be warned going through GA sucked with the local sheriff speed traps on the hwy. Until I hit ATL everyone drove really slow IMO. Besides the FL troopers who are super sneaky along I-10 - not sure about the rest of FL, but with that said I think TN cops are pussycats..

So my answer is YES

mjw930

For 10 summers we went up to N. GA, NC, TN area from central FL and enjoyed every trip. Some years we’d go twice, once with the motorcycles and once with the Porsche. So yes, it’s worth the effort.

Find a nice cabin rental on VRBO and explore for a week, it’s great.

ced357

I can’t speak to Tail of the dragon (which looks like a blast) but you are in a great area for track days at Homestead and Sebring. I’m just a little south of you and hit Sebring on average once a month, it’s not a bad drive. Great way to explore the potential of your car👍

Dan Nagy

I do the reverse trip that you might enjoy: down Skyline Drive to Blue Ridge Parkway and end at Oyster Bay for scalloping. When you come the opposite direction you could do outdoor stuff all along that drive, visit DC, or keep going to Summit Point for a little track time.

Bill Mitchell

Every sports car owner should experience the Tail, but do it mid-week. There are lots of other roads in NC and north GA too, Cherohala Skyway is nice, Hwy 64 from Cashiers to Murphy, and dozens of east/west roads in Georgia. East Tennessee is blessed with some too, get out a map and explore.

0-Day

The dragon is a public road that has become crowded and well-policed due to its own popularity and notoriety. It's still a stunning scenic route that is beautiful to drive, even at the speed limit in traffic. But it blows my mind what a tourist destination it has become.

There are tons of great driving roads all up and down 2200 miles of the US east coast that are not nationally famous and are practically traffic-free , especially in the Appalachians and its foothills. You just have to open up Google Maps and find some near you. (And when you do find some local to you, don't tell everyone about them! )

Clementine33

TOD is great but can be crowded as mentioned. Early morning is best; in Mid-May on a Saturday I only had a car in front of me 3 times, & they all pulled over & let me pass.
I live in Asheville, NC where the roads are amazing: Lake Lure/Chimney Rock & environs, to Hot Springs from Asheville (83 miles roundtrip of extremely curvy roads), the Blue Ridge Parkway. I have been exploring twisties I didn't know existed, & I have lived here for 23 yrs!
Asheville itself is a fascinating place; I recommend it as a base for exploration. There are lots of very nice vacation rentals here.

mjw930

I would argue the every sports car driver should experience the roads in and around the Dragon. Personally I find "the dragon" to be much too singularly focussed. Like have a tr ack with nothing but chicanes and switch backs. Been there a few times over the last 30 years, I won't feel I missed anything if I never get back.

The Red circled area is "The Dragon", all the other lines are dedicated ride routes, all much more enjoyable and many more technical (aka challenging) than that little stretch of RT129.

TerryC4S

I know this is a TOTD thread but if you ever get over to NW Arkansas there are great roads in the Boston Mountains and Ozarks. They are not heavily travelled. The Pig Trail is one:
Pig Trail

tigerhonaker

Mark,

I agree I was on the Dragon with a group of people and as you said it's not really all that great unless a person loves turning back and forth to each curve constantly with No-Real-Speed at all.
Once was more than enough for me.

Terry

ttcbj

Regarding finding fun roads that are not as crowded as TOTD, I purchased some Butler Motorcycle maps, including one for Appalachia. I haven’t had a chance to use them yet, but I am optimistic. I really like the form factor and the paper overview of the best rides in a region.

I also recommend trying REVER, which is a motorcycle road app. The paid version has all the butter motorcycle maps built in, as well as lots of rides from users. I think that might be a way to make even more from your drive into Appalachia.

40th Mike

Lots of good suggestions on that map. Cherohala, Moonshiner 28, etc.

I have a house in between Highlands & Cashiers right off of 64 & have explored a lot of the backroads by both motorcycle & Porsche. You can loop around Lake Glenville going over the dam & come back into 64 via Norton Rd. You can also leave Cashiers on 107 going towards Wade Hampton & take Whiteside Cove Rd to Horse Cove Rd all the way back to Highlands. There is a short gravel portion.

Will be up there this weekend for the Motoring Festival. Italians are featured this year.

GTorTT

Absolutely agree. Been going there each year for over 10 years. Best driving I've ever seen.

ttcbj

I am planning to go down to the Ozarks as soon as I get my BGTS in September. I just added the Pig Trail to my list of roads, I'm also planning to use the butler motorcycle maps/REVER, and I am aware of the routes listed for PCA Palooza listed here:

PCA Palooza Routes

Are there other routes beyond the Pig Trail that you would particularly recommend? Or, any specific lodging or travel recommendations for the area?