The Perpetual Tourist

The drive up I-81 from Virginia into Pennsylvania is fairly pretty, as car trips go. The traffic is never too bad, and there are mountains and rivers to admire all the way there and back, but when you’ve made the drive a hundred times or more like I have, even the four or five hour trip can be pretty miserable.

When I was a kid on family trips to visit my aunt in Philadelphia, my parents would break the monotony by stopping for little side trips, mostly educational like Civil War and Revolutionary War battlefields, historic houses, or the occasional detour that made them simultaneously the best parents ever (in my opinion) and the worst parents ever (in the opinions of anyone who had to deal with me afterward) — a trip to Cinnabon for ooey, gooey, goodness — in a box of twelve!

I’m quite a bit more health-conscious now than I was when I was eight, and I’ve seen those battlefields plenty of times now — the stories haven’t changed much in two hundred years, so I’ve grown out of that kind of pit stop. Still, I haven’t grown up enough to handle a multi-hour drive gracefully, so I need something to break up the journey, lest I become an unbearable travel companion.

My solution is live music. McKenzie and I are really into folk music, which is perfect because the venues that host these shows tend to be cozy and usually have tickets available on short notice. We always build some flexibility into our plans in case we find out that one of our favorites will be making a stop somewhere along our path to or from our destination. We’re familiar with lots of concert halls all up and down the east coast, but you don’t have to know the areas to find a good show. Pollstar is a great tool to find a show near where you are or where you will be, and you can search for all your favorite artists at once.

As we were trying to decide on our plans for our return home from this week’s Philadelphia Flower Show, we got an email from the Steep Canyon Rangers saying they’d be in southeastern Pennsylvania for two weekend shows. Perfect! A quick internet search found hotel reservations for us for one night in York, PA, and plans to see tonight’s show and the Sunday matinee in Mt. Holly Springs on the way home. (This is definitely a band worth seeing twice in one weekend.)

I wish I had the experience to recommend the best venues anywhere in the US, but I do know a thing or two about Virginia music halls. The best ones are easily accessible from the major interstates and quite possibly along your route as you travel up and down the east coast. Off I-95 near Richmond is Ashland Coffee & Tea, a venue I’ve heard many artists profess to be their favorite stop on a tour. When the artist loves the venue, you’re sure to get a good show. Off I-64 in Charlottesville is my home away from home, the Gravity Lounge, featuring an extensive beer and wine list to go with all the best acts in the folk world today. And in the DC area, my top picks are Jammin’ Java for intimate shows and Wolf Trap for larger shows (and not just folk music; also a good mix of theater and other music genres).

Not only is live music a fun diversion from a long, boring car ride, but it gives you a much needed burst of energy, and you have the opportunity to pick up some new tunes for the car CD player as well. If you have the flexibility to take a few hours off your drive or add an extra night in a hotel somewhere, stopping for a concert can be the best way to keep from getting road weary.