This highway begins in the Hampton Roads section of Virginia and travels westward all the way to St Louis. Thus there is ocean, mountains (a number of ranges of the Appalachians) and great rivers (particularly the Mississippi) in its path. The are also some major destinations along the route, so it provides an interesting excursion.

 

     Virginia

        Virginia Beach – This popular destination provides a great variety of summer opportunities, especially for children. Walk the boardwalk or see a major shipyard at nearby Norfolk.

       Williamsburg – America’s premier open-air museum is alive with activities throughout the year. While in the vicinity, check out Jamestown and Yorktown, two other historic locations.

       Richmond – Virginia’s state capital was once the capital of the Confederacy. Take a guided tour of the capitol building and get a lesson in American history, since so many of Virginia’s sons were pivotal in US history.

       Charlottesville – Jefferson’s estate gives visitors an opportunity to understand this complex and intelligent man and to appreciate his many other interests. Here was a true "renaissance man." Also be sure to visit the campus of the University of Virginia, which Jefferson founded.

       Blue Ridge Parkway – Just west of Charlottesville is the northern terminus of this extremely scenic drive along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, all the way to the Tennessee border. If time does not permit such a long detour, get a flavor by driving south to Natural Bridge, Virginia and then westward onto I-64 again.

 

     West Virginia

         New River Gorge – In Beckley, be sure to check out the bridge over the New River Gorge, a favorite place for bungy-jumpers and kayakers.

 

     Kentucky

        Kentucky Horse Park

            Lexington is the home of this combination show and museum which is a tribute to the horse, one of the most important domesticated animals in the history of man. The Parade of Breeds illustrates the differences between the types of horses.

            Kentucky Horse Farms – Take a detour southeast of Lexington to see the premier thoroughbred horse farms in the country. Many of them allow visitors to see their operation.

            Louisville – While passing through the city, stop briefly to see the Churchill Downs, the most famous thoroughbred race track in the country and the home of the Kentucky Derby.

 

      Missouri

          St Louis – This important city on the banks of the Mississippi River is home to the Gateway Arch, symbol of the Westward Expansion which more than doubled the size of the United States in the mid-eighteenth century.