In May/June,my wife and I(from Scotland) are hoping to spend a few days in DC then drive down thro' Virginia,NC,SC and back to DC over a three week period. We would be grateful for ideas of what to see/or miss, place to go, eat, stay, possible routes etc. Our interests are general, Civil war sites, just to get a 'feel' for the area.

It sounds like you have a good plan to start with, but here are a couple of ideas you might use. First, the weather during this time of year is great - plenty of sun and warmth before the intense heat of summer. This is the time of year a lot of cities/towns plan outdoor festivals & music events. These are family oriented events that are usually totally FREE to attend. They mostly include a celebration of the local heritage and feature live musical performances, as well as dance and stage presentations. Other popular events are weekly concerts that feature regional and sometimes national musical acts. Knoxville, TN hosts a series called "Sundown in the City" that runs all summer long and is free. Asheville has something similar.

Another destination is the Great Smoky Mountains. It is a beautiful drive and cabins are available for lodging. Gatlinburg, TN is a top tourist stop, but be ready for LOTS of traffic if you plan on driving in because there are numerous clothing outlet stores in nearby Pigeon Forge that draw tons of bargain shoppers from everywhere around. Good luck!

If you have the time and want to get a feel of the land, take US and state highways, and use Interstates only if you want to make up time.

The previous writer was right about Pigeon Forge: tacky, fun, and good for a cheap night's accomodation. But also consider Maryville, Tenn. on the other side of the park. Older, much quieter. Be sure to plan on picnicing the Smokies. It can be cool, even in summer. Plan on walking though the shoals. Note: the Smokies were planned as a driving park, so it gets crowded in the summer.

You can drive south from the Smokies "over the mountain" to Georgia on US 441. Quite drivable, and much more scenic than dogging over to an Interstate. Avoid Atlanta, in any case. There's nothing very interesting there.

You can cut down US 441 to Athens, my college town. Quaint, with a small town feel and decent hotels. The US 78 to Washington (quintesential antebellum town) and south on Georgia highway 17 the slow but direct way to Savannah. Georgia-17 is how someone would have made the trek 70-80 years ago, and has a certain historic charm of its own.

Incidentally, the US Highway 29 that runs through Athens, Georgia runs all the way to Washington D.C., though in a part of North Carolina co-extends with a piece of Interstate highway, I think. Another good road to take, especially in Virginia.

Be sure to ask elder persons (white or black) for detailed directions to their favorite barbecue shack, "meat-and-three"[a kind of cafe; three vegetables] and fish house. Southern food folkways are highly regionalized, and it is the best way to eat. Use you most polite manners; they will be reciprocated.

Lastly, in the South, and especially in the mountains, everyone and his brother is (or claims to be) of Scots extraction. That should make a warm welcome warmer, and you'll probably get questions. Many Southerners know what the saltire stands for (even if they don't know the name) so a lapel pin might make you some friends.