Now that we are both retired, our goal for 2025 is to be snowbirds. We are lucky to have homes in Hudson Valley New York and Space Coast Florida, and our next step is to spend more time in our Florida home especially during the winter. This fall, we drove down to Florida to leave a car there and I thought I’d share our itinerary, including which roads we took, where we stayed and what we did.
We spent a total of 11 days / 10 nights on the road. Parts of the trip we took non-interstate roads, but there are a few places we drove on the interstate highways. Usually to make up time, but towards the end of the trip it was easier to stay on 95 and besides the traffic wasn’t that bad.
Planning the Road Trip
A good part of the fun of a road trip is planning it. We had our starting and final destination set, so we just needed to decide where we wanted to go along the way. My family lives near Harrisburg PA so we made that a natural first stop. It certainly helps that right now, we can stay overnight without having to pay for a hotel. Then we also wanted to visit our daughters and grandkids in Jacksonville FL so that secured the last place we would visit.
To figure out the middle part of our trip, we bought an actual road atlas from Barnes and Noble. (Yes, weird right?) We figured out the basic route and then made a list of destinations we’d like to see state by state. Then I used Google Maps to figure out the drive time between different destinations. I do most of the driving, and I tap out around 4 hours. Sure, I can drive for a longer time but I get tired and its a lot to sit for that long anyway.
Hudson Valley to Harrisburg PA
I have family that lives in the Harrisburg area, with a free place to stay. So this was a natural stopping point. We’re in the Harrisburg/Hershey area often, and there’s lots to do.
- Drive Length: 4 hours 48 minutes
- Stops:
5 minute bathroom break only (Greentown PA west bound rest area) - Travel Route:
- 87 South to
- 84 West to
- 81 South
- (We exit at Hershey and then travel smaller roads to our family’s homes.)
Arrival Night: Once we arrived we had dinner at Mangia Mangia, in Hershey PA.
Day 1: The next morning we had breakfast at Angie’s Diner & Lounge, Harrisburg PA. We spent the day at Lake Tobias Wildlife Park, then had dinner at Texas Roadhouse. Lake Tobias was a fun place for the whole family. The founder of Lake Tobias J.R. Tobias had a lifelong love of exotic animals and he started the park as “just a hobby to fall back on in my retirement”. (Interesting retirement idea, right?) The park is now owned by his family, and run by his children and grandchildren.
After dinner my oldest brother and I went to Gettysburg Ghost Tours to do a Ghost Hunt. The last time we were in Gettysburg together we did a Ghost Tour, and that was more fun and engaging. (The Ghost Hunt was kind of lame, and I can’t bring myself to recommend it.)
Day 2: We had breakfast again at Angies, I went for a hike with my youngest brother at the Kings Gap Environmental Center, and then we drove to Columbia PA to have dinner with my middle brother at Hurricane Pizza Grill.
This weekend was absolutely fabulous because I got to spend time with each of my brother’s individually. Usually we see each other all together along with our mom, which is fun too, but catching up one-to-one is wonderfully different.
Harrisburg PA to Luray VA
After our fun weekend with family we headed off to Skyline Drive in Luray Virginia. This was a place I had visited when I was a child and wanted to return to as an adult.
- Drive Length: 5 hours 23 minutes
- Stops:
- Kentucky Fried Chicken and Sheetz, Charlestown WV to grab a quick lunch and fill up the gas tank
- Overlooks once we arrived on Skyland Drive
- Travel Route:
- Route 283 to
- Route 15 to
- Route 340 to
- Route 211 (Skyland Drive)
Arrival (afternoon): The drive was beautiful with lots of pretty views on the smaller roads. We arrived around 4pm and checked into Skyland Resort. I walked around the trails for a bit, but it had gotten cold compared to the day before. (Windy and around 50 degrees.) We had dinner and drinks at the Tavern on site, explored the gift shop, and then watched the sunset and darkening sky from our room. (Want details? Read my blog about Skyline Drive and the resort.)
Next day: We grabbed a quick bite from the fake Starbucks on-site, and headed back on the road.
Luray VA to Mt. Airy NC
From Skyline drive we first drove to Roanoke to have a long lunch with a friend. Then we headed out to Mt. Airy. Mt. Airy is the hometown of Andy Griffith. My husband liked the TV show that was aired in the 60’s and he’s always wanted to stop into Mt. Airy but never did.
- Drive Length: 7 hours 29 minutes (Actual drive time was 5 hours 29 minutes)
- Stops:
- 2 hour lunch at Our Daily Bread in Roanoke with a friend.
- Travel Route:
- Route 211 to
- Route 33 to
- Interstate 81 to 64 to 81
- Interstate 681
- Route 221 to
- Route 52
Arrival (evening): The drive was another success, very low stress without a lot of traffic. We checked into the Mayberry Motor Inn around 5. (I actually called to reserve our hotel room a month or so in advance, but it was worth it.) They gave us a room at the end. It was a good size and the room was very clean. The towels were a bit thin, but overall we were happy.
We explored the town a bit, but the attractions were already closed by 5. We asked the desk clerk to recommend a dinner place and we opted for 13 Bones Restaurant. He said that’s where the locals eat, and we love traveling like locals. The food was affordable and good with nice portions. Around us were many families who knew each other, and it was fun to know that the desk guy sent us to a locals favorite. Since we drove a lot that day, we were pretty tired so we didn’t do much else.
Next day: We were up and ready to go by 8 am and had breakfast at the Rusty Rooster. We’ll definitely go there again if we end up spending time in Mt. Airy in the future.
We got the sense the touristy to dos were a bit trappy so we decided to skedaddle to Charleston where we figured we’d have more to do.
Mt. Airy NC to Charleston SC
On the way to Charleston, we stopped at the Visitor Center on I-77. It’s totally worth stopping here, besides a clean “pee stop”. We picked up a bunch of maps and guides to plan future trips to South Carolina.
- Drive Length: 5 hours 14 minutes
- Stops:
- Visitor Center on I-77 (picked up lots of brochures and maps) and fill up at Exxon in Bowman SC.
- Travel Route:
- US 601 to
- Interstate 74 to
- Interstate 77 to
- Interstate 26 to
- Meeting Street
Arrival (afternoon): We arrived in Charleston early enough to explore the riverfront historic district. We dropped our car and bags off at Mills House Charleston and then headed out to grab a drink at the Blind Tiger Pub. Then we walked around the historic district before checking in and having dinner at Magnolias. After dinner, my husband rested and I explored the Gibbes Museum of Art before we had drinks at the bar downstairs at the Mills House.
Interested in more details about our afternoon? I wrote about our visit to Charleston in a separate blog.
Next day: I was stoked to go on a morning run through the historic district. It was wonderful! Then we had breakfast at the hotel and were off to Savannah!
Charleston SC to Savannah GA
Visiting two southern cities back to back was terrific. Each has its own charm, and I want to explore both more in the future to get to know their vibes.
- Drive Length: 2 hours 18 minutes
- Stops:
- Bathroom break at Wendy’s in Yemassee SC
- Travel Route:
- Route 17 to
- Interstate 95 to
- Route 25 to
- Route 17 to
- Fahm Street to W River
Arrival (afternoon): We arrived in the early afternoon, and left our car and bags at The Cotton Sail Hotel Savannah. Savannah has a couple of trolley tours, we bought tickets to the Hop on, Hop off Trolley Tour in the lobby, and walked over to the City Market. (On hindsight, it would have been cheaper to buy them from Expedia instead.) The tour gave us a nice overview of Savannah, especially with this being our first visit.
After checking in, we walked on the riverfront exploring the shops. We especially liked Gallery 209 and Christmas on the River. After shopping, we decided to have an early dinner at Huey’s. The food was yummy with a New Orleans inspired dishes, and the service was prompt and efficient.
After dinner, we headed back to our room to enjoy the sunset and river view before going to the Top Deck Bar in the hotel for drinks and to hear some live music. Sadly after returning from our night, we had some issues with our room and had to move to another one. (Read about it by clicking here.)
Next day: After a nice complimentary breakfast at The Nest Rooftop Lounge, we walked around the City Market again and talked to a nice shop clerk who suggested we visit the Wormsloe State Historic Site. This former plantation features a walkable one-mile avenue lined with over 400 Live Oak Trees that was planted by Noble Jones. I was looking for some great photos of Live Oaks, and captured quite a few. It was simply magical!
Savannah GA to Jacksonville Beach / Amelia Island FL
We had a great time on the road during this week, but we were excited to spend a weekend near our family in Jax Beach and go on a day trip to Amelia Island, Florida.
- Drive Length: 3 hours 2 minutes
- Stops:
- Fill-up at Gate Gas Station
- Travel Route:
- Interstate 95 to
- Interstate 295 to
- Route 202 to
- A1A
Arrival (evening): We opted to stay at an AirBnb between A1A and the beach for three nights, but unfortunately our experience wasn’t all that great, so I won’t link to it. The weather was still on the cold and windy side, even for North Florida with a storm coming in off the ocean. We opted to have dinner at Bonefish Grill, a small chain restaurant that we enjoy, before turning in for the night.
Day 1: We met our family at Beach Diner, a long time local favorite. Most of the day we chilled with the family before dinner at Taco Lu, another local favorite that we always stop at when we are in town.
Day 2: We left for an adventure on Amelia Island via the Mayport Ferry. The ferry ride was quick and the drive gorgeous. We had brunch at The Patio at 5th and Ash Restaurant and explored the downtown shops and waterfront. One day wasn’t enough time, so we’ll be back.
After saying goodbye to our family that evening, we had a late snack at Cruisers Grill near our AirBnb, and got prepared for our final destination!
Jacksonville Beach FL to Space Coast FL
We grabbed breakfast at Another Broken Egg Cafe and headed south once again. If you’ve never been to Another Broken Egg Cafe, mention that this is your first time there and they may give you free beignets. (That was a yummy surprise.)
- Drive Length: 3 hrs and 8 mins
- Stops: None 🙂
- Travel Route:
- A1A to
- Interstate 95 to
- A1A after Port Canaveral
After a week and a half on the road, we were glad to be back in our Space Coast Florida home and see our friends there.
Changes I’ll make to the trip back
Hindsight is always 20/20 so here’s two changes I plan to make when we drive back in the Spring.
- Spend more time in each place.
I feel that I was rushed in the middle part of the trip. So on the next trip we’ll spend two nights at each destination, giving us enough time to schedule tours and explore the area. - Bring more warm clothes.
We looked at the weather, but we were gone long enough that the expected weather changed after we left. It was a lot colder and it would have been nice to have more warm clothes. - Find privately owned Inns to stay.
We got the most value from the little motel in Mount Airy. It was cheap and clean. I’ll be on the lookout for small Inns that are affordable and clean.
Suggestions?
We’ll be making this trip back and forth a couple of times a year, so I’d love to hear about suggestions including where to stay, eat and shop. Drop me a DM on our Instagram account or leave a comment below.
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