35 days on our epic Southeast USA road trip, and it’s been an unforgettable journey!
From our hometown of Philadelphia, PA, we’ve explored the beauty of Southeast USA, covering: Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and Tennessee.
Our straight-throughs for the trip were cafes, stickers, and cheap long sleeves. Our way of getting to know an area, support local businesses, and get some mementos. We also loved reading about the history of the area as we drove through each spot. Loved this trip so much, was a such fun adventure.
Virginia
American Brew
Virginia Beach, Virginia
coffee & whiskey bar w acai bowls – a favorite go-to spot for us
First Landing State Park (2 nights)
Virginia Beach, Virginia
historic bay and beach – first time camping within walking distance to the beach, morning miles + sunbathing
North Carolina
Sealevel Vegan Diner
Wilmington, North Carolina
artsy vegan spot for lunch + sweets – kinda want to work here?!
South Carolina
Huntington Beach State Park (2 nights)
Murrells Inlet, South Carolina
breathtaking marsh views & beach – a fun beach run to the jetty
Beech Cafe & Marketplace
Charleston, South Carolina
coffee, acai bowls, bagels w vegan butter, THC drinks – cutesy area
Georgia
Hungry Vegan
Savannah, Georgia
delicious vegan soul food – rare gem, great people, home kitchen vibes
Florida
Anastasia State Park (2 nights)
St. Augustine, Florida
sandy campsite with weekly farmers market – muffins, cold-pressed juice, micro greens
Clearwater Airbnb (7 nights)
Clearwater, Tampa, Gulfport, and Dunedin
vibrant city and beach towns – relaxed by the pool, explored new spots
St Andrews State Park (4 nights)
Panama City, Florida
waterfront camping by the gulf – amazing time, got hot and buggy so we spontaneously booked:
Alabama
Chewalaca State Park (1 night)
Auburn, Alabama
scenic trails and waterfall – our saving grace from the heat and bugs (a great lesson for us that we can do whatever we want when we want; we don’t have to be stubborn in changing the plan *this lesson serves us later on in the trip)
Oak Mountain State Park (3 nights)
Pelham, Alabama
majestic mountain range – tree top nature trail to visit native Alabama birds of prey rehabilitated by the Alabama Wildlife Center
Georgia
Cloudland Canyon State Park (2 nights)
Rising Fawn, Georgia
picturesque gorge, amazing trails, campsite was within .25 mile of a breathing overlook
*severe weather Alert comes in: Hurricane Helene is on our path and we have to decide whether to stay our third and final night at the Cloudland campsite (in our suv) or find a safe shelter (like a hotel) for the storm.
We decided on finding a hotel for the night. The next question was: Asheville, North Carolina (next major on our list) or Chattanooga, Tennessee (the town we were gonna drive through before Asheville)?
Tennessee
Days Inn Hotel (7 nights)
Chattanooga, Tennessee
scenic cityscape (waited out Hurricane Helene in safety) We ended up booking 3 nights at Days Inn initially. Really grateful we made this choice. Ashville was hit hard: lives lost, flooded roads, lost power, food and water storage, hundreds of people stranded for weeks with no phone service. Like tf. So sad and scary. While Chattanooga was spared. We got to enjoy a few city days walking and exploring with Champ, getting fun runs in. We were shaken up, but still trying to soak up the moment and be where are feet are.
Road Trip Pivot
At this point in our trip, we planned to hit the Blueridge Parkway in North Carolina but the hurricane devasted the entire area. We waited out at the Days Inn for another 3 nights to figure out our next move. We had two options: either head home or finish out our trip. We made some calls to see what campgrounds were even still open. And decided to skip over the BRP altogether and pick back up on Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia.
Between Days Inn Chattanooga and Shenandoah lies the Days Inn of Roanoke. And damn it if we could give a place 0 stars. Nasty ass. BUT we figured no one’s forcing us to stay, we packed up and headed to Walmart then Loves at 10pm to prep for Shenny (food shop, laundry, sleep). Wow if this wasn’t a test of patience. We were set on going home after this one, but finally landed on finishing the trip out.
Virginia
We made it to Shenandoah National Park and it was our trip highlight! It was a huge journey to get there, but we made it… and it was incredible. Skyline drive, the fall foliage, booking the “Honeymoon” suite during our actual honeymoon. It was pure magic. We ended the trip on a great note and headed back home refreshed.
Reflecting and Planning
As I wrap up this blog, I’m feeling super grateful for these new experiences. Making plans and taking off work is everything. Plan your year in advance if you can. Cheers to the open road and making memories with mi amor!
See Kevin’s Rule for our most up-to-date adventures
Cheers, the best is yet to come!
14 LESSONS & REMINDERS
1. No rush getting to next stop. Embrace the moment, THIS is it
2. Minimize screen time. Paper journal, read books, look at nature, talk
3. 5 am wake up for travel days (especially long drive day / if we are making stops along the way; give ourselves time to enjoy the road trip)
4. Organize stuff with stuff
5. Avoid the highways when possible, back roads are easier with rest stops, can just pull off to a gas station or store instead of taking an exit; also back roads are more scenic – take highways if we wanna get somewhere quicker
6. Grab park pamphlets at the welcome center (great info, free souvenir)
7. “Leave nothing but foot prints, take nothing but photos”
8. Workout gear + running clothes serve as an anchor; plan when you are doing workouts that day and pull the gear out asap
9. Check weather average for specific months (high & low) before booking (car camping)
10. Bugs are big deal, get bug kit – candle, incense sticks (BIG hit), wipes for champ and car, spray for us and campsite
11. State parks are a hit – well developed campgrounds with bathrooms, showers, sometimes a camp store and laundry. Shenandoah is not a state park however they have great amenities
12. It’s okay to change plans & reservations, especially if it’s due to weather; you’ll get some sort of refund at most campgrounds; take note when booking about cancellation policy
13. Itinerary folder BIG hit; have confirmation emails & cancellation policies printed out ready to go within folder; have a place to write out notes for each campground / reservation
14. Gear: Wobbie is great quality and versatile (blanket, sunshade, etc); canopy is a must have; having an easy to clean pour over coffee set up with reusable coffee cup is everything; camping stove is a must with extra fuel; dehydrated food big hit
Thanks for reading! Keep on stepping
Core by Corie 