Photo Journal: How to Rock an RV Road Trip
Taking an RV trip has been on my family’s travel bucket list for some time now. The idea of exploring several places in a short amount of time—without having to unpack and repack—has always been appealing. I'm so glad we finally did it! This photo diary shows what a great time we had.
Looking for an epic road trip idea? My family and I recently embarked on a nine-day road trip through the southern United States. It took us 500 miles from Florida up to South Carolina. Our travel plans included a few nights in the Jacksonville area, where we kayaked and learned to surf before picking up a rental RV to use for the remainder of the vacation. Knowing that we would be moving around many times during this trip, I packed all of my items in just two bags: a small, rolling carry-on and a backpack. Take a look through our photo album, below, to learn more about our fun adventure.
Traveling in an RV
Packing tools that were essential during this trip were our Pack-It Cubes™. Not only did they help keep our clothing organized, but we were able pack by activity or by day. Packing cubes come in a variety of sizes and colors, so each member of our family was assigned a matching set. We also favored tightly rolling our clothes rather than folding them to help us easily identify what we needed daily without taking every item out of the cube.
We quickly discovered just how tight storage space can be in an RV, especially for a family of four! There were only a few overhead bins and some very small vertical closets with no real shelving. Stacking our Pack-It Specter™Cubes allowed us to maximize the space.
Florida
Our first stop was the Nation’s Oldest City: St. Augustine. Having never been to the area before, we took the Old Town Trolley Tour as a way to help us discover the town. This sightseeing tour covered the whole city, allowing us to hop on and off at 23 different locations. We were able to see landmarks like Castillo de San Marcos, the oldest masonry fort in the United States, and explore St. George Street’s boutiques, galleries, and restaurants.
I knew that I wanted to be prepared to stay out all day exploring, without needing to return to the RV. I easily carried everything we needed in my Afar Backpack*. With water bottles, a camera, a first-aid kit, an ID, money, and our jackets, I was prepared for anything.
Georgia
At our second stop, we parked the RV right around the corner from the Tybee Lighthouse at the River’s End Campground. This was a great location as were a few short blocks from the beach and approximately 20 miles outside Savannah.
After our first day on the beach we went into town and had dinner at the eclectic Tybee Island Social Club. We spent the next day exploring the charming city of Savannah. Again, with only one day to get acquainted with the sites, we relied on a hop-on, hop-off trolley tour service. The guides on the Old Savannah Tour gave us a thorough overview of the historic district. We got off near the popular City Market area to try the award-winning southern cuisine at Belford’s for lunch. After our meal, we walked a few blocks to get a scoop of ice cream at Leopold’s, where the line has probably been queuing out the door since they opened in 1919.
South Carolina
We spent the last few days of our RV road trip on James Island, which is located on the outskirts of Charleston. We enjoyed an afternoon of downtime relaxing on the sandy shores of Folly Beach, where we were able to pull our Winnebago right up alongside the ocean.
The following day, we set out to discover Charleston. I can see why it has been named the number one city in the U.S. by several notable travel publications. After spending just one day there, we were completely enamored with the vibrant culture, stunning architecture, and unbelievable food scene. Making the most of our time there, we also managed to squeeze in a quick trip to the South Carolina Aquariumand took even took a Charleston Harbor Tour.
The next morning, it was time to head home to Vermont. With our first-ever RV trip in the books, we all left the South feeling like we had seen and experienced a lot! Next time, we might consider staying longer in each place so that we don’t feel so rushed cram it all in.
Related links (from Eagle Creek blog):
The Best Travel Bags for Summer Vacation
