.png)
This exciting Southeast roadtrip from Florida, ventures through Georgia's oldest city, and exploring the mountains of North and South Carolina. Here's everything we did, where we stayed, and what to eat.
Day 1&2: Tampa FL -> St Augustine FL -> Savannah GA Keith has family that lives in St Augustine so we decided to split the drive up and stay Friday night with them before heading to Savannah GA on Saturday Morning. While the drive to Savannah is not that far for us, it was very nice to split it up into 2 smaller drives, save some money on hotel, have breakfast with family, and get to Savannah earlier on Saturday.
After arriving in Savannah and checking in we explored River Street, walked around downtown,
Forsyth Park, Savannah College of Art and Design, Colonial Park Cemetery, and then spent the afternoon and into the night hopping around different bars and restaurants.
We were lucky to have a local friend, who could guide us around to the best bar spots
Savannah Tequila Co. - Tacos & Margaritas, with a waterfront view of passing cargo ships in the harbor.
Baobab Lounge - It's a little taste of South Africa, the cocktails were delicious.
The Peregrin - Rooftop bars with a cool atmosphere and great views of Savannah, drinks were a bit pricey but still good
Rocks on the Roof - We visited this bar a few times during our time in Savannah and the views were amazing.
Day 3: Tybee Island & Savannah If you do the bar hopping like we did, then wake up at leisure and have breakfast in Savannah. Drive over to Tybee Island and explore the lighthouse, fort, and beach. Then head back to Savanah for an evening carriage ride around town or go on one of the many ghost tours.
Day 4: Savannah GA to Brevard NC Catch the sunrise on Tybee Island. Park on the same road as The Breakfast Club and get some breakfast after the sunrise. This place gets extremely busy, there was a line before they were even open. After some breakfast, start the drive to Brevard NC with one hike along the way.
Day 5: Chasing Waterfalls Looking Glass Falls - Worth the stop! The hike is a short walk down some stairs to a great view of the falls and a nice wading area.
Moore Cove Falls - We didn’t think this was worth the hike unless you are interested in being able to walk all the way around a small waterfall.
Sliding rock - This does cost some money to come in and it gets very busy, but we think that its worth it. Could easily spend half a day sliding down the rock over and over again.
Drive Along the Blue Ridge Parkway and stop along all the overlooks. Skinny Dip Falls - Quick one mile hike, this will also get busy but is a great place to enjoy the water and well worth the hike.
Beech Bottom Falls - Short moderate hike to a waterfall viewing platform. Brevard NC will be your home base for the next few days.
Day 6: Asheville The Biltmore is the top thing to do in Asheville, but it's also very pricey. A more budget friendly alternative is the North Carolina Arboretum. We went to the arboretum as they opened and explored all around. Lunch at Rockys Hot Chicken Shack. Walk along the river arts district, explore the shops
Day 7+: Lake Keowee Lake Keowee is just a short drive south of Brevard and is a beautiful lake to spend a weekend on. There are a ton of lake houses to rent and public marinas to rent a boat for enjoying the lake, and there are even some nearby hikes and waterfalls to check out.
Here are a few of the hikes we enjoyed Upper Whitewater Falls - short and easy hike to the waterfall overlook, AllTrails shows 1.2 miles but to get to the overlook is much shorter
Lower Whitewater Falls - This hike is longer and tougher than Upper Whitewater Falls. The overlook gives a beautiful view but it's not quite as impressive as Upper Whitewater. If you only have time for one, I would suggest doing the short hike to Upper. Sassafras Mountain Observation Tower - Short walk with a beautiful view overlooking North and South Carolina.
Where We Stayed: Savannah GA - Hyatt Regency Savannah* This hotel is right on the river and within walking distance of everything. Its a beautiful place, but can be expensive, we got this room for free by using our Hyatt credit card points.
Brevard NC - A-frame w/ Mountain Views, Mid-Mod, Retreat We fell in love with this cabin! It’s out away from it all, but close enough to be a good home base for going around to different hikes and waterfalls. You don’t even have to leave the cabin because there are hikes and adventures right out the back door. If you are interested in more to do in Georgia, Check out our Roadtrip to Georgia Itinerary. We spent two weeks exploring the mountains of Georgia.