7-Day Southern Road Trip Itinerary:
New River Gorge, Congaree & Tybee Island
Before we got married, my husband and I purchased a wooden map of the National Parks that has pieces to fill in each one as you visit them. We’re currently working on filling out that map and typically try to visit at least one new park a year, if not more.
This summer, our family friends planned a vacation to Tybee, Georgia, and invited us to join. We thought this trip offered a great opportunity to tack on a few stops and mark off a couple more National Parks. The purpose of this post is to outline our trip itinerary and provide inspiration if you’d like to visit these areas someday.
I should preface by saying that we left on a Saturday and returned home the following Friday. We visited two National Parks, one historic city, and one beach location — the perfect combination to please everyone in the group.
Saturday – New River Gorge National Park
We left our home in Ohio on Saturday morning and picked up a rental car. The purpose of this was to save mileage on my personal car and to be able to fly home at the end of the trip. We spent the day driving a little over five hours to reach Beckley, West Virginia. This was a nice way to start the trip without feeling rushed.
Before heading to our hotel in Beckley, we stopped at the New River Gorge Visitor Center. After spending some time in the visitor center shop, we walked down to an overlook for the New River Gorge Bridge — the views were beautiful. Since it was still a little early for dinner, we decided to embark on a hike to experience more of the park.
We chose the Endless Wall Trail, a 2.4-mile path with incredible views. It was a great moderate hike — exactly what I was looking for since we didn’t have much time that day. It was also close to the Visitor Center. After the hike, we had dinner and went back to the hotel. There are many restaurants near Beckley, and hibachi sounded good, so we ended up at Fujiyama.
Sunday – New River Gorge National Park
I woke up Sunday morning with nerves about our plans for the day. We had reserved spots for whitewater rafting, and one thing about me is that I’m not usually a thrill-seeker. I enjoy fun activities but typically get nervous when there’s a chance of danger.
Truthfully, though, this ended up being one of the most fun and memorable experiences I’ve ever had. The company we used was Adventures on the Gorge, and our trip was on the Lower New River, which includes Class II–IV rapids. The trip started around 10 a.m., and we finished around 3 p.m. Our raft had seven people and a very well-trained guide.
While there’s always some risk of falling out, I felt very comfortable with our guide’s expertise — the most important part was following instructions. The water was relatively low that day, so the rapids were moderate, which was perfect for me.
Halfway through the day, our group of rafts pulled off to the side, and the guides provided lunch packed in coolers. We even had a few chances to swim in the river and float through two gentle rapids. Overall, it was a great trip and absolutely worth stepping out of my comfort zone.
After a long day in the sun, we cleaned up at the hotel and had dinner at a local favorite — the Secret Sandwich Society. The pimento fries and Hoover sandwich were really good.
Monday – Congaree National Park
On Monday morning, we got up early and hit the road. Our first stretch was about five hours, and we only stopped once for coffee. Our first destination was Congaree National Park, the second and final National Park on this trip.
When we arrived in South Carolina, the weather was much warmer and more humid. As usual, we first stopped at the Visitor Center and stretched our legs. We planned to do at least one trail and decided on the Boardwalk Trail, a 2.6-mile walk through the forest.
The name is true to its description — a raised boardwalk path through the swampy woods. Unfortunately, the mosquitos were really bad at that time, so we speed-walked most of it. Overall, I appreciated being able to visit and mark it off my list, but I probably wouldn’t plan a trip centered solely around this park.
After Congaree, we drove another two and a half hours to the Savannah airport to return our rental car. Once we arrived, we met up with the rest of our group and headed to Tybee Island, the main destination of our trip.
We checked into our VRBO — a beautiful three-story home with a pool, located on the southern end of the island. Since we were on the tip, there were many beach spots within a short walking distance.
After getting settled, we went to The Crab Shack for dinner. The restaurant had great views and even live alligators to watch! My husband and I shared the Captain’s Crab Sampler Platter, which included snow crab, mussels, crawfish, shrimp, corn, potatoes, and sausage.
Tuesday – Tybee Island
Tuesday was our designated beach and relaxation day. Sunrises on the island were absolutely beautiful and very peaceful. We got coffee from Tybean and spent most of the day on the beach near our house.
For dinner, we went to Fannie’s on the Beach, where I had a great salad. The frozen drinks were definitely a highlight — especially the Fannie Slapper. We ended the evening with a swim in the pool and watched the sunset from the roof.
Wednesday – Savannah, GA
Being so close to Savannah, I wanted to make a point to visit the city. Wednesday was the day we set aside for that. One thing I always enjoy when exploring a new city is a hop-on, hop-off trolley. It’s a great way to get around without walking or Ubering everywhere, plus you learn a lot about the history.
We used Old Town Trolley Tours, and most of the drivers were both entertaining and informative. As a coffee lover, our first stop was Savannah Coffee Roasters, where I had a brown sugar scone and a delicious cup of coffee.
After that, we rode the trolley to River Street, which was full of shops and scenic views. We spent quite a bit of time exploring before heading back on the trolley to Forsyth Park, which had caught my eye earlier in the tour. The trees there are stunning, and the Fragrant Garden for the Blind was lovely to see.
We grabbed lunch at Treylor Park, where the staff was very welcoming. I ordered the grilled apple pie sandwich with chicken, and our group tried the PB&J wings — both were amazing.
After a long day of exploring, we returned to Tybee and spent the rest of the evening relaxing by the pool and enjoying Huc-A-Poos pizza.
Thursday – Tybee Island
On Thursday, we started our morning at a newly opened coffee shop, Sand Cat Coffee. The drinks were great, and the staff was very friendly.
Our group split up that day — the guys went deep-sea fishing, and the girls went on a dolphin-watching cruise with Captain Derek’s Dolphin Adventure. The cruise lasted about an hour and a half, and we saw tons of dolphins! The boat was small enough that everyone had a great view and could easily hear the guide. It was also neat to see the lighthouses and coastline from the water.
After returning to the house, I spent some peaceful time reading on the beach. Later, the guys rejoined us, and we decided on sushi for dinner at Raw Ingredients. My custom bowl was pricey but delicious. We finished the night with ice cream on Tybrisa Street.
Friday – Wormsloe State Historic Site
On our last day, we woke up early to enjoy the sunrise one final time. Watching the sun come up with hardly anyone else around was one of my favorite parts of the trip. We got coffee and bagel sandwiches from The Surfing Goat and ate them on the pier.
Afterward, we packed up and checked out of the VRBO. With some time to spare before our flight, we made one last stop at Wormsloe State Historic Site. We paid admission and walked the 1.5-mile entrance path lined with live oaks and Spanish moss. While I lost some interest in the historical aspect, the views were absolutely worth it.
After exploring, we headed to the airport to wrap up our trip.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I really enjoyed this trip. It had a mix of sightseeing, adventure, and relaxation — something for everyone in the group. I was thrilled to cross two National Parks off my list and still get plenty of beach time.
When I plan a vacation, I like to have some activity or sightseeing each day, with an occasional rest day mixed in. This trip definitely kept me busy in the best way. I loved the combination of a road trip and a quick flight home (no 12-hour drive back!).
I hope you enjoy some of my photography from this trip and maybe feel inspired to visit some of these beautiful places yourself.