A nice summer trip please read

[crazy1]

Hi, me and my girlfriend are going to florida from illinois.
Here is the layout in nights.

1. 1/2 way to charleston SC from Champaign IL
2. Charleston SC
3.Charleston SC
4. Savannah GA
5. Savannah GA
6. Miami FL
7. Clearwater FL
8. Clearwater FL
9. Chattanooga TN (1/2 way home Champaign IL)

We really dont know what we want to do anywhere. We just want to go to these places with this exact schedule. In Florida we are subject to chanage for them 3 nights devoted to that state. I'm looking for ideas what to do in any of these places or along the way.

Thanks

[Mass Tim]

The first thing I have to ask is how you came up with that particular list? Have you heard good things about those places, maybe along with some things that you might be interested in doing there? Are you going to be camping or staying in hotel/motels?

What kind of things are you interested in? Some people like history, others are in to going to the beach, still others want to go to nightclubs and the like (not that the three are mutually exclusive).

[Midwest Michael]

We really dont know what we want to do anywhere. We just want to go to these places with this exact schedule.

I've got to say that I too am kind of confused as to how you are going about putting this trip together. Typically, it makes more sense to find some places you want to go, and then build an itinerary around them. It sounds like you've built an itinerary, you want to stick to it exactly, but you haven't come up with a reason for going to those places or why you're going to spend specific amounts of time there.

There is no right or wrong way to plan a roadtrip, but I agree that its going to be hard for us to help you without having a better understanding of why you are going about planning your trip this way.

[crazy1]

I'm sorry I left out some info.

Charleston-History stuff, fort sumter, a plantation tour, ghost tour
Savannah- ghost tours, history, food
Florida- My girlfriend has never been there and we have 3 nights, 1 night miami, 2 nights clearwater, basically we'll see both sides of the state and north and south and visit the everglades national park. Clearwater was picked via word of mouth from a friend. If someone can come up with a 3 day mini tour of florida PLEASE say your ideas. I dont feel strong about the setup but it maximizes the visit. Not enough time to do key west.
The other nights are just in between nights.

We have done some road trips before but we haven't been this "loop" around the southeast and yes we have heard alot about savannah and charleston. Were big into ghost tours and history and southern food.

[crazy1]

Are you going to be camping or staying in hotel/motels?

We don't camp, my girlfriend has to have a bed and a shower in a room (she hates camping). We get deals through choice hotels and in florida I'm looking to stay in a resort on the beach at least 2 nights. Savannah we are staying at the historic marshall house.

[PNW Judy]

It's about 485 miles from Savannah to Miami so most of that day (I presume day #5) will be spent making that trip. And then the next day you drive 285 miles to Clearwater. It just doesn't seem like enough time in Miami to make the drive there worth it.

If seeing the Florida beaches are a must, maybe stick to one farther north like St. Augustine. And, since you seem to enjoy history, you might enjoy seeing this as it's the oldest European-settled city in the US and the oldest established port. Fascinating stuff.

And, personally, it would be hard for me to drive past miles of beautiful beaches without getting out and playing in the sand and surf. I would spend more of that time playing and less time driving. In fact, I would probably leave Florida for a different trip in the future and just enjoy the beautiful beaches of Georgia and So. Carolina. How about spending time at Hilton Head Island, for example?

Just some ideas. Your route idea isn't bad at all but I just don't think it's necessary to do so much driving to have a lot of fun in the sun.

[micountrygal]

Wow - I'd stick with Charleston/Savannah and skip FL this trip, too. Thats a lot of driving and not much touring time down there. We did the Charleston/Savannah/Jekyll Island/Myrtle Beach trip last October and that was in two weeks.

Charleston - we stayed in Mt. Pleasant, just a short drive into the city at the Isle of Palms Comfort Suites (I choose Choice Hotels, too) at 1130 Hungryneck Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464. Very clean, comfortable hotel and priced a lot less expensive than some of the hotels in Charleston. 1st thing we did was stop at the visitors center and booked a harbor cruise/trolley tour. We toured with Olde Towne Carriage - try to get a tour with Kristoff, he is an amazing guide! The harbor trip was with Charleston Harbor Tours on the Carolina Belle. Both tours were a package for about $30/per person. It was well worth it. The harbor tour went out by Fort Sumter, but not to the fort, you can take another tour for that.

We tour Savannah for a day, but really enjoyed Tybee Island more. Its so relaxing and laid back there. Great beach food and bars, some fun shops, a great beach, lighthouse and coastal water tours. We stayed at the Ocean Plaza hotel, but I wouldn't recommend there - try the DeSoto, it was nicer!

[crazy1]

I changed it up a bit for the florida part. Now we are just going to go straight to key west from savannah 1 day trip 2 nights in key west at an ocean side resort. Upon leaving there hit the everglades N.P. and drive to 1/2 to chattanooga to stay the night. 1 night in chatt. then go home