In honor of American diversity, travel down to the South to immerse yourself in the cultural melting pot that offers so much heritage and history. The beauty of a road trip not only lies in the destination, but also the journey. In this list, we’ve included beautiful drives to 5 must-see RV destinations in the American South.
Overseas Highway – Florida Keys
Seven Mile bridge of Overseas Highway between Florida Keys. Photo Credit: Getty Images, Tashka
Down the Overseas Highway, you can revel in the marine monuments like shipwrecks, coral and limestone islands, and seascapes sequestered by palm trees and mangroves under the setting sun.
For a more tropical travel trip, the Overseas Highway will take you to your dream destination, which is rivaled only by the drive to get there, with a stunning 113-mile series of roads and bridges connecting the mainland to the southernmost point, Key West.
Fort Zachary Taylor State Park Beach, Key West. Photo Credit: Unsplash, Braden Egli
Visiting all of the Keys is the best way to make the most of your trip. Starting at Key Largo, this northern island is an ideal diving spot. Underwater, you’ll find both natural and man-made reefs, shipwrecks, and even a hotel room. After some deep-sea diving, head on to Islamorada, the best stop for sport fishing and, dare we say it, eating local cuisine. This string of islands is ideal for chartering a boat far enough away from the coast to go fishing.
For aquatic wildlife, head over to Marathon, home to a turtle hospital and a dolphin research facility. A little further down Big Key is a road lined by mangroves and pine trees in a town surrounded by corals.
Finally, at Key West, you’ll find most of the activities you’ve already done on the way and many more. This is the ultimate tourist spot in Florida Keys. Be sure to stop by the open-air aquarium, the museums, and the Bahama village. You can end the day with a recreational activity of your choice, be it sailing, sunbathing, or sunset-watching.
Stay: Jolly Roger RV Resort, Marathon, FL – Spacious shady, grassy sites on 11 acres-rare find in the Florida Keys. New premier RV sites and heated/chilled pool.
Georgia’s Coast – Savannah
Savannah, GA. Photo Credit: Unsplash, Tyler Edic
There is nothing quite like driving down a coastal road facing the Atlantic. Georgia’s coast runs along 110 miles, with four islands you can easily drive past as you make your way to the tree-strewn city of Savannah.
On the way, you can make some stops at RV sites near the coast that come with full utility hookups and amenities. Most of the resorts like Jekyll Island can be stopped over by vehicle. If you can afford to spend a day at the beach before you continue to Savannah, do. The sunrise scenes in this part of the world are nothing short of filmic.
In Savannah, the atmosphere will have completely shifted from a seaside trip to a quaint, somewhat gothic drive, and the transition is very welcome. Tourists often travel to this destination to go ghost-hunting, which is not uncommon even amongst the residents themselves, because with memorial parks as beautiful as Savannah’s, anyone will be enticed to flock to cemeteries.
Famous fountain in Savannah’s Forsyth Park in the Historic district, constructed in the 1850’s. Photo Credit: Unsplash, Philip Arambula
Visit the historic district to explore the city’s statues, memorials, and fountains in the shade of mossy trees and beautiful flowers. At its very heart is Forsyth Park, a 30-acre garden that invites activity of all kinds to be enjoyed in its green space. Be sure to drop by the fountain in the middle of the park, a monument that has stood since 1875 signifying the end of the Spanish-American war.
Stay: CreekFire RV Resort, Savannah, GA – About 20 minutes west of downtown Savannah, you can have fun and excitement when you want it – and relaxation and solitude when you need it.
Blue Ridge Parkway – Shenandoah & Smoky Mountain
Blue Ridge Parkway, Linville. Photo Credit: Unsplash, Ashley Knedler
Bask in the beauty of Blue Ridge Parkway, a gorgeous route that leads you to sweeping scenery in the south. Drive through the mountainous Appalachia and witness 300 miles of forest and wildlife.
Take this nearly 500-mile route between North Carolina and Virginia and you will still spot something new in view. In conversations about destinations in the south, people are almost always sure to bring up this gem. Its reputation, deserving as it is, precedes its grandeur.
Campgrounds along the parkway have extensive RV support infrastructure, especially those at the Shenandoah and Smoky Mountain at each end. Campgrounds near Chimney Rock and Lake Lure offer sites with full hookups even in rather high altitude for reasonable prices.
Music festivals are frequent occasions in the parkway, so mark your calendars for events near you to catch them before the route gets heavily trafficked, particularly in the summer season. Along the route, you’ll pass by Biltmore Estate, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Chimney Rock, and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello estate.
Biltmore Estate. Photo Credit: Unsplash, Cody Dueitt
Stay: Lakewood RV Resort, Flat Rock, NC – 55+ RV Resort in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Stay: Asheville Bear Creek RV Park, Asheville, NC – minutes from the Biltmore & you can buy your tickets from the campground.
Lookout Mountain Parkway – Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama. Photo Credit: Unsplash, Zach Farmer
Pass Alabama to ride down the eastern mountains in Lookout Mountain Parkway, a path that crosses canyons, waterfalls, and small towns.
The road is loaded with outdoor activities to occupy your time, such as sightseeing the waterfalls, climbing boulders, and riding mountainous trails.
Stop by DeSoto Falls along the Alabama ridge-line, where you will find a hundred-foot high waterfall that cascades tons upon tons of river weight into the sandstone bowl. The beach at the bottom can prove too grueling a task to climb down, but the view and the sight is like no other.
The A.A. Miller Dam was one of the first hydroelectric damns built in Alabama. The dam is located just above the first section of DeSoto Falls. DeSoto Falls is located on Lookout Mountain near beautiful Mentone, Alabama. Photo Credit: Getty Images, James Deitsch
The drive from the parkway down to Birmingham can take as long as two hours. From here, you can take a break from the trip on the mountainside and go on an urban-style trip. Enjoy the air-conditioned malls, explore the nature preserves, and take a look inside the famous Birmingham Art Museum. Other monuments of art and culture are museums for jazz music, motorsports, and local theaters showcasing select films.
Stay: Windemere Cove RV Resort, Langston, AL – Lakeside Retreat has the best nature has to offer…fishing, boating, kayaking & breathtaking lake views. Located on the beautiful shores of scenic Lake Guntersville, and about an hour drive to DeSoto Falls.
New Orleans
New Orleans. Photo Credit: Unsplash, Aya Salman
Rooted in rich culture and history, New Orleans is a must-see RV destination for all your needs.
You can never run out of things to see in New Orleans, the most popular destination in the Bayou State, and for good reason. The food is fantastic, the music magnificent, and the architecture amazing. It isn’t called the Big Easy for nothing.
During Mardi Gras especially, the parades are extravagant, and the crowds are piling in by the thousands. Stop by the French Quarter while you’re in town, because that’s where the older buildings are, and to this day they still hold up, and with style, too.
On the outskirts of the city are wetlands, where you can find native Louisiana species in the swamps of preserves. Take a river boat cruise on the Natchez, watch birds from their quietest perches in the swamps, and go stalk alligators in the bayous.
Stay: Jude Travel Park of New Orleans – located just five miles from the French Quarter in downtown New Orleans, Louisiana.
