Want to know how to spend 3 relaxing days driving from central Florida to North Carolina? This is my experience.
*indicates tip
Day 1: Start driving at 7:45 AM. Make a stop in St. Augustine to visit the Lighthouse. Took about a hour and costs $12.95 per person. *From the top you can view the lens rotate which it has for over 100 years non stop. Drive over Lions Bridge to view Fort Matanzas. Make a stop for lunch at Forsyth Park in Savannah, GA. The cafe has a good little Chicken Salad sandwich. Arrive at destination by 8PM in Hope Mills near Fort Bragg in Fayetville, NC.
Day 2: On the road at 6 AM. Make a stop at Bank of America Stadium. Spend about 20 minutes. Head to Chimney Rock State Park in Lake Lure. Take scenic route past Mint Hill, lots of winding roads. Costs about $15 per person. Arrive by 12PM. Check out the tunnel to the elevator (elevator was closed). Peek in the Gneiss Cave (didn’t see any bats). Climb the stairs up the mountain and get spectacular views. *Don’t forget to bring a few quarters so you can look out at the top through the binoculars. Hike 3/4 mile to Hickory Nut Falls. We visited out of season in December which means we didn’t get to see any critters (bears, birds, hedge hogs, snakes) since they were hibernating. Other activities such as the Discovery Den or Climbing Wall were closed. The Exclamation point trail was closed due to ice and the Falls lookout deck as well. Left at 3PM. Make a stop at South of the Border for footlong chili dog, fries, and tamale because you’re starving and why not? Arrive in Fayetville by 8PM. Make a bonfire.
Day 3: Start drive home at 11AM. Get lunch at Bojangles just because you don’t have one in FL.
*You will need about $200 for gas when driving a truck.
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