Classic Clarissa Getaways

Have you ever thought about road trips having a purpose? I usually like to fly to my destinations but recently my life has brought some changes to it making airplanes not always an option for me. I have always made sure to make the most of my road trips. I love finding hidden gems that are on our path of travel. Places that are not far out of the way from our route. The journey has become almost as fun as the destination itself. I have found some new favorite places by traveling this way. You do not always have to take a lot of time and it could be a short get out and stretch at a cool place to take a break. I have found some amazing restaurants on road trips along with unique gas stations or convenience stores in addition to many hidden gems.

I have taken several roadtrips during my lifetime. The first road trip I took as an adult was a few years ago. My husband’s family lives about two hours south of Tampa, Florida and we decided to drive down during March of 2018. They live on Don Pedro Island where they have the perfect opportunity to explore nature and ocean life. We love to go to the beaches and hunt for seashells along the white and black sandy beaches. The wildlife around the island is incredible there are several channels that allow paddle-boats and kayaks. I fell in love with not only the final destination but the journey as well. I made a point to divide the trip up into three days of fun along the way.

The first stop we made was in Little Rock, Arkansas. We stopped at Big Dam Bridge. Its a gorgeous place to get out of the car and walk to stretch your legs. The Big Dam Bridge is over 4,226ft long and is considered the longest foot and bicycle bridge in the USA. It goes over the Arkansas river and lake Murray Lock. You have to go at least once if you are in the area. If you are hungry after your walk across the bridge there are some restaurants close by to choose from along with gas stations to fill up at. We continued on our journey to the next stop of Forest City, Arkansas. We like to eat at the Waffle House before we take off the next day. There are several other restaurants in the area along with gas stations. We like to stay in a hotel outside of Memphis to avoid the traffic the next day of driving.

Our next stop on that trip was in Georgia on our way to Atlanta. It is about a seven hour drive from Memphis to Atlanta. We discovered Talladega National Forest also known as Cheaha State Park in Delta, Alabama. This is the highest point in Alabama with lots of hiking trails and camping in that park. It is directly between Birmingham, Alabama and Atlanta, Georgia. We did one of the hiking trails out to the mountains to see a gorgeous sunset. The picture below does not do this place justice. The magnificent views are once in life time kind of views. I highly recommend stopping at the store inside the park to learn about the history of the area. They offer food and some things you might have forgotten to bring hiking. I did hike this in a dress with Teva sandals with no problem so its not a steep incline as you drive up to the top of the mountain prior to entering get park. Make sure you take the road up the mountain slow because there are look outs to stop and take a photo at. If you want to stay in the park there are different levels of camping, cabins, a small lodge, and chalets available to rent. We took the beautiful detour scenic route to the hotel in Atlanta. We stayed at a hotel in Atlanta off of highway 475 with several restaurants and shops in the area. This made it convenient to take off the next day to Tampa and grab anything we might need before the island.

We then head down to Tampa, Florida and stay on Harbor Island in a hotel. There are many cool things to do in Tampa, it is definitely one place I look forward to going. There are amazing restaurants, bars, clubs, museums, and the magnificent inner harbor area. I love walking along the harbor visiting the different shops, grabbing a drink in-between shopping, and ending the outing with a nice lunch over looking the harbor. One restaurant I particularly like to grab lunch at is the Watervue Grill. They have one of they best wagyu burgers I have ever had, along with other great options from local fish to southern comfort food. They have a variety of drinks to choose from if you fancy a cocktail. I love visiting the River and walking down to Curtis Town Park located along the Bay Area. The river walk is one of the best in the United States especially during Christmas when it’s all decorated for the season. Harbor Island has the Tampa Aquarium which houses several different animals both land and sea. We usually only stay a day or two in Tampa before heading down to the island. The next post will be about the island and things to do on the island and the surrounding areas.

Make sure you pre plan out your route when going on a road trip. I would make sure not to add a bunch of extra time on your trip unless you want too. I try to take no more than two hours at my mini stops. If it is something that I really want to spend time doing then I will make sure we end the day there or start the day there. I would recommend that you grab gas and food when you make your fun stops this reduce the amount of stops you need to make during your trip. Again, this is why I recommend you plan out your stops in advance so you know what is available to you. I have specific dietary needs so eating from a gas station is not an option so I need a full restaurant. Some spots may only have access to a gas station and not a restaurant. I do make sure to pack a cooler with snacks and drinks to reduce the amount of time spent at stops. We make sure to refill the cooler before we leave each day.

Road Trips can be so much fun if done the right way. I have said it before, the journey can be just as much fun if not more fun than the destination itself. I love making the whole process into a fun, memorable experience. Most of the destinations are free but some do require payment for entry. For instance, there is a fee to enter the Cheaha State Park but not the scenic drive. If you do not wish to spend money I would research for free things to do near me or local parks. The bridge in Little Rock, Arkansas is free to stop and walk as well. I recommend looking for scenic routes to drive as these are usually free activities too.

Next stop is Don Pedro Island. I look forward to sharing my favorite place in Florida with you. I know you’re going to love the island. The next time you plan a road trip make sure you do your research so your route is mapped out with fun stops along the way. I would make sure you stay with in your budget to make the pit stopes and time restraints. I know if you follow these few suggestions your road trip will be a experience of a lifetime. Remember the journey can be just as much fun as the destination.

Til next time that’s Classic Clarissa xoxo……