Southern States Road Trip Itinerary with Kids

Southern States Road Trip Itinerary with Kids is ideal for those who have never been to the East Coast or Southern States and is hoping to visit them all in one trip. Many of these destinations are wonderful weeklong vacations but it’s possible to sample each destination in one itinerary to decide for yourself which is your favorite to return to.

First Stop: Ocean City, MD 2 Nights

Make your way from New York to Dewey Beach, Delaware and Ocean, City Maryland on your Southern States Road Trip Itinerary with Kids. They are around 40 minutes away from each other so stop at Dewey Beach for the day on your way down, then spend 2 nights in Ocean City so you can hang out at the boardwalk and enjoy the beach for a day head on. The next day stop at Virginia Beach, 2.5 hours away., on your way to the otter banks. Alternatively, you can stop on Assateague Island, Virginia and the Maryland side are close together, and only an hour and 15 minutes from Ocean City. We love Assateague Island, but the water is too rough to swim so if you don’t care to see the horses it’s best to stop in Virginia Beach.

Stop 2: Outer Banks, NC – 2 Nights

Kitty Hawk Outer Banks NC is centrally located on the Outer Banks. Many spend a week or more at the Outer Banks. There are several towns and plenty of beaches to explore. You will want to stay at least 2 nights minimum to give yourself a full day here before heading to further south.

Stop 3: Myrtle Beach, SC or Hilton Head, SC – 2 Nights

I’ve never visited Hilton Head, SC but I hear it’s beautiful. We typically go to budget friendly Myrtle Beach instead. If Hilton Head is in your budget, it’s under an hour from Savanah Georgia so it’s an easy day trip. If you choose Myrtle Beach, don’t worry there’s a quick stop in Georgia that is possible on the route back to New York.

Stop 4: Orange Beach, Alabama or split stay New Orleans – 4 Nights Total

It’s a long drive from Myrtle Beach (11hrs) and while less from Hilton Head (8hrs) it’s still a full day drive. But don’t worry you can spend at least a few days in Orange Beach and take some day trips. Perdido Key State Park, Florida is only about a 12-minute drive from Orange Beach. Biloxi, Mississippi is a 2 our ride away and New Orleans is about 3 hours. You could choose to make the long drive to both as day trips and keep Orange Beach as your home base. or you could split your stay 2 nights Orange Beach, 2 nights New Orleans stopping in Biloxi, Mississippi when you travel in-between. You could also stay in Biloxi, The Margaritaville Resort in Biloxi has a small roof top water park with lazy river that’s fun for younger kids, There’s also a Hyatt Place in Biloxi across the street from the Beach that’s great for a low point stay. Orange Beach was our favorite location, so I recommend staying that for most of the time.

Head from New Orleans or Orange Beach to Knoxville Tennessee. It’s about 9 hours plus time to stop in Rock City in Georgia.

Stop 5: Knoxville, Tennessee – 1 or 2 Nights

On the return trip to New York you can stop at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia National Park. This is also a great day trip if you are staying in Baltimore. It’s 11 hours back to NYC from Knoxville so you may only have a couple hours stop which is still enough time to explore the village in Harpers Ferry.