Visit Charleston, Savannah, The Golden Isles, St. Augustine, Cape Canaveral, Palm Beach, The Florida Keys & Miami Beach.
Start this amazing Atlantic Coast road trip in beautiful Charleston. You’ll then cruise down the coastline of South Carolina, Georgia and fabulous Florida until you reach Key West at the Southernmost tip of the USA. You’ll then conclude the road trip with three nights of sun, sand, shopping and nightlife in vibrant Miami Beach.
Key road trip highlights:
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We’ll suggest properties to match your preferred budget, be it low-cost, mid-range or high-end luxury that you’re looking for. We can also mix it up so you’ll experience a range of standards and experiences along your road trip.
All of our American road trips can be tailored to meet your requirements. Do you have more or less than 14 days for your road trip? No problem, we can bolt on extra nights to allow more time to explore or shorten the number of destinations as required.
The team at The American Road Trip Company adore this city; in fact, we think it’s one of the Top 5 cities to visit in the United States. Many people agree with us, as Charleston is often voted the best ‘small US city’ for tourists.
Steeped in Colonial and Civil War history, Charleston is a perfectly preserved and friendly Southern Belle of a city. Visitors fall in love with its grace, charm and historical significance, which is usually enjoyed in the warmth of the South Carolina climate. Cobblestone streets, colourful houses and historical buildings combine to make a unique place of beauty.
Spend a full day discovering the history, food and architecture of Charleston. The city is in a mini-renaissance, attracting new restaurants and culture into the mix. As always, your detailed Road Trip Pack will show you all the available traveller options, such as Magnolia Plantation, Charleston City Market, and many more. After spending three nights & two memorable days in this beautiful city, Charleston will stay with you forever.
Cruise down to Savannah in the morning, exploring the beautiful beaches of Hilton Head and Tybee Island as you make the short drive south. Be sure to work up an appetite en route, Savannah is home to incredible BBQ restaurants and the famous Leopold’s Ice Cream Parlor. Savannah is such a charming and friendly city, be sure to check out the riverfront area for bars, restaurants and riverboat cruises.
Over 2 square miles of lovingly restored colonial houses and commercial property expertly arranged around 21 of Savannah’s 1-acre squares. Savannah is a great city to walk around, discovering amazing places as you stroll. Look out for Forrest Gump whilst you walk, he likes chatting to people on the park benches here. Which will be your favourite Southern Belle city… Charleston or Savannah? Let us know when you get home; it’s a close vote at the moment!
It’s time to leave the cities behind for a while and go in search of one beautiful beach after another. Highway 17 in the very south of Georgia is one of the state’s most scenic roads; you’ll follow it south to the glorious sands of The Golden Isles.
Four stunning barrier islands, St. Simons Island, Sea Island, Jekyll Island and Little St. Simons Island, make up the region known as the Golden Isles. Located in the southeastern most corner of Georgia, halfway between Savannah and Jacksonville in Florida, these Islands are the perfect place to relax among unspoilt coastal scenery. So, grab a hammock or sun lounger and wait for the sun to set.
St Augustine has an abundance of history to discover, over 450 years of it. In fact, St Augustine is believed to be the USA’s earliest settlement. So stroll around the European-style cobbled streets or grab a horse-drawn carriage to discover historic buildings and secret courtyards. St Augustine is unique, as it feels like no other place in America.
Spend the morning cruising south towards upscale Palm Beach. Space travel enthusiasts will want to stop at the Kennedy Space Center en route, the launch pad for many historic space missions. Over 60 years of space exploration history can be found in Cape Canaveral, including 8 rockets, an IMAX 3-D theatre, and a G-Force simulator. If space travel isn’t your thing, simply follow the most direct route, which will get you to the poolside in Palm Beach in around 3.5 hours.
The route from Palm Beach to Key West, at the southwest tip of the Florida Keys, takes you along a string of small islands linked by a road often set on stilts called The Overseas Highway. Once a refuge for presidents and writers, the Florida Keys now service millions of visiting tourists annually. Once at Key West, spend the evening at Sloppy Joe’s on Duval Street and soak up the laid-back atmosphere; after all, you’re at the southernmost point of the United States and as close to the Caribbean as you can get.
Diving enthusiasts should consider the options to get wet whilst in The Keys, as America’s best diving is here. Whilst literary fans may wish to visit the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum. Alternatively, you can just find a beach or relax by the hotel pool.
Cruise back up the 100-mile “Overseas Highway” all the way back to mainland Florida. You’ll then circle around Biscayne Bay on your way to Miami Beach. As an optional 90-mile detour, you can explore Everglades National Park en route. Once you arrive in Miami Beach, you’ll find miles of sandy beaches backed with glitzy Art Deco hotels. Walk along the boardwalk and enjoy an evening meal while you people watch. Forget Miami Vice, this area is classy, and the hotels are amongst America’s finest.
Spend the day on South Beach or alternatively, you can opt to explore one of the many characterful neighbourhoods found in Miami. Little Havana is particularly distinctive, home to the largest Cuban community outside of Cuba. We also recommend checking out The Wynwood Walls Art District’s colourful murals. Another option is to visit the 1920s built Venetian Pool in Coral Gables to enjoy a refreshing dip in this beautifully landscaped water feature.
Spend the last day and a half of your road trip relaxing by the pool or chilling on the beach. Consider celebrating the completion of your Atlantic Coast road trip adventure by enjoying some of the city’s incredible nightlife; few places can party like Miami. So, save your energy for a big night out on the town before you leave for home the following day.
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You’ll find answers to most of your questions right here. If you still need assistance, Feel free to get in touch, and we’ll be sure to get back to you promptly!
Not a problem. If you are lucky enough to have extra time to explore more places or add more rest days, then just let us know and we’ll adjust your trip to match your preferred timescale.
We strongly advise that you purchase travel insurance for your holiday to cover you against medical expenses, theft and other financial costs. Should you need to cancel before travelling, some insurance policies may pay out for any loss of funds that have been paid to us and which cannot be refunded under our cancellation policy.
Many of our trips have a different end destination than the starting point, so this is not a problem. Please note a fee sometimes applies for one-way rentals between other regions or states, which will be paid to the supplier directly when collecting the vehicle. We’ll endeavour to inform you of this charge within your quote.
No, far from it. We work with a range of properties from 3* to 5*, so we can adapt the trip to match most budgets. We have access to rooms in more than 800 hotels, motels, lodges and B&Bs across North America.
The minimum age to rent a car is 21 in the United States or Canada, although, in addition, any drivers under 25 years of age will generally incur a surcharge.
Please use the form below to request a quote from our team. Fields marked with an * are mandatory. Please note that we currently only serve customers based in the UK & The EU.
Not quite what you’re looking for? Get in touch to discuss your Bespoke Road Trip plans, or check out these similar road trip itineraries…
ARTCo customers can be confident that we only work with the very best service providers, such as Virgin Atlantic, British Airways and Alamo. Any payments made to us are fully protected via the government’s ATOL scheme (Flight packages) or Financial Failure Insurance (Non-Flight Packages).
