East Coast Road Trip: Virginia to Florida

​With so much to see in the southern part of the East Coast, we had a difficult time choosing which cities to include on our road trip itinerary. Taking into account travel time, route practicality, and all elements of beauty (cityscapes, ocean views, mountain retreats), we narrowed down our destinations to Roanoke, Virginia; Asheville, North Carolina; and Savannah, George. Each city was perfectly picturesque and historically unique, and the scenic route to each destination was a huge plus  🙌🏻 Without further ado, here's how we spent a day in Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia!

Day 16: Roanoke, Virginia
Check out the first fifteen days of our road trip here.

We intended for Virginia to be just a pit-stop, but instead it ended up being one of our favorite destinations during the trip. That’s all thanks to Shirley’s Bed and Breakfast. Located in Roanoke, Virginia, this quaint B&B is beautifully hidden amongst greenery and surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains (although to us they looked more like the Green Ridge Mountains). After spending 15 days on the road, a homey B&B is just what we needed. By the time the sun was setting we regretted for booking only one night at this serene and beautiful “pit-stop”.

For dinner we ordered food from Local Roots, a farm-to-table restaurant. Even though we decided to indulge from our B&B the food was beautifully designed within our to-go boxes, and tasted even better than it looked. Sustainable, yet yummy, I highly recommend this eatery if you’re in town.

Day 17: Biltmore Estates

​Welcome to America’s largest home 🙌🏻 (this emoji can also apply 🙄). Biltmore Estate is the most popular destination in North Carolina, and that’s no surprise once you visit this lavish, unimaginably large estate. Another unnecessary (but unarguably breathtaking) residence built by the Vanderbilt’s (check out our blog about their summer home in Newport here). It’s no wonder that this family went bankrupt, almost as quickly as they became one of America’s richest families. 

Cornelius Vanderbilt managed to turn $100 borrowed from his mother, to $100 million by the time of his death. Unfortunately, his fortune was quickly spent, and only 48 years after his passing, one of his grandchildren is said to have died penniless. In less than one generation, the Vanderbilt’s spent a majority of their family’s wealth. Where did it all go you ask? Visit one of their lavish homes to see for yourself 😏

It took over six years and more than 1000 construction workers to complete this 250-room home (or castle) known as Biltmore Estate. The largest room in the house is the 70-foot tall Banquet Hall, with a dinner table that seats 38 people. The massive home is 175,000 square feet (too small if you ask me 😉), and was originally built on a private 125,000 acre lot.

Now the lot is a ‘modest’ 8,000 acres, and it includes the original home, two hotels, a winery, and small village. We stayed at The Inn on Biltmore Estate. A luxurious and tasteful hotel located on the property near America’s most visited winery 🍷 Although we spent only one day on the estate, you could easily entertain yourself for a week.

From wine tasting to kayaking, there’s something for everyone. The Biltmore Estate easily takes an entire day to visit, that’s excluding their massive surrounding gardens. The village and wine tasting are another day-long activity. Then you can dedicate the remaining days to relaxing, hiking, kayaking, and horseback riding. We both agreed that one day we'll be back to fully enjoy everything Biltmore Estates has to offer. 

Day 18: Savannah, Georgia

You'd never know it, but Savannah, Georgia is America’s most haunted city. This beautiful long-standing town, known for it's coastal landscapes, well-preserved architecture, and immaculate parks, is also a popular destination for thrill-seekers and ghost enthusiasts. However, during our short trip we decided to limit our site-seeing to Victorian architecture and Spanish moss trees 😏 

Upon arrival we were surprised to find that Savannah has a diverse and popular restaurant scene. ​We lunched at The Public Kitchen and Bar, it was perfectly located near Forsyth Park and served the most delicious grits we have ever tasted 🤤 In fact, I was never a fan of grits, but this eatery may have changed my mind about this Southern dish. 

After lunch we explored the city's manicured parks, and admired Savannah's antebellum architecture. Forsyth Park (pictured below) occupies 30 acres in the historic district. With a charming fountain, walkways lined with draping Spanish moss, and groomed grounds, this park is romantic, magical, and peaceful all at once. In fact, we were not surprised to learn it's a popular location for wedding ceremonies and photos. The Hostess City of the South was the perfect pit-stop during our long road trip down to Florida, and a beautiful weekend destination on it's own. 

Read about our next stop in Florida here 📍 If you haven’t yet, check out the rest of our blogs from this road trip here. And don’t forget to follow us on social media through Instagram or Facebook.