MB’s Travels

The winter was long, the ice was stubborn, and our upcoming family trip to Ireland felt like an eternity away. With my 40th birthday approaching, I realized I didn’t want to wait for “someday.” I wanted to celebrate somewhere warm, familiar, and fun.

So, I’m doing it. I’m taking my 4-year-old daughter on a road trip from Maryland to Florida and back. The boys (husband and son) have school and work, so it’s just the two of us. Am I nervous? Nope. I’ve already tackled a 1,000-mile trek to Louisiana with the family, and loved it. If that trip taught me anything, it’s that a well-planned road trip is just a series of small, fun adventures strung together.

The Star of the Show: The Kia EV9

This trip wouldn’t be the same without my car. My Kia EV9 is huge, ridiculously comfortable, and—most importantly—a charging beast. On a road trip, I usually charge from 20% to 80%, which takes about 10-20 minutes and gives me 200-250 miles of range.

That math is a parent’s dream: it equates to roughly 2 to 2.5 hours of driving between stops. It’s the perfect cadence for a preschooler to stretch her legs before the “I’m bored” choruses begin.

The “Sanity Suite”: Entertaining a 4-Year-Old

How do you keep a 4-year-old happy for hours on end in a car? You over-prepare with snacks and activities.

• Tablet Time: I’ve downloaded her favorite movies and attached a tablet to the back of the front passenger seat. She also has a handheld tablet for offline games.

• The “Grab Bag”: I packed a bag of activities: a box of magnetic toys, travel magna-tiles, a Super Kitties-themed coloring and sticker set, a Disney Princess-themed activity book with crayons, and more. Pro tip: keep the bag near you so you can easily switch from one item to another. This prevents any “I can’t reach it!” tantrums, as well as the mess she would make from pulling everything out.

• Snacks: A toddler will say I’m hungry every 13 minutes, on average. Make sure you bring their favorites. We brought homemade cookies, apples, and veggie sticks. Again, keep these easy for you to reach and control (unless you have an older kid who can captain the snack bag).

Buying vs. Bringing Your Food

For our last road trip we brought a cooler packed with premade salads and sandwiches, grapes, and yogurts. Plan your stops wisely. You can be efficient and cost-effective with a packed lunch versus a fried chicken convenience-store lunch.

Also, don’t forget to water your kids, and yourself! It’s tempting to fuel up on caffeine for the drive, or skip the water to avoid bathroom breaks. Don’t!

Leg 1: The Road to Savannah

I’ve never been to Savannah, so I’m excited this is my first stop. I’m meticulously planning the route using ABRP (A Better Routeplanner). I’ve mapped out three main stops to ensure we arrive with plenty of juice.

Stop 1: Richmond, VA (Electrify America)

Located at a Target, this station is rated “A.” It has 6 stalls and a top speed of 350kW. Since it’s our first stop, we’ll likely just do a quick bathroom break and maybe a 10-minute top-off while she picks out a snack.

Stop 2: Carolina Premium Outlets (The “Proceed with Caution” Stop)

We had a rough time here last year—broken chargers and long walks to the bathroom. I’m keeping an eye on the nearby Circle K chargers as a backup. They’re slightly slower (180kW), but a working charger is always better than a broken “fast” one.

Road Trip Etiquette Note: If you see someone charging to 100% at a busy public station, know that it’s a major faux pas! Charging from 80% to 100% is incredibly slow and holds up the line for everyone else. Don’t be that person!

Stop 3: Florence, SC (IONNA)

This will be my first time using the IONNA network. With an average speed of 200kW (what I typically see at a DC charger), it should be suitable for us. Stay tuned for my full review.

Where We’re Crashing

For this leg, we’re staying at a Fairfield Inn & Suites outside the downtown area. As a Fora Advisor, I’m always looking for the best value for my clients, and this was a prime example of ‘travel hacking’ with points. I managed to book three of our non-Disney stays for under 100,000 Bonvoy points total.

• The Perks: Free breakfast, and right off I-95 (convenient for our drive).

• The Charging Reality: Offers a NACS charger, but my car needs a CCS charger. So I’ll need to charge at the nearby Electrify America at the Tanger Outlets.

Next Up: We’re hitting the moss-draped streets of Savannah for the first time! I’ll be sharing our favorite finds, where to eat with a preschooler, and how our road trip actually fared.

What’s your go-to “sanity saver” for road-tripping with kids? Let me know in the comments!

Interested in Savannah? I’d love to help you plan your next vacation (roadtrip or otherwise!). Find me on Fora to start planning with me.