MB’s Travels

Hiking Shenandoah, exploring Chattanooga, and finding the best kid-friendly stops from Maryland to the Gulf.

Can you actually drive 1,000 miles in an EV with kids and a dog without losing your mind? We put our new three-row SUV to the test on a summer road trip from Maryland to the Gulf Coast, and the results surprised us.

Part 1: Shenandoah

The Shenandoah National Park is just two hours away from home for us, and we had never been. Skyline Drive through the Blue Ridge mountains is a beautiful drive with lots of opportunities for hiking and enjoying the vistas. This was a natural stopping point for us on our way to Louisiana, so I researched dog-friendly areas and found the Stony Man trail (mile marker 41.7), which is kid-friendly and can be done in 30 minutes. Perfect for a quick stop to stretch your legs and walk the dog. The kids loved walking the stoney path through the trees, which opened up to an expansive view of the mountains and the valley below.

Things I Learned:

Charging Stop: Electrify America at a Walmart in Staunton, VA (4 hrs and 200 miles into our drive, coincided with our lunch break)

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Part 2: Roanoke

Still in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Roanoke is a great pitstop opportunity with kid-friendly activities (check out some great ideas here), but this stop was for my husband and kids, who wanted to see a comic book/gaming store called Star City Games. I took the opportunity to nap. That’s one of the great things about an EV. You can keep climate on without having your car in ready to drive mode. These rests are important, especially for drivers.

Car Tips: Boredom Killers

1. Travel toys are essential. Amazon has some great options, including magnetic toys that allow for mixing and matching.
2. Give each kid their own tote bag of things to do. If they dare to utter “I’m bored” just remind them of their grab bag.
3. When all else fails and screens become necessary, make sure you’ve downloaded some movies the kids can watch together.

Charging Stop: Electrify America at a Sheetz in Wytheville, VA (2.5 hrs and 150 miles from last stop, also convenient to a Bojangles)

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Part 3: Knoxville

The last three hours of the drive co-incited with the mid-afternoon, perfect time for the kids to nap. We crossed into Tennessee around 5:30pm and arrived at our hotel, Element by Westin Knoxville West, around 7:30pm. The room consisted of two queen beds and a sofa, with a kitchenette and bathroom. It was late, but we quickly changed the kids into their bathing suits and took them outside to the pool. After a long car ride, physical activity is key, more important than bedtime. In fact, thanks to that mid-afternoon nap, they could stay up late and eat a pancake dinner from Cracker Barrel while watching the sunset from the pool deck.

Hotel Charging

This was our first opportunity to test charging at a hotel since we bought the car. And it bombed. We had chosen Element by Westin for three reasons: dog-friendly, free breakfast, and EV chargers at every location. There was, in fact, a Blink charger on site. But one stall is almost never enough. One side was taken by another hotel guest. The other side…you guessed it…was not operational. We asked the hotel reception about it, and they said the hotel has nothing to do with that charger, and we would have to contact Blink for assistance. So we did. The next morning, we checked on the charger and sure enough, the original taken plug was now available, while the broken one was now fully functional and charging another guest’s car. Good for them. But not good for us. We weren’t able to enjoy this amenity.

Charging Stop: EVgo at a Pilot Flying J in Knoxville, TN (10 miles from hotel; 3 hrs and 200 miles from last stop)

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Part 4: Rock City Gardens, Lookout Mtns

We spent about 90 minutes there between walking around and eating lunch. This spot ticked off all the boxes for us: physical activity, fun for kids and adults alike, and dog-friendly. Highly recommend.

What I Learned:

• Driving up the mountain ate up a lot of range.
• There was a Level 2 charger (Starbucks ChargePoint) in the parking lot, but I don’t believe it was available
• Cost $31-$35 per adult and $21-$25 per child over 3.

Charge Stop: EVgo at a Pilot Flying J in Rising Fawn, GA (less than 2 hrs and a little over 100 miles from our last charge stop, excluding time spent at Rock City.

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Part 5: Alabama and Mississippi

Here lies the hard part of the trip, the lull between Tennessee and Louisiana that is Alabama and Mississippi. This is why we started our day at Rock City. That was the highlight. After our lunch at the on-site restaurant and the quick stop at the last EVgo, we stopped again mid-afternoon to charge in Alabama. By dinner we were in Mississippi, and by nightfall we had crossed the border into Louisiana.

Charge Stop: EVgo at Pilot Flying J in McCalla, AL (2 hrs and 140 miles from last stop)

Charge Stop: EVgo at Pilot Flying J in Meridian, MS (2 hrs and 120 miles from last stop)

Charge Stop: Tesla Supercharger in Pearl River, LA (2 hrs and 160 miles from last stop)

I’m a firm believer in short and frequent stops, particularly on long drives with nothing intellectually stimulating for hundreds of miles, other than fighting with 18-wheelers for the right to exist. This is the part of the drive where the kids should take a nap, watch a movie, play with their magnets, and/or color. And parents need something to occupy their minds, like an audiobook.

Combining the two days we spent driving to Louisiana, we used EVgo four times, Electrify America twice, and Tesla once. The Pilot Flying Js were great truck stops with convenience stores where the kids entertained themselves by dressing up in different sunglasses and trying to convince me they needed more stuffies simply because there were some on display.

Every charger worked, and they all charged quickly. I never felt like we were waiting around. In fact, most of the time, after a bathroom break and a snack out of the cooler, the car would be ready to go even if we weren’t yet. The two Electrify Americas were sufficient, though it’s a little more time consuming to walk the length of the Walmart parking lot, find the restroom inside, and then convince the kids they don’t need any toys just because we’re in there.

The Tesla Supercharger was my lowest experience due to slow charging. This stop would have made sense during a meal break when we might have needed more time, but late at night when you just want to get to your destination quickly, a slow charger is very frustrating.

What I Learned:

• Vehicles using an adapter at a Tesla will take twice as long to charge than at a regular plug.
• Pilot Flying J locations with EV charging make you feel like a trucker, but they get the job done in areas most would not expect to find a charging station.
• The best way to entertain a kid at a charge stop is to let them play.

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Part 6: Going Home a Different Way

One of the harder parts about a long drive is having to turn around and head back home. While Google will tell you what is usually the most efficient way to go, you can always make slight adjustments that significantly increase your enjoyment (or lets be honest…tolerance) of the long drive without adding significant miles. So what did we do differently on the way home?

Gulf Coast, Hancock Co., MS

Hancock County, MS has dog-friendly beaches! We drove along Beach Blvd until we found a parking lot near a public amenity offering restrooms and an outdoor shower. It was the perfect start to our day, allowing the kids and dog to frolick in the calm, shallow waters. I was particularly impressed that our dog loved it so much given that he does not like showers. But he danced and splashed and enjoyed it immensely. The kids kept saying it was like a giant pool they could sit in without any fear of a current overtaking them. As far as I could walk, the water never got more than knee deep for me. For kids who have only been to beaches along the Atlantic Ocean, this was a special treat.

Car Tips: Bring coolers!

1. Skip the fast-food options by packing salads, sandwiches, and snacks.
2. Planning ahead allows you to maximize your charging time with restroom breaks, stretches, and a quick bite.
3. Stock up on drinks and snacks that are easy to grab for non-drivers. Much cheaper than buying drinks at every restaurant stop. Bring a small, portable vacuum to clean up the mess later.

Buc-ee’s and Bojangles

I had never been to either establishment, and we were passing them all the way down. So during my route planning for the way home, I made sure to include these stops. If you’ve never been to Buc-ee’s, it is enormous and overwhelming! We had no idea what we were walking into. Apparel, toys, gear, souvenirs, and of course lots of different hot food options. We picked up pulled pork sandwiches, caramel popcorn, and pastries. At the time, there were no EV chargers here. But since then Mercedes-Benz began a partnership through which it has installed chargers at Buc-ee’s locations. Next time, we’ll be ready. Bojangles was another place I’d never been, so we picked up some chicken tenders for the kids. There was at least one charging stop very convenient to a Bojangles. Even better? Bojangles has announced they’re installing their own branded chargers. Looking forward to the next trip!

Things I Learned:

• The trip home is still part of your vacation and should be navigated as such. Add a few stops along the way to keep yourself engaged with the journey and not focused on the end.
• Finding places to bring a dog can be a challenge. Having the opportunity to use Dog Mode/Camp Mode on the EV is crucially important in July in the Deep South.
• Buc-ee’s is worth the hype, but be prepared for crowds. Try to time your stop for non-peak hours to really enjoy it. Also expect it to be really tough to peel your kids out of there.

What are some of your memorable road trip stops with kids? Let me know in the comments!

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