Full trip logs from stops in St. Augustine, Charleston, and home to Maryland
One week into our 10-day, 5-city EV road trip, just a Millennial mother and her preschool-aged daughter, and we were 1,000 miles away from home and staying with friends in Sarasota. Our adventurous week was spent biking through historic Savannah, riding the rides at Magic Kingdom and Epcot in Orlando, and visiting the beach, gardens, and aquarium in Sarasota.
Now it was time to go home.
Even though it would have been easy enough to stop in Savannah again, I’m a firm believer in going a different way home when practical. Charleston, SC was an obvious choice, even though it was a little off the main road home. But I didn’t want to spend 10-12 hours of my birthday on the road. So I added one more overnight stop: St. Augustine, FL.
St. Augustine, FL
We left from Sarasota shortly after 7 a.m. on Sunday morning and drove the two hours to Orlando. Once again we stopped at the same IONNA as the way down. Hey, when you know a good spot, it eases your pre-planning process! Another $25 down and a 35 minute break before continuing our voyage back to the Atlantic side of Florida. After 235 miles of driving (total), over 4 hours, we arrived in St. Augustine. It was just before noon so we went straight to Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park. What’s a better way to spend the last day of your thirties than drinking sulfuric-tasting water that legend says will keep you young? This is supposedly the oldest city in the U.S., and I’m old now, so it only makes sense to visit.
I have to say, being greeted by a pack of peacocks is a great way to start your afternoon. Honestly, we could have spent all day chasing those birds around. At one point my daughter stood in front of one while it opened its full plumage, a male peacock’s mating sign. I said no thank you, she’s only four! I ushered her into the planetarium where it was cool and shaded, and no birds allowed. There were two “shows” to watch, the Navigator’s Planetarium and Discovery Globe. Both were great for staying cool on an especially hot day, as the rest of the grounds were mostly spread out and uncovered.
My overall assessment? This was a very cute place to visit, dog-friendly, great wildlife, authentic Native American village, and a great spot for bird watchers by the marshes. Downsides? The weird layout of the restrooms and food options. We really needed the restroom when we arrived, so we quickly paid for our tickets and went through the gate. But we were also hungry. And yet the food was outside the ticketing area. So we had to wait until we were ready to leave in order to eat; 2.5 hours later we were finally eating our lunch, but the restrooms were no longer accessible! No re-entry! I also need to mention the lack of shade. Don’t go here on an especially hot afternoon. Try to time your visit earlier in the day so you can be out before it heats up too much.
After the Fountain of Youth, we checked into our St. Augustine-area hotel and laid down for a bit (a legitimate afternoon break? Finally!). Later, we drove back to the historic area for dinner along the pedestrian-only St. George Street and to enjoy some of the Spanish influence on the area: the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, the Oldest House, and more. I would have loved a longer promenade after our taco dinner, but sadly dinner didn’t sit well with me. Multiple emergency trips to the restroom later, I decided to cut the night early. It was too bad as I was enjoying the Pearl Jam tribute band putting on a show at Colonial Oak Music Park. Favorite random sightings during our walk: St. Photios Greek National Shrine, and a wooden building with the sign, “the oldest wooden schoolhouse in the USA.”
The reality of hotel EV charging: there are plenty of area hotels with chargers, I just happened to pick a hotel that didn’t offer one. My bad. I assumed if one Fairfield had them, they all did. An overlook on my part. Many hotels recognize the rising demand in EV charging and will offer it complimentary for guests. A free charger that is available and working is the dream, but not necessarily the reality. Hotels that offer free charging don’t want non-guests using their charger, so they don’t clearly advertise it. Your best bet is to call ahead and ask first. Some hotels offer EV charging, but it’s run by a third-party like ChargePoint or Blink. These chargers will be on hotel property and require a payment, and reliability can be mixed. Always have a backup fast charger nearby. Check stayncharge.com for hotels with EV chargers when booking your next hotel.
Charleston, SC
Shortly after 9 a.m. on the day I turned 40, we were at BP Pulse in Jacksonville spending $22 to charge for about 20 minutes. A couple hours later, we were back at that Tanger Outlets near Savannah charging at the same expensive Electrify America from the way down, while eating lunch at Chipotle. The 53 minute stop cost us $45. Keep in mind that it was an 8 minute walk to get to Chipotle, and the car was already done charging as we sat with our food. So we ended up getting hit with an idle fee here.
My stance on shopping center chargers: these should NOT be ultra fast chargers! Who is going to spend 20 minutes shopping? If the goal of the real estate owner is to have customers charge and shop, then they should install 22 kW and 50 kW chargers. Spending an hour or less? Charge at the 50 kW charger. Spending a few hours? Charge at the 22 kW charger. Ultra fast chargers (150+ kW) should be located along main highways, easily visible, with digital signs like gas stations showing the pricing and availability. They should ALL have an attached convenience store or fast-food location, solar-powered covered overhangs for those hot or poor weather days, and a small fenced in space for dogs to run around and do their business.
After 270 miles and over 4.5 hours, including more than an hour between two stops, we ended up at our Charleston-area hotel around 3 p.m. This was just in time for check in and another mid-afternoon break (good habit to keep!), but that break came at a cost. By the time we left the hotel, it was already after 4 p.m. and traffic was heavy getting downtown. This is the pitfall of saving money by staying further away from the historic area. Good side? Everybody leaves the city after work, so parking on the street was actually easy and free after 6 p.m. (we arrived at 5 p.m. and paid $3 for the hour). Now if only I had a charger along the street, that would have been great. Wouldn’t it be nice if parking meters allowed you to plug into them? With a 52% charge I had no imminent need, but as most EV drivers can agree, any unplugged parking situations is a wasted opportunity.
The Pineapple Fountain was our biggest must-do, so we started there in the Waterfront Park. Cold water? No problem. My daughter had her shoes off and her feet in the water anyway. Apparently this is ok to do, as long as you stay on the steps. Then we walked by Rainbow Row and wondered why the houses in our home neighborhood aren’t painted all kinds of pastel colors like they are in these charming southern cities? Wouldn’t life be more fun if houses like this weren’t one of a kind?
We walked “South of Broad” (thank you sign on the building for being so literal), past a playground because we didn’t have time for that. We continued walking along the waterfront path, waved at Fort Sumter which was practically a tiny blip across the water, and looped around to the White Point Garden. We’d much rather play with display cannons than notice that statue to a Confederate Soldier (isn’t this weird to see nowadays, or am I just a huge northerner?). Hanging out in the shade of the Southern White Oaks, pretending the Gazebo is a stage while putting on a show, and enjoying the views of stately and historic southern homes, what a great way to spend the first day of my forties.
We traveled “Slightly North of Broad” for a dessert place called Carmella’s in the French Quarter. Once again skipping dinner (like we did on our first night of the trip), we went straight for the cannoli cake while on a FaceTime call with our better halves back home. I wasn’t quite 100% after the tacos from the night before, so I ate what I could and we continued walking. Just like in St. Augustine, I realized we didn’t have enough time to truly see this city. As a horse and carriage passed by, I took note of all the places I’d like to see next time.
Tip: Charging options are very limited in Charleston, unless you’re staying at a hotel that offers them for guests only. or parking in one of the few garages that offer free J1772 chargers if you pay to park. Fast chargers can be found outside the historic area, closer to the airport.
The Final Leg: Charleston, SC to Maryland
With all five cities behind us, baby girl and I launched our last driving venture, very much looking forward to seeing our family, our home, and our pets. Our first charging stop was to replenish the charge used to get to Charleston. Despite having free breakfast at our accommodation from 6 a.m., we left shortly after 5:30 a.m. and drove 18 minutes to the EVgo in Summerville, SC. For $23 we charged up to 80% in 16 minutes, delivering 35 kWh of energy. This was a Pilot Flying J stop, a truck gas station with chargers and a convenience store. Because it was early and so soon after we left the hotel, we didn’t leave the car. Shortly after 6 a.m., we were on the road home. Total cost: $23
What did I do different on this trip? Well, for starters, I added Buc-ee’s in Florence, SC to my stops list. See, ABRP (A Better Route Planner) sent me to the IONNA in Florence on the way down. This was a good call since IONNA prices are generally cheaper than other networks. But it was an incredibly boring stop with nothing around for us. Turns out, Buc-ee’s has chargers! My brother, a Tesla driver with a daughter in college in South Carolina, said he had been to that specific Buc-ee’s and had seen both the Tesla and non-Tesla chargers. I checked ABRP, and it had marked that location as “unknown,” meaning it had no charging history data yet and therefore wasn’t recommending it. Total driving time: 1.5 hours, 110 miles
Mercedes-Benz @ Buc-ee’s
Here’s what you need to know. If you drive a non-Tesla like me with an 800 volt battery, the Mercedes-Benz chargers will give you your max charging speed, but they cost more. The Tesla chargers will take longer as they’ll need to convert their 400 volts of energy to charge your 800 volt battery. Now, if you have the right adapter, and you pay for access to the cheaper pricing that Tesla members enjoy, then go for it. Even if it takes longer, that just gives you more time to enjoy Buc-ee’s! Total cost: $38
Never been to a Buc-ee’s? My first experience was in 2025 during my road trip home from Louisiana. What I knew about them: they’re giant convenience stores with a beaver mascot that’s almost as popular as Mickey Mouse. What I learned after my first visit? Their fresh food selection (think pulled pork and other BBQ options), snacks and drinks, and restrooms are all worth it alone. Then there’s the non-food side: toys, branded gifts, home goods, and so much more. Just keep in mind that these locations can be overwhelming and may eat up time that you want to get back on the road. I was there for 31 minutes, and even I thought I was rushing through there. One caveat: we were there at 8 a.m., a weird time for lunch (I grabbed food to enjoy later) but great due to less crowds.
North Carolina
Buc-ee’s was definitely worth changing my charging stops for, but it did mean I ended up with two stops after less than two hours driving. By 10 a.m. we were back at the Carolina Premium Outlets charging at the same Electrify America as the way down. I don’t like this location because the restrooms are inconveniently far and there is no food other than a couple nearby sit-down restaurants (I’d rather a fast-food option). But we enjoyed a quick stretch and were back on the road in 20 minutes. Total driving time: 1 hr, 45 min, 123 miles. Total cost: $27.
Virginia
The last charging stop, an IONNA in Ashland, VA, was different from the Electrify America in Richmond from the way down. This was a good location with a Wawa convenience store, a little more than a mile off the main highway. It was well priced and charged quickly, so no complaints. The two charging stations are only six miles apart, so it’s really just an issue of pricing and whether you want Wawa or Chick-Fil-A for food. I picked up a salad at Wawa and enjoyed it outside by the car. A picnic table would have been great! Driving time: 2 hrs, 40 min, 177 miles. Cost: $30.
Maryland
It took nearly three hours to get home from the Richmond area (Ashland is just north of the city), thanks to traffic. Google Maps routed me away from Washington DC onto a scenic route with plenty of shops and a slower overall speed. This meant that nearly half of the charge used for this particular leg was regenerated. I’ll take a small win where I can get it! But it did mean that by the time we arrived home, it was already after 4 p.m. All in all, we spent nine hours driving 537 miles, plus 100 minutes were spent stopped across four stops. We were thrilled to be home again, and our family was reunited. Total cost Charleston to Home: $118. Total cost for the 1,100 miles we drove between Sarasota and Home? $210.
So…Was I Crazy?
Looking at the figures now, do you think it’s crazy? Sure, you could say it’s crazy to drive that far, for that long, on your own with a preschooler. But would you say that driving an EV played a significantly different role than an ICE vehicle? I argue no. Perhaps travelers who don’t have small children and can drive hundreds of miles without stopping feel differently. But I imagine most people would want to stop every 2-3 hours regardless of children in the back seat. Whether you want a few minutes to peruse Buc-ee’s, or window shop in an outlet mall, or just grab a coffee and snack at a Wawa, none of these stops are particularly different than any other I’d have taken in a different vehicle.
What Was This Trip Really About? Was I Running Away?
I started this series with a question: would a 10-day, 5-city EV road trip for a Millennial mother and her preschooler daughter be too much? And the short answer is no. I think the record here proves that. But was I having a midlife crisis? I argue yes. And here’s why. The day I returned to work after taking this trip, I was laid off. I lost my job of 18 years. The only company that I had ever worked for since earning my Bachelors had just dropped me like a heavy suitcase on a conveyor belt.
I knew it was coming. The rounds of quiet layoffs that preceded mine saw many goodbyes with coworkers I had known for decades. The work had piled up, but then management became quiet. I was told I had earned a raise and promotion, but they gave it to someone else instead. I had felt that soul-crushing realization that everything was about to change and I ran to the only thing I could: travel. Take a road trip that I hadn’t done since I was a baby. Visit a state that I spent nearly every year of my childhood in. Stop into cities I had never been to before. Catch up with a friend from high school I hadn’t seen in years.
I knew what was coming, and I knew I wasn’t ready. That trip took me away from desperately trying to save my job, in vain. It even took me away from the scramble to brush the cobwebs off my resume and apply to jobs. It gave me 10 happy days before the tears would come, the stress, the panic, the embarrassment.
I had hours of time in the car to think about what I wanted to do with my life. To convince myself that I would be okay, that I had skills and assets worth sharing. That I should move forward with writing that book I was planning, and actually publish it on Amazon (my fourth finished book and first Amazon publication since 2011). That I should start blogging for fun and not worry about where the paycheck would come from. That I might as well join the dreaded social media world and continue to expand my capabilities. And that I would have to trust that I wouldn’t know where things were headed for a long time, if ever again.