On October 1, 2021 we departed Assateague State Park and the National Seashore after spending 2 months on the beach volunteering. We love Assateague, though we were way ready to get back on the road. Our plan for the next few months was to stick close to the coastline and visit the entire southeast coastline, Florida coastline, The Keys, and then up the West coastline of Florida. Joanne is definitely going to get her beach fix in 2021!
The first day on the road had us driving over the Chesapeake Bay-Tunnel Bridge again. We have been on many challenging and narrow roads the last 3.5 years though we both agree this tunnel/bridge is one of the most challenging out there. Entering that narrow tunnel entrance for the first time is quite intimidating and this second time was no different. It is a very narrow lane and the ceiling is low! (Inappropriately I call this a “High Pucker Factor Moment” for obvious reasons…)
Our goal was to drive through Virginia Beach on the way to the “Outer Banks of North Carolina”. In all our years of travel we have never visited or camped in the “Outer Banks” so we were excited to check off this new area! Our path was taking us through Kitty Hawk, NC, the home of the Wright Brothers first flight, and this National Memorial hosted by the National Parks System was our first stop of the day.
This special place is where Wibur and Orville Wright changed history over 100 years ago. Their tenacity, brilliance, commitment, perseverance, and pure focus are something to be admired and respected by all of us. While not a big park the grounds are beautiful with a nice hike up the preserve, dedicated on March 2, 1927. It was transferred from the War Department to the National Park Service on August 10, 1933. Congress renamed it and designated it a national memorial on December 4, 1953. There are several stones at the base of the hill marking those first flight distances/landings…
The Wright Brothers Visitor Center…
The Ranger talk and Pictures were super…
We arrived at our first campground not far from Kitty Hawk, NC at the NPS Oregon Inlet Campground. It is a nice, small, remote campground with a very short walk to the crashing waves of the Outer Banks. We were recommended this campground by our friends Julie & Fred who had volunteer hosted here a few years ago. We actually met the Host coordinator and talked at length about maybe a future volunteer role here. It is beautiful and very close to the beach…
Oregon Inlet Campground…
Although we were only here for one night we did get a chance to take a drive up the road and visit Bodie Lighthouse and check out some of the history of this remote area.
Boddie Island Light Station…
Joanne getting her NPS Passport stamp for Bodie Island Lighthouse…
10/2 we continued South on the North Carolina Highway 12 (NC 12) which is actually 148.0-miles-long (238.2 km) primary state highway running North/South through the state of North Carolina. This road links the peninsulas and islands of the Northern Outer Banks to the small (free) ferry over to Ocracoke Island, NC. It is an absolutely gorgeous drive along the coast with water on both sides most of the time. towards the South of this drive is Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. We stopped here with plenty of space to park the coach and toad here. We walked through the visitors center and of course Joanne got her NPS Passport stamped.
Cape Hatteras Light Station…
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse…
When we arrived at the free ferry taking you from Cape Hatteras to Ocracoke Island we had about 90 minute wait because of other cars that were already on standby. The ferry ride is only about 45 minutes long. While on line we were able to lock the camper and walk through the adjacent beach shops. The ferry typically loads between 5-10 minutes before departure, and if you’re not in your vehicle, the NCDOT staff will simply guide traffic around your parked car. Best not to risk the inconvenience of moving your vehicle and waiting for the next ride by simply being by your vehicle close to departure time. We were ready when the load sign came…
Ocracoke Island is quaint and small, not very populated area. The NPS Ocracoke Campground is about 30 minutes from the ferry terminal. We loved the campground; small, clean, quiet, and dark. We could also hear the waves all night! As we were walking the loops we came across people in a 40 foot Foretravel and began asking questions. Turns out they are from Connecticut! She is the sister of our good friends from Connecticut the Mansfield’s. They know Steve and Carolyn very well, She is the sister of Steve’s boss (David). Small World…. Great to meet Kristen & Jeff from Hamden, CT!
We had a very early ferry reservation so were up and on the road before daylight the next morning. The drive was not far though we needed to be on line before 6:45am. The wait was short and we were loaded on heading out of the harbor by sunrise for the 2 hour ride back to the North Carolina Mainland.
Leaving Ocracoke for Cedar Island, NC
The ferry from Ocracoke Island to Cedar Island …
Enjoying the ferry ride form the top…
Heading to Cedar Island, NC …
Back on the North Carolina Mainland…
We arrived on Cedar Island and spent the better part of 10/3/21 driving South on the North Carolina coast. Route 17 took us through many of the mainland coastal towns of North Carolina including Moorhead City. We crossed the border into South Carolina early afternoon passing through North Myrtle Beach on our way to our next stop, Murrells Inlet, SC at Huntington Beach State Park.
We visited this park back in 2018 and it is right on the water, close to friends, and has some great wildlife. Usually this is the first place we start to see “Gators”…
Our 3 days here were busy visiting my best man Pete Furman, the Dondero’s from Beacon, and then Joanne’s good friend and teaching colleague from the early 80’s in Albany, NY area (Rita).
Visiting with the Furman’s & Dondero’s in Murrells Inlet, SC…
Our last visit to this area we didn’t get a chance to visit BrookGreen Gardens which many have told us is beautiful. Our second day at Huntington Beach State Park we drove across the street, where we spent the entire day taking the back country boat tour and then walking the spectacular botanical gardens of “BrookGreen”. This park is definitely worth the visit. They also had a very nice zoo area with dozens of exotic animals.
Brookgreen Gardens…
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The back country boat tour…
The famous “Roseate Pink Spoonbills” of Huntington Beach State Park…
10/6/21:
We head to our next stop, Charleston SC. We arrive at James Island County Park campground late afternoon. The campground seems nice; though with gravel/dirt pads it is a little dirty. We are parked in front of a small pond where we enjoyed watching the fish jump and a blue heron hunt for fish. People around us are very nice. Bath house very clean but showers are a bit small. Lots of hot water but it would have been better if they had taken out one of the 4 showers and divided the space among three showers. This is a low lying area so with the recent rains everything has a wet/damp feel to it. We had chosen this campground because of reviews and the close proximity to historic Charleston, SC.
Classic Charleston, SC ready for Fall…
Our first morning in the area started with our 2 hour historical walking tour of the historic area of the city of Charleston. We parked at the King/Queen parking garage, very close to where the tour begins. Our first bonus of the day was the computers for the garage were not functioning, so the sign on the ticket machine said free parking today :-). Great way to start off! (Saved like $20.00!!!)
The walking tour was super with history and stories shared by our guide. The company we used was “Two hour Historic Charleston Guided Walking Tour by Walks of Charleston ($21.06 pp). TripAdvisor’s recommendations were spot on with this tour! Our guide was Dennis and he was awesome. Per recommendations we took rain jackets and water in a back pack just because of the changing forecast. The tour was excellent!. We both really enjoyed seeing the historic homes and hearing stories about the history, culture, city, churches, and the waterside park. Although we didn’t visit Fort Sumpter we could see it across the harbor.
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After the tour ended we wandered around the Historic City Market area and then went back to take a few more pictures of the some of the areas Dennis had talked about. Afterwards we felt the need to sit for a bit to relax and decided to stop at Tommy Condon’s Irish Pub which had been recommended by our tour guide. We sat under a covered porch area in their outside area and enjoyed a beer and sandwich. While we were there is began to pour so great timing on our part!
Tommy Condon’s Irish Pub…
Although we prefer being out in the country and enjoying nature, opposed to cities, we both agreed Charleston, SC is a special place. The history, architecture, southern culture, and downtown vibe all made it a place to add to our favorite cities…
10/9/21:
Departing Charleston heading South our next stop is Savannah, GA. Driving less than 200 miles a day is definitely a good pace when on the road… The drive to Red Gate Farms Campground located conveniently just outside of Savannah was easy. We arrive around noon and the site is easy to get onto. The grounds are beautiful; although the pad is gravel not paved. We did not use the bath house as we had (FHU) – Full Hook Ups here. The train is fairly close by so Joanne can hear it all night (She loves it!). We read through some of the literature and figure a plan for tomorrow. We have a walking tour planned at 1:00pm (earliest we could get). The rest of the day is spent relaxing in our new rocking chairs we bought while in Myrtle Beach.
The chair we bought was the GCI low-ride fire pit chairs. It features smooth rocking, padded armrests, and mesh backrests to keep you cool and comfortable all evening long! These chairs are light, comfortable, and we love the rocking feature.
Our GCI Rocking Chair…
10/10/21:
We leave the campground in time to park, visit the welcome center, and walk the few blocks to get to the meet up at the Reynolds Statue. Savannah is different than Charleston; neither Mike nor I liked it as much but it is full of history for sure. We lucked out again with parking; parking at the welcome center where there is plenty of parking and is only $1.00 per hour. Luck would have it again, when we went to pay at the kiosk the sign said parking is free on Sundays and holidays. Today is Sunday!!
The tour was good; not as good as Dennis’s in Charleston, but still very informative. We both think the difference is that Dennis (Charleston) was a native of the area where the tour guide in Savannah is a transplant from Salt Lake City, UT. The 22 Savannah Squares and parks are all unique. The first four squares were laid out byJames Oglethorpein 1733, the same year in which he founded the Georgia colony and thecity of Savannah. His vision and influence were the catalyst for Savannahs historic city plan. After the tour we walked along the river and had a snack and drinks at Tubby’s Tavern next to The River Street Inn. From there you can overlook the river and people watch :-). The city is full of Squares with much history to read about. The walk back to the car is easy though I’m not sure I would be comfortable doing it after dark; as well we had been warned about being in the city after dark. Savannah seemed to have more homeless present with a lot of road construction.
Red Gate Farms Campground…
Enjoying a little relaxing time at Red Gate CG…
Downtown Savannah, GA
Joanne channeling her Girl Scout days…
Scenes from Savannah… Some city squares and churches…
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S7N04688Scenes from Savannah, GA...
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10/11/21:
Today is our day to meet with Joanne’s cousin Donna and her daughter Lillian in Bluffton, SC. We had confirmed the location to meet earlier. Donna indicated it is a quaint little town, close to Lillian’s work and after our get-together we would enjoy walking around there. We opted to explore Red Gate Farms Campground prior to our 11:00am departure for Bluffton. Red Gate is a beautiful property that hosts many weddings and events all year long.
The drive to Bluffton took us past the Port of Savannah which is home to the largest single-terminal container facility of its kind in North America, encompassing 1,345 acres. We were stunned at how big this port is. Trucks, containers, and ships, as far as you could see.
Container ship heading into the Port of Savannah…
The balance of the drive was through some rural back country before arriving in Bluffton. The Old Town Dispensary was our lunch meeting place. We spent a little more than two hours catching up and sharing stories (mostly about our parents and cousins.) Unfortunately Lillian had to leave earlier to get back to work and eventually Donna had to leave for a hair appointment. We wandered the main street area and shops and loved the park and waterfront area. Lillian had said Bluffton is a growing little town that has gotten very popular the last few years. Little question why after our stroll…
Lunch with Donna & Lillian in Bluffton, SC…
Bluffton, SC is beautiful…
10/12/21:
Next stop Tybee Island, Georgia…
The drive to Tybee Island is easy from Savannah area and along the route we talk at length about what we will do during our stay there. Our campground reservation is at The Rivers End Campground. It is the only campground on the island and is owned by the county. We have a great site on the end so no one is next to us on our awning side. During the day there is some road noise (our site is right on the road) but by 8:00pm it is very quiet. There are camp hosts that guide you to your site and help you park. We met the Camphost/Maintenance person Roger on our arrival and became fast friends. After he discovered we had experience camphosting he brought the park manager by to meet us and they both encouraged us to apply for hosting in the future. Food for thought for sure….
Rivers End Campground
Our campsite..
Once we are set up we hop on our bikes and ride on the bike trail that meanders through many of the residential areas on the island. We stop off at the beach to check it out and also a quick stop at the lighthouse. The North Beach, North Beach Grill and Lighthouse are all a very short bike ride from our campsite.
Welcome to Tybee Island, GA…
10/13/2021:
Today we have a relaxing morning at the campsite till 11:00am when we decide to drive the car over to Ft. Pulaski National Monument. It is only about a mile off the island and easy to get to. The fort is quiet and beautiful with a few walking trails. It is full of history which Mike and I both love. We finish touring the fort itself then walk on one of the trails before heading back Tybee Island.
Fort Pulaski National Monument…
Fort Pulaski…
On our way back to the campground we decide to drive over to the other side of the island where the pavilion and pier are. After we pay to park and begin to head down the shopping area we get stopped and told the area is closed for filming😳. We explain that the only reason we paid to park was to walk in that area! But all we heard back was that now that we paid for the hour of parking it is good for anywhere on the island. So we go off to check on anyplace else we wanted to go. Ended up back at the campground without using the parking time. We decide to have a quick snack then put our bathing suits on, put the chairs and umbrella on the back of Mike’s bike and head to the beach with our Kindles for the afternoon. A great relaxing afternoon! On the way off the beach we stop at North Beach Grill and have a rum drink and nacho’s. A great way to spend the afternoon!
North Beach…
Tybee Island is very bike friendly even riding on the sand/beach…
Tybee Island Lighthouse…
10/14/21:
Today we make another go at the pier area but this time by bicycle. We ride on the main road all the way down the island and are successful with actually getting to the pier and walk through some shops. Joanne finds a straw visor and then we stop at IGA for some salad makings. After that stop we ride the rest of the way back to the campground on the beach. Biking on the beach is awesome! Easy to get to and we would suggest to anyone to use bikes as your primary transportation for getting around Tybee Island. Riding on the beach to get to the other end of the island is easy and fun.
Beach Bike riding to the pier…
Loving the beach and views from Tybee Island Pier…
Recapping our time on Tybee Island we are both in agreement we really like it a lot!!! We will definitely be back… It has a very laid back feel and although there isn’t a whole lot to do it is a great place to kick back and relax. It is fun to sit on the beach and watch the container ships go by! People rave about the pizza place called Huc-A-Poos but since we are trying to be good we passed this time around!
10/15/21:
Today we are off to Brunswick GA. It is only about two hours max to get there but we also need to factor in a stop for gas and groceries. The stop for gas is tight and so a little stressful but once we get gas we pull in to a large area to park to get some groceries (and we get our flu shot!). Then we look for the closest Walmart. Selecting this Walmart was a mistake and Mike could feel it as soon as we got into the parking lot. There wasn’t much to choose from for parking but we did find a spot with a few spaces open directly in front to pull out. Mike kept having an uneasy feeling the entire time we were inside and when we came out someone had parked in the spot in front of us😳 even though there were plenty of spaces around that area. That’s frustrating. But Mike was able to get out and when we were on our way to the campground (Coastal GA RV Resort) there were police officers controlling traffic at every intersection. Mike asked the manager of the RV resort about it and turns out there are demonstrators in town because of the jury selection going on for the Amaud Arbery case. Crazy! Glad we are only here two days!
10/16/2021:
Today we decide to check out two islands in the area; Jekyll Island and St. Simon Island. Both are an easy drive from our campground. We start with Jekyll Island. It is small, quaint, and has a campground at the end of the island. The campground is a bit wooded and could be a little tight getting in but might be a good stay in order to bike and relax. This beach is also bikeable and lots of biking paths (paved) to help explore the island. The Island is small and very quaint but it didn’t look like their was much to do except the beach.
St. Simons is bigger, with many more residential areas, shopping, and restaurants…. Did not see any camping areas. Lots of beach access and could bike on the beach. We stopped at the NPS Fort Frederico and then walked through some downtown shops and had a snack at Iguana’s Restaurant on Main Street. Good food!
Funny; at this campground we went to sit by the lake and met a couple walking their dog. Turns out they grew up in Saugerties NY! We chatted about a lot of familiar places then met with them a second evening and talked until about 11:00PM. They had moved from Baltimore to Alabama over the years which we think they regretted. He was a Captain of ships and often worked on the Chesapeake and in several other shipping lanes.
The first day we arrived at this got campground a dog from the adjacent was barking incessantly. First time we ever encountered this type of problem while full-timing. The dog was locked inside and no body was round. Around 7:00PM we finally tried calling the emergency number for the campground though got no answer. Mike also took a ride to the office which was unstaffed. Returning to the campsite we could still heat the dog barking until the owners finally came home at 8:00PM. Mike informed them of the problem and concern. They apologized and the next day Mike stopped in the office but they just apologized. When we got home day 2 those campers were gone so a quieter evening for us!
We totally enjoyed our stops from Maryland to Georgia the last month and loved our time along the coastline! On 10/17/21 we departed for St. Augustine, Florida on this continuing “Revolutionary Journey”….
Mike Nunan is a committed life long learner... Deciding to sell their Connecticut home after 30 years in 2018, where they raised their family, and then selling his business, followed by his wife Joanne deciding to retire from her 34 year teaching career, together they embarked on this full-time RV adventure... traveling, exploring, photographing, hiking, and enjoying this incredible world and gift we call life...
Our plans for 2021 were going to be our Great[...]
About us
RV'ers, Traveler's, & Bloggers
We are the Nunan's. College sweethearts who married 44 years ago. Joanne a teacher & Mike a professional photographer. We have 2 incredible adult children that we take pride in everyday and are thankful for the life, experience, and adventure we have on this "Revolutionary Journey"....
