Road Trip Worthy Destination from Atlanta

After spending our first year of marriage locked down during the pandemic, hubby and I decided it was time to get out of the city of Atlanta by any means necessary.

Given the travel situation, we opted to find a road trip-worthy destination and our only requirement was…a beach MUST be included.

We live in Atlanta so I quickly narrowed my search down to:

1. Hilton Head, South Carolina
2. Tybee Island, Georgia
3. Panama City, Florida
4. Jacksonville, Florida
5. Jekyl Island, Georgia

After doing a few cost comparisons and researching a few of the local attractions in each location, I quickly opted for Jacksonville.  Growing up, my family and I spent a lot of time in Tybee and Jekyll Island so I wasn’t the least bit enthusiastic about those (no shade). 

Next up, was finding a good comfy lodging situation that wasn’t too far from the actual beach. I browsed AirBnB and didn’t find what I was looking for and then went to my all-time fav - booking.com.  I always find the best last-minute deals for quick trips like these and this time did not disappoint.

Hubby and I settled on Margaritaville in Jacksonville Beach and got ready to have a much-needed, relaxing weekend outside of the city!

But of course…shopping first.

My first stop was Target to grab all the travel-sized essentials.

• Dove Deodorant Spray 
• Bug Spray
• Sunscreen Spray
• Kleenex
• Dove Soap to refill my travel-size container
• Lysol Spray
• Toothpaste
• Road trip snacks - Monster Trail Mix, Essential Water, 

Then my second stop…Amazon (shop my favs here)

• Hat
• Bathing suits (2)
• Black dress
• Beach towel set

Since check-in was at 3:00 pm, we decided to get on the road at 10:00 am to avoid the dreadful Atlanta morning traffic. We stopped once in Warner Robins to grab lunch at Five Guys and one of my favorite cookie shops, Bonnie's Cookies.

We arrived at Jacksonville Beach at approximately 6:00 pm after running into some traffic.

On Day 1, we opted to eat dinner in the hotel at the restaurant.  

On Day 2, the first thing we both ran to was the nearby patio to get all the beach views. 

Needless to say, we were both beyond happy to be near water.  We spent Saturday exploring the city.

Outlets, Bahama Breeze, TJ Maxx, Nordstrom Rack then back to the hotel to recharge and change.  We found a local Wine & Cigar Bar not too far from the hotel called,  that wasn’t too overly crowded and felt “covid safe”. 

On Day 3, we slept in and ordered from Maple Biscuits on DoorDash.  The place was so close to the hotel that the dasher delivered it on his bike.  Then, we got up to walk around town and came across the cutest Coffee Shop. 

If you’re looking for a quick, low-key getaway with bae, I would recommend Jacksonville Beach. It’s just next door to Ponte Vedra and just 20 miles from downtown Jacksonville if you’re interested in city life.  For us, it was exactly what we needed - a great break from the busyness of the city.

We spent most of our time in the actual hotel, dined twice in their restaurant and we’re just steps away from the beach. We legit lived the tourist life, wearing mostly athleisure and messy buns.

Check out my recap video on Instagram - Jacksonville, Florida Baecation Recap