Florida Bound

Monday, April 7, 2025

Today, we set off for Florida, eager to visit the Space Center and Disney World— destinations that Jane has meticulously planned for us. As we packed up the RV yesterday, the air was filled with the vibrant colors of spring flowers in bloom, while a yellow dusting of pollen settled on every outdoor surface. We were reluctant to depart during such a lovely time of year but the siren call of the road beckoned us.

—— Getting Ready ——

After completing our departure preparations, we left around 10:30 a.m. for our layover destination, Fort McAllister State Park in Georgia. Taking the newly completed Southern Expressway saved us valuable time, allowing us to quickly escape the Raleigh area and connect to I-40 E, which led us to our main route, I-95 S. Much of the I-95 stretch in North Carolina is currently being expanded from four to eight lanes, so we encountered numerous construction zones along the way. Despite this, the 350-mile journey went smoothly.

Our first stop was the South Carolina Welcome Center, where we enjoyed PB&J sandwiches in the RV while parked in the “Other Vehicles” area (i.e., non-cars). Later, we made a quick pit stop to refuel the RV. After driving through a few scattered afternoon rain showers, about 4:15 p.m., we arrived safely at Fort McAllister, near Savannah, Georgia.

——— South Carolina Welcome Center ———

—— Fort McAllister State Park, Georgia ———

We checked in at the park office, where we received a map to our campsite, the campground gate entry combination, and general park information. The office also housed a historical museum (for a fee), but we decided to save that for tomorrow when we plan to explore the park more thoroughly.

After check-in, we immediately left the park and retraced our route a few miles to have dinner at Fish Tales Restaurant, which was the highlight of an otherwise uneventful travel day. Jane had been eagerly anticipating dining at this seafood spot ever since she found it online while planning our trip.

Fish Tales is located along the scenic Great Ogeechee River at the Fort McAllister Marina. It offers both indoor and outdoor seating with views of the marina and the beautiful river. We began with a seared ahi tuna appetizer, served with a delicious sauce, followed by blackened fish—red snapper for Jane and mahi-mahi for John, each with flavorful accompaniments. We both decided to indulge and ordered beer with our meals, a special treat given how much we’ve cut back on alcohol this year.

The atmosphere, wait staff, food, and view were all perfect. Jane commented that the experience exceeded her already high expectations. (Trust me, that’s a major compliment coming from my wife.)

——— Dinner at Fish Tales ———

After a satisfying dinner, we drove back to the state park, passed through the campground gate, and found our designated two-night site (#31). Setting up the RV was easy—just electric and water hookups. We used our autoleveler, even though the site was relatively flat.

Once settled into the RV, we spent the evening watching the news on TV, reading, and playing games. Meanwhile, heavy rain began to fall, continuing off and on throughout much of the night. Later, we managed to catch the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final (University of Houston vs. University of Florida) on a Savannah channel with great reception. The first half was close, but my Gators (I earned my master’s degree at UF) were trailing by three points at halftime when we, exhausted, turned off the TV and drifted off to sleep.