Fly Drive the Carolinas

After a good night's sleep and hearty American breakfast, you’ll be ready for a whistlestop tour of Charlotte. Stop by the high-octane NASCAR Hall of Fame, rub shoulders with the hip residents of NoDa and pause to pick up snacks for the road at 7th St Public Market. From there, you’ll hit the open road – or the I-40 W – to Waynesville. Catch your first glimpse of rural North Carolina as you drive westward two hours through blink-and-you-miss-it towns all the way to the rural city. Located at the foot of the Great Smoky Mountains, Waynesville is well known for its outstanding scenery, limitless outdoor adventures and picturesque main street. Drop your bags off at the hotel, where you’ll spend the next two nights and head out for a bite to eat in its downtown area.

Waynesville may be the largest town in Western North Carolina but that hasn’t stopped it from being its most charming. Using a bucolic mountain retreat as your base, you’ll spend the next couple of days immersed in its wild beauty. Hike and horse ride to scenic lookouts, trade stories around crackling bonfires and indulge in wine and cocktail tastings on sweeping lawns. If you’re in need of a quick recharge, an afternoon spent puzzle making, reading and relaxing in steaming pools should do the trick. There’s plenty to do in downtown Waynesville too. From independent boutiques and bustling markets to craft breweries and charismatic theatres, this enchanting town is awash with things to do. Leave Waynesville in the afternoon to make the five-hour drive across to Savannah. Your hotel is conveniently located in the heart of Savannah so you won’t have to go far to get a hearty Southern meal before bedding down for the night.

Following your late arrival into Savannah the night before, you'll be eager to rise early. After breakfast head out to Tybee Island. Just 20 minutes from historic Savannah, it is home to five miles of public beach as well as one of the nation’s oldest lighthouses. Breathe in the salubrious sea air and then treat your tastebuds to fresh seafood at the original Crab Shack. Continue your outdoor adventure to Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge. Reachable only by boat, it is the place to bird-watch, beachcomb and hike. If it’s history you’re after, Savannah’s storied past will definitely satisfy. Wander rows of historic houses and colonial cypress-covered mansions, visit the Telfair and SCAD Museum of Art and sink your teeth into decadent Southern staples such as peach cobbler and buttermilk biscuits. Savannah is known as the ‘Hostess City of the South’ after all.

After three nights in Savannah, you’ll hit the open road once more to Charleston. Just a two and a half hour drive from Savannah, the scenic Route 17 to Charleston definitely deserves to be driven in low gear. Marked forever by the Civil War, it is home to numerous seaside towns and historic plantations. We suggest breaking up the drive with a stop at Middleton Place.Beautifully preserved, this old plantation doesn’t just provide guests with astounding architecture and perfectly manicured gardens but also serves as a memorial for the thousands of slaves who lived and worked here. If you are travelling in March, make the most of the city's buzzing food and wine festival, and in September enjoy special set menus and offers during the city’s popular Restaurant Week. After a few hours at Middleton Place, journey onwards to Charleston where you’ll spend the next three nights.

In Charleston, it’s all about rest and recuperation. Begin your days with a lie in and a Charleston-style brunch at a downtown diner before heading out on a morning stroll through the city’s historic district. Lined with grand churches, weathered cemeteries and Antebellum homes, the city has a habit of feeling like one big museum. But if its actual museums you’re after, Charleston has more than enough to choose from. From its eponymous museum (which is the oldest in the US) to the Old Slave Mart Museum, which is believed to be the location of the last slave auction in South Carolina, Charleston is where you should head if you’re keen to delve into some East Coast history and culture.

For those feeling more adventurous, however, you can choose to spend an afternoon exploring the city by kayak. Weave through marshy cypress-lined waterways, scanning for manatees and dolphins as you go, and get a different view of the city from the uninhabited Morris Island. There’s no better way to see a Charleston sunset than on a rooftop bar either. With sweeping views of downtown to Charleston Harbour, you’ll soon realise why the city was chosen to be the location for many of the USA’s firsts. On your last day in Charleston, you’ll make the three-and-a-half-hour drive up the coast to Wilmington in North Carolina.

Wilmington may not be as well-known as its neighbours Charleston and Savannah but that doesn’t mean it’s any less worthy of a visit. With just one night here, we recommend starting with a morning mooch along the idyllic Riverwalk on Cape Fear River. Fringed with bars, cafes and whitewashed boutiques, it is the perfect spot for a scenic southern breakfast. And for those craving a bit of Civil and World War history, Wilmington will be sure to quench with its old Confederate Fort Fisher, Cape Fear Museum and Battleship North Carolina. Any film and TV fanatics will also recognise the town from the myriad films and TV shows that have been shot here. Follow in the footsteps of The Hunger Games’ Katniss Everdeen, Iron Man’s Tony Stark or even One Tree Hill’s Lucas Scott down Main Street to indulge in a slice of small town America. From its myriad country stores to its 28-year-strong Front Street Brewery, you’ll only need 24 hours to realise why Hollywood hotshots fell in love with the location. In the evening, you’ll hop back in your rental and make the four-and-a-half-hour sunset drive up to your hotel in Duck, on the state’s Outer Banks.

With three nights in Duck, we recommend using your first to get some all-important rest. Make use of your hotel’s spa, pools and private beach access and end the day with a sunset walk along its dune-fringed coast. Duck is the northern most town on the Outer Banks and earned its name from duck hunting, which was particularly popular in the area during the 20th century. Now, visitors mostly come for its quaint and quiet coastal vibe. Live out your Nicholas Sparks fantasies down its main street as you amble between galleries, artisanal gift shops and cosy cafes. And for those wanting to crank up the speed, an exhilarating airboat tour around islands, inlets and lone lighthouses will be sure to satisfy. End your evenings at Kimball’s Kitchen, Blue Point or Aqua Restaurant who all serve up the freshest local seafood.

Take advantage of the slow pace of Duck life with one last morning beach walk and a hearty country breakfast at your hotel. After, it’ll be time to say goodbye to the sea and begin the three-and-a-half-hour drive inland to Raleigh. Drop your car off at the airport and check in for your overnight flight (eight hours) back to London.