Hey friends! After wrapping up the Southern Series and sharing all of the adventures, chaos, amazing food, accidental overspending, and lessons learned along the way, I wanted to use this next post to talk about something a little more practical:
👉 the actual budget.
Because let’s be honest, road trips are fun to watch online, but when it comes time to plan your own, one of the first questions is usually:
“How much did this actually cost?”
And trust me, I get it.
When we first started planning this trip, we had hoped to stay somewhere around the $6,000 range for the full 16 days. Looking back now?
…we definitely went over that. 😅
But honestly? We were okay with it.
Not because we think everyone should throw caution to the wind and spend recklessly, but because we intentionally built flexibility into this trip knowing that once-in-a-lifetime experiences, amazing local spots, and random adventures would likely pop up along the way.
And they absolutely did.
So…What Did We Actually Spend?
After removing personal shopping purchases and optional gear upgrades that weren’t truly part of the trip budget itself, our total came to:
Approximate Total: $8,833.51
| Category | Approximate Total |
|---|---|
| Lodging (Airbnbs, hotels, motels) | $3,200+ |
| Food & Drinks | $2,200+ |
| Attractions & Activities | $1,200+ |
| Fuel & Transportation | $800+ |
| Souvenirs & Miscellaneous | $500+ |
| Parking & Convenience Costs | $400+ |
| Approximate Grand Total | $8,833.51 |
Yep. 😂
Now before you absolutely pass away reading that number, let me explain.
This total included:
- 16 days of travel
- Multiple states
- Holiday/New Years travel pricing
- Lodging
- Fuel
- Attractions
- Restaurants
- Parking
- Groceries
- Tours
- Souvenirs
- Beach rentals
- Theme parks
- Convenience costs
And honestly, for how much we squeezed into a little over two weeks, we still feel like it was worth it.
Would we change some things? Absolutely.
Would we do it again? Also yes. 💁♀️
Budget Breakdown By Category
Here’s where most of our money actually went during the trip:
Lodging: Approx. $3,200+
This included:
- Airbnbs
- Hotels
- Budget motels
- Parking fees attached to stays
At first, we intentionally avoided hotels because we liked:
- having kitchens
- easier access to our gear
- unique stays
- quieter neighborhoods
- spreading out our things
But as the trip went on, we realized hotels actually would have saved us a LOT more money than expected.
Many included:
- free breakfast
- free water
- gyms
- pools
- easier parking
- less stress hauling luggage
Looking back, we definitely would have mixed in more hotel stays from the beginning instead of leaning so heavily on Airbnbs.
Especially in expensive areas like Miami and Key West.
Food & Drinks: Approx. $2,200+
Okay yes. We ate VERY well on this trip. 😂
But honestly? Food became one of the biggest memory-makers of the entire adventure.
There are meals we STILL talk about.
Some of our favorites:
- local seafood spots
- little breakfast cafes
- hot chocolate stops
- random roadside finds
- ice cream…many, many times 🙈
Could we have saved more here? Absolutely.
But we also intentionally wanted to experience the local culture through food.
That being said, bringing groceries from home helped WAY more than expected.
We packed:
- coolers
- electrolyte drinks
- snacks
- smoothie ingredients
- cookware
- breakfast items
- reusable water bottles
And that absolutely reduced what could have been an even crazier food budget.
Attractions & Activities: Approx. $1,200+
This included things like:
- museums
- tours
- airboat rides
- theme park tickets
- exhibits
- beach rentals
- historical attractions
This category was honestly one we expected to spend on.
Experiences were a huge reason we took this trip in the first place.
The biggest attraction expenses were:
- Busch Gardens
- The Biltmore Estate
- tours in Louisiana
- beach rentals
- museums throughout the trip
And honestly? No regrets there.
Fuel & Transportation: Approx. $800+
Fuel alone added up quickly over 16 days.
Especially because:
- we rerouted often
- changed plans constantly
- drove through multiple states
- spent time in tourist-heavy areas
We only Ubered once during the whole trip, but parking absolutely became one of the sneakiest budget categories.
A few mistakes we made:
- not researching parking ahead of time
- paying premium parking for convenience
- valet costs
- tourist area parking garages
- extra fees in cities like Miami
Winging it worked for a lot of the trip…until it came time to park somewhere expensive. 😂
Souvenirs & Random Spending: Approx. $500+
This category included:
- magnets
- books
- museum souvenirs
- little gifts
- random snacks
- coffees
- hoodies
- gift shop impulse purchases
Which honestly added up FAST.
But those tiny moments and memories are part of the fun too.
What We Would Do Differently
We’d Separate the Expensive Areas Into Another Trip
If we were trying to stay closer to our original budget, we probably would have removed:
- Miami
- Key West
- some of the more tourist-heavy Florida stops
And instead dedicated a separate trip entirely to those locations.
Those areas added:
- expensive lodging
- expensive parking
- expensive food
- extra stress
- extra driving
And honestly, some of our FAVORITE places weren’t the most expensive ones.
Places like:
- Manasota Key
- Destrehan
- Vicksburg
- Fayetteville, WV
ended up being some of the most memorable.
(If you’re wondering where Fayetteville is, it’s near the New River Gorge National Park area in West Virginia and is super popular for hiking, climbing, rafting, and outdoor adventures!)
We’d Build In More Slow Days
This is probably the biggest lesson of the trip.
At first, we moved constantly. One night here. One night there. Pack up. Unload. Repeat.
And eventually? The burnout hit HARD.
Looking back, we would have intentionally added:
- more 2-night stays
- more downtime
- more sleep consistency
- more movement/gym structure
- less rushing
Because once your energy tanks, every little decision starts to feel overwhelming.
We’d Bring Better Organization Systems
This sounds silly until you’re hauling duffel bags up flights of stairs in a busy city while trying not to lose your snacks, sweatshirts, and sanity simultaneously. 😅
Next time we’d absolutely bring:
- better bins
- more organized packing cubes
- improved duffels
- easier-access essentials
- better truck bed organization
Traveling smoother honestly saves both money and stress.
Was The Cost Worth It?
Honestly?
Yeah.
Even with the overspending. Even with the burnout. Even with the chaos.
Because what we got out of this trip was bigger than the number attached to it.
We:
- experienced places we’d never seen
- learned how we travel best
- discovered where we’d return someday
- met incredible people
- ate amazing food
- improved our communication while traveling
- and created memories we’ll genuinely keep forever
Travel isn’t always perfect. Actually, most of the time it isn’t.
But sometimes the imperfect moments are the ones you remember most.
What We’re Taking From This
If you’re considering a big road trip someday, I hope this post helps give a little perspective into what things can realistically cost, where money disappears quickly, and where you can save without sacrificing the experience entirely.
You do NOT need a perfect setup to start traveling. You do NOT need luxury everything. And you definitely don’t need every moment figured out.
But having:
- flexibility
- realistic expectations
- some structure
- and good communication
will make a massive difference.
And honestly?
Some of the best moments of this trip happened completely by accident.
So if you’ve been waiting to take the trip, maybe this is your sign to start planning it. Even if it starts one tiny step at a time. 🫶
