By Jax Stys
Quick answer: My best travel tips from a 9-day road trip from Cleveland to Folly Beach and Charleston with my grown son: pack less than you think, carry a crossbody bag, keep a cooler in the car, see the busy spots early, plan the trip together, and pick a condo with a kitchen for the longer part of your stay.
I overpacked. I want to get that out of the way first, because I tell myself not to before every trip, and I still did it.
This August, my son Jake and I drove from Cleveland to South Carolina for 9 days. A few days in a condo on Folly Beach, then a hotel in downtown Charleston. It was my first big trip of what I’ve been calling my travel chapter, and I’m still new at this. So these aren’t expert tips. They’re the things that actually made a difference for us, plus a few I’d do differently.
If you want the day-by-day plan, here’s our full Folly Beach and Charleston itinerary.
Easier than I expected, and different. Jake was 27 on this trip. No naps, no strollers, no snack meltdowns. It felt more like traveling with a friend who shares your inside jokes.
We split the planning and compromised on what each of us wanted to do. I raised him by myself, so for years I planned everything. This time I didn’t have to.
Text them ideas as you go. I sent Jake restaurants, activities, and short videos of places that looked fun, and asked what sounded good. It made the trip feel like ours, not mine.
Go early. Charleston is busy in the summer. A lot of our mornings started with a sunrise walk on the beach and then an early stop somewhere popular. Fewer people, and it wasn’t as hot yet.
We did both, and I’d do it that way again. The condo on Folly Beach had a kitchen, so we made some of our own meals instead of eating out every time. That saved real money over several days, and we had room to spread out. For the shorter downtown part, a hotel made more sense.
Less than you think. Here’s what I actually used and was glad I had:
I planned this trip almost hour by hour. A few things shifted anyway, like a longer wait than we expected or just not being in the mood for what was on the list. We changed plans, and it was fine. Next time I’ll plan a little less tightly from the start.
And I’d leave more empty time. Some of my favorite parts were the slow beach afternoons we didn’t schedule anything for.
Pieces that mix and match for both, comfortable walking shoes, one or two swimsuits, a crossbody bag, and a few small extras like a flashlight and a paper map.
For a longer beach stay, a rental with a kitchen can save money and give you more space. For a short stay downtown, a hotel is often easier.
Go early in the morning, before most visitors show up. It’s usually cooler then too.
Plan it together, share the long drive, and leave room for unplanned time. Texting ideas back and forth before the trip helped us a lot.
I’m going back to Charleston solo in February 2027, which will be a whole different kind of trip. Are you a road trip person or a fly-and-go person? Tell me where you’re going next.
With love and confidence,
Jax
