We decided to make the first day our longest driving day. It put us near Charlottesville, VA, so we could tour Monticello and the University of Virginia.
This plan meant that we'd be in the car for a long, long time. The shortest route was nearly twelve hours.
Fourteen hours after we left our house, we pulled into our hotel. We only stopped for gas and bathroom breaks. We drove through to get our meals. Unfortunately, we didn't do a good job of coordinating those activities, which added to our driving time.
Before we left home, we signed up for a couple of streaming services. The girls spent the drive watching movies and sleeping. We were so happy to have had the streaming services to keep them busy. Fourteen hours in a car had the potential to be really miserable. Instead, it passed quietly.
We woke up the next morning, toured Monticello, had lunch at the University of Virginia, and drove to the Outer Banks. Our house was wonderful. We took the path to the ocean, which was more like a secret passage with signs, benches and hidden treasures.
It was a world away from home and a terrific first vacation day.
