The Ultimate 6-Day Road Trip: Tampa, Florida to Lexington, Virginia

Six days, four states, and one very good dog who was welcomed practically everywhere we went. This road trip took us from Tampa all the way up to Lexington, Virginia, with stops in Chattanooga, Helen, and Greenville along the way. If you're planning a dog-friendly Southern road trip of your own, consider this your itinerary.

Day 1: Tampa, Florida → Chattanooga, Tennessee

It's a long haul from Tampa to Chattanooga, but it's worth every mile. We checked into The Read House, a historic downtown hotel that turned out to be the perfect stay and extremely dog friendly! The Read House has been a Chattanooga landmark since 1872, and it went through a $27 million renovation before reopening in 2018 with all of its Jazz-era, 1920s glamour restored. It's right in the heart of downtown, so everything is walkable from your room.

Once we settled in, we headed to Oddstory Brewing Co. for a beer before walking around town.

Oddstory has a huge dog-friendly outdoor space with fire pits and community tables, so it's an easy first stop with a pup in tow.

From there we wandered through the Art District and checked out the waterfall stairs by the Tennessee Aquarium — or you can just enjoy the views strolling along the river. We grabbed a bite at Agave & Rye on their dog-friendly patio (their tacos are seriously creative), then headed back to the hotel to freshen up before dinner at STIR, known for its craft cocktails made with hand-carved artisanal ice and a raw bar full of fresh oysters.

Day 2: Exploring Chattanooga

Day two started with Rock City atop Lookout Mountain. We appreciated Rock City. For one, it's 100% dog friendly but it's also truly magical. Wander the Enchanted Trail, squeeze through Fat Man's Squeeze, and take in the "See Seven States" view from Lover's Leap.

Next, we headed to Ruby Falls, the tallest underground waterfall open to the public in the U.S. They offer complimentary shaded dog kennels with secure locks on a first-come, first-served basis while you tour the falls, so your pup can wait comfortably while you descend 260 feet into the mountain...if you're brave enough.

After the falls we grabbed lunch at Champy's, a small dive known for its Southern fried chicken (and a killer selection of 40 oz beers if that's your thing). Then it was time for Play Wash Pint, a dog park and bar all in one — complete with a self-wash station for your dog and 60+ beers on tap.

There are plenty of dog-friendly breweries within walking distance too, like Wanderlinger Brewing Company, which sits inside the historic Chattanooga Choo Choo.

Chattanooga is extremely walkable, so the evening is prime bar-hopping territory. Check out No Hard Feelings, Unknown Caller (hidden behind a phone booth on Cherry Street), Hair of the Dog, or Pickle Barrel. My personal favorite was ATMOSPHERE, a coffeeshop-by-day, speakeasy-by-night spot with an out-of-this-world vibe. There's a small door cover, but it's worth it — we closed out our evening there and had a blast.

Day 3: Chattanooga → Helen, Georgia

Just a short drive from Chattanooga is Helen, Georgia — a small mountain town with heavy German and Austrian influence tucked into the North Georgia mountains.

On the way in, we stopped at Yonah Mountain Vineyards, a 200-acre family winery at the base of Mount Yonah with exceptional wine and beautiful scenery. It's a great stop on the way to Helen that you don't want to miss. If wineries are your thing, Habersham Winery is worth a visit too — one of Georgia's oldest and largest wineries. Habersham is much quainter than Yonah but with a great vibe of its own. While you're in the area, you must stop at Nora Mill Granary, a fully operational 1876 gristmill on the Chattahoochee River. We bought a ton of their sauces, salsas, and syrups, and they offer free tastings.

We checked into The Riverbend Hotel and Cabins, right on the Chattahoochee River, before spending the afternoon strolling Helen's cozy central downtown. If you have the time, consider renting floats and tubing down the river — we only had one day to spare, so we saved that for next time.

We stopped at Hansel & Gretel Candy Kitchen before heading to Hofbrauhaus for a German beer, then did a German wine tasting at Helenbach. Dinner was at Cowboys & Angels — don't skip the collard greens, they were incredible. A few other stops we enjoyed included King Ludwig, Paul's Margarita Deck, and Troll Tavern.

Day 4: Helen → Greenville, South Carolina

Another short drive brought us to Greenville, South Carolina. We checked into Grand Bohemian Lodge Greenville, right on the Reedy River — and this ended up being our favorite stay of the whole trip. The hotel is immaculate, the rooms are spotless, the beds are comfortable, and Between the Trees, the hotel's restaurant, served one of the best meals of the trip, with sweeping views over Falls Park on the Reedy.

We spent the afternoon walking around Falls Park — don't miss Papi's Tacos for a quick bite, Yee-Haw Brewing for a beer, and a stroll down Augusta or South Main Street for cool shops.

In the evening we headed to Group Therapy, an adults-only playground where we played minigolf, duckpin bowling, and tried our hand at axe throwing.

Day 5: A Relaxing Day in Greenville

We took the day to relax, but that evening we had dinner at the famous Halls Chophouse. If you're in Greenville, this is a must. They're known for their steaks, but I have to admit their fried green tomatoes are what stole my heart.

After dinner we popped around some of the downtown bars — UP, Rey's, Trappe Door, and Connolly's — but my personal favorite was Juhl & Co., a hidden speakeasy on North Main Street with a moody, exclusive, 1920s-inspired vibe. They'll build you a custom old fashioned with all kinds of bitters, wood flavoring, and bourbon selections.

Day 6: Greenville → Lexington, Virginia

The last leg was another long drive, this time to Lexington, Virginia — where we started our wedding plans! Follow along for the Lexington, Virginia travel blog, coming soon.