Tampa to Hershey Road Trip Guide

The last leg of the journey brings RV campers to their final destination: Hershey, Pennsylvania. Hersheypark is 131 miles from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. This beloved amusement park consists of 121 acres in total. Its grounds house over 70 rides which include 14 roller coasters and a water park.

There are many aspects of Hersheypark for families to enjoy. From the many rollercoasters to the Kissing Tower that soars to incredible heights and much, much more, there is something for everyone at this beloved recreational area.

20 rides are designed specifically for children to enjoy. These can easily be found interspersed throughout the grounds amongst other rides and attractions.

The on-site water park offers families a great place to cool down on a hot summer's day. Also found on the premises is Zoo America, a wildlife preserve that houses more than 200 species of animals for families to view and learn more about.

One of the most popular places to spend a day is the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Just 106 miles from Richmond, Virginia, families can enjoy a leisurely drive to the museum grounds and find lots of parking for RVs in the Smithsonian's spacious parking lot.

The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum opened to the public in 2003. The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center serves as a Virginia-based arm of the Washington D.C. Smithsonian museums. These properties receive many visitors from around the world with more than eight million people frequenting their doors each year.

This beloved museum is a true treasure trove for fans of aviation. The property consists of two hangars that display many planes and spacecraft. Found in these hangars are such famous aircraft as a decommissioned Concorde and the space shuttle known as Discovery.

There is also a facility housed on the grounds where skilled professionals work to repair aircraft and to restore damaged pieces of aviation history.

For those that prefer to avoid the heavy traffic of the city, families can park their RV at their campground and take public transportation such as the metro, a taxi, or a bus to the museum grounds.

Richmond, Virginia, the home of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, is only 147 miles from Fayetteville. This museum is home to one of the biggest collections of art in the United States.

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts opened to the public in 1936. It is owned by the state and enriched by exhibits and donations from private investors to maintain the building for educational purposes. The mandate of the museum is to encourage education about the arts through amassing and preserving precious artworks for future generations to learn from and enjoy.

Throughout the year, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts offers many different programs including exhibitions, lectures, and workshops to cultivate and enrich an appreciation for the arts.

The permanent exhibitions housed at this facility number over 40,000 in total. Some of the most popular exhibits include a collection of Faberge eggs and a vast amount of Art Nouveau and American art pieces.

Get back on the road after a tour of the museum or consider an RV stay at Richmond North/Kings Dominion KOA or Pocahontas State Park.

A stop by Fayetteville's Fantasy Lake Water Park offers a welcome afternoon of fun after 344 miles on the road from Savannah. Located in the state of North Carolina, Fantasy Lake Water Park offers many different interesting things for families to do to burn off some pent up energies during their RV road trip.

This recreational area is home to water slides, swings, kayaking, and much, much more. For those that prefer the land to the water, there are several on-site games to enjoy including cornhole and ping pong.

There are also many types of swings for families to enjoy. The Banana Slides offer a taste of nostalgia, with the Tarzan Swings reserved for those whose hearts are set on adventure.

The water slides at Fantasy Lake Water Park are sure to satisfy even the most seasoned thrillseeker. For those that prefer more old-fashioned water sports, kayaking and paddleboarding are also popular activities here.

Worn out from a day of fun in the sun? Park the RV at Lazy Acres Campground and get a good night's sleep before hitting the open road en route to Hershey.

While in Savannah, it is an excellent idea to stop by the Bonaventure Cemetery, a resting place made famous in the movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The cemetery is just four miles away from the Savannah Historic District and offers a good amount of parking for RVs at the entrance to the grounds.

Bonaventure Cemetery was first known as Evergreen Cemetery. This resting place was found on a 70-acre plot of land owned by a company known as the Bonaventure Plantation. This was undertaken when it came to light that Savannah's public cemeteries were nearly full, and a new resting place was required for residents that passed on.

Build in the cherished Victorian style of the day, one of the defining characteristics of this cemetery is its winding paths, a multitude of lush trees, and vast grass spaces. Though designed as a resting place for the city's dead, the property was also used as a popular picnic area.

In 1907, the cemetery was bought by the city and was expanded to 103 acres. It was later renamed to Bonaventure Cemetery to pay homage to the grounds' original owner.

With a long drive to come in the day ahead, families might enjoy an overnight stay in Savannah. Among the most popular campgrounds here are Lotts Island RV Campground and Savannah South KOA Holiday.

Just 134 miles away from Jacksonville is the Savannah Historic District, a National Historic Landmark in the state of Georgia. What makes this particular property unique is its architectural grid and uniquely constructed buildings that date to the 18th and 19th centuries.

The town's original design goes back to 1733 and was the work of General James E. Oglethorpe, the man credited with founding the state. Modern-day Savannah remains true to the vast majority of this original plan. The city is divided into sections referred to as wards, square, and trustee lots.

The squares found in the Historic District are enclosed by stunning buildings built in the Georgian, Greek Revival, and Gothic traditions. There are several buildings that are extremely well known including the Owens-Thomas House and the Edmund Molyneux Mansion.

For a walk through history, a trip to the Savannah Historic District is well worth a visit.

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is just 108 miles from Silver Springs State Park. This popular attraction rests along the banks of the Trout River and is just outside the city limits.

A spot that is a must-visit destination for families with children, Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens offers the rare opportunity to experience a safari completely on foot. A walk through the premises allows families to interact with many different species of animals including giraffes, great apes, elephants, and jungle cats.

Other attractions at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens include Stingray Bay and the Play Park and Splash Ground. Here families can hand-feed stingrays, then take a refreshing dip in one of the on-site pools.

The Zoo Train takes visitors for a tour through the grounds, treating them to the rare privilege of enjoying some of the inner workings of the zoo as well as the stunning Asian Bamboo Garden, a new feature at this park.

The zoo offers ample parking for RVs and cars during their visit.

Thinking an overnight stay in Jacksonville is in order? Hanna Park Campground offers excellent accommodations that are well-suited to RVs and trailers.

The trip from Tampa to Ocala encompasses covers 104 miles of ground but is well worth the miles on the RV to enjoy some time at the beautiful Silver Springs State Park. This stunning recreational area has been a popular gathering place for thousands of years. The property is home to an immense set of springs that are considered to be the largest in the country. Visitors can see the springs by taking a tour in a glass-bottom boat.

For those that fancy something a little more active, kayaking the Silver River offers a great workout at five miles to paddle the length of the river. Other popular activities here include camping, hiking, dining, and shopping. Also found on the grounds are the Silver River Museum and Cracker Village.

Silver Springs State Park has been featured in many different famous films including Rebel Without a Cause, Distant Drums, and Moonraker.

1962 saw this property purchased by ABC Paramount who promptly turned the park into a tourist attraction.

Tired out from the day's adventure and need a place to park the RV for an overnight stay? Consider spending the night on the park grounds or at nearby Santos Trailhead and Campground.