Travel Day: From Florida to Tennessee
Starting Our Adventure One Relaxed Step at a Time
Every great adventure has to begin somewhere.
For us, it started on a Monday evening with four backpacks, four excited travelers, and an 8:00 p.m. Allegiant Air flight from Sarasota, Florida, to Tennessee.
After months of planning, the day had finally arrived.
And because we wanted to enjoy every minute of the trip—not just the destination—we made a few intentional decisions that made travel day one of the easiest we've ever had.
Why We Stayed at an Airport Hotel
One of the smartest choices we made actually happened before travel day.
Rather than driving to the airport after a full day at home, we checked into an airport hotel the night before our flight.
It gave us time to unpack the car, relax, sleep well, and wake up without feeling rushed.
By the time Monday evening rolled around, we were already exactly where we needed to be.
Vacation had already begun.
If you're flying out of a larger airport that's a couple of hours from home, I can't recommend this enough.
Starting rested is worth every penny.
The Airport Ritual
We grabbed coffee.
Found a comfortable place to sit.
Played cards together.
Watched airplanes taxi across the runway.
There was no schedule to keep.
No meetings.
No work.
Just the excitement of knowing we were about to experience Tennessee for the very first time.
Sometimes those quiet moments become the ones you remember most.
What We Packed for the Flight
Packing light meant every item had to be useful.
These were our airplane favorites:
Aloe socks for changing into after takeoff
Comfortable sweatpants
Hoodies
Soft travel blankets
Portable chargers
A deck of cards
Healthy snacks
One lesson we've learned over the years is to download everything before you leave home. Books, audiobooks, playlists, movies—having entertainment ready means you're never dependent on airport or airplane Wi-Fi.
It made the flight feel relaxing instead of long.
🛍️ Shop Our Flight Favorites
✈️ Amazon Idea List: Airplane Comfort Essentials → https://a.co/d/08JBuRXA
📚 Amazon Idea List: Books We Read While Traveling → https://a.co/d/08JBuRXA
🎧 Amazon Idea List: Travel Tech & Entertainment → https://a.co/d/08JBuRXA
Healthy Habits on the Go
Even while traveling, we like to keep a few familiar routines.
Our backpacks included:
It doesn't take much room to pack the things that help you feel your best.
Travel is simply more enjoyable when you arrive feeling healthy and hydrated.
🛍️ Shop Our Wellness Favorites
🌿 Melaleuca Wellness Essentials → mymelaleuca.com/arana
✨ Neora Travel Skincare → arana.neora.com
Arriving in Tennessee
Around 11:00 p.m., we landed in Tennessee.
The airport was quieter than we'd expected, and although it was dark outside, the excitement hadn't worn off.
We couldn't see the mountains yet.
We couldn't explore the charming towns we'd been reading about for months.
That would all come tomorrow.
Tonight was simply about arriving.
After picking up our rental car, we checked into a nearby airport hotel for the night.
Rather than beginning our vacation tired, we chose to get a good night's sleep and start fresh the next morning.
Looking back, I wouldn't change a thing.
Mariah's Travel Notes
⭐ Best Decision: Flying in the evening and starting fresh the next morning.
🛏️ Worth Every Penny: Staying near the airport after our late arrival.
📚 Travel MVP: Downloaded books and audiobooks.
🧦 Most Comfortable Purchase: Aloe socks.
🔋 Never Travel Without: Portable charger.
Coming Up Next
Tuesday morning officially kicked off our Tennessee adventure.
We'll start the day with breakfast at Cracker Barrel, spend time exploring Pigeon Forge, check into The Wayback Motel & Resort, and settle into what would become one of our favorite places to stay throughout the trip.
Comments
Post a Comment