We kick start our summer every year with a family road trip to celebrate more quality time together. This year, we were fortunate to take a Summer Road Trip With Toyota to Beaufort, SC. The beautiful drive with lush marsh surrounding us was the perfect scenery to take in. The ride was so smooth, and the car handled like a sports car.

When I picked up the Camry from Fred Anderson Toyota, I knew we would be in for a real treat. The representatives there took their time going over all of the features including Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist, and Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection function. One of my favorite features was the Head-Up Display, which projects the speed on the lower portion of the windshield. Being able to see how fast I was going without taking my eyes off the road was super helpful. As a working mom who is always on the road, these features are very important to me.

The forecast called for rain most of the weekend so we were bummed we wouldn’t be able to do everything we wanted to experience. Luckily it only rained the first day and the rest of the time was sunny and beautiful! This is us the first day after we tried to have a picnic on the beach in Hunting State Park. Instead, the sky opened up, and we got soaked. We made the best of it and just stopped at scenic spots along the way back to our Bed & Breakfast.

Since we couldn’t have our beach picnic, we just set up on the 2nd floor of The Anchorage 1770 porch with our delicious spread. We couldn’t let all of this good food go to waste!

We had so many charming experiences in Beaufort, including a nostalgic drive-in movie theatre. The Highway 21 Drive In is the closest drive-in to Charleston and it was well worth the 1.5 hour drive. I grew up going to drive-ins so I wanted my boys to experience it as well. There’s nothing like watching a movie in the comfort of your car, especially when it’s the super cozy Toyota Camry.

I was so excited that we got a Toyota Camry with the Panoramic Glass Roof. Next to a convertible, this is how to fully experience a ride in a car (especially in the summer!).

My car is my office, even when I’m on vacation. I need all access to Wi-Fi, my music, my contacts, and easy charging for my phone. This Toyota Camry had all the smart car features including Apple Car Play, Sirius XM, and a wireless smartphone charging station. It was so nice to charge my phone without having to deal with that pesky cord.

The Bird’s Eye View Camera was super helpful whenever I was parking or getting out of a spot. The Camera with Perimeter Scan uses front, side and rear-mounted cameras to display a panoramic overhead view.

I downloaded the Toyota app so I could use Remote Connect to locate my car in a crowded lot and remotely start or stop the engine. This came in handy to get the air conditioning going in the 90+ humid temps.

Taking a tour of picturesque downtown Beaufort in the Toyota Camry was the best way to see it.

Next stop on our tour was the Saint Helena Parish Chapel of Ease Ruins. It was a quick drive to St. Helena Island from Beaufort and well worth the trip off the beaten path. The mature oak trees with Spanish Moss lined the road to get to this historic spot. My boys and I loved exploring this old church that was built in 1740.

Being able to test drive the Toyota Camry for the weekend was such a fun experience. The technology combined with the design made for a memorable trip for me and my family. From now on, I’ll only own a Smart Car because all of these features are basic necessities for me. Everyone should feel safe, connected, and comfortable when they drive a car, especially when your loved ones are along for the ride.

Photography & Video by Marybeth Creates