"For 2,000+ Mile Round-Trip Drivers Only!" (Part V)

[ParrotBill]

Good call on the weather. Need a dose of Hades here in Upstate NY!

 

[BC1836]

I

would definitely go for it. You're practically there lol!

Thanks to your encouragement, we will!

All the best.

 

[klmrph]

Will be taking an all girls trip with my mom and my three daughters at the end of March. Hoping to leave around 6pm and drive straight through. This will be my third 2200 mile RT to Florida and we always drive straight through. I have also done the same to Dallas/Houston. We are coming from NW Indiana.

 

[pwdebbie]

Thanks for the info on the 417. Looks like I'll need to stock up on my supply of quarters. The last time we drove we got stuck on I4 during rush hour and a rain storm. It took us over 2 hours to get through!

We're now having to change our driving plans. We were going to leave on Sat. morning, drive to Hagerstown, then to Orangeburg on Sun. and arrive in Orlando on Mon. But they're forecasting snow in upstate NY and everything from rain to snow and ice all the way down the 77. So now we think well leave on Friday to get ahead of the weather and cut over to the 95 at Richmond to avoid winter conditions on that scary descent near Statesville.

We live just north of Hagerstown and Orangeburg is our goal for Day 1 (we can't leave until after church on Sunday, so we reach Orangeburg around 10:00 p.m.). But I think at this time of year, you are wiser to cut over to 95 sooner.

 

[amcnj]

[QUOTE="amcnj, Are you planning on an early departure this trip, or an overnight drive?

We are planning to leave at around 3:00 am and drive straight through.
I was thinking its about 16 hours so we should get there sometime around 8 pm.(barring any traffic.) Theres 3 drivers so we should be able to do it. I have gone 12 before no problem, so the other 2 can just jump in while I catch a nap.[/QUOTE]

I am an hour and ten minutes to the DE Memorial Bridge. When I leave around 2:30 AM I am in the Orlando area usually in the 6:30 -8:30 PM range. That variation is due to stops, traffic, weather, etc.

 

[DisneyNutzy]

Thanks for all the valuable tips on here. We haven't driven in a few years as my wife isn't a big fan of the drive down but we decided to take an extra trip this year and are heading to Vero Beach in March to relax and catch some spring training games. My only condition on the trip was we drive! I have had to fly so often since last spring I have just had it with airlines. Our current plan is 5 nights at Vero and 2 at WDW. I love the freedom of having our van and being able to stay a couple of extra days if we choose to.

We will be departing from Staten Island late on Thursday March 19 or very early on the 20th. We will stop somewhere overnight but would like to get the heavy lifting done on the first day. We check into Vero on Saturday March 21. I would appreciate any tips from the NY/NJ area folks on spots to avoid rush hour traffic, construction etc. I have a heavy foot but we tend not to make great time as my wife is a smoker so we have to stop more than most would.

 

[jm106]

SO I am jumping back in to this thread after our October drive. I have to eat my words as we said Never going to do it again and here we are months later and we are driving it again.

I definitely learned a lot here and thank everyone for this thread. I also learned some thing I plan to do differently this trip. Each trip for us seems to be so different then the last. This time, (very sad) NO WDW, No US and many stops/hotels to explore new destinations! Lots of planning left to do.

 

[nono]

We will be departing from Staten Island late on Thursday March 19 or very early on the 20th. We will stop somewhere overnight but would like to get the heavy lifting done on the first day. We check into Vero on Saturday March 21. I would appreciate any tips from the NY/NJ area folks on spots to avoid rush hour traffic, construction etc. I have a heavy foot but we tend not to make great time as my wife is a smoker so we have to stop more than most would.

Well you need to leave early enough to be through DC by about 6 a.m. to be safe, and on a bad day, that won't be perfect either. That's 3hrs. 30min. of driving. So if you left at 2:30 am, would your wife sleep so you could just make it straight through without a smoke break? Or perhaps just one quick one like the one in Delaware or upper Maryland? Cause that's your only real problem, is getting past DC.

In your case, since you want to stop overnight, how 'bout Savannah as a destination? Two adults, great location, restaurants, etc. You'll be really enjoying vacation! Google maps has it at 11 3/4 hrs. without rest stops to get there, so figure in those, and you'd be pulling in right around dinner time...

Food (pun intended) for thought!

 

[DisneyNutzy]

Well you need to leave early enough to be through DC by about 6 a.m. to be safe, and on a bad day, that won't be perfect either. That's 3hrs. 30min. of driving. So if you left at 2:30 am, would your wife sleep so you could just make it straight through without a smoke break? Or perhaps just one quick one like the one in Delaware or upper Maryland? Cause that's your only real problem, is getting past DC.

In your case, since you want to stop overnight, how 'bout Savannah as a destination? Two adults, great location, restaurants, etc. You'll be really enjoying vacation! Google maps has it at 11 3/4 hrs. without rest stops to get there, so figure in those, and you'd be pulling in right around dinner time...

Food (pun intended) for thought!

Thanks nono, That is exactly the kind of detail I was looking for. My wife will love the Savannah suggestion.

 

[BC1836]

Thanks nono, That is exactly the kind of detail I was looking for. My wife will love the Savannah suggestion.

If you go to Savannah, make a stop at Spanky's (on River Street) for the best chicken fingers in the USA! And stop at any of the candy stores specializing in fresh pralines, like River Street Sweets. Then get back on I-95 headin' south.

All the best.

 

[Shir Kahn]

So I'm just over a month from making my first solo 2070 mile trip from Winnipeg to Florida! My wife and I are going on a 4 night Disney Cruise for the first time, leaving port on March 30th and getting back on April 3rd. I'm going to drive down, starting on March 25th in the afternoon and will be meeting my wife at MCO on the 28th at 8pm, as she has to work until the 27th. There were no flights that she could make on the 27th in the evening, without paying $1600, so we lose a day. But this way, we get a full park day at WDW! We were thinking of hitting MK at around 9 or 10pm on the 28th, but it's going to cost us $200 for a few hours of park time, so we'll see about that. Unfortunately, once our ship docks on the 3rd, we have to drive straight home in order to get her to work for the 6th. I don't have to be at work until the 7th, so I can rest a bit once we get home. It's going to be really strange going solo the whole way down. I've got plenty of time, so I won't have to put in the usual 16 hour days. I'll be able to drive about 8 hours on Wednesday, then maybe 12 hours on both Thursday and Friday. 12 hours of straight driving for me is nothing, I'll have to force myself to stop.

 

[hiddenl1fe]

Driving from northern NJ this August. 2 adults, 1 kid (4yo) and 1 overnight stop each way.

We plan on leaving around 10pm Friday, driving until the GA-FL border on Sat evening. Staying overnight, waking up on Sunday and finishing the last couple of hours. On the return trip, we plan on evening out the driving hours a little more. Any tips would be appreciative.

 

[minnie mum]

Egads. This winter weather has made our trip down a planning headache. Usually we take the 81,77, 26 down from the US border before we catch the 95. A couple days ago we decided to leave a day early to avoid more bad weather and opted to cut over to the 95 at Staunton. Now because of updated forecasts we've decided to pick up the 70 at Hagerstown towards Washington. We'll take the bypass there to the 95. My questions: Even though we'll be going thru Richmond on a Saturday (noonish) would it be prudent to take the 295 bypass? Also, we'll be hitting the I4 late afternoon on Sunday. Yes, Daytona 500 day. Should we anticipate heavy traffic into and thru Orlando?

 

[amcnj]

Driving from northern NJ this August. 2 adults, 1 kid (4yo) and 1 overnight stop each way.

We plan on leaving around 10pm Friday, driving until the GA-FL border on Sat evening. Staying overnight, waking up on Sunday and finishing the last couple of hours. On the return trip, we plan on evening out the driving hours a little more. Any tips would be appreciative.

I am south of you, about an hour and ten minutes from the DE Memorial Bridge. When I have stopped in the past, I too tried to get as far as possible the first day. I have found that coming home I would usually stop in southern VA (often Emporia or Jarratt) which was about 10 hours maybe on average that first day.

But I am a little confused. If you are leaving Friday at 10 pm and then not stopping till Saturday evening, you might already be there by that time. Driving straight thru takes me about 15 hours of drive time, roughly 17 hours with some stops, etc figured in. So if I left 10 pm Friday and drove straight through, I would be in the Orlando area by around 3 pm on Saturday.

 

[pwdebbie]

Egads. This winter weather has made our trip down a planning headache. Usually we take the 81,77, 26 down from the US border before we catch the 95. A couple days ago we decided to leave a day early to avoid more bad weather and opted to cut over to the 95 at Staunton. Now because of updated forecasts we've decided to pick up the 70 at Hagerstown towards Washington. We'll take the bypass there to the 95. My questions: Even though we'll be going thru Richmond on a Saturday (noonish) would it be prudent to take the 295 bypass? Also, we'll be hitting the I4 late afternoon on Sunday. Yes, Daytona 500 day. Should we anticipate heavy traffic into and thru Orlando?

No advice, just want to say I don't envy you. Personally, I am not familiar with a bypass around DC from 70 to 95. If you mean 495, that's the beltway around the city and it is usually busy. I hope someone pops in here with an answer for you.

 

[hiddenl1fe]

I am south of you, about an hour and ten minutes from the DE Memorial Bridge. When I have stopped in the past, I too tried to get as far as possible the first day. I have found that coming home I would usually stop in southern VA (often Emporia or Jarratt) which was about 10 hours maybe on average that first day.

But I am a little confused. If you are leaving Friday at 10 pm and then not stopping till Saturday evening, you might already be there by that time. Driving straight thru takes me about 15 hours of drive time, roughly 17 hours with some stops, etc figured in. So if I left 10 pm Friday and drove straight through, I would be in the Orlando area by around 3 pm on Saturday.

Google is telling me 14 hours to the hotel in GA. I figure with a stop for breakfast, lunch, and breaks to get out and let the little one burn off some energy, we should get to the hotel around 4-5 pm. Thats if we get an on-time start, which is always a problem for one of us (me).

Anyway, I could be completely off on my timing. I'd rather get to a hotel early and not have to worry about getting rest (I'll probably be driving the whole time).

 

[BC1836]

So I'm just over a month from making my first solo 2070 mile trip from Winnipeg to Florida!

Fellow drivers should note that Shir Kahn holds the record on this thread for the longest round trip drive to WDW.
[See the all time records on page 1].

Local gas prices up another 2-cents to $2.07.

All the best.

 

[amcnj]

Google is telling me 14 hours to the hotel in GA. I figure with a stop for breakfast, lunch, and breaks to get out and let the little one burn off some energy, we should get to the hotel around 4-5 pm. Thats if we get an on-time start, which is always a problem for one of us (me).

Anyway, I could be completely off on my timing. I'd rather get to a hotel early and not have to worry about getting rest (I'll probably be driving the whole time).

Oh OK. If you are pre-booking a hotel, it might allow cancellation up to 6 pm of check-in day, just in case you find you are making better time than you thought. But it sounds like you might be fine with having some down time at the hotel that first day anyway. Enjoy the trip!

 

[disneysteve]

you might be fine with having some down time at the hotel that first day anyway

Over the years, we've come to prefer stopping earlier and having some down time before we have to go to sleep. Gives us some time to unwind, stretch, check email, watch some tv. We found we didn't like pulling in at 11pm and basically needing to go right to sleep if we wanted to get an early start.

 

[BC1836]

What posted questions on the transportation thread bring smiles to 2,000+ mile round-trip drivers?

How about this latest one: "Legroom: How Airlines Compare."

[We have to fly to Texas next month and have to deal with that issue. And it's a costly one as we spend more for leg room.]

All the best.