Best place to stop for night just inside FL border

[kwitcherkicken99]

Haven't driven to WDW since 2009 and I'm looking for nice places to stop close to the Florida state border. Coming from central Indiana and want to make it just past the half way point. TIA!

 

[FigmentSpark]

Are you coming up via Jacksonville or Tallahassee?

 

[edbo77]

If you're coming down I95, your best bet might be to get a room near the Jax AP. Plenty of options there.

 

[LadyBeBop]

I'm a little confused. I'm assuming you're coming in via I-75. Once inside Florida, there's no good place to stop until Lake City which is about 30-45 minutes from the border. Just north of the Florida-Georgia border is Valdosta.

However, the Florida-Georgia border is well beyond the halfway point from Central Indiana. I live just south of Cincinnati, and to me, the halfway point is somewhere between Atlanta and Macon, GA. That's still a few hours from the border.

That said, you can probably make Lake City if you leave early enough. Our last trip to WDW, we left about 3:30 AM, and got to Lake City about 5 PM.

 

[betterbutter]

Even in Lake City the options are slim and most of the hotels are beyond sketchy. Atlanta is about halfway, so Macon would be the next place to consider. If you want to get closer to Florida, Valdosta is 20 miles or so north of the state line and has a wide selection of moderate hotels at reasonable prices, and is a much nicer and safer area than Lake City.

 

[mrscoobs]

We have stayed in Lake City several times driving from Columbus, OH and have found the Fairfield inn or Country Inn and Suites to be fine and not anymore Sketchy than any off interstate hotel.

 

[LadyBeBop]

As long as you find a hotel along I-75 in Lake City, you'll be OK. All of the major chain hotels are in the Lake City area.

Just don't get a place along I-10. By mistake, we reserved a room at the Days Inn on I-10 about five miles east of I-75. It served the purpose, but it wasn't in a nice area.