Driving from CT

[tmaxwell]

So this year we are splitting up our drive from CT to FL. My husband wants to leave at 9am to miss all the traffic. My only concern is that we won't make it very far into our drive and we will have a lot remaining on our drive the next day.

My thought is to leave at 5am so we can push through as much as possible.

Any thoughts on leaving? Our other option is to leave the night before and drive - leave Friday night and arrive in Orlando Saturday.

Give me your tips!

 

[SandyinMonterey]

So this year we are splitting up our drive from CT to FL. My husband wants to leave at 9am to miss all the traffic. My only concern is that we won't make it very far into our drive and we will have a lot remaining on our drive the next day.

My thought is to leave at 5am so we can push through as much as possible.

Any thoughts on leaving? Our other option is to leave the night before and drive - leave Friday night and arrive in Orlando Saturday.

Give me your tips!

We drive from GA to NJ twice a year. Last year it took us 16 hours. We just drove from NJ to GA a couple of days ago & stopped in Virginia. We planned a 2 day drive this time. This time it took a little over 12 hours. Traffic was horrible. I recommend leaving very early in morning or drive @ night.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Depending on what part of CT you are leaving from I'd try to reach DC/Baltimore by no later than 7:00 AM in the morning. That's the butt kicking traffic backup area in the region much like I-95 exit 18 to 1 into NY.

 

[DCLPrincess]

We leave at 4 am to get through Baltimore and dc before it gets crazy. We like to drive a lot the first day so you can get there around noon the next day.

 

[sponica]

It depends on what part of CT first and foremost.

Either around 7 at night, drive until you need a break and check into a hotel somewhere to get some shuteye or leave at 4 or 5 AM.

 

[monorailsilver]

Where are you leaving from?

I live shorelines always have but my first 28 years I lived in Trumbull and now I live near the ct River. But on any drives dh and I have taken over the years we always spent the night at my parents and left from there. We always left at 6am and were over the GW and passing Vince Lombardi by 7.

That has been mid week too. One trip, I think it was when we took the auto train, we even drove straight thru DC at around 11am with no traffic!

But at the same time you can’t plan for accidents.

The only drive we took to FL (we have driven other places needed to get thru NY, etc...) we had traffic just south of Richmond. It screwed is for a few hours. We only made it to Santee, SC that day. It was a LONG day!

 

[YesterDark]

I'm in NJ and I've contemplated driving. My plan would be to leave at 6pm and drive through the night.

 

[blackpearl77]

I am from CT. We used to drive when I was younger - my parents would leave around 4 am to beat the NY traffic. We used to drive to Virginia or North Carolina and stay over. Then do the rest the next day. I think it took like 23 hours or something.

 

[Penmac]

So this year we are splitting up our drive from CT to FL. My husband wants to leave at 9am to miss all the traffic. My only concern is that we won't make it very far into our drive and we will have a lot remaining on our drive the next day.

My thought is to leave at 5am so we can push through as much as possible.

Any thoughts on leaving? Our other option is to leave the night before and drive - leave Friday night and arrive in Orlando Saturday.

Give me your tips!

We have driven from MA a few times. I would advise getting on the road BEFORE NY AM rush hour starts because once the day gets going, NY traffic never really dies down to anything that will allow you to sail right through the way you could at say, 4:30am. Pack your car the night before and make sure driver gets to bed around 9pm. Wake up around 3:30 and get on the road. You will be happy you did. The "Northeast Corridor" is very busy any day of the week, at any time of the day, and the later you leave the higher the chance you will spend more time in stop and go traffic allllll day. Once you get to Southern Virginia you don't need to worry so much, but the first leg of the journey is very busy. We have done weekday and weekend and Saturday was the hardest day driving down. We hit a bunch of Jersey Shore traffic and it continued all the way into DC. But, we drove home on a Sat once, too, and that was fine.

If you can make it as far as Fayetteville, NC on day 1 you are in good shape. If you don't hit much traffic and make good time, I would advise even going as far as Florence, SC. The earlier you leave, the earlier you will arrive at this stopping point and can get to bed early and start early again on day 2.

Message me if you have questions! We did it in a minivan with 5 kids under age 8. We still have some sanity left so I am happy to share anything that may be helpful.

Edited to add: My friend drove through the night, leaving Boston at 5pm and arriving in Orlando around 1pm the next day. She said it went very well. Last few hours were tough on all of them, though. My husband drove straight through home once (with his brother) and he said he wouldn't do it again. His foot was sore for 3 days from having it flexed on the pedal for so long!

 

[YesterDark]

That's what cruise control is for.

 

[jliucci]

We are in CT and the past 2 years we have driven to Myrtle Beach, SC. We are on the road @ 3 AM in order to beat the traffic and we drive straight through (we take a few stops for diaper changes & lunch).

 

[YesterDark]

I have enough enterprise rental reward points to rent a minivan for a week. If we go next year I'll have a 6 yo, 4 yo and a 1 yo, the wife and my mother coming with us.

Yeah that seems like... a recipe for something. But it'll save $$$.

 

[Penmac]

That's what cruise control is for.

Ha! I guess so. He probably did use CC through the Carolina's etc. But, there is little opportunity for it through the Northeast corridor!

I have enough enterprise rental reward points to rent a minivan for a week. If we go next year I'll have a 6 yo, 4 yo and a 1 yo, the wife and my mother coming with us.

Yeah that seems like... a recipe for something. But it'll save $$$.

It will save $$$. We also used rental car points. With a full van, it's a good value. Unless you can use rental car points at the airport (assuming you are staying offsite and need a car), and get direct flights for under $250/round-trip a person. We have done it both ways. We always come out ahead with the car. The big question is asking yourself how valuable and limited is the time you have allocated for the trip? If it's not going to cut into the fun part, then it's worth the savings, IMO.

 

[YesterDark]

Ha! I guess so. He probably did use CC through the Carolina's etc. But, there is little opportunity for it through the Northeast corridor!



It will save $$$. We also used rental car points. With a full van, it's a good value. Unless you can use rental car points at the airport (assuming you are staying offsite and need a car), and get direct flights for under $250/round-trip a person. We have done it both ways. We always come out ahead with the car. The big question is asking yourself how valuable and limited is the time you have allocated for the trip? If it's not going to cut into the fun part, then it's worth the savings, IMO.

Tell my wife that, please.

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

I'm in Southern CT and it takes an hour and a half just for my DH to commute during the morning rush, and that's a 30 minute trip down 95 any other time.

I would get out of CT early, beat as much of the traffic out of CT and through NY as possible. You could get jammed up pretty badly by DC but you should be to North Carolina by about 3-4 PM (maybe sooner if there's less traffic), so plenty of time to stop for dinner, rest, and get up early the following day to finish your drive.

 

[Penmac]

Tell my wife that, please.

It's a tough sell! I can't blame your wife for being less than thrilled with the prospect. It's not an easy trip.... especially with another adult in the car. I honestly could not imagine driving that distance with my own mother or MIL . With that said, they are older and less mobile and couldn't do a drive like that anyway.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

We live outside Baltimore and we drive down every year. Sometimes we just drive straight down and sometimes we break it up into 2 days and stay overnight in Georgia. We almost always leave late at night so the kids sleep thru much of the trip. We always check in the Saturday after thanksgiving, so if we’re driving straight thru we leave Friday night around 9.

 

[tmaxwell]

Omg I need to check my thread more!!

So we live in Western CT - about an hour and a half away from the city. Hubby won’t leave any earlier than 7am so I’m kinda stuck. My plan is to get up as early as I can, make breakfast for everyone and get on the road ASAP.

Going over the Tappen Zee and then hitting the Garden State Parkway. Maybe switching over to the Jersey Turnpike further south.

We leave in 12 days and I am hoping to nail down a plan!!

 

[NYCgrrl]

Omg I need to check my thread more!!

So we live in Western CT - about an hour and a half away from the city. Hubby won’t leave any earlier than 7am so I’m kinda stuck. My plan is to get up as early as I can, make breakfast for everyone and get on the road ASAP.

Going over the Tappen Zee and then hitting the Garden State Parkway. Maybe switching over to the Jersey Turnpike further south.

We leave in 12 days and I am hoping to nail down a plan!!

So have you come up with a goal as to a motel/hotel spot once you get further down the road or are you planning to punch it through and drive straight through to Orlando?

 

[monorailsilver]

Sometimes husbands are stubborn!

On our first trip to Disney, well my DHs first trip, he was in the “library” at 8am as I was pacing in the room. Did I not tell him we needed be at the MK by 8? Or at least leave by 8 for a 9 am opening to avoid some lines! Let’s just say he learned on that day and has since made his visit to the library much earlier in the morning!

7am is to late. Tell him to start watching traffic at that time or to check google maps for traffic every day at the time you plan to leave and be in all major city areas.