Driving from NJ and back, during COVID

[deedeew80]

Has anyone made the drive down (or up) 95 during this pandemic yet? We will be driving to Disney the end of November. We usually drive straight through, but are considering stopping for the night along the way this time. Anyone recommend any hotels that are being "safe" due to the pandemic? Halfway for us would probably be about NC/SC, but we will also try to make it as far as we can, so possibly GA or even into FL. I just want to make sure I have a list of "COVID safe" hotels prior to our drive. (If there is such a thing! Lol!) TIA!
Edited to add: I also forgot to ask about rest stops and such along 95.....are they even open? And how are they in general? TIA!

 

[LadyBeBop]

No individual hotel suggestions, but I'd stick with the main brands. I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express in West Virginia over the Fourth of July. And they did cleaning and social distancing/cleaning well.

One suggestion. Try to get a room on the bottom floor. Most hotels will only allow one family group in an elevator at a time. So you may be waiting a while for an elevator.

 

[easyas123]

My husband stayed in a Hilton in the Florence SC area (I think!) off of 95 a few nights ago, said it was super clean. A few days prior he stayed at the Hampton Inn in same area. He was happy with both.

 

[disny_luvr]

Florence, SC is a good stopping point along I-95. We’ve stopped there several times traveling to and from PA.

I haven’t driven to Florida along I-95 since this all started, but I did drive from PA to Tennessee along I-81 and we found the bathrooms (rest areas) in Virginia to be exceptionally clean. Twice on our way to Tennessee and once on our way back, we stopped at rest areas in Virginia and all three times there was someone in the actual bathrooms cleaning them, and cleaning them good. I’m not sure if that’s a Covid thing or not, but without Covid, I think the chances of someone cleaning the bathrooms at all three rest areas is pretty slim.

 

[scili]

We have driven straight through from NJ in June and again last week. I-95 rest areas all seemed to be open when driving by - saw people parked in the parking lot. In these trips, we stopped in rest areas in SC, GA and FL and all were open and clean. Good mask compliance at the rest areas where we stopped too.

 

[jphilips]

Hope to be doing the drive at end of sept. Following.

 

[hmsTigger]

Following this thread and appreciate any hotel recommendations
Will be doing this drive late Fall.

 

[FlappyFish3D]

Just did this trip 2 weeks ago. We had no issues at any rest stops along the way. all were clean and open for use in both directions. Going down we stayed at a Hampton Inn, Ga and coming back we stayed at Holiday Inn at Goldsboro NC. Both hotels were clean and no issues.

 

[Dis703]

Not specifically on 95, but I was partial to Hilton Brand hotels for many years and have stayed at several during the pandemic and have been very happy with how they've handled things with COVID. So Hilton, Hampton Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, Doubletree, Embassy Suites and Homewood Suites....I'm probably missing one or two.