Favourite Hotel and Rest Area Stops

[lesleyd75]

Hi Everyone!
Wanted to start a list of the best places to stop when driving south to Disney World. We are driving in May down I-77/I-79/I-95/I-4. Please mention any hotels/motels you like and any tourist attractions/rest areas/welcome centers that you like as well. If anyone knows of another thread that lists this all let me know!
Thanks

 

[OntFamily]

Hi Everyone!
Wanted to start a list of the best places to stop when driving south to Disney World. We are driving in May down I-77/I-79/I-95/I-4. Please mention any hotels/motels you like and any tourist attractions/rest areas/welcome centers that you like as well. If anyone knows of another thread that lists this all let me know!
Thanks

I found the rest stops in Pennsylvania had some VERY clean restrooms (New York's tended to be grungy).

Beckley W. Va is a great place to stop (almost 8 hours from TO) - lots of hotels.

Statesville, NC is just over the hhalfway point (11 hours from TO), again losts of hotels.

When you take the Route 19 shortcut in West Virginia, there are some great lookout points, that overlook deep gorges.

A few times when driving, we got take out food at a drive through, then got back on the highway until the next rest area, and had a picnic with our take out food.

 

[iluveeyore]

We're driving down in May too (end of May actually). We usually stop halfway in Charlotte (Statesville or past in Columbia). This trip we have a ressie in Charlotte at an Econolodge because we're going to the Nascar race on the 25th before heading the rest of the way for two weeks at WDW. We find that any of the Choice Hotels are the best for us (Sleep Inn, Quality Inn, Econolodge, etc.) My best tip for those travelling without a plan as to where they might stop is to visit the Welcome Center of whatever state you think you might stay over in and get a coupon booklet - lots of good deals at good places for one night, and directions to easily find them as they are always just off the interstate. Have a safe and fun trip!

 

[MegaWoman]

We've always had a good stay at Holiday Inn Express, your stay includes a simple breakfast buffet too! We've also stayed at a brand new Comfort Inn (you could still smell the paint!!), and that was really nice. Breakfast included too.

We found some of the nicest rest stops are in South Carolina and Georgia. Just beautiful, and if you travel in the winter, at this point you can let the kids run around without a jacket!

I would avoid Orangeburg SC. We stayed there on our first night down and not only was it too far for our stop (we were exhausted), but all the hotels were just a little bit scary.

Oh, and we've found that the furthar south you go, the cleaner restaurants and rest areas are!

Have a safe trip!

 

[DearDaisyinDurham]

Hi Everyone!
Wanted to start a list of the best places to stop when driving south to Disney World. We are driving in May down I-77/I-79/I-95/I-4. Please mention any hotels/motels you like and any tourist attractions/rest areas/welcome centers that you like as well. If anyone knows of another thread that lists this all let me know!
Thanks

Thanks Lesley! Very helpful thread!

 

[branmack]

Avoid Richville SC also. The hotel looked wonderful on the outside but was not the best on the inside. Kids drove all day looking forward to jumping a pool after dinner and the pool was not fit for man or beast. Very disappointed kids.

Next time on the way down we will stop at Two Notch Rd near Charlotte NC or keep going to Columbia SC.

We also like Statesville NC. We stayed in a lovely hotel (Days Inn???) just of the hwy with an indoor pool.

 

[ntsammy5]

When you take the Route 19 shortcut in West Virginia, there are some great lookout points, that overlook deep gorges.

New River Gorge has a National Park on US 19, just past Summersville that's really nice. We go through here 2-5 times a year and always stop.

http://www.nps.gov/neri/

 

[MichelleTO]

We always had good luck in Wyethville West Virginia, if you are up for 2 long drives it can be a half way point. Lots of hotels to choose from and many restaurants.

 

[lesleyd75]

Hi ya'll, thanks for replying! I plan on stopping at the Bridge Visitor Centre on US19 for sure, looks awesome! I'm debating about stopping in Wytheville or pushing on to Charlotte/Columbia. Is Savannah way too far to make in one drive if we start say Fri night and stop at dinnertime on Sat?

I also noticed the NASCAR race in Charlotte when we're passing by! My son loves CARS and I thought we should go, but my DH said it would be too loud for a 2 year old and a baby, oh well, maybe next time!

 

[OntFamily]

Hi ya'll, thanks for replying! I plan on stopping at the Bridge Visitor Centre on US19 for sure, looks awesome! I'm debating about stopping in Wytheville or pushing on to Charlotte/Columbia. Is Savannah way too far to make in one drive if we start say Fri night and stop at dinnertime on Sat?

WDW is about 19 - 20 hours driving from TO, via your route. If you leave Friday night, you'll almost be at WDW by dinnertime on Saturday (Savannah is about 5 hours from WDW).

In otherwords, you can make Savannah easily, if you leave Friday night.

 

[SherryG]

I tend to agree with the above poster - we like Wytheville, VA. Stayed there last November on the way home @ LaQuinta Suites. It had opened about 6 months before and was new and clean and reasonable. I think we payed somewhere around $70 for the night! On the way down we stopped in Rock Hill, SC. Lots of hotels and restaurants there too.

 

[PhotobearSam]

We have driven from Ottawa and New Brunswick...Now, we have learned a lot.

We now exclusively stay at Hampton Inns or Hampton Inns and Suites...We have ALWAYS had a very nice rooms, slept like babies, and had great hot free breakfast. We figured out a long time ago that it was very worth it to us to pay $20 more for the room and get a great night sleep...Once we figured that the breakfasts were good and saved a stop at a yucky McD's, we were sold.

If a Hampton is not available, try a Fairfield Inn pretty good but we still prefer the Hampton.

There are some coupon books for each state at their visitor centers and rest stops...We have gotten the Hampton for as low as $79 including Breakfast...It was awesome.

Now we arrive rested and I don't have to worry about finding a room that is gross...Hampton all the way.

They also have a book with all their locations in it and they give it to you free...We don't leave home without it.

 

[ntsammy5]

We now exclusively stay at Hampton Inns or Hampton Inns and Suites

We do the same thing. We get free rooms too, through HiltonHHonors.

 

[PhotobearSam]

We do the same thing. We get free rooms too, through HiltonHHonors.

We just joined...We have 5 stays but I have no idea how many points are needed for a free stay. Do you have to book the free stays ahead of time?

 

[ntsammy5]

We just joined...We have 5 stays but I have no idea how many points are needed for a free stay. Do you have to book the free stays ahead of time?

It's generally 20,000+ and you have to book in advance. Look on the Hiltonhhonors website and there will be a Book Rewards Stay tab on the reservation. You can also check the # of points needed for each property. When we go down we sometime stop at the Hampton in Summersville, WV, Morgantown or Beckley. It's usually when we start out after work though that we stop that quickly......

 

[damo]

Avoid the Econolodge in Lake Norman, NC (just before Charlotte). I slept with my clothes on last time because is was just gungee.

 

[PhotobearSam]

It's generally 20,000+ and you have to book in advance. Look on the Hiltonhhonors website and there will be a Book Rewards Stay tab on the reservation. You can also check the # of points needed for each property. When we go down we sometime stop at the Hampton in Summersville, WV, Morgantown or Beckley. It's usually when we start out after work though that we stop that quickly......

Thanks...I'll look into it...

 

[PhotobearSam]

Avoid the Econolodge in Lake Norman, NC (just before Charlotte). I slept with my clothes on last time because is was just gungee.

We have had to stay in some like that in the past...

The Deluxe Inn in Rocky Mount...All the other hotels we checked had wool blankets and I am severely allergic to wool. Well, we were too tired to drive any more...It was so deluxe, that the TV was CHAINED to the lamp and desk and thank God we brought our own pillows.

Also, the BUDGET Inn a in Virginia not far from the Luray Caverns...We had to stay there on our first trip because we had not anticipated Homecoming at a local High School to pack every motel in a 50 mile radius...Ewwww...It was certainly BUDGET...Thank God I am now in a higher budget frame of mind ...Eeekkk

 

[lesleyd75]

We have had to stay in some like that in the past...

The Deluxe Inn in Rocky Mount...All the other hotels we checked had wool blankets and I am severely allergic to wool.

So glad you mentioned this! I hate those cheap wool blankets they use! I'm assuming that Hampton Inns or Fairfield Inns don't have them so that makes me happier! A good breakfast I think is the most important freebie!

I've been looking at the Fairfield Inn in Wytheville and at the I-95 exit for Savannah, because I have Marriot points to use. The one in Wytheville is only Category 1 (the cheapest point level at 7500) so I thought it would be agood deal. Anyone stayed there?

 

[lesleyd75]

Do the coupons from the visitor/welcome centers apply to rooms you have reserved or are they only for people who walk in off the street? I'm trying to figure out if I should reserve a room or just wing it and try to get a deal.