For 2,000+ Mile Round-Trip Drivers Only! (II)

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I know we are going to need to stop for an overnight, I am thinking south of atlanta....since I am new at this let me know if that seems to far. Any how my question is, do most make a ressie ahead of time or are the hotels vacant enough to just wing it. We are going on Memorial Day weekend so I am not sure how busy the roads will be since we have never ever done a family road trip.
 
We always make reservations. We do program in the hotel number in our phone just in case traffic causes us to be delayed. We set an alarm on the phone for an hour and a half before the deadline for cancellation and at that time based on current location, determine if we will be able to make it to the hotel at a fairly decent time in order to get some rest. That way we can cancel without penalty. Don't forget that just before Chattanooga, you enter the Eastern time zone - so you lose an hour.
Traveling over Memorial Day weekend, I would definitely make reservations. Even non-holiday weekends, we have found a few of our desired hotel stops full or only one or two rooms left.
We live in the Chicago area and stop just south of Atlanta in McDonough, GA. We used to stop in Chattanooga, but found that the next morning we were in rush hour traffic in Atlanta. By stopping south of Atlanta for the night, it puts us through Atlanta after rush hour.
 
we hit the same welcoming centers and thats about it.:lmao: the first gas stop is always the same but after that, we play it by ear. we dont realy stop to eat so we eat what we have in the van and we hold it till the welcoming centers. we may hit a drive thru if we feel like it but were hard core drivers, we stop as little as pos.:lmao:


Can you talk to my DH about this please as this is how I like to travel get to point A to point B as fast as I can him on the other hand we need to stop every two to three hours:rolleyes1

I think this is why we cruise alot someone else in control of the driving part:rotfl2:
 
Can you talk to my DH about this please as this is how I like to travel get to point A to point B as fast as I can him on the other hand we need to stop every two to three hours:rolleyes1

I think this is why we cruise alot someone else in control of the driving part:rotfl2:

:lmao: hes not on the disdads is he? stopping every few hours isnt bad as long as you dont make the stop a long one. when we stop for gas, while im filling the tank, dd and dw are in the restroom. after im done,ill run in quick than hit the road. if we stop at a rest stop,we get out, do what we need to do and go. we dont hang around at all. most of the time, if i see a rest stop sign, ill ask,anyone need to stop? dw says,keep going and dd is either sleeping or has her ipod plugged into her ears so she cant hear me anyway.:lmao: im blessed with two good travelers. dd18 has done it 24 times since shes been 9 months old so she use to the ride. they know the rules, piddling around will get you a.i.s.ed. :lmao:
 

Can you talk to my DH about this please as this is how I like to travel get to point A to point B as fast as I can him on the other hand we need to stop every two to three hours:rolleyes1

I think this is why we cruise alot someone else in control of the driving part:rotfl2:

Stopping "every two to three hours," whether you need a bathroom break or a gas-tank refill, is essential for good health. Human legs need to be relatively active when in the vertical position for extended amounts of time. Why? For proper circulation and, to an extent, heart health -- especially those who are mature adults. It's the same circumstance when taking a plane flight of three hours or more (unless you can extend your legs and lock your knees in your seat): get up and stretch those legs. You'll need 'em at the parks.

All the best. :thumbsup2
 
We live in the Chicago area and stop just south of Atlanta in McDonough, GA. We used to stop in Chattanooga, but found that the next morning we were in rush hour traffic in Atlanta. By stopping south of Atlanta for the night, it puts us through Atlanta after rush hour.


Do you mind sharing your route from Chicago?? Do you come into Indiana to take 65?? Right now we are planning on taking 65.

Where do you stay overnight on your return trip??
 
Are you going down 202 to 95, or cutting across to the Blue Route? From where we are, 202 is the best way for us to go. On our next trip, we may head out west first through Lancaster and do the 81-77 route, but we prefer the familiarity of 95.

I find it interesting that you find 202 to be the best way from where you are, while we find 476 to be a better way to get to 95 S ... and we only live a few miles apart! :)

For us, it's a matter of wanting to bypass all the traffic lights between West Chester and 95. Are they generally all on green if you hit it at 3 AM vs late morning or afternoon?

It's always good to get different perspectives from the experienced drivers on this thread - especially for we first-timers...
 
I find it interesting that you find 202 to be the best way from where you are, while we find 476 to be a better way to get to 95 S ... and we only live a few miles apart! :)

For us, it's a matter of wanting to bypass all the traffic lights between West Chester and 95. Are they generally all on green if you hit it at 3 AM vs late morning or afternoon?

Yeah, that's a good point. We just feel like we're driving South if we go on 202, vs. backtracking to get to 476. Plus we have left varying times of day and I just hate that Blue Route traffic. The number of lights don't kill us and it's familiar road to us. We've never left at 3 am, so I can't answer that.

We have considered cutting across Route 1 to 476. Is that what you do? You don't go back up the Schuylkill to the Blue Route, do you?
 
Yeah, that's a good point. We just feel like we're driving South if we go on 202, vs. backtracking to get to 476. Plus we have left varying times of day and I just hate that Blue Route traffic. The number of lights don't kill us and it's familiar road to us. We've never left at 3 am, so I can't answer that.

We have considered cutting across Route 1 to 476. Is that what you do? You don't go back up the Schuylkill to the Blue Route, do you?

We do actually go 422-76-476-95, but when we do use it (not often, only for trips to DE or MD to visit friends and family), it's not rush hour or shore traffic times, so even though we need to go a little East first, we like that we're always moving.

I looked it up on Google maps and its a difference of 3 miles less for 202 vs 3 minutes less for 476, so it's just about the same. It's just a matter of personal preference. :)
 
We always make reservations. We do program in the hotel number in our phone just in case traffic causes us to be delayed. We set an alarm on the phone for an hour and a half before the deadline for cancellation and at that time based on current location, determine if we will be able to make it to the hotel at a fairly decent time in order to get some rest. That way we can cancel without penalty. Don't forget that just before Chattanooga, you enter the Eastern time zone - so you lose an hour.
Traveling over Memorial Day weekend, I would definitely make reservations. Even non-holiday weekends, we have found a few of our desired hotel stops full or only one or two rooms left.
We live in the Chicago area and stop just south of Atlanta in McDonough, GA. We used to stop in Chattanooga, but found that the next morning we were in rush hour traffic in Atlanta. By stopping south of Atlanta for the night, it puts us through Atlanta after rush hour.

What hotels would you suggest, don't need the fanciest just something safe/clean/comfortable
 
:lmao: hes not on the disdads is he? stopping every few hours isnt bad as long as you dont make the stop a long one. when we stop for gas, while im filling the tank, dd and dw are in the restroom. after im done,ill run in quick than hit the road. if we stop at a rest stop,we get out, do what we need to do and go. we dont hang around at all. most of the time, if i see a rest stop sign, ill ask,anyone need to stop? dw says,keep going and dd is either sleeping or has her ipod plugged into her ears so she cant hear me anyway.:lmao: im blessed with two good travelers. dd18 has done it 24 times since shes been 9 months old so she use to the ride. they know the rules, piddling around will get you a.i.s.ed. :lmao:


He likes to piddling around and waste time like up to a half and hour at a stop. It's not pretty and know hes not on the disdads boards
 
Stopping "every two to three hours," whether you need a bathroom break or a gas-tank refill, is essential for good health. Human legs need to be relatively active when in the vertical position for extended amounts of time. Why? For proper circulation and, to an extent, heart health -- especially those who are mature adults. It's the same circumstance when taking a plane flight of three hours or more (unless you can extend your legs and lock your knees in your seat): get up and stretch those legs. You'll need 'em at the parks.

All the best. :thumbsup2


I agree as we get up on the plane and move around it's just the amount of time we stay at the stop when we drive that I am not so good at. He likes to stop and piddling around for a half and hour or so at each stop and I just want to go to the potty get gas and stretch the legs and go, although with the DGD who is 10 it might different.

Pam
 
We do actually go 422-76-476-95, but when we do use it (not often, only for trips to DE or MD to visit friends and family), it's not rush hour or shore traffic times, so even though we need to go a little East first, we like that we're always moving.

I looked it up on Google maps and its a difference of 3 miles less for 202 vs 3 minutes less for 476, so it's just about the same. It's just a matter of personal preference. :)

We live 5 minutes from 95S so we will just get on there. I am hoping to leave here before midnight so that we are far far from DC by the beginning of rush hour.
 
We live 5 minutes from 95S so we will just get on there. I am hoping to leave here before midnight so that we are far far from DC by the beginning of rush hour.

:thumbsup2 thats a good plan. if you dont stop to much, that will get you on the other side of richmond by rush hour. the richmond area can be a real treat at rush hour.
 
He likes to piddling around and waste time like up to a half and hour at a stop. It's not pretty and know hes not on the disdads boards

leave him there!!:lmao: im just kidding.:lmao: the only reason i asked if he was on disdads is theres a guy named kevin and his wife is pam. they live out towards reading pa. area. if hes doing the driving, maybe he needs the time off the road? just guessing. everyone handles long drive dif. reminds me of after my mom passed away and i grad. from high school,my dad took me to wdw for my grad. present. when i was a kid, we would leave around midnight, he would drive straight through. remember,back than i95 wasnt completed than,you had to take back roads every so often. anyway, he wanted to stop at evey rest stop, (known as a plaza back then) and 76 truck stop.:confused3 i couldnt fiqure it out. here, we just go into florida and he tells me he was to the dr before we left and he has a kidney stone!:scared1: i could of killed him!! why didnt you say something!! he drove all the way,spent two weeks in florida and drove all the way home with a kidney stone.:scared1:never grumbled, complained or let on the entire way.
 
What hotels would you suggest, don't need the fanciest just something safe/clean/comfortable

Although we haven't driven in your area in quite some time, we have driven long drives to Tennessee and Texas and have found that the familiar hotel/motel chains are pretty consistent regarding price and quality.

Stick with a name you are familiar with and you should be O.K.

Remember: Verify the facilities' cancellation policy first. If the hotel/motel has, for example, a 6 p.m. cancellation time, make two bookings at two separate places based upon estimated travel time, and then cancel the other at least 15 minutes before the cancellation time.

All the best. :thumbsup2
 
We do actually go 422-76-476-95, but when we do use it (not often, only for trips to DE or MD to visit friends and family), it's not rush hour or shore traffic times, so even though we need to go a little East first, we like that we're always moving.

I looked it up on Google maps and its a difference of 3 miles less for 202 vs 3 minutes less for 476, so it's just about the same. It's just a matter of personal preference. :)

Yes, and what's funny is that you can do Google Maps different times and get 202 as your first option, then next time, it's 76 to 476, so they don't even know what's best!
 
We're doing it again!

Just made reservations and bought tickets for WDW. WooHoo!!!:cool1::woohoo::yay:

We'll be driving from
Hartford to Jacksonville on July 2 (1100 miles, straight thru):eek:
Jacksonville to Kissimmee on July 4
Returning on July 16 (with one stop TBD)

I learned my lesson from last year to avoid I95 in Virginia and North Carolina on July 4 weekend. Instead, we'll be going I81, then backroads(Rte 29) to Greensboro, then pickup I95 at the NC/SC border.

Anyone know of any issues with I81 construction or I95 construction in SC/GA/FL?
 
We're doing it again!

Just made reservations and bought tickets for WDW. WooHoo!!!:cool1::woohoo::yay:

We'll be driving from
Hartford to Jacksonville on July 2 (1100 miles, straight thru):eek:
Jacksonville to Kissimmee on July 4
Returning on July 16 (with one stop TBD)

I learned my lesson from last year to avoid I95 in Virginia and North Carolina on July 4 weekend. Instead, we'll be going I81, then backroads(Rte 29) to Greensboro, then pickup I95 at the NC/SC border.

Anyone know of any issues with I81 construction or I95 construction in SC/GA/FL?
i can only speak as of this past december. the i95 construction in ga was wrapping up and the construction around jacksonvelle, i cant believe im saying this, is over!! :lmao: we didnt hit any traffic jams due to construction. ill be back by the time you leave, ill be going 81/77/26/95, ill post if there was any construction problems.
 
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