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

[sharadoc]

And condolences on being from Chicago. Must be tough having such a failure of a baseball franchise

Go cardinals!

Now now! Don't be picking on those Cubbies! We Phils fans know their pain! Not now, of course, but we USED TO and I'm sure we will again!

GO PHILLIES!

 

[sharadoc]

Just a note, now that 95 is done through Jacksonville, there is really no need to take the loop around it .... adds several miles and a lot of time. ACtually we have always gone through Jacksonville on 95 after doing the loop just once. Has always been better and faster than the loop, even during construction. Just to make sure there are no accidents, stop and ask about traffic at the Florida Welcome Center.

We can't wait to see this! DH and I both refuse to believe it's true - like a Holy Grail of driving to Florida. Our first drive was 17 years ago and that construction was going on then, and has ever since. We loved finding the 295 bypass around Jacksonville. It's so much easier, not as much traffic or as many lanes.

It's so funny how many differing opinions there are on which roads to take. We like taking the less-travelled ways if it means less traffic or less stress for 20 minutes or so. That's why we can't do I-4 through Orlando now that we've discovered the Beeline 417 way. Yes, there's tolls and yes it may take a little longer, but there's no stress of merging lanes, accidents and idiots driving to Disney World

 

[mousebymarriage]

Thoughts on snoozing at a rest stop??

Not sure which route you take to Disney but, we take I-95 all the way down from New Jersey and have stopped to snooze at the rest areas a few times. We have never had any problems and snoozing for an hour or two can help alot. The rest areas always seem to have a bunch of people doing the same thing so don't worry about it.

 

[dvczerfs]

I am considering driving for our upcoming trip in June. Leaving from the Allentown, PA area. AAA.com sends me thru Philly and Delaware, which is a little over 1000 miles one way. Mapquest.com sends me towards Harrisburg, at around 1200 miles one way.
Is there anyway to find out the tolls for each of the routes. Trying to determine the budget of flying versus driving.

im leaving friday june 17th. for this trip, im going 22-78-81-77-26-95-4. i normally go 22-78-81-66-17-95-4, but, with the summer traffic on friday afternoons and sat., im staying away from the coast as much as pos. from nazareth to okw, its 16 1/2 going either way.

 

[Disneyholic]

We will be coming home a different way thanks to somebody on this thread mentioning Gold n Gem Grubbin in Cleveland, GA. After our May 29-June3 DCL cruise we will be heading up to Forrest Hills Resort in Dahlenaga, GA (this place was recommended to me by a coworkers customer) for 3 nights and go to the Gold Mine for 2 days. This will help to break up the trip home. Then we will head from there to 81. Since it's warm weather, unless it's raining, we may take the mountain roads up to 81. If the weather is bad we will skirt around the mountains.

Thank again to whoever mentioned Gold n Gem Grubbin. Can't wait.

 

[GoofyTraci]

oh newbie long distance driver. I keep hearing about tolls in Florida. We r coming from Texas. How much money do we need to have in the car with us for the tolls? Thanks

 

[DSLRuser]

oh newbie long distance driver. I keep hearing about tolls in Florida. We r coming from Texas. How much money do we need to have in the car with us for the tolls? Thanks

In florida, not much. they are usually .50¢ - $1.25 per toll depending on where you go.

Just keep $5.00 in quarters and 5 $1 dollar bills handy for the week and you will be more than covered.

 

[dvczerfs]

dont look now but gas is down again. it fell 25 cents per gallon today and is trading for $3.12. lets hope it keeps going that way.

 

[Laurabearz]

dont look now but gas is down again. it fell 25 cents per gallon today and is trading for $3.12. lets hope it keeps going that way.

Yeah well tell that to my local gas station who jacked their price up today another $.10 to $4.55 cash $4.57 credit...

 

[dvczerfs]

Yeah well tell that to my local gas station who jacked their price up today another $.10 to $4.55 cash $4.57 credit...

i drove about 100 miles from east to west in our area today. the gas prices went from $3.86 to $4.01. same state so its not the taxes. it cracks me up when the market goes up, the price at the pump goes up in two days. when the price falls, it takes 3 weeks till it starts moving down.

 

[justakrazymom]

yeah was UP here from 3.99 to 4.05... I'm budgeting it at $6 a gallon for our drive..

 

[dvczerfs]

yeah was UP here from 3.99 to 4.05... I'm budgeting it at $6 a gallon for our drive..

i like your sig.(the thread that you would rather be on.)

 

[wdwfamilyinIL]

Starting just north of Altanta in Marrietta, the far left lane is blocked off by a double white line and is designated HOV (high occupency vehicle). Only motorcycles and cars with 2 or more people are allowed to be in that lane.

Since you are driving straight through atlanta, you can enter the HOV lane at it's beginning, and stay in it for the entire 20+ mile run.

Just pay close attention to the signs to stay on 75 south. at times, the HOV lane may appear to be leaving the highway, but all it is doing is avoiding the congestion caused when multiple higways enter and exit the main 75 highway.

one other note, regardless of speed limit, keep up with the car in front of you. Or else you will find the guy behind you riding your bumper.

For someone who isn't used to crazy traffic, me, which lane is better when going through ATL?

 

[eeyorethegreat]

We are leaving June 23 from central Maine stopping in Cocoa Beach before heading over to WDW... Did the trip last year it is long wit my 4 kids and Mom! and I had a headache for two days plus the drive time. But even with the insane gas prices, it is cheaper than flying at least for now...

 

[justakrazymom]

i like your sig.(the thread that you would rather be on.)

Hee hee ..thanks

 

[BC1836]

Thoughts on snoozing at a rest stop??

Since we're been doing straight-through drives that begin after midnight, snoozing is always on our early morning schedule either in VA or NC. Then we're back on the road.

All the best.

 

[GoofyTraci]

In florida, not much. they are usually .50¢ - $1.25 per toll depending on where you go.

Just keep $5.00 in quarters and 5 $1 dollar bills handy for the week and you will be more than covered.

thanks for the info. we r getting excited. I was watching diners drive ins and dives last night and decided it would be neat to stop at a place featured on the show and was able to go to the website and find several on our route to disney. Sooo excited!!!

 

[dvczerfs]

Since we're been doing straight-through drives that begin after midnight, snoozing is always on our early morning schedule either in VA or NC. Then we're back on the road.

All the best.

snoozing on a straight through drive in a rest stop. i didnt see that in the straight through drive rule book????? are you driving straight through or are you napping???? to quote the beloved jerry reed, "we have a long way to go and a short time to get there".

 

[DSLRuser]

yeah was UP here from 3.99 to 4.05... I'm budgeting it at $6 a gallon for our drive..

I did all my calculations at $4.50 for premium for our trip in 2 weeks from s. louis.

 

[DSLRuser]

snoozing on a straight through drive in a rest stop. i didnt see that in the straight through drive rule book?????

Yep. that's what 2 drivers are for.

Except when your wife gets sick, and you have to drive all 17 hours. That trip was fun. Left at 5:00pm Christmas eve 1996. wife was sick. I drove 17 hours over night. arrived at 11:00am. brother in law was walking out the door and said hey we need a 4th for our tee time at the Magnolia course.

So I then played golf. We got back to the condo at around 7:00pm. had dinner and crashed in bed by 8:00pm. slept until 9:00am the next morning and was good to go.