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

[Goofygirl17]

. im going this way in 2 weeks from today.

Have fun! Can you let us know what kind of construction you hit? Last summer we hit traffic in the mountains on the way home (Virginia or West Virginia maybe) and sat for a very long time. I'm not sure if that was because of the blasting I saw people talking about.

We're leaving on Saturday, June 30th and checking in Sunday, July 1st. I'm going to leave around 3 a.m. again and drive as long as possible on Saturday so we can get there earlier on Sunday. We stopped in Mooresville NC for the night which was about a 12 hour drive.

Have fun!

 

[dvczerfs]

Have fun! Can you let us know what kind of construction you hit? Last summer we hit traffic in the mountains on the way home (Virginia or West Virginia maybe) and sat for a very long time. I'm not sure if that was because of the blasting I saw people talking about.

We're leaving on Saturday, June 30th and checking in Sunday, July 1st. I'm going to leave around 3 a.m. again and drive as long as possible on Saturday so we can get there earlier on Sunday. We stopped in Mooresville NC for the night which was about a 12 hour drive.

Have fun!

will do. my wife is going to try to keep track of times from state to state also. ill post it when we get back. i will be hitting the blasting area around 4am on a saturday so hopefully they wont be working.

 

[Echo queen]

will do. my wife is going to try to keep track of times from state to state also. ill post it when we get back. i will be hitting the blasting area around 4am on a saturday so hopefully they wont be working.

Have a great safe trip. I love being co-pilot.

 

[SmallWorld71]

Got back from FL this past Sunday and figured I would give a quick travel report. First off, our plans changed considerably. It was originally supposed to be myself, along with the 3 kids and a friend of mine. We were planning on leaving Friday the 13th after school and driving straight through. Well, DS16 decided he didn't want to go. He had lots of reasons, but we all think it was really the girlfriend. Fine, more room in the car then. Well, two days before we were supposed to leave, my friend ended up in the hospital with a crazy arm infection! She actually ended up staying there for 5 days. So, needless to say, she couldn't go. That left myself, DS13 and DD9. The thought of driving both ways was a bit intimidating, not to mention I knew it would eat into vacation time as I can't stay awake to drive overnight. I ended up booking us a flight down and we rented a car to drive back. Alamo was actually looking for drivers to drive the FL rentals north, so that part was easy. If you are still with me, her are our travel times:

Friday, April 20th
Left my granparents' house in Cape Coral, FL and went to Fort Myers airport to get rental car.

8:45 AM - Left Fort Myers airport
12:15 PM - Arrived at DTD where we stopped and had lunch at T-Rex and did some shopping
3:30 PM - Left DTD, hit some traffic in Orlando, but not bad; it started raining right as we got in the car at DTD, but we drove out of it pretty quickly; we hit some very heavy rain just outside Daytona, but luckily were only in it for about 15 minutes
7:30 PM Arrived at the Georgia state line
8:45 PM - Stopped for the night at a hotel just outside of Savannah (Exit 87)

Saturday, April 21st
9:10 AM - left hotel
9:33 AM - arrive in South Carolina
12:40 PM - Arrive in North Carolina (We actually stopped for about 15 minutes at South of the Border; I hadn't been there in 27 years; it has grown! The kids were amused by its tackiness. We then stopped at the North Carolina welcome center where we had a lovely picnic lunch in sunny, gorgeous weather.
1:37 - left NC welcome center
4:14 PM - Arrive in Virginia
Up to this point the weather was beautiful and there was no traffic. However, around about Fredericksburg our luck with the weather ran out and a huge storm blew in. There was rain, lightning, wind etc.... I had been hoping to drive well into the night, but found that driving in the storm really unnerved me, particularly in the Alexandria region.
7:50 PM - Arrive in Maryland
By now, my nerves were shot. We made a stop at the Maryland welcome center so I could talk to my husband and we decided on a what to do. I decided to stop for the night. We arrived at the hotel in the Columbia/ Jessup area just outside of Baltimore at 8:35 PM.

Sunday, April 22nd
This was the driving day from Hades. After 2 days of great driving (up until Saturday night), we had a terrible day. It was raining when we woke up in Maryland and never let up the rest of the way home. It alternated between rain and torrential downpours. What we estimated would take less than 8 hours, took about 10 1/2.
9:14 AM - Leave hotel
10:26 AM - arrive in Delaware
10:43 AM - Arrive in New Jersey
1:44 PM - Arrive New York - the second we crossed over the state line from NJ to NY, we hit the first traffic of the trip
2:38PM - Arrive in Connecticut - we also hit some bad traffic the first 20 or so miles into CT; we ended up passing a terrible accident with an overturned vehicle
5:38 - Arrive in Rhode Island
6:20 - Arrive in Massachusetts
We arrived home around 7:30 / 8:00 PM.
Total trip was about 1550 miles.
I returned to car to Logan Airport the next afternoon.

We took 95 most of the way with a few exceptions. We did take 295 through part of Virginia and then we took the NJ Turnpike to Garden State Parkway and went over the Tappan Zee Bridge in NY. I followed the route from AAA. Other than NY and CT we had no traffic issues, including at the tolls. Our biggest problem was the weather on that third day.

As far as driving it again: I'm proud of myself and can now say I've done it, but I will never do it again by myself. It just takes too long. With another adult you can drive straight through which makes a world of difference.

 

[supersuperwendy]

Booked our hotel for the drive home from WDW! We are stopping in Rocky Mount NC on our way back to PA.

I was really hoping to fly but rates are sky high. The nice part about driving is we can stop to visit my cousin in VA then take the kids over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge before heading home! I think they'll love it!

Has anyone seen the book Drive I-95? I got an old copy from 2005 from my library, but plan to buy the new one. It's pretty amazing! It has half mile sections of 95 north and south. It has tons of info and even shows where cops are known to sit along the roadside!

 

[supersuperwendy]

Hi. I just had to edit my answer - I thought you were in Doylestown

We backtrack to the Blue Route - we think that's quicker and less straing on the braking leg. I think if I was in Downingtown I still might consider it. That 202 South through S PA and into Delaware is really tedious!

DVCZerfs swears by his route. I keep thinking we're going to try it by going out throuth Lancaster to Harrisburg, but it always adds at least 90 minutes to the trip, so I don't know if it's worth it. Sitting an hour in traffic will still take less time.

Also, a lot of the construction lane closures happen overnight so when you think it's going to be easy, it turns out to be a nightmare!

We plan to leave around 10 am, hit DC around 1 pm. We feel pretty comfortable with that timing. Let me know if we can help with any local issues or questions!

If you are in Downingtown try taking 82 south in Coatesville to Rt. 1 south to Nottingham, make a left at the wawa onto 272 south...follow 272 south through Maryland and jump on 95 south from 272! It's an awesome way to go and saves so much time and you bypass the toll!!!

 

[dvczerfs]

Have a great safe trip. I love being co-pilot.

thank you!! i have enough co pilots but thanks.

Got back from FL this past Sunday and figured I would give a quick travel report. First off, our plans changed considerably. It was originally supposed to be myself, along with the 3 kids and a friend of mine. We were planning on leaving Friday the 13th after school and driving straight through. Well, DS16 decided he didn't want to go. He had lots of reasons, but we all think it was really the girlfriend. Fine, more room in the car then. Well, two days before we were supposed to leave, my friend ended up in the hospital with a crazy arm infection! She actually ended up staying there for 5 days. So, needless to say, she couldn't go. That left myself, DS13 and DD9. The thought of driving both ways was a bit intimidating, not to mention I knew it would eat into vacation time as I can't stay awake to drive overnight. I ended up booking us a flight down and we rented a car to drive back. Alamo was actually looking for drivers to drive the FL rentals north, so that part was easy. If you are still with me, her are our travel times:

Friday, April 20th
Left my granparents' house in Cape Coral, FL and went to Fort Myers airport to get rental car.

8:45 AM - Left Fort Myers airport
12:15 PM - Arrived at DTD where we stopped and had lunch at T-Rex and did some shopping
3:30 PM - Left DTD, hit some traffic in Orlando, but not bad; it started raining right as we got in the car at DTD, but we drove out of it pretty quickly; we hit some very heavy rain just outside Daytona, but luckily were only in it for about 15 minutes
7:30 PM Arrived at the Georgia state line
8:45 PM - Stopped for the night at a hotel just outside of Savannah (Exit 87)

Saturday, April 21st
9:10 AM - left hotel
9:33 AM - arrive in South Carolina
12:40 PM - Arrive in North Carolina (We actually stopped for about 15 minutes at South of the Border; I hadn't been there in 27 years; it has grown! The kids were amused by its tackiness. We then stopped at the North Carolina welcome center where we had a lovely picnic lunch in sunny, gorgeous weather.
1:37 - left NC welcome center
4:14 PM - Arrive in Virginia
Up to this point the weather was beautiful and there was no traffic. However, around about Fredericksburg our luck with the weather ran out and a huge storm blew in. There was rain, lightning, wind etc.... I had been hoping to drive well into the night, but found that driving in the storm really unnerved me, particularly in the Alexandria region.
7:50 PM - Arrive in Maryland
By now, my nerves were shot. We made a stop at the Maryland welcome center so I could talk to my husband and we decided on a what to do. I decided to stop for the night. We arrived at the hotel in the Columbia/ Jessup area just outside of Baltimore at 8:35 PM.

Sunday, April 22nd
This was the driving day from Hades. After 2 days of great driving (up until Saturday night), we had a terrible day. It was raining when we woke up in Maryland and never let up the rest of the way home. It alternated between rain and torrential downpours. What we estimated would take less than 8 hours, took about 10 1/2.
9:14 AM - Leave hotel
10:26 AM - arrive in Delaware
10:43 AM - Arrive in New Jersey
1:44 PM - Arrive New York - the second we crossed over the state line from NJ to NY, we hit the first traffic of the trip
2:38PM - Arrive in Connecticut - we also hit some bad traffic the first 20 or so miles into CT; we ended up passing a terrible accident with an overturned vehicle
5:38 - Arrive in Rhode Island
6:20 - Arrive in Massachusetts
We arrived home around 7:30 / 8:00 PM.
Total trip was about 1550 miles.
I returned to car to Logan Airport the next afternoon.

We took 95 most of the way with a few exceptions. We did take 295 through part of Virginia and then we took the NJ Turnpike to Garden State Parkway and went over the Tappan Zee Bridge in NY. I followed the route from AAA. Other than NY and CT we had no traffic issues, including at the tolls. Our biggest problem was the weather on that third day.

As far as driving it again: I'm proud of myself and can now say I've done it, but I will never do it again by myself. It just takes too long. With another adult you can drive straight through which makes a world of difference.

ahem, there is an entire thread of people here who you drove by who would have been more than happy to go.
i give you alot of credit. last october, i drove the entire trip, 16 hours straight through. my wife or myself couldnt believe i did it. i do have to confess, im an outside sales person so i spend alot of time on the road buts thats is a long haul with two kids. glad you made it safely. hope your friend is doing better.

 

[blondietink]

We were also driving north on April 22, after leaving WDW on the 21st. STarted about 8:30 am from Wilson NC where we had stayed overnight. It had been raining since the middle of the night and it poured all the way home. Well, with the exception where it snowed north of Williamsport, PA going through the mountains. What should have taken us 10 hours took us 12. At least people weren't driving crazy like they had been on Saturday. It was just that it rained so hard all the time we really didn't want to go over the speed limit at all. Sometimes it rained so hard we had to slow way down to 45 mph, as did everybody else on the road. We were just glad to get home, but we were exhausted!

This was the worst weather we have encountered on our multiple trips to WDW in the last 12 years. We also drove down to New Orleans in Feb. 2011 and had clear sailing all the way.

 

[SmallWorld71]

ahem, there is an entire thread of people here who you drove by who would have been more than happy to go. LOL So true!
i give you alot of credit. last october, i drove the entire trip, 16 hours straight through. my wife or myself couldnt believe i did it. i do have to confess, im an outside sales person so i spend alot of time on the road buts thats is a long haul with two kids. glad you made it safely. hope your friend is doing better.

Fortunately, the kids were fabulous. And my 13 year old is now a pro at reading maps. 16 hours straight, by yourself is a lot. My friend is slowly recovering, although still wearing a sling.

We were also driving north on April 22, after leaving WDW on the 21st. STarted about 8:30 am from Wilson NC where we had stayed overnight. It had been raining since the middle of the night and it poured all the way home. Well, with the exception where it snowed north of Williamsport, PA going through the mountains. What should have taken us 10 hours took us 12. At least people weren't driving crazy like they had been on Saturday. It was just that it rained so hard all the time we really didn't want to go over the speed limit at all. Sometimes it rained so hard we had to slow way down to 45 mph, as did everybody else on the road. We were just glad to get home, but we were exhausted!

This was the worst weather we have encountered on our multiple trips to WDW in the last 12 years. We also drove down to New Orleans in Feb. 2011 and had clear sailing all the way.

It was horrible, that's for sure. It never, ever let up. When I got home, DH asked if my feet or back needed massaging from all the driving. I actually said my hands; they were so cramped from gripping the steering wheel so tightly.

 

[dvczerfs]

We were also driving north on April 22, after leaving WDW on the 21st. STarted about 8:30 am from Wilson NC where we had stayed overnight. It had been raining since the middle of the night and it poured all the way home. Well, with the exception where it snowed north of Williamsport, PA going through the mountains. What should have taken us 10 hours took us 12. At least people weren't driving crazy like they had been on Saturday. It was just that it rained so hard all the time we really didn't want to go over the speed limit at all. Sometimes it rained so hard we had to slow way down to 45 mph, as did everybody else on the road. We were just glad to get home, but we were exhausted!

This was the worst weather we have encountered on our multiple trips to WDW in the last 12 years. We also drove down to New Orleans in Feb. 2011 and had clear sailing all the way.

driving in the rain like really makes me tired. i dont mind some rain here or there but when it rains up and down the east coast, uggh.

 

[nono]

If you are in Downingtown try taking 82 south in Coatesville to Rt. 1 south to Nottingham, make a left at the wawa onto 272 south...follow 272 south through Maryland and jump on 95 south from 272! It's an awesome way to go and saves so much time and you bypass the toll!!!

Ah memories! A looonnggg time ago I lived out that way. Glad to know with all the build-up in the area that it's still a great way to go!

 

[momto2sweeties]

We are driving from MI to WDW in a few weeks. What are some good stopping places along I-75? And what places should we absolutely avoid? sorry if these questions are repeats

 

[LadyBeBop]

We are driving from MI to WDW in a few weeks. What are some good stopping places along I-75? And what places should we absolutely avoid? sorry if these questions are repeats

A few questions?

1) What part of Michigan?

2) Are you planning to drive straight thru?

3) If not, are many days do you plan on taking driving down and back?

4) When you mean stop, do you mean stop for the night? Stop to eat? Stop to sightsee?

For me, I only have three requirements.

1) Avoid Atlanta during rush hour.
2) Stop for the night south of Atlanta going down and north of Atlanta coming home
3) Stop at the Florida Welcome Station for free orange juice and coupons.

I have more, but let me know what you need.

 

[momto2sweeties]

A few questions?

1) What part of Michigan?

2) Are you planning to drive straight thru?

3) If not, are many days do you plan on taking driving down and back?

4) When you mean stop, do you mean stop for the night? Stop to eat? Stop to sightsee?

For me, I only have three requirements.

1) Avoid Atlanta during rush hour.
2) Stop for the night south of Atlanta going down and north of Atlanta coming home
3) Stop at the Florida Welcome Station for free orange juice and coupons.

I have more, but let me know what you need.

We are driving from the thumb. We will jump on I-75 off of 69 near Flint.

We are planning to drive straight through both ways

As for stops, I mean stop for gas, potty breaks, or a quick bite to eat.

Thanks so much for the tips!

 

[Sprite74]

Just found this theard, think I am going to have to head back a few pages and start reading!!!

We will be driving down for the 3rd time in August leaving August 23rd, or 24th not really sure about our departure date. We drive straight through tell we at least get in to Florida but I need to think this through a little before we head out. We will be driving down from the Toronto, Ontario area 2500+ miles round trip but with a family of 6 flying just isn't an option. Thank goodness our kids are normally great travellers....

Off to start reading!!!!!!

 

[BC1836]

Just found this theard, think I am going to have to head back a few pages and start reading!!!

We will be driving down for the 3rd time in August leaving August 23rd, or 24th not really sure about our departure date. We drive straight through tell we at least get in to Florida but I need to think this through a little before we head out. We will be driving down from the Toronto, Ontario area 2500+ miles round trip but with a family of 6 flying just isn't an option. Thank goodness our kids are normally great travellers....

Off to start reading!!!!!!

Welcome! The longest all-time drive record is owned by a Canadian. See post one on page one for the All-Time 2,000+Mile Round-Trip Drive Records!

All the best.

 

[blondietink]

FYI - Make sure you do not stop at the Florida Welcome Center on a holiday. We stopped to get our orange juice and check out the traffic through Jacksonville on Easter Sunday and they were CLOSED! Lots of people were there and were angry about it.

 

[LadyBeBop]

FYI - Make sure you do not stop at the Florida Welcome Center on a holiday. We stopped to get our orange juice and check out the traffic through Jacksonville on Easter Sunday and they were CLOSED! Lots of people were there and were angry about it.

Hmmm. I guess it must be very few holidays. I remember one year getting our orange juice on July 4th.

 

[robin09]

Doing the drive again! Walton NY to our favorite place!

Just did it in February to cape Canaveral for our cruise, and got bit by the bug again, this august here we come again!.. The Yes program got us this time! Getting my route together

 

[darrengs]

FYI - Make sure you do not stop at the Florida Welcome Center on a holiday. We stopped to get our orange juice and check out the traffic through Jacksonville on Easter Sunday and they were CLOSED! Lots of people were there and were angry about it.

looks like it's just 3 times a year, per their Website:

"Welcome to Florida! Our Welcome Centers offer tourist information from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily (except for Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas)"