"For 2,000+ Mile Round-Trip Drivers Only!" (Part V)

[LBHouse]

Leaving one week from today. Monday feb 18th at 5:00am.

One Night in Bowling Green, Ky
One in Ocala, FL
7 @OKW
4@GFV

Have to get an oil change and start getting the van ready this week

 

[LadyBeBop]

Leaving one week from today. Monday feb 18th at 5:00am.

One Night in Bowling Green, Ky
One in Ocala, FL
7 @OKW
4@GFV

Have to get an oil change and start getting the van ready this week

So jealous of y'all.

1) Where are you starting from? (I'm thinking you're in Wisconsin. But I'm probably way off).
2) What time are you leaving Bowling Green, Tuesday morning?

I guess I'm wondering when you'll hit Nashville and Atlanta. Atlanta rush hour is worse; however I hate driving through Nashville more.

 

[dvczerfs]

Leaving one week from today. Monday feb 18th at 5:00am.

One Night in Bowling Green, Ky
One in Ocala, FL
7 @OKW
4@GFV

Have to get an oil change and start getting the van ready this week

We are leaving Friday the 22nd with a stop over in Bradenton Fl.
We will be arriving at GFV on the 26th and departing March 3rd.
If you see me walking around don't be afraid to say hello.
Picture in the little box, I'm the one on the right. Lol

 

[toolmanjan]

Made it to OKW on Sunday morning. We left Toms River NJ at 6:30 pm arrived at Wolfgang Puck Express at 10:20am.

 

[Hoosier John]

OMG -- it looks like their propane tank blew up. Do you know if everyone survived? That's frightening.

I think (hoping at least) they were okay, because all I saw were firetrucks and police.

 

[Hoosier John]

We used to do that -- many years ago. But as I have gotten older, I have developed "night blindness" and it is unbearable. So we've been doing trips the way our parents used to do them -- get up at the crack of dawn and drive until sunset, go to bed early and hit the road early -- avoiding major city rush hours (of course).

We are driving from Philadelphia area to Key West in October -- so any hotel suggestions on the way down would be great. We plan to average about 300-350 miles a day and do some sightseeing.

Sorry I can't help you with hotels. But you might want to check out Amtrak Auto Train. In October, I think prices will be better for your return trip, so you could sight see going down and try the train on the way back. I've never tried it yet, and I saw someone post here quite some time ago that they did. Roughly, you would arrive at Sanford, FL around 3 pm and wake up the next day in Lorton, VA where you will unload.

I would like to try it some day.

 

[LBHouse]

So jealous of y'all.

1) Where are you starting from? (I'm thinking you're in Wisconsin. But I'm probably way off).
2) What time are you leaving Bowling Green, Tuesday morning?

I guess I'm wondering when you'll hit Nashville and Atlanta. Atlanta rush hour is worse; however I hate driving through Nashville more.

1) Hastings, MI. Small town between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. We tend to do the trip in one of two ways. 1. Leave mid afternooon and get to Louisville, KY late. 2. Leave Michigan at 5:00am and get to Bowling Green in the mid afternoon. We are stopping at Mammoth Caves and doing some hiking and then to the hotel by 7:00ish.

I really wish we could find a "waterpark" style hotel somwhere in KY. Would love to have a place the kids can burn off some energy after the drive

2) We will get breakfast at whatever time they open the Hotel breakfast, usually 6:30 and be on the road an hour later...7:30-8:00am. Get through nashville around 9:30-10:00am right after rush hour. We typically get lunch in Chattanooga and let the kids run across the big blue bridge and play at the park. Out of Chattanooga by 2:00, through Atlanta by 3:30.

Hopefully geting to Ocala by 8:00 pm or so.

Nashville traffic seems to have gotten better the past few years. Indianapolis in the snow is miserable, atlanta always seems to just be slow. But we have always made it through.

 

[LBHouse]

We are leaving Friday the 22nd with a stop over in Bradenton Fl.
We will be arriving at GFV on the 26th and departing March 3rd.
If you see me walking around don't be afraid to say hello.
Picture in the little box, I'm the one on the right. Lol

We will say hi!

However you'll see us first. 5 kids under 8, big orange stroller and I am 6'4" with a big red beard!

 

[dvczerfs]

Lol, I'm sure I will see you.

 

[RedSox68]

Sorry I can't help you with hotels. But you might want to check out Amtrak Auto Train. In October, I think prices will be better for your return trip, so you could sight see going down and try the train on the way back. I've never tried it yet, and I saw someone post here quite some time ago that they did. Roughly, you would arrive at Sanford, FL around 3 pm and wake up the next day in Lorton, VA where you will unload.

I would like to try it some day.

Thanks for the suggestion, but we did regular Amtrak in December 2017 and never again -- that was the scariest trip ever -- my mattress hydroplaned off the bottom bunk the train was going so fast. We really thought we were going to derail. Plus the cost for the car and the roomette is too much since we are also doing a cruise. We will take it slow -- but we do like to sightsee and stop at historical sites, so we will make it fun. (Plus we gotta hit all the Cracker Barrels on the way down )

 

[amcnj]

Made it to OKW on Sunday morning. We left Toms River NJ at 6:30 pm arrived at Wolfgang Puck Express at 10:20am.

Judging by those times it sounds like you had smooth sailing. Enjoy your trip!

 

[BC1836]

Deadly motor vehicle accident on 1-4 the other day (besides the last deadly construction worker accident). Be very careful driving on this construction-dominated route.

All the best!

 

[Hoosier John]

Great observation. January is the worst month for I-4, with 2-3 am being the worst time. I had to find it again but this article from the end of 2017 claims I-4 to be the deadliest highway in America at 1.25 deaths per mile (data from 2011-2015): https://www.fleetowner.com/safety/25-most-deadly-highways-us

Thanks for the safety reminder!

 

[ddluvsdisney]

Great observation. January is the worst month for I-4, with 2-3 am being the worst time. I had to find it again but this article from the end of 2017 claims I-4 to be the deadliest highway in America at 1.25 deaths per mile (data from 2011-2015): https://www.fleetowner.com/safety/25-most-deadly-highways-us

Thanks for the safety reminder!

Wow!

 

[BC1836]

And yet another death on I-4 yesterday: a hit and run of a Good Samaritan who was assisting an older man with his vehicle's flat tire. Be careful on I-4.

All the best!

 

[ddluvsdisney]

And yet another death on I-4 yesterday: a hit and run of a Good Samaritan who was assisting an older man with his vehicle's flat tire. Be careful on I-4.

All the best!

So sad!

 

[LBHouse]

We made it back to Disney!

Left Michigan Monday morning early. Spent some time at Mammoth Cave NP, hotel in Bowling Green, KY.

Next morning we made about 30 miles and the transmission fell apart on our one year old van. We left it at a dealership and finished our drive with a loaner.

Weather is great, kids are happy, drinks are cold. Cant ask for a better trip

 

[LadyBeBop]

We made it back to Disney!

Left Michigan Monday morning early. Spent some time at Mammoth Cave NP, hotel in Bowling Green, KY.

Can I ask where you stayed in Bowling Green?

Granted, no indoor water parks. However, I'm thinking there would be indoor pools at some places. I went to a conference at a local Comfort Inn (Florence, KY). Did not know they had a small indoor pool.

Trip advisor is your friend.

Next morning we made about 30 miles and the transmission fell apart on our one year old van. We left it at a dealership and finished our drive with a loaner.

Ouch. Hope your car was under warranty.

Weather is great, kids are happy, drinks are cold. Cant ask for a better trip

That's the attitude.

Same route coming back? Less the field trip to Mammoth Caves?

 

[amcnj]

We made it back to Disney!

Left Michigan Monday morning early. Spent some time at Mammoth Cave NP, hotel in Bowling Green, KY.

Next morning we made about 30 miles and the transmission fell apart on our one year old van. We left it at a dealership and finished our drive with a loaner.

Weather is great, kids are happy, drinks are cold. Cant ask for a better trip

Wow, who could anticipate that with a one year old van. Glad to hear you were able to make it all work and are having a good time.

 

[LBHouse]

Can I ask where you stayed in Bowling Green?

Granted, no indoor water parks. However, I'm thinking there would be indoor pools at some places. I went to a conference at a local Comfort Inn (Florence, KY). Did not know they had a small indoor pool.

Trip advisor is your friend.

Ouch. Hope your car was under warranty.

That's the attitude.

Same route coming back? Less the field trip to Mammoth Caves?

We typically take the same route back, but I like to watch the weather. We can take I75 through ohio and cut over to I69 @ Fort Wayne if it makes more sense.

Van is under warranty. We bought it for the purpose of Disney trips and its kind of been a dissapointment. Left us stranded in Nashville, TN last year in October. And now the transmission is getting replaced.

Hyatt Place Bowling Green

We prettty much stay at Hyatt Place while traveling. My company card earns ALOT of points and they have the best program I have found (just wish they had more locations). Ocasioanlly we will use a marriott, but the points program isnt as good. I can usually get a Hyatt Place for 5000 points, and earn them at about 1 point/dollar. Marriott rooms are usualy over 12000 and earn at the same rate.