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

[happily single]

Hi all! I'm a newbie to all of this. I will be driving from Connecticut on January 6th. I am a middle aged woman (ouch that hurt to type that!) that will be driving alone. So, where do I stop for the first night and am I safe doing this by myself?

You are extremely safe this doing this alone. Of course, I am in southern RI and could tag along!

I have made the trip 3 times with my three children. I can't recall the ages at the first trip exactly, but about 8, 12 and 13? I stick to the State Rest Areas and found them to always be clear and well staffed. We typically stay in North Carolina, very close to the South Carolina border. I could personally travel a bit further, but the kids want out of the car.

I high recommend picking up a copy of Drive I-95. Its an awesome book which is one-half map with details of each fast food, gas station, hotel, etc at each and every exit from ME to Florida. The other half of the book are more detailed descriptions of some of the spots you will encounter. I love that book and own 2 very beat up copies.

 

[BC1836]

You are extremely safe this doing this alone. Of course, I am in southern RI and could tag along!

I have made the trip 3 times with my three children. I can't recall the ages at the first trip exactly, but about 8, 12 and 13? I stick to the State Rest Areas and found them to always be clear and well staffed. We typically stay in North Carolina, very close to the South Carolina border. I could personally travel a bit further, but the kids want out of the car.

I high recommend picking up a copy of Drive I-95. Its an awesome book which is one-half map with details of each fast food, gas station, hotel, etc at each and every exit from ME to Florida. The other half of the book are more detailed descriptions of some of the spots you will encounter. I love that book and own 2 very beat up copies.

Good advice.

All the best!

 

[BC1836]

For us, early next month, a brief WDW visit as part of another FL drive (a different final destination). Our departure is flexible and will be made based upon the weather's impact on road conditions.

All the best!

 

[AaronInWI]

Today we are under 60 days until we depart for our 3rd drive from Wisconsin. We're taking our time this trip to account for any possible weather issues. We'll leave home early (3:30ish) Saturday morning, and drive about 10 hours to Manchester, TN. Then on Sunday we'll drive another 6 or so hours to Valdosta, GA. Finally on Monday, we'll have a short 3-hour drive to Orlando.

Our typical drive would be 14 hours the first day, 5 the second. But that's in the beginning of September, when weather isn't as big of a concern.

 

[bjschil]

Today we are under 60 days until we depart for our 3rd drive from Wisconsin. We're taking our time this trip to account for any possible weather issues. We'll leave home early (3:30ish) Saturday morning, and drive about 10 hours to Manchester, TN. Then on Sunday we'll drive another 6 or so hours to Valdosta, GA. Finally on Monday, we'll have a short 3-hour drive to Orlando.

Our typical drive would be 14 hours the first day, 5 the second. But that's in the beginning of September, when weather isn't as big of a concern.

Aaron, we leave on the 27th, also from Wisconsin. We have chosen a new route to us, heading south in Nashville. Our first night in Mattoon, IL, (1/2 working day for our married DD, DH, and kids), 2nd night at Gunter Hill SP, and 3rd night in Ocala at campground. Of course, all could change with weather! Good luck on your drive, and wishing for you a snowless drive, along with no ice as you head south.

 

[AaronInWI]

Aaron, we leave on the 27th, also from Wisconsin. We have chosen a new route to us, heading south in Nashville. Our first night in Mattoon, IL, (1/2 working day for our married DD, DH, and kids), 2nd night at Gunter Hill SP, and 3rd night in Ocala at campground. Of course, all could change with weather! Good luck on your drive, and wishing for you a snowless drive, along with no ice as you head south.

Thanks! Same to you! I've read suggestions of heading south through AL in the winter to avoid the mountains in Monteagle. I assume you're pulling a 5th wheel or travel-trailer, and had that in mind? We just got new tires put on our Highlander this fall, so I'm crossing my fingers that we'll be ok on that stretch of the road. Hopefully your new route works out for you, and safe travels!

 

[bjschil]

Aaron, we are pulling a fifth-wheel, as does our daughter and husband. Sort of decided we would try this route southbound to Disney, and then decide our course of action on the way home. Again, safe travels, and looks like this weekend will bring us lots of the white stuff!

 

[ktate82]

Aaron, we leave on the 27th, also from Wisconsin. We have chosen a new route to us, heading south in Nashville. Our first night in Mattoon, IL, (1/2 working day for our married DD, DH, and kids), 2nd night at Gunter Hill SP, and 3rd night in Ocala at campground. Of course, all could change with weather! Good luck on your drive, and wishing for you a snowless drive, along with no ice as you head south.

I used to live about an hour from Mattoon! Small world!

 

[BC1836]

Updating soon the All-Time Records on Page 1.

All the best.

 

[BC1836]

Updating soon the All-Time Records on Page 1.

All the best.

Done.

Please check to see what your drive status is as we approach the end of the year: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum or Diamond.

All the best!

 

[nono]

Done.

Please check to see what your drive status is as we approach the end of the year: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum or Diamond.

All the best!

Is it wrong that I don't know where I rank??! I just like to !!

 

[BC1836]

Is it wrong that I don't know where I rank??! I just like to !!

Nono, as a veteran driver and a distinguished member of this thread, you should be displaying your status with a license plate frame on your vehicle.
Please pick one up at Guest Relations.

All the best!

 

[disneysteve]

I realized I never updated anything on this thread.

So we left NJ on 11/29 and stopped for the night in Richmond. We stopped at the Good Earth Peanut Company in Skippers, VA (exit 4, I believe). Great place for a quick visit. It is in an old shack right next to the train tracks. They sell all kinds of nut products and you can get free samples of pretty much everything. They are very nice and love to have visitors.

From there, we continued on our way. I was on a mission to have some genuine Carolina BBQ on this trip. I didn't want any of the places with billboards on 95 as I figure those are for tourists. I wanted a place the locals go. We found our way to White Swan BBQ in Smithfield, NC (between exits 93 and 90). It was definitely a locals place. We stuck out like a sore thumb. But the BBQ was good. So were the hush puppies.

It was smooth sailing as far as driving was concerned except for one total standstill just south of South of the Border. I think it was a combo of road work and a disabled vehicle. That was the only real problem the whole trip.

Dinner was boring - Wendy's - though I did discover that they have some really good salads.

We stopped for the night at another Residence Inn at the southern end of Jacksonville. The next morning we hit the road and headed straight to the Magic Kingdom. We got there around noon.

We returned from our cruise on 12/11 and took the shuttle back to the hotel where our car was parked. We were on the road at 9:50am and stopped for the night in Emporia, VA, so we made good time there, stopping around 8:30pm. I'm blanking on where we had lunch but it wasn't anywhere special. We had dinner at Panera. The drive home on 12/12 was no trouble at all either and we rolled into our driveway about 3:30pm after another great trip.

Next drive starts on January 6!

 

[BC1836]

Dear Santa: Watch out for those I-95 rush hour trouble spots, and be careful negotiating those construction areas, too. Of course, depend on your reindeer to get you through I-4!

Merry Christmas!

All the best!

 

[BC1836]

One more week....

All the best!

 

[MudQueen22]

Welcome from another Wisconsinite! We drive to WDW, as we stay at Fort Wilderness and haul our fifth-wheel. We make that trip yearly, sometimes twice, and always through Atlanta, BUT, in 30 days we leave again and are going through Birmingham, Montgomery, Dothan, down to Florida, East on 10, and join back on 75 south by Lake City. We leave Darlington, and our first night is typically Paducah, Ky. Getting up early the next day and on the road by 7:00 am, gets us to Nashville around 8:30-9:00 am. We have taken the Briley Parkway to avoid the downtown congestion. Going that way, I24 to Chattanooga, we typically hit Atlanta about 1:30 pm (time change). Our adventure starts, stops, starts stops. Our goal is to drive to Valdosta, or Gainesville Florida, spend the night, and a short 2 - 3 hour drive next morning. I feel driving southbound through Atlanta in the early morning has more challenges. Thus the decision to go through Alabama this December. We are aware that it will add 1 1/2 hour driving time, but feel that we will be in congested traffic stopped as well. And new scenery as well! Because of a work conflict this year, leaving at 2:00 pm takes us to a hotel in Mattoon, Il. Our next day takes us through Nashville, Birmingham, and just to Montgomery, where we will sleep in the camper at a campground. Our 3rd day is a 7 hour drive from Montgomery, Dothan, Tallahassee, lake city, and South to the Gainesville/Ocala area campground. Grocery time, and up and early to Fort Wilderness by 10:00 am.

To those of you traveling through Atlanta, be in Chattanooga by noon, to get through the heart of Atlanta and beyond by 4. Lots of road construction, and the further south you go, lots of radar!!!! I will miss the mountains going east of Nashvilke, Chattanooga, but will believe we will like the more peaceful route and scenery of Alabama.

Good luck. We leave Dec 27, so I will forward my thoughts.

How do you find campgrounds on your route? Is there a particular way that you decide if they're good or not? Do you book ahead and hope you make it, or do you take your chances getting a reservation?

 

[5kidsmommy]

32 or 33 days until we set off for Fort Wilderness from the Cleveland, Ohio area. Every time I bring it up my husband mumbles. He hates the drive but hates staying and paying for hotels even more. I think this trip we will take 2-1/2 days for the drive rather than our usual 2 day trip. We are getting older and long drives are taking longer.

 

[bjschil]

How do you find campgrounds on your route? Is there a particular way that you decide if they're good or not? Do you book ahead and hope you make it, or do you take your chances getting a reservation?

We make reservations ahead of time. This year, we knew we were coming down on a leisurely route, so chose a hotel in central Illinois, a campground in Nashville, and a campground near Montgomery. We booked ahead of time. My guess is that this time of year, except for a holiday weekend (week), most campgrounds south if Illinois will have openings, if you stop by 5:00 pm. Otherwise, you might just have to choose a site, and pay in the morning if the campground hosts or owners are not in residence,

 

[Uncranky Donald]

Hello fellow drivers!! I am making another drive from Southern CT to WDW in June, but for the 1st time I am thinking I will NOT be driving straight through. Ive done the drive maybe 6/7 times and have never stopped until Orlando or DeBary FL. I want to be able to enjoy our first day in Disney not all "car hungover" & sleeping as soon as we check in. Soooo, we'd have to stop somewhere close enough to Orlando that would get us there around a general goal of 2pm, provided we start driving around 8am. Basic research left me with Walterboro SC or Savannah GA as good stopping points. That would make the 1st day around 13hrs and the 2nd around 5hrs (complete estimates). Does anyone have a recommendation for the journey Im trying to plan,different city to stop in, or has anyone stayed in any good, reasonable hotels off 95 at either one of these cites? Many many thanks

 

[patclairesmom]

Hello fellow drivers!! I am making another drive from Southern CT to WDW in June, but for the 1st time I am thinking I will NOT be driving straight through. Ive done the drive maybe 6/7 times and have never stopped until Orlando or DeBary FL. I want to be able to enjoy our first day in Disney not all "car hungover" & sleeping as soon as we check in. Soooo, we'd have to stop somewhere close enough to Orlando that would get us there around a general goal of 2pm, provided we start driving around 8am. Basic research left me with Walterboro SC or Savannah GA as good stopping points. That would make the 1st day around 13hrs and the 2nd around 5hrs (complete estimates). Does anyone have a recommendation for the journey Im trying to plan,different city to stop in, or has anyone stayed in any good, reasonable hotels off 95 at either one of these cites? Many many thanks

I would try Pooler, Ga. It's just north of Savannah off 95. There are some reasonable hotels and lots of restaurants. Walterboro will also have tons of hotels and restaurants but you'll have more of a drive the next day.