Has anyone driven from Toronto area? Advice and suggestions needed!

[mickeywho?]

We're driving down the first week of February and trying to figure out timing and budgeting. What have you found is a favourite route and why? What will we budget for gas$ and hotel$ and food$? Any ideas would be much appreciated.

 

[hockey mom]

We have driven 8 or so times from Peterborough. For gas I would budget about $300 CDN. We drive straight through so no hotel rooms for us and might spend about $100 on food for the return trip.

In Feb. I would stick to the I-75. The I-95 is a nice drive in the spring or summer but can get very messy during the snowy months.

 

[Janice B]

We have driven down twice. We went in July and it cost us approx. $240US for gas. We drive right throw as well so no need for a hotel. Food is usually $90 for the three of us. We have always gone down the I75 and plan to go that route in Aug 06 when we go back.

 

[marylou]

Are your costs for gas for a return trip or one way?
We are driving down in end of April and would like to budget for it

 

[Janice B]

This is AAA's gas calculator. It only works for the US. However just enter the state your are starting at and the state you end at. The type of vehicle you are driving and it will give you approximatley what your gas price will cost. However when you are doing your budgeting, take into consideration that you will also be filling up once before you cross the border so you will need to add that to your total. For us the calculator was quite accurate.

http://www.fuelcostcalculator.com/

 

[CharlesTD]

We cross in Detroit and drive I-75 it seems to be the most direct route down and back. Our May trip cost us 175.00 US for gas to go there and back in a 2005 Montana minivan.

 

[Susan--Ontario]

When we went in October we spent $250.00US driving I-75 in a 2004 Venture van. That was during the hurricane season and the price had spiked a lot. I think it's probably a lot cheaper now. We drove from London.

I wouldn't drive through the Virginia's in February. the weather is too unpredictable and there aren't as many hotels, gas stations etc as there are on 75. We stay in Hampton Inn's and pay anywhere between 75 and 100 dollars a night depending on the day of the week and the location of the hotel. It includes a great breakfast buffet though so we don't mind the extra cost because it saves us time in our travels.

 

[SandraC]

Hi All ~ If my boss can't give me a week off in April to fly to WDW, we will drive via I-75 the day after school ends ~ June 30. Thanks for the great AAA calculator ~ it estimated $162US round-trip for fuel [Buffalo-Orlando]. I have the Dave Hunter book on reserve from the library too! I think my DH would really enjoy the experience of driving ~ he would have to do most of the driving ~ I don't love driving like he does. We would purchase a laptop and portable DVD player for the kids [great excuse for us to finally buy the things we want ~ heeheehee]. To tell you the truth, I kinda like the idea of driving. Can you all suggest some hotels on the way down? We will likely stop in Greensboro, NC to visit BIL. We will do a split stay in WDW. Probably FQ for a few nights and dream of BC for about 3 nights or 4. Blessings, Sandra

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

Sandra - Hi!

If you are stopping in Greenboro - you would have to take the I-77/79/95 route, which at the time of year you are going wouldn't be a problem.
Actually I like that route much better - much more scenic and a little bit faster. (However, I agree don't do it in the winter)
We usually stop at Beckley, WV which is about 8-9 hours from Toronto. We have stayed at a few hotels there, but the one the kids like the best is The Country Inn & Suites at Beckley. They have a huge indoor/outdoor pool that the kids love! I found their best rates are their internet rates - so you'd have to book ahead of time.
You could always drive down that way and come home I-75.
Happy planning!

 

[tink&cinderella]

Hi

We have drive the route I-77/79/95 route twice, once at the beginning of April 2005 and once at the beginning of August 2005. The initial trip was driven my DH and we left at 3:00 a.m. and made it all the way to Charlotte on our first day - we did about 16 hours of driving. We had to make frequent stops as I had a newly toilet trained 2 1/2 year old with me. The drive was fine for me (I wasn't driving) and DH and the kids were entertained by movies, stickers and activities.

The next trip in August I went with a girlfriend and 4 children in our van - I did all the driving. It was tiring and we did spend one night in a hotel both ways. One of the DVD systems broke down half way on the down ride so this was a bit problematic. The two 7 year old girls wanted to watch princess movies and the 9 and 11 year old boys wanted -well you know NOT princesses.

The scenery was beautiful.

Our next trip is scheduled for December 9, 2006 with a return in early January 2007. DH is adament that we should drive - he hates lugging suitcases and dealing with airport madness. My worry is that the weather is unpredictable during that time of the year especially through the mountains. He does not believe this will be an issue.

How can I convince him to either drive the "other" route or fly.

Thanks

 

[milkabum]

My parents and I have driven there twice,our second time was in 2005.I don't remeber the exact route,I think it was route 75.We left at around 5:30 in the morning,stopped at 9:30 and stayed in a holiday inn,woke up at 6:00 just in time for breakfast and got to St.Petersburg around 2 o'clock.

Passed the border at 9 and then went trough the following states(in the exact order):
Michigan
Ohio
Kentucky
Tennessee
Georgia
Florida



A good tip is so keep alot of frozen water bottles so you don't have to stop for food or drinks for a while and they keep cool trough those sunny states .