drag n' fly
Sassy, salty and sweet....
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2006
- Messages
- 6,574
I thought it was good reading if anything!
ORLANDO, Fla. (CP) - Check some of the major travel websites these days and you'll see a big push to sell all-inclusive vacation packages to resorts in the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Cuba.
Such packages typically appeal to couples, since taking a larger family down south can be expensive - unless you drive.
For many Canadian families, the No. 1 option for an economical vacation in warmer climes is to load everyone into the car and drive to Florida.
Of the more than two million Canadians who vacation in Florida each year, a full 37 per cent arrive by car, says Visit Florida, the state's official source for travel planning.
My wife and I began making the 6,000 kilometre round-trip from New Brunswick before our children were born, and have added another six trips over the last 10 years since our son and daughter joined the adventure.
"It is quite an experience," says Gary Howard, a spokesman for the Canadian Automobile Association. "It's not just driving down an interstate for a couple of days - there are some pretty interesting places along the way."
For those sticking to Interstate 95, the journey takes you past cities including Boston, Washington and New York, and scenic areas as you travel through the Carolinas and Georgia.
On past trips we have made stops in Philadelphia for cheese steaks, snacked on fresh pecans in Georgia, taken tours of Washington and New York, and even celebrated New Year's Eve in Times Square.
Our most recent trip last December included some friendly family rivalry as we watched the Boston Bruins host the Montreal Canadiens. (My Bruins won 4-2.)
"For a lot of families it's important to drive down because it gives you family time together," said Henny Groenendijk of Visit Florida.
"When you make a trip like that, it creates a special bond. Also on the way you can make it interesting by visiting various sites. The kids learn, and you experience different parts of North America."
Transportation costs for our recent round trip from Fredericton for a week's stay in the Orlando area totalled about US$400 in gasoline and $50 in highway and bridge tolls.
"It's an economical choice, especially with the exchange rate," said Howard.
"As an example, compared to about four years ago, a Walt Disney World vacation is costing a Canadian family about 30 per cent less. That's a combination of the exchange rate as well as some of the packages that they're putting together," he said.
Groenendijk said smart travellers can find excellent deals if they take the time to plan in advance. She suggests checking websites such as www.visitflorida.com and www.travelsouthusa.com for information on accommodations and attractions.
"We have over 3,300 partners who feed our website with the special deals that they have. One of our partners is Daytona Beach and they are offering Canadian 'Sand Dollars,' which is a savings booklet. Orlando, Miami and other cities also have savings booklets."
A membership with CAA provides discounts as well as tour books, maps and their popular TripTik, a detailed outline of your specified route.
Vehicles should be prepared for the journey, said Howard.
"The best thing is to go to your favourite mechanic and do a top-to-bottom check of your battery, hoses, tires and fluids to ensure the vehicle is ready for a long trip," he said.
You'll need photo identification and a birth certificate when crossing the border into the United States. Passports won't be required for motorists until 2008.
Talk to a half-dozen people who have made the trip and you'll get a half-dozen suggestions on how to do it best. Some drive straight-through, swapping drivers every few hours over a day and a half. Others break the drive into two, three or more days.
"Go at a pace that's comfortable for you," said Howard. "Driver fatigue is a form of impaired driving, so it's critical that you make the necessary stops, overnight and breaks along the way for refreshments and so on."
Also, try to schedule your drive so that you travel near large cities during off-peak times. Even during overnights and weekends you can experience heavy traffic near places like New York.
Once in Florida, the possibilities of what to do are practically endless. There are the theme parks, the Kennedy Space Center, a huge offering of golf courses, shopping, great night life and, of course, the beaches. The state has almost 1,800 kilometres of beaches, according to Visit Florida.
"Those who drive down tend to stay at least a week to 10 days," said Groenendijk.
One of the great pastimes for Canadians in Florida is shopping. In fact, they spend more in Florida than in any other U.S. state, according to Statistics Canada. Last year the total spent by Canadians in the Sunshine State added up to C$2.3 billion.
As someone who has made the drive to Florida many times, the best advice I can give is plan ahead and enjoy the adventure of seeing a lot of the United States and the chance to do things along the way.
My wife describes the actual driving as a bit like childbirth: it's a bit painful at the time, but you soon forget and want to do it again.
-
If you go . . .
Two books are useful resources:
"Along I-75," by Dave Hunter, www.i75online.com.
"Drive I-95," by Sandra Philips and Stan Posner, www.drivei95.com.
© The Canadian Press, 2007
ORLANDO, Fla. (CP) - Check some of the major travel websites these days and you'll see a big push to sell all-inclusive vacation packages to resorts in the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Cuba.
Such packages typically appeal to couples, since taking a larger family down south can be expensive - unless you drive.
For many Canadian families, the No. 1 option for an economical vacation in warmer climes is to load everyone into the car and drive to Florida.
Of the more than two million Canadians who vacation in Florida each year, a full 37 per cent arrive by car, says Visit Florida, the state's official source for travel planning.
My wife and I began making the 6,000 kilometre round-trip from New Brunswick before our children were born, and have added another six trips over the last 10 years since our son and daughter joined the adventure.
"It is quite an experience," says Gary Howard, a spokesman for the Canadian Automobile Association. "It's not just driving down an interstate for a couple of days - there are some pretty interesting places along the way."
For those sticking to Interstate 95, the journey takes you past cities including Boston, Washington and New York, and scenic areas as you travel through the Carolinas and Georgia.
On past trips we have made stops in Philadelphia for cheese steaks, snacked on fresh pecans in Georgia, taken tours of Washington and New York, and even celebrated New Year's Eve in Times Square.
Our most recent trip last December included some friendly family rivalry as we watched the Boston Bruins host the Montreal Canadiens. (My Bruins won 4-2.)
"For a lot of families it's important to drive down because it gives you family time together," said Henny Groenendijk of Visit Florida.
"When you make a trip like that, it creates a special bond. Also on the way you can make it interesting by visiting various sites. The kids learn, and you experience different parts of North America."
Transportation costs for our recent round trip from Fredericton for a week's stay in the Orlando area totalled about US$400 in gasoline and $50 in highway and bridge tolls.
"It's an economical choice, especially with the exchange rate," said Howard.
"As an example, compared to about four years ago, a Walt Disney World vacation is costing a Canadian family about 30 per cent less. That's a combination of the exchange rate as well as some of the packages that they're putting together," he said.
Groenendijk said smart travellers can find excellent deals if they take the time to plan in advance. She suggests checking websites such as www.visitflorida.com and www.travelsouthusa.com for information on accommodations and attractions.
"We have over 3,300 partners who feed our website with the special deals that they have. One of our partners is Daytona Beach and they are offering Canadian 'Sand Dollars,' which is a savings booklet. Orlando, Miami and other cities also have savings booklets."
A membership with CAA provides discounts as well as tour books, maps and their popular TripTik, a detailed outline of your specified route.
Vehicles should be prepared for the journey, said Howard.
"The best thing is to go to your favourite mechanic and do a top-to-bottom check of your battery, hoses, tires and fluids to ensure the vehicle is ready for a long trip," he said.
You'll need photo identification and a birth certificate when crossing the border into the United States. Passports won't be required for motorists until 2008.
Talk to a half-dozen people who have made the trip and you'll get a half-dozen suggestions on how to do it best. Some drive straight-through, swapping drivers every few hours over a day and a half. Others break the drive into two, three or more days.
"Go at a pace that's comfortable for you," said Howard. "Driver fatigue is a form of impaired driving, so it's critical that you make the necessary stops, overnight and breaks along the way for refreshments and so on."
Also, try to schedule your drive so that you travel near large cities during off-peak times. Even during overnights and weekends you can experience heavy traffic near places like New York.
Once in Florida, the possibilities of what to do are practically endless. There are the theme parks, the Kennedy Space Center, a huge offering of golf courses, shopping, great night life and, of course, the beaches. The state has almost 1,800 kilometres of beaches, according to Visit Florida.
"Those who drive down tend to stay at least a week to 10 days," said Groenendijk.
One of the great pastimes for Canadians in Florida is shopping. In fact, they spend more in Florida than in any other U.S. state, according to Statistics Canada. Last year the total spent by Canadians in the Sunshine State added up to C$2.3 billion.
As someone who has made the drive to Florida many times, the best advice I can give is plan ahead and enjoy the adventure of seeing a lot of the United States and the chance to do things along the way.
My wife describes the actual driving as a bit like childbirth: it's a bit painful at the time, but you soon forget and want to do it again.
-
If you go . . .
Two books are useful resources:
"Along I-75," by Dave Hunter, www.i75online.com.
"Drive I-95," by Sandra Philips and Stan Posner, www.drivei95.com.
© The Canadian Press, 2007
