How far do you think we'll get?

[Momto3chicks]

We are going down to Florida in 67 days We are taking the 77/79 down...just wondering how far do you think we'll make it to? We leave here around 3:30-4:00 AM and it takes us about 1.5 hours to get to the border...Last November when we drove down we only made it to Wytheville, Virginia I think it was...but that is also because we had stopped to shop at a Walmart and Target on the way and then stopped for the day at 4:00...this time we will probably stop around 5:00 or 6:00pm...what is a realistic distance for us...

Thanks,

Kelley

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

Kelley - we've driven that route a lot lately.

I would normally say that Beckley is a good stop, but since you are leaving early you should reach Beckley WV about 12noon.

After Beckley you have a few hours of moutain driving so I'd keep going for a bit.

We are also about 1 1/2hr from the boarder and we made it to Jonesville NC at about the 12 hour mark. If I were you I'd keep going and try to get to Statesville, NC as it seemed to me there were better choices for hotel. So if you leave at 4am that should put you in Statesville about 5 or 6pm, with short shops.

I hope this helps.

 

[Momto3chicks]

Thanks...Statesville sounds good...are there enough hotels there that we would have a good selection...I always have this fear that we won't get a place to stay or it will be a real dive...That would be only about 9-10 hrs from Orlando then?

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

Yes, it would be.

On the way back we left at 8:15am - but had a little traffic through Orlando. Ran into traffic at Charlotte, SC for about 45 minutes. We had dinner at Mooresville, NC at 6:45pm.

So, I say about 10 hours.

 

[cslittle999]

We have more or less the same drive as you. We left Orangeville at 5 am and made it to Statesville around 6 pm. That included a few stops and a very slow drive through a blizzard along the lake. We didn't drive out of the blizzard until we were an hour south on I79. I'm sure this added an hour or two.

Statesvilles has quite a few hotels. Some on I77 and others on I40 just off I77. We booked ahead of time but others wait and pick up coupons from the NC welcome center.

I agree with 9-10 hours the next day to Orlando including a few stops. Once you are south of Charlotte traffic is light until you get to Jacksonville.