What is the longest or farthest you'll drive alone, before looking for other means?

[hopemax]

I have driven by myself from Scottsdale, AZ to Disneyland, which is about 7 hours. I could do longer, I don't think I have a limit. But I prefer to drive with someone. I've driven with my Dad from Bellingham WA, to Orlando, FL, and I don't see any reason why I couldn't have done that alone if I had to. I don't like driving in big cities though. Too many lane changes and freeway changes, and speeders and I get nervous. I'll do it, but I don't like it.

DH, OTOH, doesn't much care for long stretches of driving. I've mentioned that it's only 15 hours to my Grandma's house and we could do it, in one day if we got up and left at 4 AM. To which, he stares at me, as if I've grown 2 heads. He admits he doesn't like driving more than 4 hours at a time. So I said, "I'll start, you can do the end, and I'll finish."

With the cost and hassle of flying these days, I'd actually prefer to take more driving vacations, but DH wants to fly.

 

[PSUGuy]

My goal is to not waste a vacation day, so we drive to our Myrtle Beach vacation from PA overnight, starting at around 8pm and arriving for breakfast, about 11 hours. I could go longer, but that would cut into beach time, so if the trip took much more by car, we'd fly.

Bill From PA

 

[collegejunkie]

i've driven to school several times alone. it's about 275 miles from home. not too bad except when i have to go through NYC. then it's all highways and usually not that bad. i also try to leave at 3 am so that there aren't many others on the road. i could probably go longer, but i guess i never had any reason to

 

[MichelleinMaine]

I've driven Minnesota to Maine with just DD10. We broke it out over about a week, stopped for several 1/2 day excursions on the way. Contemplating doing something similar with both kids next summer (though DS may have his license/permit by then and could help drive.)

(ETA we drove because we were bringing stuff home from my mother in laws' house after she passed away. Normally, we would have flown, but
we really enjoyed the ride/sightseeing along the way. Pleasant surprise!)

 

[Teresa Pitman]

I had to drive my son's car home from Florida to Guelph, Ontario, Canada. It's about 24 hours of driving, and I was worried about getting tired (since I was alone), so I only drove about eight hours each day and did it over three days. The frustrating part was that the car radio broke and so I had no radio for entertainment. It's a long, long drive with no radio and nobody to talk to.

Teresa

 

[hercamore]

I drive MN to Rapid City regularly. about a 9 hour drive on a good day. I'm beat when I get there and that is my limit.

herc

 

[scbelleatheart]

I must have misread the question. I thought thy OP was asking what's your break off point until you look into air. Not how far you have driven.
I driven plenty of times way more than I wanted,
If I have to choose between air and driving, I break it at 8 hours. Drive 1 hour, arrive to the airport, go thru security, 2 hour flight, pick up a rental car. Then reverse drop off rental car, go thru security, 2 hour flight, pay for parking, drive home. I break it down into cost.
Driving advantage may be less money but flying allows me a solid 4 hours to do productive work I could not do while driving.

 

[SandrA9810]

I'll drive any day over flying. I just find it a big hassle to load up the car, drag it through the airport to wait in one line after the next. I get really really bored on airplanes, and food is expensive.


I think 14hrs is the most I've done in one day. But I did a 2,000 mile road trip with my aunt a few years back. From Dallas to Indiana to Orlando. I did about 95% of the driving, and I think 5 days on the road.

 

[MrsDuck]

For a year and a half I drove 4.5 hours each way each weekend to see my boyfriend while I was in college.

5 hours is probably as far as I'd drive alone. I'm not a fan of car trips even when there is a passenger.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

If it is more than 10 hours I don't want to do it. Whether I'm alone or with someone else makes no difference; I really hate being in the car for long periods of time but I'm not afraid to be alone.

 

[Jupiter&Wolfe]

The farthest I've ever driven alone was from Boston MA to Roanoke VA...about 12 hours. It was no problem for me, I probably could have gone another 5 hours or so before having to stop for the night.

Being alone and driving is not an issue for me. If there's no body of water in my way I can manage the drive. I almost did a solo road trip from MA to CA but plans changed last minute....still hoping to someday though!

 

[arminnie]

To answer the original question - my cut-off for driving vs flying is about 1000 miles.

I've made 2000 mile trips when relocating across country - but hated it.

Driving 300 miles is nothing. Not even worth mentioning. At about 500 miles it becomes more than a one day trip - although I will drive 650 to WDW.

 

[aprilgail2]

I really have no set number before I fly- depends on how much time I have and my mood. I drove from NY to Florida when my daughter was 2 with just me and her. Drove to Canada with her when she was 3. In 18 months she and I are driving from NY to Washington, down from there to Arizona, across to the east coast and back up to NY. We are doing it over 6-8 weeks, no set plan on where we are stopping to rest etc. We have a list of places we want to stop at but no set time to do so, we are just winging it all!

 

[lakelandgal70]

I drive from Florida to Tennessee at least once a year by myself and that is about 12hrs. Next year might be driving to PA from FL by myself and don't really look forward to it lol.

 

[Bilberry]

After my freshman year of college, I drove from the mid-west to the west coast to visit family. By the time I reach San Francisco I contemplated selling the car, and flying home!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I would drive any amount of miles alone however I would drive early morning to late afternoon and stop for the night.

However, I am not above flying and renting a car either.

Just depends on the trip really.

 

[punkin]

If you have to go somewhere alone, and if time isn't an issue, what is the most miles, or the most amount of hours spent driving that you'll tolerate? At what point will you say, "that's it, I'm flying", or something to that effect? What's your breaking point?

Assuming time was not an issue, I would be willing to drive anywhere and make frequent stops on the way to sightsee and enjoy the country. In fact, I would love to do a two month cross-country drive as a vacation some day. However, time is almost always an issue, so...

I have driven alone (with two kids in the back, but I was the only driver) from Maryland to WDW for a one week vacation). I drove straight through with no stop.

I have considered driving to Chicago from Maryland for a long weekend, but with the tight time constraints, decided to fly instead.

I have driven from Maryland to NY (Long Island) and back again in one day. I have done this on several occasions and always promise myself never to do it again...and then I do.

 

[MichelleVW]

I must have misread the question. I thought thy OP was asking what's your break off point until you look into air. Not how far you have driven.
I driven plenty of times way more than I wanted,
If I have to choose between air and driving, I break it at 8 hours. Drive 1 hour, arrive to the airport, go thru security, 2 hour flight, pick up a rental car. Then reverse drop off rental car, go thru security, 2 hour flight, pay for parking, drive home. I break it down into cost.
Driving advantage may be less money but flying allows me a solid 4 hours to do productive work I could not do while driving.

I think everyone else misread the question because I didn't see it mention how far would you go in one day either.

I would drive any amount of miles alone however I would drive early morning to late afternoon and stop for the night.

However, I am not above flying and renting a car either.

Just depends on the trip really.

Same here. I honestly don't mind driving alone at all....I can listen to the radio and sing all I want!!

Depends on how much time I have for my trip if I fly or drive. When we lived in NC we usually drove to Disney, but from Texas it's just too dang far and takes two days to get there. That's too many vacation days wasted on driving for me!!

 

[marcyinPA]

I've driven 7-8 hours alone, in one day. Not a big deal, but I was tired when I reached my destination. I also know the route like the back of my hand.

I don't think I'd like driving too far if I didn't know the route. I'm a little bit of a nervous driver, and I don't like major interstates where people drive like crazy maniacs.

 

[Planogirl]

I've driven to Orlando with just a young son a few times. It's tiring but otherwise no big deal.

I also drive all around Texas and sometimes it takes hours because I drive somewhere and then drive back the same day. I enjoy driving though.