Where do most people stop when driving?

[Peaseblossom36]

With everything happening with airlines recently we are considering driving for our trip in the fall if things don’t seem better. We would be driving from Kansas City so 18 hours (and that’s without stops) with a 1.5 year old. We already plan on stopping every few hours and are considering leaving shortly before bedtime in hopes kiddo could sleep, and switching drivers so we can each sleep so we won’t be drowsy.
The longest I’ve ever been in the car for traveling is 8 hours and with 18 we would want to make a hotel stop for sleep/napping at some point.
Where do most people stop when driving to Florida? If anyone came from roughly the same area how did you divide your drive?

I’m hoping that flying works out because 6 hours flying is my preference

 

[SteveH]

@Peaseblossom36 we made the drive from about 80 miles east of KC leaving about 8PM on Halloween one year. Kids had their TV and we had plenty of caffeine, my wife and I rotated driving about every 2-hours though I tended to pull a longer shift. We headed down I55, I155 to I40 to I24 and to I75, we'd planned to stop before Atlanta and get some rest but I was on a roll and the kids were asleep so we kept going we made it to Valdosta, GA before I finally hit the wall and we stopped. I was exhausted but my wife was rested and the kids were awake. We got a quick meal the kids swam and had fun and I was out solid. The next morning we were up early for the 3 hour drive into Disney World. The rough 14 hour drive over night was long for me, but the kids had fun and weren't grumpy at all. We took it slower on the way home going through Pensacola, Mobile & Springfield, MO.

I will add that I've run a lot of trips, driving from Oregon/Washington to Califonia, Mexico and up to Calgary and Edmonton, so long drives isn't a big deal to me or my wife.

 

[sam_gordon]

I never pre arrange a stopping location (much more than an hour or two before hand).

Here's my reasoning... I don't know if I will travel as far as I think I will OR I might want to go further. For example, you say your drive is 18 hours. For the sake of argument, let's say you book a hotel room somewhere that's 9 hours away. But you started late. Or there was construction/accident/weather that slows you down drastically. So after 9 hours (when you thought you would be stopping), you're only five hours from home. So do you keep going for another four hours when you're possibly tired? On the flip side, traffic is light, weather is good, stops are efficient, and you get to your stopping point after 7 hours of travel. Sure, you can stop leaving 9 hours the next day. OR, you can continue another two hours, leaving yourself seven hours the next day (instead of nine).

As long as you have someone with a smart phone, a couple hours out from when you think you'll want to stop, they get on google, look for hotels in the 90-120 mile range from where you are and book it then.

Also, if you (or spouse) isn't used to driving overnight, you may want to rethink that plan. Yes, whoever isn't driving can "sleep", but it may not be a restful sleep. Of course, everyone is different.

 

[Ross Kratter]

I drove from near there a couple of weeks ago and stopped in Franklin, TN for the night. It was a good stopping point.

 

[Peaseblossom36]

@Peaseblossom36 we made the drive from about 80 miles east of KC leaving about 8PM on Halloween one year. Kids had their TV and we had plenty of caffeine, my wife and I rotated driving about every 2-hours though I tended to pull a longer shift. We headed down I55, I155 to I40 to I24 and to I75, we'd planned to stop before Atlanta and get some rest but I was on a roll and the kids were asleep so we kept going we made it to Valdosta, GA before I finally hit the wall and we stopped. I was exhausted but my wife was rested and the kids were awake. We got a quick meal the kids swam and had fun and I was out solid. The next morning we were up early for the 3 hour drive into Disney World. The rough 14 hour drive over night was long for me, but the kids had fun and weren't grumpy at all. We took it slower on the way home going through Pensacola, Mobile & Springfield, MO.

Thank you! This is really helpful! If you don’t mind me asking, how old were your kids? I worry about the length of time in the car seat. The longest drive we’ve ever done was about 7 hours, and that was before baby.

 

[Monoxide]

Not specific stopping point but this is how I planned our drive from WI.
1:Map your planned route.
2: Visit Love's Travel Stops(Gas Station)
A: Put them on a spreadsheet or a document with the distance and time between stations. Also Exit numbers
B: plan your stops by your safe travel distance for your vehicle. IE you car goes 400 miles per tank plan on stopping 1 station before.
3: Do the same for rest area's. Have there general location and exit numbers.
4: Find hotels that you are comfortable with starting about 2 hour prior to your stopping time and 2 hours after. This will give you options.

Enjoy the trip and don't try to push if your tired

 

[SteveH]

Thank you! This is really helpful! If you don’t mind me asking, how old were your kids? I worry about the length of time in the car seat. The longest drive we’ve ever done was about 7 hours, and that was before baby.

They were almost 4 and almost 1 at the time, already had a road trip from Missouri to Oregon that summer under their belt. Our intrepid Ford Windstar with our trusty 9" TV/VCR strapped in to the seat behind the driver, kids in the back. I lost count how many times they watched Thomas the Tank Engine, Barney and Disney Sing-a-longs. We stopped every couple hours (mostly) and we'd get out and run around, wife and I would toss a football or fling a Frisbee. Get a few laps around the gas station to get the kids some exercise, then back in for another drive. The overnight drive helped that we got in a couple 3-4 hour stretches, it really wasn't a bad drive for us at all.

 

[martikus]

We actually try to minimize stops. Dragging out the trip is agonizing. Instead quick pee and stretch breaks. We did 19 hours and survived when kid was 3. Movies were key - lots and lots of movies. We also preferred to eat while driving. Sitting down to eat took too long. There is plenty of time to stretch when you get there. And my son rarely slept in car so driving overnight would have never worked.

 

[Lilias]

We drive from Stl and usually poop out a little after Atlanta because driving through TN and Atlanta is SO. Stressful!

I was going to prebook a hotel somewhere around Valdosta, but you guys are correct in that probably being a mistake. Best just to book it on the fly~

 

[Col. Forbin]

Thank you for this thread. Also thinking about driving.

 

[sam_gordon]

Visit Love's Travel Stops(Gas Station)

I also suggest Flying J truck stops. Not in place of Love's, but in addition. I created a spreadsheet a couple of years ago, sorted by our route. We were travelling on Christmas and I wanted to know what gas stations would be open. Truck stops will generally a) be open b) have clean bathrooms c) have food options.

B: plan your stops by your safe travel distance for your vehicle. IE you car goes 400 miles per tank plan on stopping 1 station before.

I like planning to gas up with ~60 miles left in the tank. With about 100 miles left, look at my chart and pick out a stop in the next 40-50 miles.

 

[Lilias]

During our last road trip to Disney in Dec 2020, I vowed to only use Love's for bathroom stops in the future. They are consistently clean and nice across the board.

I'll never forget the awful gas station bathroom with a bloody pentagram on the wall in the stall, lol. You really see some traumatizing things on roadtrips!

 

[Ross Kratter]

During our last road trip to Disney in Dec 2020, I vowed to only use Love's for bathroom stops in the future. They are consistently clean and nice across the board.

I'll never forget the awful gas station bathroom with a bloody pentagram on the wall in the stall, lol. You really see some traumatizing things on roadtrips!

Love's, Buc-ee's, or Sheetz for me. Pilot and Flying J are not top choices for me.

 

[Her Dotness]

We drive from Stl and usually poop out a little after Atlanta because driving through TN and Atlanta is SO. Stressful!

I was going to prebook a hotel somewhere around Valdosta,...

We drive from STL, too, and began booking a few years ago in McDonough about a half hour past Atlanta. We love it there!

The Marriott Courtyard is very nice although still undergoing renovation as of 11/2021 when we stayed there last. Rooms were great--we stayed there on way down and back. Lobby was something of a hassle as yet. Even so, it's our new fave. Right next to Sam's in case you want to buy bulk for your WDW stay.

The Tru by Hilton is less convenient to restaurants but pretty decent. A little too barebones for us but nice enough and not terribly pricey.

The Home2Suites is okay but noisy room-to-room, we thought, and allows pets. A constantly yappy dog got us a move to another room at least, but all in all, we very much prefer the Courtyard.

Lots of places to stay and restaurants right off 75 in McDonough. Plus, it's only 6.5 hours on in to WDW.

 

[dez1978]

You guys driving from STL and KC are brave. We are in MO too. 1 time we drove from here to Gulf Shores. Left around 3 pm and stopped about 10 for the night and got there around 2 the next day. kids were 4 and 7 at the time. On the way back we left at 9 am after breakfast and drove straight thru only stopping for gas and bathrooms. We hit STL about 10 pm and my kids were still awake and had not slept AT ALL the entire time. It was horrible. They had tablets with internet. They had movies in the dvd thing. They had endless snacks. Yet they still fought and whined the whole way. I vowed never again to drive with them more than 3-4 hours. They might be slightly better now at 7 & 10, but I'm not taking chances lol

 

[Lilias]

It probably helps that we don't have kids, lol! We've done the drive to Pensacola a few times and it gets WEIRD in MS/AL if you're like me and have bright magenta hair and glittery eye makeup, lol.

At one gas station I felt like I was being sized up to be either clubbed or eaten, couldn't tell which. And a weird lady said her daughter wanted PICTURES OF MY FEET.

W A T

 

[dez1978]

It probably helps that we don't have kids, lol! We've done the drive to Pensacola a few times and it gets WEIRD in MS/AL if you're like me and have bright magenta hair and glittery eye makeup, lol.

At one gas station I felt like I was being sized up to be either clubbed or eaten, couldn't tell which. And a weird lady said her daughter wanted PICTURES OF MY FEET.

W A T

I think we must have stopped at that gast station. I can't remember the name of it but it was someplace that was just so funny I wanted pictures of it. But it was like, super red neckish.

 

[Peaseblossom36]

You guys driving from STL and KC are brave. We are in MO too. 1 time we drove from here to Gulf Shores. Left around 3 pm and stopped about 10 for the night and got there around 2 the next day. kids were 4 and 7 at the time. On the way back we left at 9 am after breakfast and drove straight thru only stopping for gas and bathrooms. We hit STL about 10 pm and my kids were still awake and had not slept AT ALL the entire time. It was horrible. They had tablets with internet. They had movies in the dvd thing. They had endless snacks. Yet they still fought and whined the whole way. I vowed never again to drive with them more than 3-4 hours. They might be slightly better now at 7 & 10, but I'm not taking chances lol

I have to say I definitely am hoping that we will be able to fly I just like to plan ahead and don’t want to loose out on 4 days of vacation because I didn’t plan for the worst case scenario.

 

[Her Dotness]

We don't have kids either but do stop often and wouldn't even consider driving it nonstop anymore. We've gotten way smarter in that respect!

We drive mostly because DH is walking disabled but needs his powerchair for WDW. So much more comfy and simpler to haul his own chair than to rent one.

 

[NotUrsula]

You guys driving from STL and KC are brave. We are in MO too. 1 time we drove from here to Gulf Shores. Left around 3 pm and stopped about 10 for the night and got there around 2 the next day. kids were 4 and 7 at the time. On the way back we left at 9 am after breakfast and drove straight thru only stopping for gas and bathrooms. We hit STL about 10 pm and my kids were still awake and had not slept AT ALL the entire time. It was horrible. They had tablets with internet. They had movies in the dvd thing. They had endless snacks. Yet they still fought and whined the whole way. I vowed never again to drive with them more than 3-4 hours. They might be slightly better now at 7 & 10, but I'm not taking chances lol

My kids are mostly grown now (only 1 still at home), but we traveled very extensively when they were little, and what I've found is that the key to good road trips with kids is a useable swimming pool. Seriously. The thing about swimming is that it reliably wears out kids, but it tends to relax adults and get the kinks out from sitting too long. We tended not to do that straight-thru model, but ate and stopped around 8-ish, and immediately went for a swim before bed, then another brief swim in the morning before breakfast if we could; it's amazing how an energetic swim followed by a heavy hotel breakfast followed by a car ride can absolutely knock a little kid cold. I also mapped out playgrounds ahead of time, and as long as the weather was good enough, we stopped to let them run for 45 minutes or so at least 2X during every long day of driving.

Traveling with kids or not, I want to say that I deeply disagree with advice not to book a room in advance. All it takes is one HS sports tournament or a bad accident closing a highway to derail that plan and leave you stuck with no choice but someplace sketchy and grubby when you just can't drive any further. If you're really adamant that you can't decide where to stop until just an hour or so before, then I advise making 3 late-cancellation reservations at logical stopping points ahead of time, then canceling whichever 2 that you won't use as the drive progresses.

One other thing, age matters when it comes to night driving, and you don't really have to be old for night driving to get increasingly difficult. It's a vision thing. Our eyes age a lot quicker than the rest of us, and by age 30 your eyes' ability to use light begins to decline, and the harder your eyes will have to work to give you the acuity you need on a dark highway. Holding them focused for long periods of time is tiring, and the older you get the harder it is. If you normally wear contacts I recommend using glasses for long night drives, as keeping your eyes tightly focused reduces how often you blink, which, in turn, dries out contacts more quickly and gives you that sand-in-the-eyes feeling that makes closing them v-e-r-y tempting. Trade off driving shifts more often at night than you would in the daytime; 2 hours is the recommended maximum uninterrupted drive time between 9 pm and 5 am (unless you are someone who works the night shift.)