Where would we be in 7 hours?

[TinkOhio]

We are planning to drive from the Cleveland area to WDW on Holy Thursday, (the day before Good Friday.) Where would be a good place to stop for the night that would put us about 7 hours into the trip? Yes... we realize that traveling that day and Good Friday will be a royal pain, traffic-wize. Like a zillion other people from NE Ohio, we'll be shoving the kids into the van after school and heading down for Easter break. We teach, so there is no possibility to leave any earlier. Any suggestions for a nice area and a nice hotel to rest our weary heads at?

TIA for any help!

 

[Brer Shay]

Depending on where in Cleveland and what traffic is like, Elkin, NC would be about seven hours out. There is a Fairfield Inn there that's quite decent. Lots of others too I'm sure. Good luck with the drive.

 

[rrkman]

I would guess that you are going down 77 so Charlotte is about the halfway point. Lots of places around there.

Actually, I just mapped it online. About 8 hours to Charlotte and just under that to Orlando.

One word of advice though....if you are staying somewhere just north of Charlotte, I wouldn't recommend Elkin. The exit I stayed at was very limited as far as places to eat etc. I think a little farther south by statesville is better.

 

[TinkOhio]

Thansk for the help! We're thinking about stopping in the Lake Norman area for the night.

 

[ADAMANDLISA]

Depending on where in Cleveland and what traffic is like, Elkin, NC would be about seven hours out. There is a Fairfield Inn there that's quite decent. Lots of others too I'm sure. Good luck with the drive.

We'll be staying at the HIExpress in Elkin a week from Friday on our way down!!!

One word of advice though....if you are staying somewhere just north of Charlotte, I wouldn't recommend Elkin. The exit I stayed at was very limited as far as places to eat etc. I think a little farther south by statesville is better.

How limited?

 

[Alexander]

MAKE A RESERVATION! That is the only advice I can give to you. We travel from Upstate NY, so I know were we'd be in 7 hours. But, I do know from experience that traveling that weekend you will not find a hotel anywhere near the major interstates (77, 95, etc.) with availability. We were traveling home one Good Friday and had to detour 40 miles inland from 95 to find a room. We looked for hours in NC and VA and everything was full. This is a very, very, very busy travel weekend. Not only the holiday, but there were a lot of snowbirds heading back north.

 

[kydisneyfans]

7 hours from Cleveland would keep you in VA. It was always 6 hours from Wytheville to Canton. Lake Norman is a good 150 miles or more beyond that.

 

[rrkman]

We'll be staying at the HIExpress in Elkin a week from Friday on our way down!!!



How limited?

If you are talking about the one at RT 67, there wasn't much there. A crackerbarrel, a family owned place, a gas station...maybe a couple other things. I just remember getting there and hoping to see a chain where I could get a meal and watch a sporting event....no such luck. There might be more as you go into elkin or whatever city that is but at the exit, not much.