Merry

Hi, I'm sure I remember someone else on here asking about this but can't find the thread.
I am driving to Florida next week with my 3 children (14, 11 and 7) and looking for any advice. Please. Don't tell me not to do it - I have to as I am meeting up with my parents for my Dad's 70th birthday, but can't afford to fly.
I'm hoping to complete the journey in 3-4 days and need suggestions for places to stop en route. It is just me driving but the children are all good traveller's so shouldn't be too difficult
Thanks

kimilseung

This maybe?

Merry

Perfect, thank you.

Howefamily - how was the journey?

magnumpi

Its not a cray idea, i have spoken to quite a few people who have driven to Florida, once.

I drove from Toronto to North Carolina then Virginia Beach then Philly then back via Saracuse.

I drove 500km a day, this took aprox 7-8 hours a day at or close to the speed limit.

I think 8 hours is long enough for driving with a 30 min break at about 4 hours. But you could push it to a 12 hour a day drive, or even share the driving.

scrubbedexpat133

Where in Florida??? 3 - 4 days is realistic if you drive 8 - 10 hours a day, You have 2 major obstacles - New York and Washington - both are horrendous at rush hour ie 6 - 10am and 4 - 8pm

I would aim for Hartford CT day 1

Rocky Mount NC day 2

Savannah GA / Jacksonville FL day 3

Destination FL day 4

Merry

We're going to Orlando. Thanks for the suggestions, I really appreciate them.

Jerseygirl

Takes 2 days to drive from Orlando to North New Jersey...staying overnight around SC/NC. Sorry I can't help you driving further north.

Partially discharged

Just remember when you get there you have the riveting drive back...I've done it once from Ontario to Florida and the endless repitition of chain restaurants,chain hotels, crap food and mind numbing american radio made the thought of driving back pretty dire when we were in florida.

Good luck and make sure to pick up coupons for hotels when you enter a state at their interstate welcome centre.

RICH

Remember, you don't after all, need an international driver permit in Florida, but it won't hurt to be aware of the debacle.

http://www.flhsmv.gov/IDP.htm

Howefamily

Hi Merry, not done it yet as we had to postpone to October (changed job and need to be at work in March)
Still looking forward to it, still cant wait.

I have been researching how to keep the kids happy and have met stacks of people who constantly do it - so enjoy!
And please let us know how it went

jimmydean

Hi I have friends in NS who do it on a regular basis.They always take 3 days and 2 nights in hotel driving approx 10 hours each day. They avoid NYC and Washington......they swear by going the usual route (Moncton..Houlton..I95) as far as Hartford, CT they then bear right and end up bypassing NYC etc on the I81 (The next big North - South Interstate to the left) going down the Shenandoah valley then onto to Roanoke, VA Charlotte NC before rejoining the I95 back down in South Carolina they usually stop 1st night Hartford and Second Night at Roanoke, VA.

Merry

Well, the three children and I made it safely to Florida. I drove from NS to Portsmouth, NH on the first day. Driving in NS, NB and northern Maine was fine. We had to wait more than two hours at the border because apparently the computer systems were down. The last three and a half hours were driving through a snowstorm in Southern Maine at no more than 30mph.

The second day I drove through MA, RI, CT, NY, NJ, DE, MD and DC, arriving in Alexandria, VA for the night. I drove through Manhattan and over the George Washington bridge and through the centre of Washington with no delays whatsoever.

Day three I drove VA to Savannah, Georgia - again with no delays. Driving time was around 10-11 hours each day which I found was fine.

Yesterday, I arrived in Orlando. After a relatively eventless trip we got stuck in a three hour traffic jam within an hour of Orlando - typical!, but at least we are here now.

The children were all fine and didn't cause as much chaos as they do on a usual half hour journey home from Halifax.

Now to find out how the return journey goes in ten days time...

jimmydean

Well Done

Shard

Brilliant. Thanks for the real-time update too. Enjoy FL.

Howefamily

thanks for the info! Now have an awesome holiday!!!