Driving from NJ to Orlando.

[sent]

Next week, we are doing the drive down to Orlando. Google Maps says 16 hours. Has anyone done this and have any tips like good places to stop for gas/snacks/fast food meals?

We are planning to leave at night around 8 or 9 pm and drive through the night straight to Orlando. On the way back, we are thinking of leaving Orlando after lunch, driving to Savannah for dinner, then driving to Charleston to spend the night. The next morning, we drive around Charleston, have lunch, drive and check out Myrtle Beach, and then continue north until we get home. We can take our time getting home as we're leaving on Thursday afternoon and don't need to be home until late Saturday. 

[dcn]

I’ve done a drive from Savannah to New York and back a few times and the only advice I have is to combine stops as much as you can. Gas, food, bathroom all in one stop so you don’t have to stop more than that. Otherwise your 16 hour drive will be 18 or 19 pretty quickly.

For food, H and I usually bring stuff for us bc neither of us really like fast food all that much. Just easy things like pbj, fruit, trail mix etc. Lots of snacks for the kids. More than you think.

Also, traffic blows, so make sure you don’t wait to the last minute to fill up in case you get stuck in traffic for an hour or more. We drove Columbia to Orlando in February and it should have taken about 7 hours. It took 10 1/2 mostly due to traffic.

[meganew]

We just did this drive from Philly to Disney- it was our 3rd time. I will say the first time we did it the way you’re planning and it was really difficult. The plan was one person would drive and the other would sleep, but we were both so tired that we didn’t feel comfortable sleeping while the other was driving because we were worried they’d doze off at the wheel and then we were both delirious by the time we pulled in. The last two times we’ve gone to bed super early (like 7 or 8) then got up at 1:30am and left right away. Kids slept in the car for a few more hours and we had enough sleep that with coffee and adrenaline we felt fine.

For keeping the kids busy we always get them a new book or two that they’re excited about, they have music players to listen to, Lego boxes, markers and crayons, window markers, etc. and of course video games and the iPad if they need it.

[sent]

Apr 3, 2022 8:27:34 GMT -5 dcn said:

I’ve done a drive from Savannah to New York and back a few times and the only advice I have is to combine stops as much as you can. Gas, food, bathroom all in one stop so you don’t have to stop more than that. Otherwise your 16 hour drive will be 18 or 19 pretty quickly.

Any stops you know off hand that are combo stops like this? I definitely want them all combined. 

[VillainV]

Apr 3, 2022 15:39:26 GMT -5 sent said:

Apr 3, 2022 8:27:34 GMT -5 dcn said:

I’ve done a drive from Savannah to New York and back a few times and the only advice I have is to combine stops as much as you can. Gas, food, bathroom all in one stop so you don’t have to stop more than that. Otherwise your 16 hour drive will be 18 or 19 pretty quickly.

Any stops you know off hand that are combo stops like this? I definitely want them all combined. 

We just look at the blue info signs before each exit. As you approach the outskirts of any major city, you’ll find lots of exits that have both food and gas. Either one of those will also have a bathroom.

If you’re looking for a place for kids to run around, we have found that a lot of state rest areas are good for 5-10 minutes of wind sprints and a bathroom break (some also have vending machines for water and snacks).

I would also recommend getting started earlier if it’s feasible. Unless one or both of you regularly work the night shift, your circadian rhythms are just not optimized for night driving, and it can actually be quite dangerous. Instead, I’d recommend leaving as early as you can after work (5 or 6?), drive for a few hours then stop for dinner (and change kids into PJs if you want), then drive for another few hours until maybe 10 or 11, then stop at a hotel, get up early and hit the road at 6 or 7.

[dcn]

Apr 3, 2022 15:39:26 GMT -5 sent said:

Apr 3, 2022 8:27:34 GMT -5 dcn said:

I’ve done a drive from Savannah to New York and back a few times and the only advice I have is to combine stops as much as you can. Gas, food, bathroom all in one stop so you don’t have to stop more than that. Otherwise your 16 hour drive will be 18 or 19 pretty quickly.

Any stops you know off hand that are combo stops like this? I definitely want them all combined. 

We usually wing it and just use the blue signs or google maps. Like pp suggested a rest stop if you need to get the kids to run around for a few minutes.

We also do not drive overnight, it’s not worth the risk of falling asleep to me. We either leave very early or stop overnight 2/3 of the way.

[sent]

Apr 3, 2022 17:38:34 GMT -5 VillainV said:

I would also recommend getting started earlier if it’s feasible. Unless one or both of you regularly work the night shift, your circadian rhythms are just not optimized for night driving, and it can actually be quite dangerous. Instead, I’d recommend leaving as early as you can after work (5 or 6?), drive for a few hours then stop for dinner (and change kids into PJs if you want), then drive for another few hours until maybe 10 or 11, then stop at a hotel, get up early and hit the road at 6 or 7.

Any earlier than 7 and we figured we'd hit rush hour traffic trying to get out of central NJ as we drive toward Philadelphia and DC. I'll check with my husband because he goes between NJ and DC with the kids and I know recently they hit a ton of traffic on one of their trips when they left at 3. If there's no traffic it takes them just over 3 hours. I'm the road block in leaving any earlier. I don't think I can leave work at 2 that day to get home by 3. 

I don't have an issue falling asleep in the passenger seat and then getting up at random hours of the night to do stuff. Of course if we feel like we're both fading, we'll either pull over at a rest stop to sleep a bit or find ourselves a hotel. 

We haven't been on a road trip to a new location in forever. I feel so unprepared LOL. 

[orval]

Also beware that traffic on 95 sucks through SC, GA, FL sometimes, not just the northern states. We are in Charlotte and it should take about 8 hours to Orlando, but often takes 10 due to traffic. With spring break traffic you are likely to come to a standstill in SC at some point.
We usually stop overnight just even though it is not a super long drive just because it is so taxing to drive in the traffic.

[sju]

Echoing what others have said about traffic in SC, GA and FL. I-95 in SC has only 4 lanes (2 in each direction) and they need capacity improvements badly. There’s a bad northbound bottleneck as you cross from GA.

[af1212]

I have not done this specific drive but we always do our stops at a mall. Bathroom, food, gas, usually a Starbucks, and kids can get their energy out walking around in the mall even if it’s raining.

Pre-COVID we could often find a mall with an indoor playground too.

[af1212]

Apr 3, 2022 18:25:46 GMT -5 sent said:

Apr 3, 2022 17:38:34 GMT -5 VillainV said:

I would also recommend getting started earlier if it’s feasible. Unless one or both of you regularly work the night shift, your circadian rhythms are just not optimized for night driving, and it can actually be quite dangerous. Instead, I’d recommend leaving as early as you can after work (5 or 6?), drive for a few hours then stop for dinner (and change kids into PJs if you want), then drive for another few hours until maybe 10 or 11, then stop at a hotel, get up early and hit the road at 6 or 7.

Any earlier than 7 and we figured we'd hit rush hour traffic trying to get out of central NJ as we drive toward Philadelphia and DC. I'll check with my husband because he goes between NJ and DC with the kids and I know recently they hit a ton of traffic on one of their trips when they left at 3. If there's no traffic it takes them just over 3 hours. I'm the road block in leaving any earlier. I don't think I can leave work at 2 that day to get home by 3. 

I don't have an issue falling asleep in the passenger seat and then getting up at random hours of the night to do stuff. Of course if we feel like we're both fading, we'll either pull over at a rest stop to sleep a bit or find ourselves a hotel. 

We haven't been on a road trip to a new location in forever. I feel so unprepared LOL. 

I leave Phila area at 5 am (when Starbucks opens) to drive north and south. This puts me through NY or through DC before rush hour. So I think you would be ok leaving at 4/4:30 from where you are.


ETA - I now see you guys were talking about PM. Duh. I still would rather get up early and drive than drive through the night. I think it’s much safer.

[Wines Not Whines]

My mom lives in FL, so we’ve done the drive down I-95 many times. The section of I-95 between DC and Richmond is a traffic nightmare. If you can plan your trip so you go through there early in the morning or late at night, you can save 2 hours of sitting in traffic.

[sent]

Apr 7, 2022 20:32:58 GMT -5 Wines Not Whines said:

My mom lives in FL, so we’ve done the drive down I-95 many times. The section of I-95 between DC and Richmond is a traffic nightmare. If you can plan your trip so you go through there early in the morning or late at night, you can save 2 hours of sitting in traffic.

Thank you!

I checked the work schedule today and looks like we may be able to leave as soon as DD gets home so by 3:30. I knew when I booked this that driving straight through to arrive at our hotel by Friday evening would be rough but my husband insisted. Now it’s too late to change our arrival date so we have to suck it up and make the best of it.