where to stop on trip

[rtaylor0830 0]

Not sure if this was the right place to post this, but i am wondering if i am leaving from md to go to the fort, where is a good place to stop for a nights rest. I will be going with my wife and 2 young daughters, would you leave in the middle of the night, so they would sleep for part of the trip. One last thing how far would you go the first day, it is a 900 mile trip.

[.....Gary 85]

Motor home or tow vehicle?

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Are you wanting to do about 9 hours each day, or a long day and a short day?

I'll let the I-95 experts answer your questions

[rtaylor0830 0]

Tow vehicle and i am not sure on two equal days or long day short day.

[ftwildernessguy 778]

Where you coming from?

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

if i am leaving from md to go to the fort,

Looks like Maryland

[rdancemom... Pam 113]

I would leave at 4 am to be able to put DC & Richmond with all their construction delay nightmares behind you before the busier part of the morning. Whatever you do, don't leave anytime between 2 pm and 9 pm. We left at 2 for halloween and it took us more than 7 hours just to make it down to Fredericksburg. Left at 4 am the following month for the Thanksgiving trip south and cleared Richmond in less than 3 hrs...

[DaveInTN 3,247]

I don't travel that route so cannot answer with specific experience for you...I just wanted to say that if you take Pam's advice about leaving at 4am, you could get 600 miles or so under your belts that first day. Then you would arrive somewhat fresh the second day having traveled 300 miles or so. You'd still have time after checkin to setup the site and do something...or just get a giddyap n go chicken dinner and enjoy it. We usually go the full 700 miles in one day on the way home...so 600 should be doable if you don't get killed with traffic. But on the way down we always break it up into two days...a shorter one and a longer one.

[Duane 150]

Going down, I would suggest that you take your time and drive what you feel is comfortable. I agree with Pam and Dave's advice about doing everything that you can in order to get DC and Richmond behind you a quickly as you can. From Richmond all the way to Florida, I don't recall any other major traffic tie up's that you may encounter.

If you take it easy on your way down, you are more likely to be more rested and ready to usher those little one's around and deal with their excitement. If you get there all worn out from the drive, then patience for all may be in short supply.

From our driveway in NC, it's appox. 642 miles to the entrance to the Fort. We drive the first day to Brunswick GA, and stay at Coastal GA RV resort for the night, then its only about a 3 1/2 hr drive from there to the Fort.

Years ago, when I pulled a TT and then later on a 5'er, we would leave around 4:30 AM and drive straight through. When I did this, I found that I was more fatigued when I got to the Fort not only due to the drive, but me being vigilent on what was going on around me pulling that large mass down the road. I guess I was more mentally drained than physically.

Now for the drive home, we usually get up and hot shot it home. I've had my vacation, had a good time and trying to get home to make more money so that we can come back.

Take a look at this: http://www.i95exitguide.com/index.php I have used this as a planning guide as I travel in the infamous I-95. It will show what all of the construction is going on, where all of the restaurants are, as well as places to stay. And for you and the little ones, where the potty stops are.

A couple of things that I will mention that were the best pieces of information that I have ever been given about the travel to and from Disney:

1. Once you get to Jacksonville, do not take I-95 through town. Instead, take Hwy 9A around the city. Going south, its basically the clockwise direction around the city. Its a quick travel around that is a pleasure to drive. There is one very high bridge that you have to go over, but I would say its no higher than the bridge over the James River on 295 in Richmond. Going through J'ville pulling a trailer is not for the faint of heart.

2. Once on I-4W and you get to Sanford FL and cross a big lake, look for Hwy 417. This is an outer loop that take you all the way around Orlando and drop you off almost at Disney's front door. It is a toll road, but believe me, what you pay in tolls will certainly out weigh the white knuckle experience you "may" have when traveling I-4 through the City of Orlando. Its a little longer distance wise, but a very comfortable drive. Just follow 417 to 536 once you get close to Disney, follow the signs to the Magic Kingdom, and there you will be directed to the Fort. There are other ways in, but if this is your first trip down, this is the easiest.

If you have a toll transponder for your area check to see if it works in Florida, this may save you a few coins on the tolls.

[.....Gary 85]

Once you decide how far you are going the first day, check out wecamphere.com for campground reviews in that area. If there aren't any, when you get home write a review about where you stayed. It will help a nice lady.

[ftwildernessguy 778]

Depending on how far you are from DC, I would probably leave earlier than 0400. In fact, I would time it so I could get through Richmond before 0600. I hate the bypass around Richmond, it is really long so I get there prior to the morning rush and pass through. If possible, come in on 270 from Frederick and pick up the DC beltway on the Western loop. Much easier drive than the Eastern loop. I take a long drive the first day and get down to Georgia if possible. Nice places to overnight are :

http://www.newgreenacres.com/ in Walterboro, SC near the Georgia border or:

http://koa.com/campgrounds/savannah/ outside of Savannah, GA

Either of these campgrounds will put you a few hours and an easy drive to WDW. They are both easy on/off from 95

I second the 9A bypass around Jax. It is a great route.

I also agree with bypassing Orlando on the 417, but I go a different way and it is apretty nice drive. Continue south on 95 past the I4 exit to 407. This will link you up with 528. Take 528 to 417 to WDW. It will cost a few bucks in tolls and the toll booths are kind of a pain but sure beats fighting Orlando traffic pulling a trailer.

[rdancemom... Pam 113]

Depending on how far you are from DC, I would probably leave earlier than 0400. In fact, I would time it so I could get through Richmond before 0600. I hate the bypass around Richmond, it is really long so I get there prior to the morning rush and pass through. If possible, come in on 270 from Frederick and pick up the DC beltway on the Western loop. Much easier drive than the Eastern loop.

I always lived by this advice in past years but have to disagree for this year. Unless they change the contruction nightmare the western loop has become - or unless you're close to 270 and the western end anyway - I'd avoid it. That's what added 7 hrs to our drive down for Halloween and made it especially bad on gas, not to mention my stress level. We just drove to Tysons Corner a few weeks ago for DD11's birthday party too - on new year's day without typical dc traffic - but it still took about an hour longer than it should have b/c of the construction.

IMO Go early - as early as possible - and go east around dc. Unless it's rush hour, the construction in Richmond shouldn't be too awful. I was pleasantly surprised on i-95 there. We usually do the bypass so I imagined i95 being much worse than it actually was on a weekend. It was getting past Fredericksburg that was the biggest issue for us in Oct.

[ftwildernessguy 778]

This year I'm going to pick up 81 near Harrisburg, then take 77 to 26 and pick up 95 in South Carolina. I should be able to leave at a reasonable hour and miss all the traffic mess in the 95 corridor between DC and Richmond.

[rdancemom... Pam 113]

I've heard the 81 option works well. I like more level ground though. I thought about picking up rt 15 south and getting past the mess that way before getting back on i95 too. It works in van when I'm taking the girls to Kings Dominion but never tried it with the TT.

[ftwildernessguy 778]

I did the route 15 once but it seemed to take forever. That was about 20 years ago, though, and 15 was 2 lanes for a good part of the trip. It may be better now. As far as the mountains go, we took 81 to pigeon forge last year and it wasn't bad. I have driven the whole route I described before and it seems to be okay except around Mt Airy where there is a lot of fog. I just go slow and hug the right lane. Who cares who passes me, I'm not in a hurry anyway.