I'd do it, BUT before I'd commit to it, I'd do a total cost analysis of what driving would cost: Gas, hotel, a few goodies to keep the kids entertained. Meals on the road are a little tricky. You'd have to feed your family at home, but you'll spend more on the road -- even if you picnic, that tends to mean convenience foods and they're more expensive than what I eat at lunch at home -- so it's fair to consider the difference between what you'd spend at restaurants vs. what you'd prepare at home, and consider that your "road food" cost.
Once you figure out what it's going to cost, check and compare airfare. Be fair about this too: Include the cost of any ground transportation you're going to need, checking luggage, loss of the ease of bringing drinks conveniently. Don't forget to include the cost of parking your car at the airport. IF you could get it
close, I'd go for the convenience and fly -- but if driving = significant savings, do it!
While you're comparing, count your hours too. Don't forget that flying may only mean two hours in the air, but a fair comparison would include driving to the airport, arriving an hour early (two hours, depending upon the time and date) early to get the luggage and security taken care of.
Actually, I've been looking at something simliar recently:
We're going on a cruise out of Miami next summer, and I was trying to find a cheap airline flight. We can get there for only $79/each -- well, $59, but we'd have to drive to an airport three hours away to catch that flight, so it doesn't seem worthwhile -- to fly into Ft. Lauderdale, which is a short drive from the port . . . but the very best I can do for the return trip is $129. So I figured up the total cost for the six of us to fly, and by the time I'd included taxes/fees, ground transportation, meals, etc., it was a tad over $1600. I tried every trick in the book, and that is
the best I can do.
Then I figured up our driving cost. Just under $400, which includes a little extra gas for driving around, meals on the road, and parking for a week at the port.
The upshot of the math exercise is that
I've accepted that driving 13 hours is not only do-able, but it's the smart choice. Seeing that it costs less than 25% to drive has changed my attitude about driving (yes, even with four teenagers). Driving means that $1200 stays in my checking account, and that's enough for us to do some cool stuff on the cruise: Drive jet skis, take some cool tours, drink loads of fru-fru drinks. I wouldn't drive to save $200 . . . but to avoid spending $1200 is fine.
Stopped at McDonalds - he could play on the playground equipment and then eat in the van.
We used to do this too. DH'd take the kids straight to the playground while I ordered food for him and me. We'd let them play, play, play while the two of us ate -- we'd feel like the worst parents in the whole world, of course, eating while our kids had nothing! But then when it was time to go, one of us would get the kids' shoes on while the other bought Happy Meals for the car. It was an efficient use of time, and they certainly didn't think they were being abused because they weren't "eating with us".
We start out late in the day and drive as much as we can through the night while the kids sleep. Then day 2 we would stop in Georgia; Macon, Tifton, or Valdosta. We would have an early dinner, let the kids swim/relax. The the next day it is a much shorter drive, especially from Valdosta.
Planning is key! We pack everything in the car the night before, even purses and backpacks. DH and I sleep, but we let -- no, we encourage -- the kids to stay up as late as they can. They get their baths the night before, and they go to bed wearing sweat pants or something else comfortable. The next morning we wake them, and they just stumble into the car, where they resume their sleep. We always get a lot of good miles behind us before they wake and request a late breakfast.
Your specific plans might vary, but thinking through the drive makes everything so much easier. Now that mine are teens, we let them say how they want to manage. They do a pretty good job, but they've had practice!