MAximum travel time

[lbmiller77]

Oh, thank goodness we don't live in Minneapolis! We live just outside of Milwaukee so it's about 1250 miles or so. Still it's a LONG haul! DH plans to drive to just inside GA the first day and then to the Fort the next day. We are early risers and will want to get through Atlanta before morning rush hour, so we will likely be there around 2ish. We will also stay in a hotel that travel day in GA just for ease and conservation of time.

Fingers crossed!

We live right outside of Milwaukee too. We tented it on our last visit, but took our time coming down, spending 2 nights in hotels so that we could arrive at the fort in the morning. It worked out really well and set up was a breeze. A trip prior to that, we took my parents 5th wheel down and stayed overnight in Murfreesboro. It was a nice place to stop but it was not fun arriving at the fort at sunset. Setting up in the dark was miserable and going to our first park the following morning lost some of the joy because we were still tired from the drive.

 

[jaredjohn4]

We have been doing the straight through drive from just outside of Chicago for a few years now. 1100 miles and about 22 -23 hours with gas and food stops. We usually have breakfast near Atlanta. This spring break it will be a little different. I'm driving with a dog, pulling a fifth wheel. Already plotted out every fuel stop at 225-250 miles, so lots of breaks and no real timeline. Worst drive ever was way back in 1972, coming back from Ocala with a friend in his maverick. Dim bulbs were burned out, no cruise control, the spring on the gas pedal was so strong you would start your shift running 75 and end up barely doing 60 because you couldn't hold the pedal down anymore.

 

[5stljayhawks]

Out of St. Louis its around 1100 miles. I would go to south atlanata, so I didnt have to deal with morning traffic- Forsyth, GA KOA.. then have 400 or 450 next day. I have also broken it into 3 days, with going through Memphis, stayed across from graceland. I typically opt for a shorter drive second day if given the option.

 

[Ozgood]

We have been doing the straight through drive from just outside of Chicago for a few years now. 1100 miles and about 22 -23 hours with gas and food stops. We usually have breakfast near Atlanta. This spring break it will be a little different. I'm driving with a dog, pulling a fifth wheel. Already plotted out every fuel stop at 225-250 miles, so lots of breaks and no real timeline. Worst drive ever was way back in 1972, coming back from Ocala with a friend in his maverick. Dim bulbs were burned out, no cruise control, the spring on the gas pedal was so strong you would start your shift running 75 and end up barely doing 60 because you couldn't hold the pedal down anymore.

Wow! You might be my new hero! I would like to drive it straight through just to get it over with in one day. We are pulling a trailer and we both do our share of driving. However, with a 2 year old, it probably just isn't feasible. She's a good traveller, but that's asking a lot. We'll see! I'd like to just get as far down the road that we can so we have less the next day.

 

[KristinU]

Our ideal with two drivers is about 600 miles a day. That still gives us time to have dinner and walk the dogs before hitting the hay each night. My SIL and BIL live in Raleigh, so we often visit them on the way down to FL from CT, so we break it up into two nights on the road and don't drive as far that second day since we spend a few hours with them for breakfast or brunch. Without our visit with them we can do it with just one overnight.

 

[FtW Mike]

We are according to Good Sam 990.4 miles from the reception Outpost of the Fort. With 1 driver AKA Me for the coach I look at doing trip over 3 to 4 days. Lucille and I are both over 60 and travel with our fur kids. 2 cats and as of now 3 dogs. The two younger dogs are approx. 10 months old and we had planned on a max of 300 miles per day. We find for them and us a stop is needed about every 2 to 3 hours everyone gets to stretch their legs and get a quick bite and fresh drink. Hopeing that next year we can extend travel time a bit but on road by 8am and stopping by 4:30 pm is a good rule of thumb for us for now.

 

[pjpoppins]

Don't blast me...our first (and only time so far) down I did it straight. About 26 hours and 1350mi with stops. My wife doesn't haul but she stayed up most of the time minus cat naps. I didn't plan on it. We were gonna stop in SC but I just felt like getting there. We called Disney and they said they had a site we could check in early to but when we got there they said they had nothing so we boondocked in the overflow parking for a few hours. It was June but luckily it got down into the 70's that night as we didn't have a generator in our TT. The crazy thing is that I worked third shift Monday night then came home, went to the hospital to get a cortisone shot in my hip, then packed and got ready and headed out about 1a Tuesday morning. Got to Disney around 3a on Wednesday so I was up for almost 3 days. I know people are probably thinking that is dangerous but we took a lot of breaks and I never felt like it was unsafe. Grabbed a lot of coffees and a few energy drinks but that was it. Every time we stopped I'd stretch or even close my eyes for 20-30 minutes to give them a rest.

On the way home we stopped in Virginia and drove about 12 hours each day for 2 days (minus the 3 hour diversion in Hershey). I hated spending 2 days on the road. I will probably try to drive straight through again depending on if I fly the wife and DD down or not. This time though I want to get a full nights rest and stop to take a power nap or 2. Maybe make it a 30 hour trip or so.

 

[peg110]

We went down in August 2016 with the intent to Boondock along the way. We typically leave after work to get about 6 or 7 hours down the road and then pull over for about 6 to 8 hours of sleep. Get up and continue the rest of the way. What we didn't realize is, how hot the TT would get without the AC. It was so bad that we couldn't boondock it much. I ended up driving several more hours until about 4:30 AM, pulling over at a Cracker Barrel. Slept in the Truck with the AC running on it for a couple of hours, and then got up and had breakfast at the CB. Then continued on and was able to check-in a day early at the Fort.

Coffee and 5 hour energy (or maybe just a little boost of energy is what it felt like) a few times made it do-able. Glad you were able to make it like you did but that's not something I'd like to do. I don't like the 2+ days of driving, either, but I had enough of my 24 Hour+ shifts in the Military. I don't need it in my civilian life too.

 

[5kidsmommy]

So of course I had our trip all planned out for our 1100 mile drive arriving on a Sunday. I planned on leaving Friday early and stopping early Friday and doing the same thing on Saturday. I was hoping to keep each day at no more than 7 hours. But my husband is self employed and has to work on Friday. So this trip we will leave Saturday morning and drive to Savannah and stop for the night and then head into Disney on Sunday. Hopefully it won't take too long to make that drive. I like stopping close to Disney the night before we check in but that's a no go on this trip. I sure wish we lived closer.

 

[peg110]

I sure wish we lived closer.

I wish we did too. Maybe somewhere where the Snow/Ice/Freezing rain isn't as much an issue!

We also travel around 1100 miles from NE PA. I think if you leave early Saturday you will have no real issues getting there by Sunday. As you point out you probably won't get there until evening. To maximize our travel time with our work schedules, we usually leave in the early evening after work/school and drive about 6 hours or so... then we pull over somewhere and sleep for about 6-8 hours. Get up the next day get breakfast and drive all the next day (10 or so hours) . Again pulling over just outside of the Fort and spend the night... That way we can get up early the next day and get into the Fort in the day time. For us the initial motivation of doing this was to get through the DC Beltway during a lower travel time. (aiming for the area around 8 PM or so on a weekday). It does make a difference traveling at that hour, but now our newer route takes us 81 - 77 - 26 - 95 - 4 which bypasses the Beltway. It's about 40 miles longer but usually it's the same travel time (or quicker) especially when hauling the TT.

I know you said DH has to work on Friday, but perhaps an option like we do might make it a bit easier. I hate pulling into the Fort at Night. (or even early evening) Just a thought. Either way, hope you have an awesome trip.

 

[kstgelais4]

We travel from MA (21 hour trip with no stops) and typically drive straight through, switching drivers at the stops.

 

[peg110]

We travel from MA (21 hour trip with no stops) and typically drive straight through, switching drivers at the stops.

I'd love to do this but the only drivers we have had is me, DW who won't drive the truck with the TT attached, DD19 who doesn't want to drive (and I don't think she is ready yet anyway), and DD19's BF22 who is more than willing to drive, but Has actually been driving less time then the DD19 has. So I get stuck driving the whole way.

DW states she would take a turn driving if it were a Class A (or C) as long as there is no towing involved.

 

[rajak73]

1500 miles here, I'm the only driver, last time, left late morning, 397 miles to central Missouri, (in December you have to know what campgrounds are open or closed), then 450 miles to Manchester, TN KOA, then 419 miles to Valdosta, GA, then only 215 from the Fort on last day, we could drive farther if needed. Our last trip, I unwinterized here, (Nebraska) day before we left, set furnace at 45-50 degrees. Same thing coming home, after we got home, left furnace on low until next day when I rewinterized it. I agree with bjschil, the newer campers are easier to do. Used to do the drive in 2 1/2 to 3 days but was burned out after I got there and needed a day to recover.

 

[sambuster]

its around 1000 miles( 16 hours) from the house to the fort. if its just the dog, me and the camper I spilt up the drive and stop after 10 or 11 hours. I don't like to drive alone at night with the camper... Sambuster

 

[5kidsmommy]

I wish we did too. Maybe somewhere where the Snow/Ice/Freezing rain isn't as much an issue!

We also travel around 1100 miles from NE PA. I think if you leave early Saturday you will have no real issues getting there by Sunday. As you point out you probably won't get there until evening. To maximize our travel time with our work schedules, we usually leave in the early evening after work/school and drive about 6 hours or so... then we pull over somewhere and sleep for about 6-8 hours. Get up the next day get breakfast and drive all the next day (10 or so hours) . Again pulling over just outside of the Fort and spend the night... That way we can get up early the next day and get into the Fort in the day time. For us the initial motivation of doing this was to get through the DC Beltway during a lower travel time. (aiming for the area around 8 PM or so on a weekday). It does make a difference traveling at that hour, but now our newer route takes us 81 - 77 - 26 - 95 - 4 which bypasses the Beltway. It's about 40 miles longer but usually it's the same travel time (or quicker) especially when hauling the TT.

I know you said DH has to work on Friday, but perhaps an option like we do might make it a bit easier. I hate pulling into the Fort at Night. (or even early evening) Just a thought. Either way, hope you have an awesome trip.

This particular trip leaving after work won't be an option. He has concert work, he's a piano technician, and he won't be home until 8pm or later. Since we are driving to Savannah on Saturday that should put us at the Fort fairly early on Sunday. I checked the distance from the campground we are stopping at and it's just under 5 hours from the Fort. If we get up and on the road by 8am we should make it fairly early. Luckily we are only traveling with two of our teenagers so we won't need many stops at all. It's amazing how much further we can travel with older kids, instead of the multiple stops when we traveled with toddlers.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) When driving from Cleveland, we can do the trip in 18-hours (bonsai style).
2) If we feel relaxed, we stop overnight and drive 10-hrs and 8-hrs.

 

[tiggerdad]

Piece of advice here:

If you plan out your fuel stops make certain the "stop" is actually there. On a trip in 2015 a Flying J was actually a bulldozed parking lot as they were building a new one. I barely made it into next stop on fumes.

Also, check your intended stops on Google maps. You'd be amazed how much easier it is at some of the stops when I was already familiar with the layout.

 

[Ozgood]

I am late reporting back, but better late than never. We left home January 2nd, later than we had wanted to. We aimed to get on the road by 8am, but pulled out at 10:30am. We drove it straight through from WI to the Fort, but we took turns driving. I'll drive in the desolate areas, he hits the bigger cities. It wasn't that bad. We have a toddler and it was just easier to get the miles in while she was sleeping. We stopped in South Georgia and slept in the truck for a few hours while it rained heavily. After that, we were energized and saw it theough. Before we got to the Fort, we grocery shopped in Ocala and filled up on ice and provisions. Checked in a little after 2pm and got set up fairly quickly. I won't say I didn't melt into my bed later that night, but we both felt fine the next day. In fact, we said we'd do it again!

 

[hedg12]

You know it's funny - I push much harder going to Disney than I do otherwise. I made the 1300 mile drive from Wichita to DD's in Jacksonville strait through in about 20 hours with stops (through hurricane Hermine), but spent 3 days driving 1550 to Amherst MA in December. Guess being excited to be going to Disney helps pass the hours...

 

[peg110]

You know it's funny - I push much harder going to Disney than I do otherwise. I made the 1300 mile drive from Wichita to DD's in Jacksonville strait through in about 20 hours with stops (through hurricane Hermine), but spent 3 days driving 1550 to Amherst MA in December. Guess being excited to be going to Disney helps pass the hours...

It's amazing the "Energy" driving TO Disney as opposed to driving home FROM Disney.