Advice for a Road Trip NY to FL

GotToGetAway · Post by **GotToGetAway** » Sun Dec 22, 2013 11:02 pm

Planning a road trip one way NYC to FL. Anyone do this before and have advice on which routes to take or avoid?
Anything wonderful to stop and see along the way? We'll have 2 young kids in tow, so we have to balance the "interesting" with the "get me home as quickly as possible".

cool breeze · Post by **cool breeze** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 9:15 am

Have traveled from NH to the Jacksonville Florida area several times over the years. the biggest challenge this time of year is the weather! the normal route I would take would be rt 84 into PA. connect to RT 81 up around Wilkes Barre all the way to Rt 77 down through Charlotte NC then would pick up rt 26 to 95 then 95 the rest of the way into florida. This way is beautiful from a scenic perspective.
But I will say this time of year I would just go Jersey turnpike to 95 and follow the coast the whole way. South of The Border could be a novelty for young kids but other than that not a whole lot of things to explore this time of year. Either way if you are traveling during the winter months just be CAREFUL!!!
Happy planning and best of luck on your new venture.

John

shoemak38 · Post by **shoemak38** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 1:07 pm

I agree with cool breeze stay on I-95 this time of year. My only other suggestion if you're going over the holidays is to stop in Williamsburg and go to Busch Gardens.

My one Tip would be to buy a headphone jack splitter with a couple of 10 foot extension's and headphones for each of the kids and have them watch DVDs on a laptop that will keep them entertained

GotToGetAway · Post by **GotToGetAway** » Tue Dec 24, 2013 10:53 am

Thanks guys.
We were thinking of taking a scenic route, but from everything I've read I-95 is the best (plus it has rest stops and bathrooms).
We have borrowed a DVD player and a headphone splitter, thanks for that genius idea!

cocosmom · Post by **cocosmom** » Thu Dec 26, 2013 6:44 am

It all depends on where in NY and where in FL you are and amount of hours you want to drive a day. Done it many times from MA and twice from MD. 15 hours from Annapolis to Orlando. If you have never gone to DC a stop there would be great.. Lots of free stuff.

GotToGetAway · Post by **GotToGetAway** » Tue Dec 31, 2013 1:08 pm

Just got back from our trip. Started on Long Island at 6:45 am and got to South Carolina by evening. Stayed overnight and finished the last 650 miles yesterday and got back to the Miami area before 10pm. We stopped in Georgia at Jeckyl Island to see the Turtle Sanctuary, which was closed (felt like the Griswalds going to Wallyworld).
We brought the DVD player, but it ran out of charge after 1 movie and had no way of recharging it in the car. Had I planned that ahead of time, it would have been a real asset. Thank goodness the kids were exhausted from Christmas vacation and took lots of naps.
Thanks everyone for advice! If we do it in spring/summer/fall another time, I definitely want to stop in DC.

cocosmom · Post by **cocosmom** » Tue Dec 31, 2013 8:07 pm

If you do the DC stop in the future, feel free to PM me for advice if you have never been. Took my 3 year old grandson to the Air and Space Museum again today..his fav.

shoemak38 · Post by **shoemak38** » Wed Jan 01, 2014 3:14 pm

I should have told you to buy a power conversion module that you plug into (I'm dating myself) the cigarette lighter nowadays called a power port

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