The plan is pretty simple. We're going to leave tonight right around the kids' bedtime. Figure we'll toss in a movie they've already seen 20 times so that they'll drift off to sleep to something familiar, and then we can crank along while they snooze. Leaving at 9PM puts us through the NYC area (we are going around) sometime around 1 in the morning, and should get us through DC before rush hour begins. Ideally, barring minimal stops, we should be able to reach Richmond, VA by breakfast time - 8AM, figuring minimal stops for bathroom breaks, driver changes, and refueling.
After a leisurely breakfast and some time to stretch our legs (figure a couple hours), back on the road with the ultimate destination of Savannah, GA to find a hotel for the night. If we can keep the stops to a minimum, we should be pulling into Savannah or thereabouts on the later side of dinner time (7PM ish). We'll catch dinner, then crash in the hotel on the early side (anyone have any places to see - or avoid - in the greater Savannah area?)
If we can get up early and get right on the road (like by 8AM), we could theoretically be pulling into Disney by check-in time. It would be really nice to get to our cabin at Fort Wilderness, unload the car, stretch our legs, then head over to the Magic Kingdom - I hear one of Florida's famous residents will be there with his family (and hopefully pants). With any kind of luck, the G.'s and the Allens will be able to rendezvous for a dinner full of hyperactive children and beer steins you could drive an Oldsmobile through...
So here's the basic rundown, with estimated times from Google maps:
- Late Thurs. - Fri. morning: Drive through the night to get through DC before rush hour. Stop in mid-VA (Richmond-ish) for breakfast. (10 hours travel time MA - Richmond)
- Friday: Drive from Richmond VA to stop for the night around Savannah GA. (8 hours travel time Richmond - Savannah)
- SaturdayAM: Get up early and on the road to arrive at our hotel by 2-3PM (5 hours travel time Savannah - Orlando).
Of course, everyone in that car was over 9 years old, at least physically...
The best laid plans of mice and men, and all that. I have no idea what kind of traffic we'll get into; how many additional "potty breaks" we'll have to take because one of the kids suddenly remembers they have to go as we're pulling back on the highway from a stop. I'm sure there will be unforeseen glitches and bumps in the road along the way; there almost always are in a road trip. The kids have never done a trip this far before - they've been as far as Baltimore to visit friends, however that was at a much younger age. I suspect with the DVD player, iPods, and Nintendo DSs they'll be okay.
I'm looking forward to hitting the open road. We haven't taken a road trip in quite a while - getting the camper in 2007 put an end to the long-distance wandering, as we explored campgrounds around New England (I don't like towing the camper much further than the Cape or the White Mountains...) I've always loved road trips; the open road has long held a unique fascination for me. The simple fact that I can hope in my car and drive, literally, for days on end with nothing more needed than money for gas and tolls is one of the greatest things about our country. No papers needed, no passports required, no reason necessary other than "I wanted to see what it was like here".
And tonight we're going to be rolling down I-95 in search of a giant rodent. I can't wait.
That is all.
14 comments:
Drive safe, and be careful of strange women at truck stops.
;-)
Safe trip, Traffic wise, and sanity wise also!
I didn't notice "sleep" mentioned in the itinerary for the driver(s?).
Have a safe trip!
Assume you have a GPS. Pay close attention to the signs on the DC area interstates. It's easy to get off track. Make sure you avoid the DC rush at ALL costs.
Go to the Animal Kingdom Safari either first thing in the AM or late in the day.
Have a safe trip ( .... and keep telling yourself ...it's vacation.....and you're having fun. )
Safe travels. Check out The Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum in Savannah. It's a little pricey but well worth the vist and easy to get to.
Jay,
My family used to drive from NJ to St. Petersburg, FL to visit my grandparents when I was a kid. (This was either in a 1966 Imperial or a 1970 Imperial, depending on the year).
Three kids of varying ages in the back seat (with me usually stuck in the middle as I was the youngest). Books (we're all readers) and some silly games were all we had for amusement. That, and singing along with the radio. (I still remember some truly silly made-up lyrics to the Herb Alpert hit "Spanish Flea"...)
IIRC, two of the games revolved around what cars you saw on the road. One was trying to find all 50 state license plates (Never did see a Hawaiian plate until about 5 years ago...) and the other was trying to get different makes of cars. Of course, back then cars were a little more distinctive, but you might get the little G's working on the license plate count...
Have a great and safe trip, Jay, and pat the rodent for me!
Enjoy.
Have fun!
Be a kid for awhile!
Went there in 2006 with the boyz ages 13 and 11.
Was a wonderful time.
Disney was awesome and the Epcot center? We spent one day and two evenings there.
No drive, not from Minnesotah in February...Flew, in spite of my intense hatred and dislike of flying.
Have a great time, Jay. I'm jealous.
Jay,
If you're truly going to be in Savannah for dinner, spend a few extra $$$$ and have dinner on the water front. I can't give you the name of a specific place, but the restaurants are terrific and strolling that part of town with your better half makes for a very pleasant evening.
Safe travels,
- Brad
Absolutely top off your fuel tanks in NJ. The prices on the turnpike are the lowest you'll find north of the Carolinas. I drive to philly, monthly, myself, and find that traffic between MA and DE is easy until 6:15
You've got a 5% chance of hitting traffic or an oversized vehicle convoy on the GW bridge during the overnight. It's a gamble, but it saves 45 minutes compared to taking the Tappan Zee route.
on 95, figure 4 hours to get from Boston to the NJ turnpike with one 5-min pee break in CT. Another 90 minutes to the Delaware memorial bridge with a 10-15 min fuel and bathroom/snack break on the NJ turnpike. It's actually not a bad ride. Going 10 over the limit, I can get from the South Shore to Philly in 5 hrs 40 minutes during the overnight (The slow economy gained me 30 minutes w/the lost traffic).
As for Savannah, the Riverwalk is a MUST. Kevin Barry's is the most traditional Irish pub you'll find in the US, (and this is a sailor of Irish descent talking. I know seaport bars like Teddy K knew swimming). Like any pub in Ireland, kids are fine, as there is a dining section w/ excellent pub grub well away from the bar, and often live music next door.
Have a great trip. Try to count how many "south of the border" billboards you see. I guess...62.
Have a safe trip, and wave as you pass exit 32 in CT. I don't envy you though, I've done that drive before; never again. I'll be treking up to the White Mts this weekend, about 5hrs each way for me. That's enough.
You're welcome to chill int he Philly 'burbs on the way back, if you need a clean potty and a home-cooked meal
Are you hitting all the parks? Disney World is cool. Epcot and MGM are awesome. I could do with out the zoo thing though - when I was there we saw like 3 little freaky monkeys and a rhino about 1000 yards off.
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