Drive to Florida?

Who has driven to Florida, and how bad was it? Would you split the drive up between 2 days, with a hotel stay between, or drive on through? It is about a 24 hour drive from here.

We have friends who want us to go with them, and we would borrow their mini-van and they would drive our car as they only have 2 kids, and we have 3, and I need to be able to get back to Kitty if she is throwing a hissy  fit.

Secondly, would the drive be worth it, if you are only staying 3 nights? Our friends have already rented a place, a 2 bedroom suite, and would be sharing with us. Their two kids are the same age as my boys, and they are BFF's. They are pretty good friends with the people, but never have done anything like this before.

Thoughts, opinions, and ideas please!

Thanks!

CC

Never driven to Florida, but we just drove all the way across the US. I would definitely split the drive up and stay in a hotel for a night. You can't keep the kids cooped for that long, trust me! I would do it, even if you are only staying 3 nights. Road trips are pretty fun! Will you have time to stop and do things along the way?

I would say definetely a night sleep somewhere and also try to rent the place longer , 3 days is really short considering you will drive for at least 4 days... back and forth.

sounds like hell to me we have done something similar on 2 occasions and it was NOT fun! the first time was with just DS and we drove straight through (14hr trip) and the second time was with 2 DCs and like 14hrs (14hrs to drive, but was actually only like 10 hr trip if we had gone without stopping... but that would have been impossible with 2 kids) that we broke up into 2 days. we had to stop every 3 hours b/c i was BFing little bug. i would NEVER do the 2nd trip again. the baby didnt like being in her carseat for that long at a stretch and honestly i couldnt blame her

Mulva Delores:

sounds like hell to me  

 

This is as far as I made it into your post.  As a momma of 3, and just having moved 2 states away (19 1/2 hours car trip with even a 14 year-old girl along to help)...  just making a one-way trip with a nursing baby and a 3 year-old (and 6 year-old)...  Well, I didn't even need to read the rest.  You said it all.

 We drove from Wisconsin to California this summer (about 30 hours one way)  We had to split up the drive into 4 days.  My kids were 5,3 and 9 months.  We made MANY, MANY stops.

I'm in Florida.. I've driven from South West Florida to New Hampshire about 5 or 6  times (3 in one year) and to me it really really depends. We split it up a couple times, but others drove straight through. Our straight through drive we left at 1 am, and we were in NH by 11 that night. To me the drive seemed way worse when we would stop as opposed to just not stopping and switiching off driving. We would take on states. I would take on Florida(It takes us 7 hours just to get out of Fla because of how far south we are) and Georgia then switch up and he'd take the Carolinas and so forth and it wasn't as bad.. I just think it depends on how tired u get really

 My parents and 7&9 year old sisters just drove to Florida last month from Southern IL, I think it was something like a 13 hour drive? My mother wanted to fly, but my stepfather insisted that he wanted to drive through the mountains... Well they enjoyed driving through the mountains, but they were so tired by the time they got to them that my mom and sisters definitely did not enjoy it as much as they should have. Then they stayed in Florida for a week enjoying themselves, but when it came time to drive back they REALLY didn't want to. They had seen it all and just wanted to be home already.

That being said, it does save a bit of money I think, but I'm not sure it's worth the time. I couldn't imagine driving 2 days, staying 3 days, then driving another 2 back.

Around 3 weeks ago, we took a 14 hour trip to visit my crazy in-laws who thought it was a good idea to schedule a family get-together that far away.  We drove through the night to get there b/c it was easier on the kids and we could stop less.  Plus dh was limited on how much time off of work he had.  Let me tell you... it was NO FUN!  We were only there for 3 days, too, before we had to turn around and drive home.  We were so exhausted... it took us like 2 weeks to recover!  Seriously, I told my dh that I really think a divorce would be much more fun than to make that type of drive again.  (Hint, hint to him!)  Next time, he can do it w/o me.  And we did it with my 1 year old and 3 year old... not even little, nursing babies!  If you really want to do it, you can make it happen and even try to make it fun.  But I get antsy in the car for more than a 4 hour car drive, so I am probably not the best person to ask for encouragement!   

  iv driven to florida many times but it is at most a 6 hour drive for me 

my dad lives in panama city where are u headed? its tons of fun if you go in the right season 

do not go anytime between november-march everything is closed and u wont be going in the ocean thats for sure

i would also avoid july and august bc it can be very hotttttttt  especially if u arent accustommed  to heat

MyLittleMonkey:

i would also avoid july and august bc it can be very hotttttttt  especially if u arent accustommed  to heat

Agree!

Really the best time to go IMO is the fall and winter bc of the lovely temps. I used to live in Orlando, and would travel back and forth to NC (about 7 hour drive), so no where as long as your trip would be! With small children, it is hard to ride in the car for that long. I would suggest flying, but that gets me so nervous to think how my children would behave at the airport and on the plane . If you do it, I would def. break up the trip, that way it's not quite as exhausting, And TBH, I'm not too sure a 3 day stay would be worth it. If I were staying at least a week or more I think the drive could be worth it. GL and have fun with whatever you decide!!    xoxo

eta: maybe you could extend your stay? FLA is so large, maybe you can visit another city and stay there a couple days. Don't know where you are going, but I have been to Disney World many many times in my life, and, esp. w/ children, it is a blast!!!! If you are headed that way, I would DEF. suggest stopping off there! (if you didn't have plans to) GL!

We go to Florida from Toronto each winter and talk about driving but always end up flying. One of these days... but not with a young baby(she, and Kitty are still free!) ! Last year we flew out of Buffalo and it was so worth it. Pearson is such a big airport, whereas in Buffalo, my DH checked us all in, bags included, while I stayed with the kids in the car. It was so easy. And, it was a fraction of the cost. We stayed with my parents for 10 days though, so it might not be worth it for 3 days. I think the airfare was $800 and change, vs Air Canada that was more than twice that. If you drive, I would try leaving in the middle of the night and try getting down to one of the southern states to stay for a night (i.e. do more than half that first day). Lots of DVDs, and bribes for the kids - I am sure your trip will be worth it. I would make a compromise somewhere - either fly and stay with your friends or drive and get your own place. I would probably go with the latter, if I had to choose - and stay a few extra days. Enjoy!

I would def split it up between 2 days with kids unless you can leave right at bed time and take turns sleeping. I drove there from Michigan so it was 48 hours but I also drove to California from here and thts 12 hours and that was a really hard trip but we managed. We had to stop a lot when the kids woke up to get food and get aout of the car but it is possible. I would probably do it just for the experiene because it sounds like you guys will have alot of fun with each other.`

charliecats:

Secondly, would the drive be worth it, if you are only staying 3 nights?

charliecats:

Secondly, would the drive be worth it, if you are only staying 3 nights?

 

The 24 hour drive alone does not sound pleasant, but for a 3 night stay? NO WAY!!! It's really just not worth it for you or the kids. 

MyLittleMonkey:

do not go anytime between november-march everything is closed and u wont be going in the ocean thats for sure

i would also avoid july and august bc it can be very hotttttttt  especially if u arent accustommed  to heat

 

That for sure depends on where you go. For some even right now is too hot to stil visit.. I still have my A/C on and I'm in south Fla. water temps are still in the 80's easy and I'll have my A/C on till at least Christmas probably... Infact we were still breaking heat records (close to 100) up until last week

 Nov-April is what we call "season" its when all the snowbirds come down so everything will be PACKED if you're in the Orlando/Tampa and south area. Long long lines at the theme parks, for dinner or anything worth going to..

April- Nov is summer.. temps can get above 115 with heat index with 100% humidity and daily afternoon thunderstorms.. (don't forget June-Nov is hurricane season)... It all depends on what you can tolerate. Most northerners CANNOT tolerate Fla heat and I can't tell u how many calls my husband goes to of northerners in disress from heat stroke.