What Driving Route Would You Take from California to Florida?
Feb 10th, 2003, 06:37 PM
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What Driving Route Would You Take from California to Florida?
I live in the SF Bay Area and am considering a cross-country road trip to visit relatives in Fort Lauderdale later this month.
Any advice on routes, good places to stop, restaurants, etc.? Tentatively planning on hitting Las Vegas and Santa Fe first, but am open from there. Will probably go through New Orleans and Pensacola as well.
Thanks for your suggestions!
Any advice on routes, good places to stop, restaurants, etc.? Tentatively planning on hitting Las Vegas and Santa Fe first, but am open from there. Will probably go through New Orleans and Pensacola as well.
Thanks for your suggestions!
Feb 10th, 2003, 06:51 PM
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I've done the drive from Florida to California and back several times taking various routes. You have the right idea with the southern route this time of year. How many days do you want to spend between the two, and how many driving back (or am I right in assuming you are driving back) and when is the return? Answer this and then I'll give you a number of ideas based on your intended speed to get there and back.
Feb 11th, 2003, 10:12 AM
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Hi Patrick,
We were thinking of spending 5-7 days each way, and perhaps 4 at our destination. We will probably begin our trip in the next 7 to 10 days.
Just got back Sunday from a Vegas road trip, which is a good, fairly easy drive to begin the trip with (600 miles/9 hours). Averaged 30 mpg!
There's no good way of avoiding Texas, so it looks like somewhere near Dallas might be another stopping point.
I've driven through most of Florida before. Since I have friends near Pensacola, it seemed like a good entry point into the state.
Thanks for your help.
We were thinking of spending 5-7 days each way, and perhaps 4 at our destination. We will probably begin our trip in the next 7 to 10 days.
Just got back Sunday from a Vegas road trip, which is a good, fairly easy drive to begin the trip with (600 miles/9 hours). Averaged 30 mpg!
There's no good way of avoiding Texas, so it looks like somewhere near Dallas might be another stopping point.
I've driven through most of Florida before. Since I have friends near Pensacola, it seemed like a good entry point into the state.
Thanks for your help.
Feb 11th, 2003, 01:20 PM
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Actually it will take most of that time to just drive it. I'd try to get as near to Phoenix as possible the first day, going down I-5 to I-10 and across. Then stay on I-10, which means you will go to San Antonio, not Dallas. (Heading across to Dallas will mean that later on you'll need to take a south bound road to get back on track -- extra miles and time). It's about 14 hours drive from Phoenix to San Antonio, so I'd break it up to arrive in San Antonio on the third day of driving -- maybe about noon and spend the rest of that day there, maybe even an extra day and night. The fourth day (or fifth if you stayed two nights in San Antonio) I'd go to New Orleans -- about an 8 hour drive. So either spend one night there, or two if you didn't opt for the extra night in San Antonio. On the sixth day, drive on into Florida. It will be a long day's driving to reach Ft. Lauderdale on the 6 the day, but it can be done. Otherwise, stop enroute, maybe around Ocala or Gainesville, and arrive on the 7th day. Stay on I-10 until you get to I-75 in Florida, then south to the Florida Turnpike to Ft. Lauderdale.
You can do the full drive in 5 days driving, but I'd really suggest an extra night along the way as mentioned above to keep from killing yourself.
You still didn't mention if you are driving back, but if so, I'd go north to Atlanta and Chatanooga on I-75, then I-24 to I-57 to I-64 in Illinois, then follow I-70 across from St.Louis Colorado, and I-80 from Salt Lake to the Bay Area. From Denver to Salt Lake there are a couple of routes you can take, but I'd go north out of Denver to Cheyenne where you hit I-80. This is a quicker route, although the route through Colorado to I-15 in Utah then north is probably a little more scenic (at least I think it is). Unless the weather is still too cold, snowy and icey when you return. In that case you might look at going across I-40 from Memphis.
You can do the full drive in 5 days driving, but I'd really suggest an extra night along the way as mentioned above to keep from killing yourself.
You still didn't mention if you are driving back, but if so, I'd go north to Atlanta and Chatanooga on I-75, then I-24 to I-57 to I-64 in Illinois, then follow I-70 across from St.Louis Colorado, and I-80 from Salt Lake to the Bay Area. From Denver to Salt Lake there are a couple of routes you can take, but I'd go north out of Denver to Cheyenne where you hit I-80. This is a quicker route, although the route through Colorado to I-15 in Utah then north is probably a little more scenic (at least I think it is). Unless the weather is still too cold, snowy and icey when you return. In that case you might look at going across I-40 from Memphis.
Feb 11th, 2003, 01:52 PM
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Ooops. I didn't pick up on the idea that maybe you wanted to spend some time with your friends near Pensacola. If so, it is only about a three hour drive to there from New Orleans, so you could do your "extra" day by getting to Pensacola early in the day, spending the afternoon and evening with them, and heading to Ft. Lauderdale the final day -- about another 10 to 11 hours of driving from Pensacola.
