I found out yesterday we will be road tripping from Massachusetts to WDW in early January. We’re moving my niece down to start in the DCP. I always, always fly. It will be my niece, my mom and myself in a tiny little car. Mom and I will fly back. If anyone has any good tips on making this trek, I’d love to hear them! The 3 of us drove to Toronto a few years ago, but that was significantly shorter!
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We drove from Boston to Miami once, but we did in several days spending the night in DC, Phily and Charleston. Good times!
Make sure you plan your departure time to avoid heavy traffic on I-95. Can’t think of anything else…
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We’ve driven from western NY to FL many times. And we now make the SC to NY trip routinely.
What kind of tips are you looking for?
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Are there any roads to avoid at certain times? Great places to stop along the way? We have the EZ pass, do you know of any states where that doesn’t work and we’d need cash?
Gasbuddy.com has a good fuel cost estimator. The planned stops are worthless though, as you’ll end up stopping sooner than an empty tank.
If you plan on stopping half way, try to push through any major cities near the half way point so you don’t have the morning traffic to deal with.
When on long road trips, we’ve found that exits with several large truck stops have the best facilities. Love’s, Pilot, Flying J are good bets when there’s computing. I have an app called “I-exit” that shows you what’s listed at each exit on a given interstate - it’s very handy.
Preload playlists or podcasts you want to listen to so you’re not searching while driving.
We pack a cooler with a breakfast/lunch option so we can eat in motion. Limit drink intake to slow bathroom needs. Gum helps me not have the urge to sip constantly.
Waze is my co-pilot!
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@QwertySC says South Carolina had very few tolls. Not sure about the Georgia status, but it looks like their rolls are only on “express lanes” on certain interstate.
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We drove MA to Virginia every summer when I was a kid. We were coming from western MA so it was easier for us than it might be for you but avoid going through NYC if at all possible. We used to drive farther west and then south to avoid it but it’s worth it unless you’re going through that area at 3 in the morning. There’s just only a very small window of minimal traffic time.
Definitely have some halfway point options figured out in advance, but ideally have flexibility in case you aren’t going to make it as far as you’d hoped before you need to stop to sleep. Or if you’re making good time and want to go a little farther before you do.
I like audio books for long travel, longer than most podcasts and if you get some good ones they can pass a decent amount of time enjoyably.
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Thank you everyone, this is perfect!
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Will you do it all in one day or two?
Definitely 2
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When we used to live on Long Island, I would head to AAA for a trip tick - scenic route ( yes they still do them ) liked taking the Cape May Ferry- got outta the car for a bit but kept moving…than onto Chesapeake
Not sure if it’s in your path but
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Thank you!!!
Our family (DW, DS9, & DS8) are pretty seasoned with road trips – we did NC to MT in 2 days in both 2020 and 2021 – but I don’t think I’d want to try to get from MA to Orlando in a single day. We drove out to see my DW’s sister in MA this summer from NC and that’s a pretty long day.
My only suggestions would be to (a) frontload the trip as much as possible – that second day definitely goes slower than the first. And (b) try to get out as early in the morning as you possibly can. Usually before a long drive I don’t really sleep that great and keep waking up in anticipation anyways, so we usually get on the road around 5:00am or so (and let the kids sleep a little more in the car). The morning always seems to go by pretty quickly for us, and you also don’t feel bad taking more stops along the way to break up the monotony, as you’re not rushing to beat the sunset.
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Thank you!
We’ve done many driving trips from MA to WDW - always fun! We drive right through (multiple drivers) and get there is about 24 hours!
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Georgia only has tolls on the express lanes on Interstate 75 and 85 in the Metro Atlanta area
Coming from NE most likely using I 95 which is toll free
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The last two 12+ hour drives, we were out the door by 4am, and I was able to get a solid 4-5hours of nonstop driving while everyone else’s slept. Working my crazy hours helps out with that early stint, but I definitely recommend getting started early. Earlier the better, as there’s less traffic and usually less need to stop.
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Thanks! I’m an early bird and my niece is a night owl, so we may be able to get pretty far with the combination.
Now I just need to worry about a potential snow storm. I have a back up plan were the 3 of us fly down and DH and I do a road trip a few weeks later.
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If you are so inclined the Texas convenience chain Buc-ee’s has opened locations off of Interstate 95 in Florence SC and St Augustine FL. They are huge stores and a fun road trip stop with so many things available. Also reasonable gas prices
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I heard about them on one of my podcasts I listen to! Good to know, thanks!
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