"For 2,000+ Mile Round-Trip Drivers Only!" (Part V)

We are in the very early stages of planning a road trip to WDW in late August, driving down from southern Ontario. At this point we think we will leave early in the afternoon on our departure day (can't leave any earlier that day) and head down I-75, stopping around Knoxville for the night. On our way home we thought we'd mix it up and head back north up I=95/I-77, stopping in Virginia for the night and possibly staying an extra day there to check out the caverns. Since this is our first WDW road trip we would appreciate any tips, advice, etc ... good places to stay/eat, quick & interesting/fun pit-stops, places to avoid, etc. TIA!
 
We are in the very early stages of planning a road trip to WDW in late August, driving down from southern Ontario. At this point we think we will leave early in the afternoon on our departure day (can't leave any earlier that day) and head down I-75, stopping around Knoxville for the night. On our way home we thought we'd mix it up and head back north up I=95/I-77, stopping in Virginia for the night and possibly staying an extra day there to check out the caverns. Since this is our first WDW road trip we would appreciate any tips, advice, etc ... good places to stay/eat, quick & interesting/fun pit-stops, places to avoid, etc. TIA!

How close to the Canadian/American border are you? Do you cross the border at Windsor/Detroit?

I’m just hoping you won’t reach my hometown, Cincinnati, during rush hour (between 4-6).
 
We will probably cross the border in Sarnia/Port Huron. We are leaving on a Saturday, so rush hour shouldn't be an issue for us anywhere along the drive (plan on getting to Orlando the Sunday night).
 
We will probably cross the border in Sarnia/Port Huron. We are leaving on a Saturday, so rush hour shouldn't be an issue for us anywhere along the drive (plan on getting to Orlando the Sunday night).

The one place we almost always stop when we make the drive is Berea, KY (www.visitberea.com). Sometimes we go into town for a meal and a bit of shopping, other times we just hit the artisan center which is just off the expressway. They have a gift shop full of interesting, artsy things and a cafe with really good food with a locally-made/grown focus.

We're going the 77/95 route, weather permitting, on the southbound leg of our trip next month because we're starting the trip in Daytona before heading inland to WDW. So I've been looking for interesting places to stop, but thus far I don't have any obvious front runners (though there's a ghost town in WV that sounds pretty interesting...).
 


We will probably cross the border in Sarnia/Port Huron. We are leaving on a Saturday, so rush hour shouldn't be an issue for us anywhere along the drive (plan on getting to Orlando the Sunday night).

That’s good. Depending on when you leave, you might run into Cincinnati Reds traffic. But I don’t think it will be too terribly bad. Just stay in the far right lanes heading into Kentucky. The left lanes go into Downtown and the ballpark.

Berea is nice. But IIRC, the artisan center closes early, so you might not make it in time.
 
That’s good. Depending on when you leave, you might run into Cincinnati Reds traffic. But I don’t think it will be too terribly bad. Just stay in the far right lanes heading into Kentucky. The left lanes go into Downtown and the ballpark.

Berea is nice. But IIRC, the artisan center closes early, so you might not make it in time.

Thanks for the tips!

The one place we almost always stop when we make the drive is Berea, KY (www.visitberea.com). Sometimes we go into town for a meal and a bit of shopping, other times we just hit the artisan center which is just off the expressway. They have a gift shop full of interesting, artsy things and a cafe with really good food with a locally-made/grown focus.

We're going the 77/95 route, weather permitting, on the southbound leg of our trip next month because we're starting the trip in Daytona before heading inland to WDW. So I've been looking for interesting places to stop, but thus far I don't have any obvious front runners (though there's a ghost town in WV that sounds pretty interesting...).

I'll check out the info on Berea. Thanks!

Based on a tip in another thread we're thinking of stopping to check out the Luray caverns in Virginia on our way home (I-77-81). Don't know if that's out of your way too much, but it looks like a cool place to stop.
 
Based on a tip in another thread we're thinking of stopping to check out the Luray caverns in Virginia on our way home (I-77-81). Don't know if that's out of your way too much, but it looks like a cool place to stop.

That wouldn't be a bad detour in the summer months but it adds more miles and mountains than I'd like for our dates (leaving next week!). As it is, my plan to go down 77 at all is subject to change based on weather in the mountains in WV. Right now there's a chance of snow I'm watching carefully for our southbound drive. If it looks bad, I'll stick to the flatter, more heavily travelled route down 75. We hit heavy snow in the KY mountains southbound to WDW in March 2013 and northbound in MD/PA coming home from DC last year, and I'm really hoping to avoid those delays this time!

But Luray is a great detour if it fits into your plans. I used to spend summers in southern VA as a kid and loved when we stopped there on the drive down.
 


That wouldn't be a bad detour in the summer months but it adds more miles and mountains than I'd like for our dates (leaving next week!). As it is, my plan to go down 77 at all is subject to change based on weather in the mountains in WV. Right now there's a chance of snow I'm watching carefully for our southbound drive. If it looks bad, I'll stick to the flatter, more heavily travelled route down 75. We hit heavy snow in the KY mountains southbound to WDW in March 2013 and northbound in MD/PA coming home from DC last year, and I'm really hoping to avoid those delays this time!

But Luray is a great detour if it fits into your plans. I used to spend summers in southern VA as a kid and loved when we stopped there on the drive down.

Missed the "next month" part in your first post. I take back my suggestion! LOL
 
We are back from our drive down to the mouse. We drove approx 3800 miles round trip, took the 79/77/26/95 both ways, most of the drive was easy except for Erie PA had a storm and being the middle of the night, no plows so we needed to pull off in a rest stop for a bit until we could see a little better. Lots of construction in Orlando on the I4 but the traffic wasn't impossible. Can't wait to go back!
 
All-time record setter (see page 1) dvczerfs is about to extend his total drives record next week when he departs from PA. Stay tuned.

All the best! :thumbsup2
 
Has anyone done the I-95 drive of late? Any new construction areas, besides the ongoing projects of the last few years?

All the best! :thumbsup2
 
Hi, my family and I are making our first drive to Orlando from Connecticut in June. Typically we fly and I’m nervous about driving. We’re thinking of leaving around 7pm and driving all night. I’m hoping to get to Georgia around 1130am. I was thinking we could explore and get a hotel room to rest and drive to Disney early the next day. I’m debating about stopping in Savannah or somewhere else in Georgia.
Does this make sense? My husband is use to driving at night and he will do the majority of the driving. Also if anyone has recommendations of a good place to stop and possible sightsee a little bit in Georgia please let me know. Thanks!
 
Hi, my family and I are making our first drive to Orlando from Connecticut in June. Typically we fly and I’m nervous about driving. We’re thinking of leaving around 7pm and driving all night. I’m hoping to get to Georgia around 1130am. I was thinking we could explore and get a hotel room to rest and drive to Disney early the next day. I’m debating about stopping in Savannah or somewhere else in Georgia.
Does this make sense? My husband is use to driving at night and he will do the majority of the driving. Also if anyone has recommendations of a good place to stop and possible sightsee a little bit in Georgia please let me know. Thanks!

I would plan for a place with a pool so you can chill out in case you don't sleep much in the car and want to just chill. Savannah is a great place to chill, IMHO.
 
Fingers crossed, but we’re hoping to be heading back to Fort Wilderness with a RV in February of 2019 after a February 2018 trip to the Cabins. What can I say - we’re hooked!

For curiosity and future reference, any Canadians/New Englanders who have made the journey? It’s approximately a 25hr venture from Northern Maine to the Fort and I wonder where folks most commonly break up the trip.
 
And we're off! We were an hour late leaving the house and delayed another hour to have dinner with Grandma before we really got into the drive, but by 5:30 we were on I94 and on our way. Unfortunate the teenagers are worse than toddlers and we've already had our first bathroom break before we even hit the Ohio state line! Now I'm in the back of the van with my 20yo son driving so I might just lose my mind in the next few hours... but I wanted him taking the Ohio stretch because it is so flat and straight. My nerves couldn't take him driving through the mountains - I'm a terrible passenger even with an experienced adult behind the wheel!
 
Has anyone done the I-95 drive of late? Any new construction areas, besides the ongoing projects of the last few years?

All the best! :thumbsup2
Returned this week from a round trip from MA to the World and back....only area of construction I passed on I-95 was northbound in South Carolina. Major bridge work on the Big Pee Dee River. 5 mile backup.... lost about 45 minutes in traffic.
 
Do any of you do the drive from Phoenix? Thinking about our next trip after this one maybe driving to see what’s between here and there. Unless there isn’t anything particularly worth seeing, because it’s definitely more expensive to drive for us.
 

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