First-time Road Tripper...FL to NY

[Kristy]

My husband and I are relocating from Naples, FL to New York City. I don't want to fly our dog via cargo (she's too big for the cabin), so we're going to make the drive. This will be our first long-distance drive, and we need help mapping it out. I've heard horror stories about I-95 and was wondering what the best route would be. We're not sight-seeing. We just want to get up there in a reasonable amount of time (2 days). Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[glc]

Welcome!

2 days would be pushing it too much - please allow 3. I agree - I-95 is just a pain in the neck.

I would take I-75 to Knoxville, then I-81 to Harrisburg to I-78 to NYC. Suggest you plan on overnight stops around Macon GA and Wytheville VA. The 2 hotel chains that are most noted for being "pet-friendly" are Motel 6 and La Quinta.

If you absolutely must do this in 2 days, take I-95 with a stop around Florence SC - but realize that you will be on the road for at least 12 hours each day - and that's with minimal stops and no traffic or construction delays, you could very well be out there for 15 hours. If you have never driven long distances before, I strongly discourage you from trying it.

Going through Knoxville does add more than 200 miles to the trip, but it's a lot nicer drive. The only traffic hassles you will experience will be getting through/around Atlanta. On I-95, you will have pretty heavy traffic all the way, especially from Richmond VA north.

[Kristy]

Thanks for the advice, GLC. There will be two of us driving, so we were hoping to take 3-4 hour shifts with an overnight in Columbia, SC. But, you're right -- for our first time, it might be pushing it.

[Midwest Michael]

First of all, Columbia isn't on I-95. Is that an intentional detour (so that you can go up to I-81 perhaps)?

Naples to Columbia is 640 miles, which is a lot of miles especially when you aren't used to long distance travel. It's going to take you at least 12 hours, and quite likely longer since you are traveling with a dog. Not impossible but certainly a long day.

The bigger problem is that from Columbia you're looking at more than 700 miles to NYC. That's really too much in one day in nearly any case, but in this case its bad in triplicate because in addition to looking at 14+ hours on the road, you'll be doing it while tired from the long day on day one, and you'll be heading into the teeth of traffic in the Northeast.

Also keep in mind that having a 2nd driver helps some, but not a ton. Even being a passenger, just sitting in a car for hours at a time is physically draining too.

I'd agree, a second overnight stop would be a very good idea, even if you only spend a half day on the road on day 3, it would be a big improvement.

I actually like the idea of going up through Columbia and Charlotte to get to I-81 more than going up through Atlanta and Knoxville because it does save about 150 miles and avoids Atlanta's traffic. If you go that way, I'd be looking at stops around Savannah and Harrisonburg VA.

[glc]

That's a very good option - I-95 from FL to SC isn't that bad trafficwise, especially compared to north of Richmond.

Are you going to take I-75 to I-4 through Orlando to I-95?