Alaska To Florida

[BillabongLife2k14]

I am taking a road trip from Alaska to Florida and need some help with planning. Does anyone have any suggestions about:
1. how long it would take to travel
2. fuel prices
3. hotel prices

Thanks so much :)

[Midwest Michael]

Welcome to the RTA Forum!

Alaska and Florida are pretty huge places, so your travel time will depend on your exact starting and ending points. Having said that, you're looking at a trip that is going to be around 5,000 miles, including large sections of lower speed roads (i.e. the Alaska Highway). Ballpark minimum, you're looking at needing at least 10 days just for the drive.

Gas Buddy has up to date prices all over the US and Canada, you can find a link as part of RTA's fuel cost calculator on the right side of the screen. Obviously, prices will vary from area to area and state to state, but they should all be in the same ballpark within the US. Canada's prices will run roughly $1 per gallon more.

In the US, you can usually find a cheap motel for about $50 for the night.

Of course, with any trip to/from Alaska, The Milepost is an essential purchase, that really provides everything you could really want to know about places to stop for gas, motels, etc.

[Lifemagician]

As Michael mentioned, you really need the *bible* for this trip - The Milepost. The 2014 edition should be out any day now. All information is in it, including state of the roads, all facilities and amenities along the way. It will also give you various route options, their pros and cons.

What exactly do you want to get out of this trip? What is the purpose of the trip? Ten days might just get you there, assuming no holdups anywhere. But if you want to see anything at all, enjoy the prolific wildlife, especially between Watson Lake and Ft Nelson, then plan for considerably more time.

Lifey

[DonnaR57]

I would ask the same question, what the purpose is for the trip and if you have the 10-12 days this is going to require just for the driving. By the most direct route, Fairbanks to Miami is 4900-5000 miles, and a good 3000 miles of that is in Canada.

While the AK Highway is paved, there are sections of construction (particularly in spring and summer) where you will either be crawling along at 15 mph, stopped to wait for a pilot car or flagman to let you through. There are always animal-stops. (On our way in one direction, we had to stop for mountain goats in the road, a moose in the road, and a few similar things.) Though the daylight hours are longer in the spring and summer, driving in the dark isn't recommended because of those animals!

Advice above is about right for motels and fuel in the US. You can also look up Canadian locations. Get yourself a copy of the MILEPOST --the new issue for 2014 should be out by now (or at least soon).


Donna