Toronto to Orlando

[Goomph]

I a planning a trip to go to Orlando ( 20 miles north) from Toronto In December. Normally this trip takes us 1.5 days with nothing in tow. A long first day, and next day afternoon we are there. I never did the trip with the popup when we had it and now we have the Surveyor of course.

I have allocated 2.5 days for the same trip. Am I being optimistic ? Total distance is 1,344 miles. I am assuming (hoping) that there won't be any snowstorms when we are traveling One can hope and pray right

What are your thoughts ?

[Bama Rambler]

I've been from South Alabama to Yellowstone several times and it's about 1,900 miles. We allocate 3 days travel time so 2½ days for 1350 miles is very doable. We usually spend the night's in Wally-World parking lots because we never know exactly how far we're going to get before we stop. We don't let the slides out or even unhook from the TV. Just park, go inside and sleep, get up the next morning and leave. It works well for us.

[wnytaxman]

Goomp, I'm not sure how you drive, but we usually can make it to Orlando in a day and half with the motor home. Granted you are starting out an hour and a half farther out than us and you have to deal with the border, but I still don't think you will be looking at adding a full day to your trip. Part of your planning should be on where you will be at what time of the day. For example you don't want to hit Charlotte at 5PM or Orlando at anytime after 4 PM. Do you want to opt for the flatter, but longer route of taking I-77 directly south from Cleveland and avoiding the mountains, construction, and rough roads of I-79 or will you still take the trek through Pittsburgh? We were in Gaffney, SC a few weeks ago and we drove right straight through from Buffalo and it was about a 12 hour day.

Good Luck and I hope the weather cooperates!

[Goomph]

WNYTAXMAN,

Thanks for the advice and good questions. I am undecided if I want to take I77 and flattish roads or go right through Pittsburgh and across the mountains. is I77 a much better route then the usual Pittsburgh-Charlotte_Jacksonville route ? Especially in winter I is it worth adding the 150 miles or so extra and stay away from the mountains. I regularly drive over them a least once every year, so I know they are respectable mountains with nice long climbs.

I drove the I77-I75 once but that was so many years ago and I was driving a brand new camry or a minivan and that was it, no hill was too steep/long and we flew right through to Orlando.

You have the advantage of not having to drive over the Appalachians, which helps you a lot, you are luck to be able to drive the flattest route

We will be staying at a state park north or Orlando, so no traffic problems at Orlando

With the travel trailer behind me I am usually right at 65 clicks an hour maximum. I stop for around 20 minutes every three hours or so. That is usually also the time when the tank is slightly less than half full and needs a refill anyways. I need my tea breaks when I am driving

[wnytaxman]

Actually the way I would go is not I-77 to I-75, but 77 all the way to Columbia and then I-26 over to 95. You pick up 77 off I-271 in Cleveland and it is a fairly level shot right into Charleston, WV. That route is only about 40 or 50 miles further than I-79-US19-I77. I can tell you that 79 was not in the best of shape a few weeks ago and that stretch just south of Pittsburgh is brutal. Add to that the mess that is I-70 in Washington, PA and you may find that it is faster to take 77 all the way down. I've done both ways and it is less stressful on 77. If you run into weather then it is kind of a toss up as neither Ohio nor Pennsylvania are renowned for their snow removal.

[georgetown]

We are looking at heading the same way from Ontario and just wondering where you stop for the night along the way? We are planning to head down in February. Gone down several times by car but this will be the first time with a motor home. Looking online and a lot of campgrounds seem to have a 2 night minimum. Also sounds like 77 would be best for a motor home towing or would 75 be ok?

[Goomph]

There is a KOA close to whytheville in Virginia, I did not see a two night minimum on their web site. If they do, we will stay at the Microtel Inn in princeton, WV.

We will be leaving at 5 am and according to my map software we should be in Whytheville area around 6 pm, which is a nice time. and I am very sure that if weather cooperates we will be able to make 6 o'clock nicely.

To be honest after driving 11 hours I will most probably prefer to stay at the Microtel inn to maximize my rest time Depends on our tiredness level and mood I guess

I have tested the road speed setting of my map software with my typical actual timings and I always beat them or arrive very close to being just on time (I do not race with my timings lol). It gives me a sense of where I am in my schedule now that I was able to match my driving speed and projected arival timings and milestone points in my travel.

So far the route looks like this :

I90 west
I271 South/West
I77
I26
I95

And arrive at destination !