SE PA to Sarasota Florida

Matthuck88 · 01-02-2021, 05:16 PM

Hello all

A change in my career last November will allow me to take an extended vacation over the summer months. My father in law lives near Sarasota and we drive there at least once a year to visit, but it can be stressful fitting in all the driving and visiting/relaxing into a limited vacation time off from work. We would love to travel with our 23ss roo and take our time down and back. I would like to camp near my in laws but we could stay with them as we usually do, depends on price and availability of campsites. (I would love to camp amidst the palm trees) I am wondering how many miles a day do you prefer to travel before stopping for the day? How do you prepare for a long trip? Do you have any CG along I95 that you love? Do you have any preferred CG's on the mid Gulf coast of Florida? Any other advise you can give me? Thanks!

DougW · 01-02-2021, 07:38 PM

We are retired so our time availability is pretty generous, I plan my driving days using RV Trip Wizard and plan for a maximum of 6 hours driving time. This is usually around 300 miles. Coastal Georgia RV Resort in Brunswick GA is a very nice park, not the cheapest around but worth the money IMO because it is very nicely kept with hedges between easy pull through sites with concrete pads.

Matthuck88 · 01-02-2021, 08:25 PM

I have heard that 300 miles a day is a good baseline to go by. If I figured 366 miles a day it would take 3 days to get there. I have not towed that far in a day so Im not sure what to expect. I will look into the rv trip wizard

Homebrew · 01-02-2021, 08:49 PM

RV trip wizard has a yearly fee, I understand that there is a app call FreeRoam that has a good trip planner. Haven’t tried it yet, just learned about it.

Fuzziest · 01-02-2021, 10:01 PM

I used to be a long haul truck driver. I planned every trip I took. I also drove ~700 miles a day. I used a few different apps to help me with that (as well as the traditional atlas). RV Trip Wizard looks good. It has a seven day free trial and after that, it is $49 a year. Freeroam is a 301(c) app that accepts donations (if I'm not mistaken). Anything you can use to plan a trip is a great thing as long as it is useful to YOU.

That being said, it is important to be honest with yourself as to how much you should drive. Planning for 6 hours means getting up in the morning, packing up, having something to eat, driving, setting back up somewhere for, at the very least, overnight. All of which should be done during daylight hours, both for your own safety and consideration for those around you in the camp.

Again, I would implore you to be truthful with yourself and have it parked if you are getting tired. I have seen truckers and rvers, alike in some disastrous and sometimes fatal situations. Nothing breaks my heart more than seeing this happen. Always err on the side of caution. If you get tired after only 300miles, PLEASE STOP.

This will be the ONLY time you will hear me preach but, it means that much to me.

Homebrew · 01-03-2021, 08:14 AM

TowPro · 01-03-2021, 09:18 AM

I would also plan on 350 miles or so each day if you can afford it. BUT personally having made several runs from central fl to se pa i was doing it in 2 days. First day is about 10 hours 2nd is about 8. I have also doen it straight threw a time or 3.

I was near morgantown pa exit of turnpike so i would run out to carlisle than 81s to 77s to 26 to 95. Than in jacksonville i go west to 301 south to 75.

I stay in lower SC in s koa on 95.

If your further east in pa you csn take 95. South of the border has a cheep campground and it's around 1/2 way.

Or you can come down through dover towards OBX than jump over to 95 from nags head in 64

dmctlc · 01-03-2021, 09:48 AM

As mentioned several times its important to be honest with yourself and not push it. With that said after my retirement a year ago and upgrading to a DP I said to my DW and myself 300 -350 miles per day would be my limit even though for many years I could drive from MA to FL with only quick stops along the way. We took 5 round-trips this year and several of them were about 400 miles. I decided to push my limit up so as to not have to stop after 200 miles and found I had no issues in my DP. I stopped once along the way for a stretch, bathroom, dog and lunch break. I usually left on Sundays though one or two were Saturdays.what found out is several things that make a difference. First traffic can be exhausting. The heavier the traffic the more stressful it becomes and more exhausted you'll be. Second is the roads. Is it highway or back roads a lot. Highways I find a lot easier less stop and go in fact I'm learning to use my cruise control once again. Third is the comfort of your ride which to me also ties into one and two. A comfortable ride makes it more relaxing. Fourth a good nights sleep and being all set up the night or day before so you can get up without becoming frustrated or stressed because you wanted to leave at 9am but final set up took longer and you got on the road at 1030. This is something I've been working on this year because I find by the time we get out the door and on the road its later than planned so I put a window of time like 9-10am. I also follow my rule of setting up night before so I can get up grab something to eat, walk the dog and off the 3 of us go and much more relaxed. Lastly you on mindset, as well as you physical health, are important if you tired or get bored easily a long drive can be tiresome. Being truthful to yourself and don't rush it. Enjoy the overnight stopover whether its in a rest area, Wal-Mart parking lot or a campground. IMHO plan the trip with realistic goals but accept change and have fun. Easier said than done, I know but life is too short so enjoy and let us know how u make out.

phillyg · 01-03-2021, 09:53 AM

Everyone's different WRT how long you can safely drive. I'm 71 and don't like to drive more than six hours because I get too tired. It would take me three to four days to make your trip.

Matthuck88 · 01-03-2021, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TowPro

I would also plan on 350 miles or so each day if you can afford it. BUT personally having made several runs from central fl to se pa i was doing it in 2 days. First day is about 10 hours 2nd is about 8. I have also doen it straight threw a time or 3.

I was near morgantown pa exit of turnpike so i would run out to carlisle than 81s to 77s to 26 to 95. Than in jacksonville i go west to 301 south to 75.

I stay in lower SC in s koa on 95.

If your further east in pa you csn take 95. South of the border has a cheep campground and it's around 1/2 way.

Or you can come down through dover towards OBX than jump over to 95 from nags head in 64

We are from Shillington. I normally get to 83 and head south to 95. I make sure our timing gets us thru DC and Richmond areas during quite times. We have driven the route strait thru many times, switching off with my wife, but as I get older I don't enjoy it. And I definitely don't want to do that with a trailer. I think if I plan 2 nights for the ride down it will be a good ride.

dblr · 01-03-2021, 01:48 PM

You might want to look at RV Resorts at Carolina Crossroads for the first night stop, about 340 miles and 5 1/2 hour drive, they are mostly pull thru sites so no need to unhook for a one night stop.

RV Resort @ Carolina Crossroads

Villagerjjm · 01-03-2021, 02:57 PM

I prefer running Rt. 81 to Rt. 77 in Virginia, then Rt.77 to I-95 in S. Carolina. I-95 to I-10 in Florida, then I-10 to Rt. 301 in Florida. Rt. 301 will allow you to connect onto I-75 in Ocala, Fl.. I-75 will take you right into Sarasota County. I-75 has been recently opened to triple lanes and newly paved almost all the way down to Ft. Myers. I usually plan on a 4 to 6 hour run on each day of travel when the wife is with me. On my own I will run for 12 hours with gas breaks and food stops included. One of my favorite RV Resorts is the Sun & Fun on Fruitville Rd. It is about 25 minutes from St. Armands Circle with Longboat Key and Anna Maria Island within easy reach, or there is Siesta Key which is within 40 minutes. On Siesta Key is the famous Siesta Beach or the less crowded Turtle Beach. Venice is within 40 minutes with all the beaches there. There are some equally as great campgrounds as you head further south towards Ft. Myers and Naples. If you head down that way, don't forget hitting some of the National Parks and definitely get to the Corkscrew!

KEN9XL · 01-03-2021, 08:23 PM

I stick by a rule given to me by another long time camper.
First, towing a camper is not the same as driving your car.

Second, calculate your trip on an average speed on 50MPH whether you exceed that speed or not, travel highway or back roads. Don't forget the stops for stretching, food breaks, nature call, and pet stops, if you travel with one.

I guess one would ask,
How many Miles or How many Hours can you travel in a day?

According to a wise camper I met plus some camp books, the calculations vary around 300 miles per day or 4 hours travel a day. This all hinges around the time of day you travel , road conditions, weather, traffic, and so on.

From experience, I pushed myself for 500 miles in a day, map quest calculated 8 hours. I will never do that again. It took me 12 hours with all the stops and the RV in tow. I am one who can not sit or drive for long periods of time.

Good Luck! Stay Safe
Happy Camping.

camaraderie · 01-03-2021, 10:11 PM

I've been to almost every campground mentioned in this thread and all are good recommendations. I would just add that in Sarasota the SunNFun is absolutely awesome as a place for an extended stay. It is rather expensive in the winter but very reasonable when you are going.
I'll also put in a plug for RV TripWizard. We've now been to all 48 lower states in the RV and into Canada east & west and for the first few years I used a number of different tools and products to plan our journeys. After 3 years of using the Wizard...there's no going back to anything else. It lets you find anything...plan anything... plan costs ...set your map up to take any side trips you want to,,, read campground descriptions and contacts and user reviews and load the trip to your GPS or print it out and more. Do the free trial and take the tutorial and you'll be hooked.

Jim in Halifax · 01-04-2021, 08:11 AM

We used to drive from Nova Scotia,Canada to Sarasota,Fl in 3 1/2 days with 5er....Averaging 10 hours per day....always stayed in a motel for three nights.....Got a good nights sleep/shower/breakfast-continental and hit the road.......

Splashes3 · 01-04-2021, 09:43 AM

x2 for Carolina Crossroads. We have been there 3 times and have loved it. Very close to I-95, easy on/off and yet you don't hear the traffic.

Safe Travels.

**ependydad** · 01-04-2021, 01:54 PM

We find that we tend to average 50 mph once we factor in stops. Some days we stop a lot, some days we are good for a long while. I still haven't figured out how to tell what kind of day it is.

The longer the day, the more stops and the slower we go. We've done as much as 800-900 miles in one shot. It took us about 20 hours. We had 2 drivers and a separate car to switch out to for the non-driver to rest. Otherwise, 500-600 is our maximum and even then, we try to keep it few and far between.

Our goal is to stick to 200 miles though we often do 250 miles often. If we start looking at 300 miles, we'll look to split it up by leaving late in the afternoon/evening and then overnight at a parking lot somewhere. Though, we're night owls.

But you have to find what works for you.

**ependydad** · 01-04-2021, 01:56 PM

As for stays in Sarasota. Sun and Fun is supposed to be nice but we've never been. I actually really like a place called Royal Coachmen in Nokomis, FL. We have spent 3 Decembers there now. It's a beautiful park but the spots are laid out a little funky because they kept a lot of trees.

Being in a smaller rig, friends of ours love Oscar Scherer State Park. We're a bit big to try and navigate the park. But I don't think many of the spots have sewer.

As for driving down I-95, we've hit a variety of places. I don't think I'd particularly say that I "love" a lot of them as we tended to just use them for 1-night stops.

Matthuck88 · 01-07-2021, 09:18 PM

Thanks for the advise everyone. The rv trip advisor looks pretty good, I got the free demo. Also looking at the free apps. I had looked at the oscar scherer state park a year or 2 ago and thought it may be nice. I am surprised (pleasantly) at the prices for the big campgrounds in that area. I guess because its mid summer.

sherman12 · 01-22-2021, 11:41 AM

Late to the thread and I'm guessing the OP has already departed for his trip to Florida.

Since I don't have any input on campgrounds in Florida or along the way, we won't be making our first trip there from WNY State until t the end of February, I can opine on driving time.

I don't think there is one answer to fit all for this question, which comes up often on this and other forums. Some people enjoy driving, it doesn't matter if it's their RV of choice, a lawn tractor, daily driver, and so on. Those that enjoy driving and have a good co-pilot will have longer segments, and those that use driving as an uility will drive less. In good weather, I project between 450 and 500 miles per day. However, for my forthcoming Florida trip, I am looking at more like 300-350 per day, especially before we get to the warmer weather states.

A good night's rest before heading out goes without saying. But, what I have found that works for my DW and me is don't eat a big heavy breakfast loaded with carbs, like pancakes. I have found going the protein route gives me energy and keeps me much sharper. We'll usually have a hard-boiled egg, some cut up cheese like cheddar, apple, or orange slices after we have coffee as we head out on the road from home or camp. I usually try to target at least 100 miles in before we have to stop to let the coffee out, lol, along the road. Lunch is probably a ham or turkey sandwich with chips and a pop (soda to some). If staying at a campground in-route for the night, we try to be there no later than 5 PM, preferably by 4. If Walmart or a rest stop is the accommodations for the night, I'll usually drive a little later into the evening.

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