Good evening! We are heading out to Disney next month with our two teenagers..............will take I-10 to 75S. Plan on boondocking halfway there, head out in the afternoon and arrive the next day mid afternoon at Disney's Fort Wilderness.
Any ideas on must see attractions along the way?
Looking for quick, close to the route ideas to ensure we don't miss anything along the way.
Thanks in advance..........btw, this will be our longest trip to date at close to 1,000 miles each way.......looking forward to it.
Hi Kevin, If you have the time don't drive it in two days. driving 500 miles a day takes the fun out of the trip... You are going to spend the money on fuel any way so why not make the hole trip a vacation? Drop down onto route 607/90 in Louisiana off of I 10 while traveling east bound it will put your coach right on the water front (Gulf of Mexico) through Bay St Louis, Biloxi, Pascagoula. ( you can boondock @ one of the casinos right on the water in Biloxi ) Then back on I 10 east to Pensacola, FL. Here you have a big decision to make south on I 110 to route 98 east, and the beautiful white sand beaches on the Gulf of Mexico or stay on I 10 to I 75 south.. Lots to see. You will love Ft Wilderness... :D :D :D
Try to only cover 250 to 350 miles per day (5/6 ) hours of driving time. on your first few trips, takes the stress level way down.... Start as early as possible get off the road before 5pm (I like to be parked by 4pm)
If you or the kids are aviation fans, the Naval Aviation museum in Pensacola is great. Motorsports enthusiasts will get a kick out of Don Garlit's (Big Daddy) museum of drag racing just south of Ocala.
I have to agree that motorhoming is about the trip...not necessarily about the destination. I try to not drive any more than 250 miles in one day. If I'm in a real hurry, I'll do 500 miles or so, but end up parking over night at a truck stop...Usually a Flying J.
Oh, I forgot the most important thing...I'm never in a hurry. Plus, I drive at no more than 62 mph..unless I'm going down hill, of course.
Enjoy the scenery, but the kids may have other thoughts about this approach...they're always in a hurry. ::)
Let me say one thing to help you at Disney's Fort Wilderness. Arrive there early in the day or early afternoon. Stay to the right on the entry toll/pay entrance booths. Watch out, they are tight. Do not go to the extreme right lane for this is a bus lane only. This is a very, wooded and tight area. It certainly does not have street lighting for a night time back in. You will certainly have to make several attempts to get in a motorcoach. We have been there many times and this is what we have found to be the case. We now stay in the area the day before and go in the next morning refreshed from our drive. :o
Fully agree with all the above, I would also consider the USS Alabama BB-60 museum, you will pass it on I-10, It offers more than just the Last of the 45 Cal. 16" Guns, the next was the Iowa Class with the 50 Cal. guns.
Also at this museum, is a submarine, B-52, early single seat SR-71, C-47 and lots of newer military aircraft. I can spend most of a day there.
Also agree on Ft Wilderness issues.
Enjoy, Disney is an experience,
"Their motto is to make sure they have cleaned out your wallet, maxed out your credit cards or they have failed"
:)
I agree with the above but my job prevents me from only going 300 miles or less. So, if you start out the night before and put in a couple hours you have 100 miles covered and then get up early the next day after boondocking and get your 500 covered. Ghat should not take more than ten hours. A workday with my commute home and to work thrown in. I am not really tired from that. If you do it this way you will have easy days of driving. I set the cruise for the speed limit. If it is 70 then I go 70 if it is 65 then I drive65. They designed foretravels to run 70 as mine will not go into 6 th until 62 mph. Have fun and yes the trip is part of the vacation. You have no commute and you will be living in the bus so enjoy it.
Just remember our tires are rated for 70mph max speed.
Good point.
My tran also needs to get to 62 to get into 6th gear. But then I dial it back to 61 for fuel economy AND to ensure all other vehicles pass me and I maintain an extra good safe distance from the vehicle in front of me.
best, paul
True, but I have almost 300,000 miles now in foretravels and have not had an issue running in the low 70s. I rarely go faster than 70 and usually set my cruise at or one mile below the limit so I do not have to brake. Also for the record driving 55-60 is much less work, so you have a tradeoff there and if I have the time, I would rather do 62 and drop back a bit and stay in 6th.
Kevin,
Be forewarned, the last time I was on I-10 in La. there were still some very rough portions. If there is a reason for the hurry then go I-10, I-12, I-10 to skip N.O. and then I-75. Otherwise, the coast route, while slower, is much more interesting. White sand beaches, clear water (something you cannot see in Galveston) and much scenery. Consider going to Ocala's Silver Springs, either coming or going. If you take the coast road you might consider going as far as St. Petersburg with a stop in Tarpon Springs. You can then take I-4 to Orlando. If you have time, go to Cape Canaveral on the east coast.
As a past resident of the state (1958-1970, 1974-1978) I have seen most of it and there is a lot to see, take your time if you can.
Always liked Acadiana Park Campground in Lafayette, LA. but haven't stayed there in the FT. A city park not far off I-10, but a little tricky to find. RV Park Reviews :: Lafayette, Louisiana ( LA ) - RV Parks and Campground Reviews (http://www.rvparkreviews.com/regions/Louisiana/Lafayette.html) May not fit your plans for a stop there.
I highly recommend Cape Canaveral if at all possible. We went to the Space Center one day and Epcot Center one day about a year ago. Thoroughly enjoyed them both. Just wish we could have stayed longer at each place.