Driving to Gulf Coast Florida

I need some advise please. I will be heading to the gulf coast of Florida within the next 10 days. I am traveling with a teen and 2 cats. Sadly I cannot get an early morning start. Figuring leaving here around 10 or 11 am. WIth the flooding going on in NC and SC and I95 closed right now in several areas...Im not sure on a good route. I will be the only driver and need to find pet friendly hotels along the way. Im also not used to long drives altho several years ago I used to drive a lot.

Hockeymom115 ✉
Sep '18

If you truly want to avoid I-95 entirely (which may not be a bad idea leaving at that time, as you’d probably get stuck in Washington traffic, etc.) you could take I-81 instead.

This is my typical route whenever I drive to NJ and back (I live near Greenville, SC):

Route 57 to I-78 (via Asbury Road)
I-78 to I-81 (Harrisburg, PA)
I-81 to I-77
I-77 to I-485 (beltway around Charlotte)
I-485 to I-85 (to Greenville)
At that point you could continue to Atlanta and then head south on I-75 to Florida.

Depending on traffic and rest/fuel stops, it’ll be about 10 hours to the Charlotte area. Research hotels ahead of time, as I-81 doesn’t pass many big cities so you won’t really just happen upon suitable lodging on a whim.

An alternate (to avoid Charlotte) is to NOT exit onto I-77 and stay on I-81 to Bristol, TN. Then I-26 (through Asheville) to Highway 25 to Greenville where you pick up I-85 as above.

No matter which way you go, it’s a long drive for one person. I do it by myself and by the time I get to Greenville I’m exhausted. I have no problem stopping at rest areas if necessary (when I leave here in the evening to head north I just spend the night at a rest stop in VA) but I know that’s not everyone’s cup of tea.

Mark Mc. ✉
Sep '18

Safe travels, take your time! It's a hard drive.

Acl76 ✉
Sep '18