Tips for Driving from NE to Florida

[Cantankerish 60]

6 minutes ago, David in FL said:

You’ve obviously never driven I-10 across Texas!

True.  I have not.  But I can imagine.  Instead of a straight path carved out of scrub brush, you have a straight path carved out of nothing.

[dennyjones 736]

3 hours ago, billchao said:

Me, too, but I live in a state people generally retire and move out of.

You don't live in Michigan!

[jamo 975]

I drove from CT to Naples, Florida, in February. I hit a ton of traffic on Virginia and near Jacksonville, but I think they were both freak stoppages (not sure what happened in Jacksonville but there was a fatal crash on I-95 in Virginia a few cars ahead of me, so we were at a dead stop for over an hour). I stayed over in Charleston, which is a little more out of the way than Savannah but has much better barbecue. 

[criley4way 80]

2 hours ago, jamo said:

I drove from CT to Naples, Florida, in February. I hit a ton of traffic on Virginia and near Jacksonville, but I think they were both freak stoppages (not sure what happened in Jacksonville but there was a fatal crash on I-95 in Virginia a few cars ahead of me, so we were at a dead stop for over an hour). I stayed over in Charleston, which is a little more out of the way than Savannah but has much better barbecue. 

The barbecue alone could be a reason to drive

[boogielicious 2,016]

On 11/13/2019 at 4:10 PM, nevets88 said:

It's been awhile since I've done one of these, figured I'd hit the forum up for some advice. I'm thinking of driving down to Ft Lauderdale/Miami or Jacksonville if the weather report gets better, from New York around the end of the month. Any tips? Thinking of breaking it up into two legs. Get to Savannah, sleep, then early morning to whatever city in Florida. I mean, it's just your typical long haul US drive right? 

 

One word, "Coffee".

2 hours ago, jamo said:

I drove from CT to Naples, Florida, in February. I hit a ton of traffic on Virginia and near Jacksonville, but I think they were both freak stoppages (not sure what happened in Jacksonville but there was a fatal crash on I-95 in Virginia a few cars ahead of me, so we were at a dead stop for over an hour). I stayed over in Charleston, which is a little more out of the way than Savannah but has much better barbecue. 

My wife and I went to both Savannah and Charleston last year. Both nice towns but you are right that Charleston has much more choice in barbecue.

[DaveP043 1,964]

1 hour ago, boogielicious said:

My wife and I went to both Savannah and Charleston last year. Both nice towns but you are right that Charleston has much more choice in barbecue.

This is a completely separate discussion, but I'm not a big fan of South Carolina mustard-based BBQ sauce.  I'd suggest stopping in NC for some vinegar-based sauce on smoky pork BBQ.

As for the drive, I routinely go from Northern Virginia as far as Rocky Mount in NC, and we see the wotrst backups consistently between Fredericksburg VA and Washington DC.  If you can avoid being southbound in the after-lunch hours, or northbound on Sunday afternoon, you'll usually avoid the worst of it.

[Cartboy 15]

On 11/13/2019 at 4:22 PM, Double Mocha Man said:

This won't help you but you brought back memories.  As a 19 year old I drove from St. Louis (first time on my own) to Miami Beach.  To live there and play golf every day.  It was winter.  Motel stops in Tennessee and in Valdosta, Georgia.  Stopped along the way to play my first ever Florida golf course in Orlando.  The moment I stepped onto the course I realized why Florida golfers are better than Missouri golfers... Tom Watson not withstanding.

KC to FL, then Springfield, MO to FL, twice a year for more than 20 years.

Our key was to time it so we did not go through Atlanta at rush our, so our overnight going down was one of the first exits after Atlanta.  Coming back, same thing going the other way.

Then, Atlanta got so bad that we don't ever go that way any more.

Also 30 years ago I got a call on a Saturday morning that I needed to deliver a vehicle to Miami at 7:00 Monday morning.  Sure thing, I told them, easey  peasey.

Not!

[nevets88 1,680]

50 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

This is a completely separate discussion, but I'm not a big fan of South Carolina mustard-based BBQ sauce.  I'd suggest stopping in NC for some vinegar-based sauce on smoky pork BBQ.

As for the drive, I routinely go from Northern Virginia as far as Rocky Mount in NC, and we see the wotrst backups consistently between Fredericksburg VA and Washington DC.  If you can avoid being southbound in the after-lunch hours, or northbound on Sunday afternoon, you'll usually avoid the worst of it.

@DaveP043 Any specific recommendations in NC for the vinegar-based sauce BBQ?

 

2 hours ago, boogielicious said:

One word, "Coffee".

My wife and I went to both Savannah and Charleston last year. Both nice towns but you are right that Charleston has much more choice in barbecue.

FIVE HOUR ENERGY. 😁

[jamo 975]

1 hour ago, DaveP043 said:

This is a completely separate discussion, but I'm not a big fan of South Carolina mustard-based BBQ sauce.  I'd suggest stopping in NC for some vinegar-based sauce on smoky pork BBQ.

It's kind of blasphemy, but possibly the best place in Charleston outside of Rodney Scott's is Lewis Barbecue. He was the right hand man at Franklin Barbecue in Austin for a while, so their bread and butter is Central Texas-style brisket. 

[DaveP043 1,964]

58 minutes ago, nevets88 said:

@DaveP043 Any specific recommendations in NC for the vinegar-based sauce BBQ?

My personal favorite is the Pick'n Pig at the airport in Carthage, NC, but that's a pretty long ways off the highway.  An old time classic is Parker's in Wilson, NC.  Its just a few minutes off the highway.  Beyond those, I'm don't have personal experience.  We once stopped at Ralph's, near Roanoke Rapids, they had a huge lunch buffet that was pretty good, including both barbecue and friend chicken, more than a normal person could possibly need.  The thing is to look specifically for Eastern NC Barbecue.  Further west the sauce has more tomato or ketchup, a different style, further south in that other state they use mustard.  Its all good, I just prefer the Eastern NC style.

[nevets88 1,680]

3 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

My personal favorite is the Pick'n Pig at the airport in Carthage, NC, but that's a pretty long ways off the highway.  An old time classic is Parker's in Wilson, NC.  Its just a few minutes off the highway.  Beyond those, I'm don't have personal experience.  We once stopped at Ralph's, near Roanoke Rapids, they had a huge lunch buffet that was pretty good, including both barbecue and friend chicken, more than a normal person could possibly need.  The thing is to look specifically for Eastern NC Barbecue.  Further west the sauce has more tomato or ketchup, a different style, further south in that other state they use mustard.  Its all good, I just prefer the Eastern NC style.

Thanks! I'll keep an eye out for Parker's! 

[David in FL 2,293]

3 hours ago, nevets88 said:

@DaveP043 Any specific recommendations in NC for the vinegar-based sauce BBQ?

 

Like the auto train, I just say NO to nasty NC BBQ.  Pork with vinegar and red pepper flakes poured over it.  
 

Even living in NC for 6 years I couldn’t eat the foul stuff.  It certainly makes you appreciate the cold beer to wash the taste out of your mouth though!