15:30 here. We also do the autotrain that goes straight from Lorton VA to Sanford FL (just outside orlando). We pack the car with tons of stuff, have the carseats and some food packed too. The trip on the train (sleeping especially) is fun for the kids. It is pricey, though, because we get a sleeper car. We do it one way and it makes the long drive less painful because we only have to do it once.

We do it at least twice every year with twins that are under 5. We stop in Florence. We get a big room at the Baymont or Marriott (suite style where we can shut the kids away and still relax) and walk or drive to nearby restaurant. Marriott is nicer. We stop for lunch at cracker barrel in Wilson on the way down and then at Sonny's in brunswick on the way back. We reserve our rooms ahead of time so that we get the big room. we use the DVD player and by breaking the trip up, the kids get some time to run around and burn off some energy rather than being stuck in the care then entire way.

Yes, the stretch from here to Richmond is the worst. You don't want to be doing that anywhere near rush hour.

We did this 2 years ago. Left at noon on Friday after DD got out of preschool. Drove to Florence, SC. Spent the night. Drove the next day to Orlando. Drove straight through on the way back. Getting to and from Richmond both times was God awful. Watch the traffic and figure out work arounds if needed. DD played, colored and watched movies on her iPod.

We just did this in July for the first time. We stopped in north Jacksonville for the night, but we could have made it the whole way in one day. On the way back, we did! Kids just hunkered down and did great (7 and 10). DVD player, books with maps. Leapster (yes, they still use it). We stopped at the rest stops in each state (i.e. just across the NC border, just across the SC border, etc. etc.) We kept our stops pretty short... 13.5 hrs. total. Alexandria to Kissimmee. Gotta love the price! When we were driving we kept it consistently at 70mph. With stops, we averaged 60mph for the whole trip.

It's a long day, but you just buck up and do it. I would do it again and I'm not the kind of person who thinks it would be fun to drive across the U.S.

Auto train!

Anonymous wrote:I started this thread when we planned on doing it but ended up flying instead. Some good tips here and if you do a search here on driving to Florida you will find others. Good luck!

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/51094.page

Thank you! this is very helpful.

OP here. Thanks everyone. Flying is out of the question because tickets are 1200 each for the dates we want. A couple of days after tickets go down to $160 RT. oh well, it'll be an experience.
Thanks again.

We drove from NOVA to Orlando in May. Just couldn't afford flying ($1200 even with cheap tickets) plus renting a car. Driving is totally doable. We did not drive overnight because my husband and I did not think we have done it safely. For the trip down, we did it in two days, leaving early in the morning and stopping overnight outside of Savannah. We arrived in Orlando around 2 or 3 the next day. We tried to find fun restaurants along the way, and stopped at rest stops to have my kids run around and burn off some energy. Also, unlimited videos.

On the way back, we did it in one day because we just wanted to get home. We left in the morning and got home at 10 or 11 p.m. It was a long day but, again, much cheaper than flying.

Drive overnight dont stop.

We drive every year. We often stop in Savannah, which is a fun night. Much cheaper than flying.

Fly, if you can. You can get cheap tickets. When we went I got a car rental for ten days for under $200. With gas, hotels food and tolls it came out slightly more. Otherwise stop but it will take forever and ipad

My advice is to fly. I don't know why anyone who can afford to fly would ever take such a long car trip. That sounds completely miserable.

I started this thread when we planned on doing it but ended up flying instead. Some good tips here and if you do a search here on driving to Florida you will find others. Good luck!

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/51094.page

Have you done it? do you have any tips as to where to stop, at what time to leave the DC area, most comfortable way for my DC to travel in his carseat for so many hours etc.
Thanks in advance.