How long does it take you to drive to the beach?

Identical?

Nope, fraternal......we are nothing alike!!!!!!

Let me know what route you take. We're going in October and planning to take the "North" route. Usually go across on I 10 though through Mobile.

From Arlington - 13 hrs for us if drive straight through w/short stops. Usually stay over somewher though. May not be rooms this time.

Rita-
We are still taking the southeast route into Mobile, AL once we hit Jackson, MS. It might be a mistake, but everything I've read on the DOT website states all roads are open & operational. I also am assuming gas will be more readily available on the major highways. We are traveling in the middle of the night (which is new to me) so I realy don't know what to expect.

There are alot of unknowns on this trip!

Nope, fraternal......we are nothing alike!!!!!!

I should have known there could only be one!

I should have known there could only be one!

Yep, I take pride in that!!!!

Where'd that thread go where I had lost my pants?

Where'd that thread go where I had lost my pants?

UH, Oh....it must have been sensored...I think I saw the picture on the gas price thread.

Where'd that thread go where I had lost my pants?

Huh... Dunno :?:

Kathy must take her time. When I'm on the way to the beach, all you'll see is smoke and rubber flying.

Used to be the same with us. That is until we were presented with a "safe driver award" in Dohan (with a radar detector!).

Usually tkes us 5 to 5.5 now. With the dogs and my husbands wife usually has to make a couple of stops herself.

Where'd that thread go where I had lost my pants?

(maybe we should start a thread so you can find them!)



(I gotta get me some hi-tec smilies!)

Paula, what airport do you fly into? I'm thinking there will be times that we'd prefer to fly, but I'm not sure if it's better to go to Panama City Beach or Fort Walton Beach. Is it six of one/ half a dozen of the other?

I fly into Panama City Bay Airport. It used to be a bit more expensive than Ft Walton, but it's about the same now, sometimes a bit less, sometimes a bit more. It's a VERY easy drive from Bay Airport to 30A. You go about 1 mile from the airport to one of the main roads that takes you to 98 and then go drive until you get to the turn onto 30A near Rosemary Beach. I used to always get lost driving from Ft. Walton airport (Valparaiso) to 30A.

There's an excellent airfare sale going on right now if you need to fly before late November. The fares from Detroit Michigan were about $225 which is excellent. Normal fairs are about $369 or so and can easily be up in the $400+. I always keep my eye open for sales because it can be expensive to fly with a family of four, and then rent a car (we rent the smallest car possible because we don't drive anywhere and just travel with carry-on bags). The kids REALLY prefer to fly.

Thanks, Paula. It turns out we're gutting the condo we bought so the two trips we had planned to re-do the place might turn into a LOT more! I don't mind driving for a whole day for a little R&R, but for Renovation? I don't think so...

Thanks, Paula. It turns out we're gutting the condo we bought so the two trips we had planned to re-do the place might turn into a LOT more! I don't mind driving for a whole day for a little R&R, but for Renovation? I don't think so...

I can help!

Landlocked, you're so funny! I have hammers, screwdrivers, paint, drywall mud, levels...what do want to help with? Your choice! (Cold beer available for EVERYONE who helps!)

Oh I'm there!

I'm serious, you know. You'll work for that cold beer. :laughing1

Chicago to Grayton, 925 miles, 16.5 hours including meals and pit stops. Piece of cake.

I'm serious, you know. You'll work for that cold beer. :laughing1

I'll do alot of things for a beer

... After much experimentation, the fastest route we've found from Atl to east side of 30-A is:

85 --> 185 --> 80/280/431 (Phenix City) --> 231 --> Hwy 109 (south of Dothan), becomes Hwy 77 --> Hwy 20 --> Hwy 79 --> 98.

The bold is the key, and then you can go whichever route from Dothan and all are about the same time, unless you go through Panty Maw City.

Are you doing what our family used to do??? Put sleeping kids in the car at 3:00 am, fill up thermos with coffee, eat junk in the car, pull into Destin and stop at the Walmart and Delchamps, arrive 13 hours later to sometimes find your house is not quite ready to move into, run down to the beach and smile...it's all good when your destination is SoWal!!!!

Thats exactly what we do, but sometimes we leave at midnight!! The kids sleep most of the time and no traffic!! Thank God my husband doesn't mind the drive because sometimes I fall asleep too!!

Thats exactly what we do, but sometimes we leave at midnight!! The kids sleep most of the time and no traffic!! Thank God my husband doesn't mind the drive because sometimes I fall asleep too!!

Falling asleep during your time off from driving is MANDATORY!!! Except, I also remember the Raffi tapes playing over and over..."Number one, number one, number one is so much fun!" Those were the days...but I wouldn't trade them...just love all the good memories when life was somewhat simpler.

Are you doing what our family used to do??? Put sleeping kids in the car at 3:00 am, fill up thermos with coffee, eat junk in the car, pull into Destin and stop at the Walmart and Delchamps, arrive 13 hours later to sometimes find your house is not quite ready to move into, run down to the beach and smile...it's all good when your destination is SoWal!!!!

:clap_1: We do this Sueshore! Went through South La with the full moon over the bayou - that was awesome - and got into SoWal with hours to go before check in. Kids slept until 9am - sweet!!

To the beach: About 30-40 minutes.

To THE beach: 6 hours.

IF I went to the beach around here, it would be to St. Pete Beach near the Don CeSar or Fort DeSoto Park, incidentally named No. 1 by Dr. Beach this year. My hometown has nothing on 30-A though. DH and I used to go to Sanibel/Captiva once a year (2.5 hours south) but now we just drive north. It's kind of odd, actually.

To the beach: About 30-40 minutes.

To THE beach: 6 hours.

IF I went to the beach around here, it would be to St. Pete Beach near the Don CeSar or Fort DeSoto Park, incidentally named No. 1 by Dr. Beach this year. My hometown has nothing on 30-A though. DH and I used to go to Sanibel/Captiva once a year (2.5 hours south) but now we just drive north. It's kind of odd, actually.

You have your beaches straight!!!!

It is 436 miles door to door...from our home in Nashville to our home in Watercolor. Takes us 6.5 hours....with all the pit stops for our kids.

We once had access to a Citation X Jet and it took 1 hour. Now that was a sick ride.

Doug

On the subject of having extra drivers for the trip - we drove down in July with FOUR teens in the car. We were like a pile of sardines stuffed in a can. We couldn't leave until past midnight because half of the kids needed to go to Borders Bookstore to pick up the newest Harry Potter, which was released that night.

So here it is 1:00 am and we're off. I figured my husband could drive until about 3:00 am and then our son could take over. I mean, he's the kid who parties until dawn, so it shouldn't have been any trouble for him to take the wheel for the 3:00 to 6:00 am shift...right?

No way! We weren't even onto the highway before every kid in the car was asleep. Yes, asleep. And they didn't wake up until nearly 10:00 am when we stopped for breakfast. Some help they were!