Community Forums

SewBzzzy · 02-11-2008, 12:08 PM

It appears that my husband and I may have a week off work the beginning of April, and would like to get out our motorhome and head south to find some warmth! Since it's just the two of us, we'd like to see some sights along the way. What route can you recommend? What historical or interesting sites can we see along the way? If we only decide to go as far south as Myrtle Beach...or southern GA, what would you recommend? We'll need a campground or two along the way, and a destination campground. We won't have a car....only bikes, so would like to be fairly near the sights or towns. Thank you!

SewBzzzy · 02-11-2008, 12:08 PM

It appears that my husband and I may have a week off work the beginning of April, and would like to get out our motorhome and head south to find some warmth! Since it's just the two of us, we'd like to see some sights along the way. What route can you recommend? What historical or interesting sites can we see along the way? If we only decide to go as far south as Myrtle Beach...or southern GA, what would you recommend? We'll need a campground or two along the way, and a destination campground. We won't have a car....only bikes, so would like to be fairly near the sights or towns. Thank you!

GaryKD · 02-13-2008, 03:17 PM

Hi SewBzzzy,
Where are you starting from? What are some favorite things you/spouse likes to do?

SewBzzzy · 02-14-2008, 02:12 AM

We're starting from a small town north of Detroit (on Saturday, April 5th), and will drive approximately 8 to 10 hours a day for two days. Therefore, I'm assuming our first night will be around the vacinity of mid-Tennessee to northern Georgia. The second night will be in Florida....as we can't get into Fort Wilderness until Tuesday, the 8th. Being from Michigan, we LOVE the sun this time of year....but enjoy seeing the sights along the way. We're open to any suggestions! This is the first time going WITHOUT our children, who are now grown! Have gone from a tent, to a pop-up, to travel trailers and now to a motorhome in the past 30+ years.

GaryKD · 02-14-2008, 10:51 AM

Hi SewBzzzy,
Ahhhh, I feel your joy and anticipation. Our trips withour the kids were outstanding. "Were outstanding" you ask, why the past tense. Our kids went and had kids of their own!

Now we RV with the Grandkids.

With only a week and 2 nights at DW FW it will be tough to pick and choose what will take up the rest of your time.

1. In your other thread, I made a suggestion of the Kentucky Horse Park.
2. When you get to the I81/I75 split, you're really close to Pigeon Forge, TN. It is like a mini Branson, MO. All "G" rated shows.
3. Near Atlanta is Stone Mountain.
If you really like the warm weather, boogy down to Florida. Use the extra day or two and make a side trip to Datona Beach (the speedway too) or the Kenedy Space Center, or any of our great beaches in the area and just chill out. You'll need your strength, once you get to DW.

This should get you thinking. If you want some additional ideas, post here or PM me.

Every Miles A Memory · 02-21-2008, 09:37 PM

Hi Sewbzzy, sounds like a fun little road trip.

What town are you from in Michigan? My wife and I were from Milford before we sold everything to go Fulltime in our Travel Trailer.

One place we found which is right on the Georgia/Florida border is Cumberland Island.

This barrier Island is absolutely beautiful with Wild Horses and dolphins splashing in the surrounding water. There are ruins left over from when the Carnigie's owned the island and enough stuff to keep you busy for a few days if you want to stay that long.

http://www.everymilesamemory.com/pats_blog_february.htm

Check out that link for our day we spent on the island! It was something I'll never forget!

Other places I would think of is Savannah Georgia, very cool little town, but park the RV in Tybee Island which is about ten minutes away as Savannah has very narrow streets.

This time of year I'd almost forget Disney and head over to the west coast of Florida to Crystal River and Homosassa Springs.

Think warm water and manatees! We paddled along the warm water springs with the manatees nudging our boats wanting us to jump in and swim with them, which we did of course!

Have fun, and make sure you let us all know how much fun you both had!

SewBzzzy · 02-22-2008, 03:36 PM

Thank you so much for all the information! We haven't been to Disney in over 12 years....since the kids were young, so we're looking forward to it. Yes, it'll be a fun trip! You full time? How exciting! Maybe someday!!!

codgerbill · 03-08-2008, 11:51 AM

We are going to Fla the last week or so in April. We will be going to Charleston SC and then to Savannah Ga and then to St Augustine. We will be overnighting on the way down to Charleston in a Walmart or Travel America or a flying J. In Charlseton we will stop in a county park that is very dog friendly and spend a couple days touring in Charleston and then off to Savanna for a couple days staying in a state park. We had to make reservations well ahead of time at a KOA in St Augustine as a couple of RV parks had no space for RV's over 35 feet (Snowbirds still in residence). Looking foreward to getting away from the snow.

SewBzzzy · 03-09-2008, 05:08 AM

We will be leaving in the early morning hours on April 5th, hoping to drive until a little after dark that Saturday, spending the night at a Walmart south of Macon, then continuing on to Fort Wilderness on Sunday, the 6th, where we will be spending 5 nights. We're just north of Detroit, so we hope to make it south of Macon by 8:00 or 9:00 p.m. on the 5th. We'll leave home around 3:00 a.m. Do you think we're being realistic with the timing? We've driven it MANY times with our truck/trailer, but never with our motorhome. Advice?

Lil'Darlin1972 · 03-09-2008, 10:42 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">We will be leaving in the early morning hours on April 5th, hoping to drive until a little after dark that Saturday, spending the night at a Walmart south of Macon, then continuing on to Fort Wilderness on Sunday, the 6th, where we will be spending 5 nights. We're just north of Detroit, so we hope to make it south of Macon by 8:00 or 9:00 p.m. on the 5th. We'll leave home around 3:00 a.m. Do you think we're being realistic with the timing? We've driven it MANY times with our truck/trailer, but never with our motorhome. Advice? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

<span class="ev_code_PURPLE">It will make for a long drive. We are in Howell, about 30 minutes N. of Ann Arbor. When we drive down to FL we usually make it to mid TN before stopping for the night. That's with leaving about 8am. We figure 2 hours for every 100 miles which leaves room for fuel stops, rest areas, and meals. If you aren't traveling with kids or dogs though then you may be able to push on farther. We find stopping once every two hours works well for us. Chad and stretch his legs, we take the dogs for a walk, and the kids can move around.

If we stop mid TN for night one, then we can stop just before the FL border for the second night. That leaves just a couple of hours on morning 3 and we can be at Ft Wilderness for check in time

</span>

SewBzzzy · 03-09-2008, 12:28 PM

Usually we find five hours to Cincinnati, four hours through Kentucky, two hours through Tennessee, 7.5 hours through Georgia, etc. No children with us this time (they're all grown!), only a small dog who is used to traveling and doesn't need many stops.

We're hoping to go at least 3 hours between stops, although we've gone as many as 4 or more. Depends on who's driving.

This will be our first long distance trip with the motorhome, and our first with just the hubby and me since 1980! Next trip will be with our new grandaughter, due in May!

codgerbill · 03-09-2008, 03:02 PM

I think a lot of us have done the drive in 2 days with an automobile. However in a motorhome its sort of a different ballgame. With 4 wheels I am comfy driveing a bit over the 70MPH speed (with the Valentine 1 on full alert)and not haveing a lot oh handeling problems in high winds or rain. With the MH I am usually very comfy between 60-62 MPH. Faster than that really sucks up the gas and with any wind makes one fatigued. Next are you an DH gonna share driving? And then there are road conditions (construction detours ,etc) Brings to mind the detour you will run into on I-75 around the Ambassador bridge.You mite want to check on road conditions with a website such as http://www.traffic.com/Detroit-Traff...c-Reports.html. When we leave for Charleston the last week in April we will be looking for a Walmart around 450 miles and may push it to 500 miles (that is if DW will share somma the drivin). Not saying the trip cant be done comfortably in two days(maby with a big diesel pusher) just saying its always best to cut yourself a lil slacke specially if this is your first long trip with the coach.

May you have a safe and uneventful trip down and back and a great time in warm Florida

SewBzzzy · 03-09-2008, 03:14 PM

I know what you're saying......It can be a long, tiring drive.

But we've done the drive the last six or seven times with a truck, pulling either a pop-up or travel trailer, so we keep the speed down to 55 or 60. We don't like to drive over 60 or so with the MH either. Yes, both the hubby and I share the driving, with the majority of it usually being done by me. I LOVE to drive, and it gives him a break since he does more driving for work. Yes, we live north of Detroit, and my husband does the commute, so we're very familiar with the detours in this area. Let's hope there aren't too many down south on I-75. This will be our 6th time camping in Fort Wilderness, but it's been a number of years....so we're anxious to see if it's changed much! I heard a rumor that they were going to revamp the sites this spring sometime?