Anyone ever driven cross country? How long does it take?

Question

I may need to drive from San Diego to Florida (Tampa area). Has anybody ever made this drive or similar? I'm just curious as to the time frame, should I make hotel reservations, etc. I'll be going via I 10. If you have any tips, personal experiences you can share. I will appreciate it. Thanks, JA

Answer 1

I made almost this exact trip, but my end point was Orlando. I was in the Navy and trransferred from San Diego to Orlando. I drove a 1971 VW microbus camper and mostly, I spent my sleep time in rest stops when I got tired. It was during storm season (February) so when I got to Mississippi, I got rained on a LOT. Matter of fact, it rained on me almost all of the way along the gulf coast. I got to stop in New Orleans for Mardi Gras. This was many years ago, but the thing to look for were the REAL truck stops, which used to be Union 76 stations with a huge trucker area, rooms to spend the night, showers and all the amenities of home. They served breakfast 24 ours a day and it was a BIG breakfast and all of this was available at a really reasonable cost. There is nothing better than to pull into a decent truck stop and take advantage of breakfast and a hot shower. I took advantage. The trucker area was separated from the regular customer area. I faked it by carrying a notebook and a small shaving kit and just walked in with some of the real truckers to their area and simply brazened it out like I was one of them. If you try this, you have to dress the part, jeans and a jean jacket and a ratty ballcap. If you are not dressed as the real truckers are, you won't pull it off. Real truckers do NOT wear suits. I made this same trip 3 times, round trip each time. My fastest one way was not quite 3 full days. I didn't sleep much. My VW tops out at about 70 MPH on a good day, and I had some good days on the fast trip since I didn't take any side trips off the highway, just drove straight through with a nap here and there. I still made it a point to hit the Union 76 truck stops for chow and a shower. It is remarkable how a simple hot shower and a big breakfast can revitalize you to drive for many more miles. Get a big stainless steel thermos (or at least one which works to keep coffee hot for a full day. My thermos is a Stanley and holds 1.5L and works as well today as it did then.) and fill it at the truckstops. The real truck stops (the ones with 20 or 30 big rigs in the lot) make the best coffee and they know to prewarm a thermos before they fill it with coffee before you get back on your way. Like I said, these Union 76 truck stops were the best, but I do not know if they still exist. The last time I made the I-10 run was 15 years ago.

I do not know what would be typical for the run from San Diego to Tampa today. I would set aside 4 or 5 days for a non-rush trip allowing for short detours for sightseeing along the way. Make some time to detour to see the Grand Canyon and Carlesbad Caverns, two places well worth seeing if you haven't., but are also quite a ways off the path of I-10, so allow a day for each.

I am a camper. I can sleep in the back of my VW microbus. I rough it when I am on the road. I do not stay in hotels when I travel. I stay in state parks. I stay in truck stops. I stay in rest stops along the freeway. I sleep in parking lots of shopping malls if need be. I guess it depends on the level of primitive you are willing to accept.

I hope you have a safe trip and can enjoy the sights as you travel from here to there... In Florida, they have a saying on billboards and such, "Arrive Alive."

Answer 2

Kumara, I have pushed around the nation on my own (two times) and cherished each minute of it. If I might make any recommendations it could be to first have a sport plan to while you wish to depart in phrases of date/time and keep it up. Second, earlier than departing get a shuttle tick from AAA, although you will have a GPS laptop in your auto. Take 2 rolls of quarters with you - unusually ample toll roads the least bit most probably areas exhibit up at all times - maintain this in an effortless field for you to arrive. Lastly, push the force but additionally understand whilst to quit to consume and sleep for the night - do not push it thus far that you just go to sleep on the wheel. Bring bottled water with you for the shuttle - it relatively is the great factor for you. Best of success, have a laugh, keep riskless, and whilst you'll - scent the roses! I could with ease love to look my American Southwest once more. Gerry :)

Answer 3

Goggle earth says that route takes one day and 19 hours that is 43 hours behind the wheel break it up into four days. 11 hour behind the wheel each day. That way wake up each day drive in the light of day and rest eat fuel and off again in the early morning. Stop whenever you want just make 11 hours each day at freeway speed. I have made the trip in less time but had to sleep three days after I got to Disney World.

Answer 4

I've done the trip from Va to AZ. It took about 3 days. Texas will feel like an eternity on I-10! I guess it would take you about 4 days to do the trip you describe here.