Drive or Fly? What would you do???

Question

Im going to florida on the 19th. I live in NJ. Technicaly I could drive but it would be so much easier to fly. The reasons why I want to fly are:

I have a 13 year old.
I have a 1 year old.
Its so much quicker
My car is small.

I want to drive because:

The ticket will cost close to $1,000.00.
I'm terrified to get on a plane.

I figured we could start driving Saturday night so the kids could sleep the whole way. My Husband will drive for 5 hours than I'll finish. We will stop somewhere in the middle to hang out. Then we will start again Sunday night and do the same thing. We will get to Florida by Monday.

Also we would save money because we wouldnt need to rent a car

Has anyone ever made a 20 hour trip in a car with kids????

Answer 1

With the price of gas, a hotel, and food for two extra days for 4 people, I would think it'd be easier and worth the few extra dollars to fly.

However, if flying means renting a car and adding that expense, I'd risk it with the children. 13 y/o's will pretty much keep themselves occupied if they have books, music, magazines, games, etc. The 1 y/o might be a handful, but hopefully they'll just sleep through most of it.

Good luck!!

Answer 2

My family made the drive to Orlando FL from Michigan when I was 16, and my brother 12. We drove in a very small car (a 1981 VW Rabbit--about the size of the old Ford Escorts...) w/a suitcase on the seat between us. Yes, we grumbled at each other, but we had books to read & games to play. (The grumbling was usually over the suitcase & who had pushed it over to the others' side... lol) We also played games including writing down all the different license plates we saw--by the end of the trip we had almost all 50 states & most of the Canadian provinces..

Now that we are adults, my brother & his family regularly drive w/their 2 kids to FL twice a year. They usually split the trip into 2 days, and they take a portable DVD player for the kids to watch. (Also, driving at night is great as the kids will sleep.)

The last time they went to FL they did fly, but it was because they were able to find some cheaper airfare... (And they did not have to rent a car when they got there as they were visiting family.)

Due to your fear of flying & the cost to fly & then rent a vehicle upon arrival, I would say that driving would be a better way to go. Driving will save overall, especially w/a smaller car that is fuel efficient. Just be aware that you kids would enjoy a few extra "potty stops" to get out & stretch their legs... :)

Have a safe trip!

Answer 3

Hi
I haven't made this trip with kids, but have made it with just my husband and I. It is a long *** trip. However due to the cost of the airfare I would drive. However I don't understand why you would not want to stop. Your vacation starts when you leave the house.

Why not stop someplace where the kids can see something. Maybe in North or South Carolina? There is a place called South of the Border in Dillon South Carolina. It's has all this mexican stuff outside.. you can't miss it. You can get a room at a budget inn etc. for about 40.00 a night. It would everyone a break and add to driver safety.

You can check out south of the border on line.

Answer 4

I know flying can be scary, but the fact is you have a much better chance of being in a car accident than a plane accident. The flight will be shorter, but there's also no way of letting the kids out to run around and burn some energy for a while. However, if it comes down to a decision on price, driving may be the only reasonable choice. Seat belts and a car seat, don't forget lots of books, music, toys and extra food, water, blankets and a good first aid kit.
Have a good trip!

Answer 5

A. it would be expensive B. youre terrified to fly , it appears that youve already thought about a plan to drive, just remember to take breaks, hydrate, and play little games with the kids, like counting yellow cars or things of that nature to keep from the monotony of the long drive (we would often play this game where a yellow car was worth a point, a truck 2, a plane 3 and a boat 5 (yes we have seen yellow boats)) good luck and if you drive youll have more money to spend in Fla!

Answer 6

I drove from Michigan to Oregon with a cat, a husky and my little brother and it was not the most fun. Plus side to it was that we all can coexist fairly well. Are the kids well behaved?

You do know that driving is much much much much more dangerous than flying, right? Planes are made to stay in the air.

Reasons to fly:
You should not drive if you're at all tired, which means that a motel might be safer (honestly who sleeps well in a car?).
Gas is not cheap, especially on a 20 hour drive.
So all the money you're supposedly saving on the flight....you're not saving.
Driving at night is tiring, boring, and in my opinion is awful.
The possibility of the kids driving you guys nuts is very high! Unless you're planing to drug them they are definitely NOT sleeping the whole way, that's a gurantee!

Answer 7

The drive you're talking about is something on the order of 1200 miles one way, which means a 2400 mile round trip. If your car gets 25 miles to the gallon (just an estimate, since I don't know), then, you're talking about $250 or so for gas, plus food, etc. for the trip. You're also putting 2400 miles on your car, which is just that much more wear and tear. I would imagein your 13-year-old would be fine, but a one-year-old in a car for 24 hours is going to be a problem. If you fly, you're spending a few hundred dollars more, but you're going to save yourself a LOT of aggravation, get there quicker, and not be NEARLY as tired when you arrive. I can't decide for YOU, but in your shoes, if I could afford it, I'd fly.

Answer 8

All depends on which one is safer for you. Travelling for 20 hrs in a car is not all that bad. What if you do not have the required 1000 dollars needed for the flightn it will embarrassing going to the air port without money. Travelling with your kids in a car is also adventurious for the children or kids. They will be opportuned to see what they wouldn't have seen while travelling in a plane. Besides travelling in a car saves cost but losses times so which one is preferable for you. Saving cost is just like saving time.

Answer 9

We made a 28 hr trip with 3 kids, space was tight, each had their own entertainment, portable dvd player,game boy, and mp3 player. We also kept the youngest busy with coloring and road games, like see who can spot the next horse , red car, cow etc.When all was said and done, the trip wasnt so bad after all, and the trip home was even better !!!!

Answer 10

i have done both, well nyc to atlanta, flying and driving, as a child and an adult
if u have time to drive i would-i hate planes too and i hate kids/babies on planes even more
the east coast is beautiful and there are plenty of things to stop and do along the way-just remember to bring activities and food/drinks
try to get as much stuff in the trunk as possible, less cabin clutter
either way traveling is a nightmare-good luck