brandons

I am planning on driving from NYC to South Florida on a very early Saturday morning with my family. We want to do the the trip in 2 days and we would like to go a little more than half way the first day. I am looking for suggestions on where to stay over 1 night that will not have me going off of I-95 too far. I would like to make it to Savannah but if that's too far looking for suggestions.

tomfuller

Do you want to visit Pedro at "South of the Border"?
It is the first exit in South Carolina coming from North Carolina.

Dukey1

To Savannah and not too far off 95? Try the Hampton Inn Savannah I-95 North which is directly off 95 at GA Rte 21.

RoamsAround

I have a different take on this. If you are just looking for a place to stop for the night use google maps to figure your approximate halfway point. Then go to this website to find a list of hotels, motels, restaurants, etc. that are at or near the I-95 exits near where you'll be stopping.

http://www.i95exitguide.com

For what it is worth, there are motels, gas stations and eateries at almost every exit along I-95.

Ackislander

Depending on what you mean by South Florida, somewhere between Florence and Walterboro, SC will be a bit more than half way. Savannah is too far.

If you stop to buy gas or use the bathroom, it will be roughly 14 hours each day, and that suggests eating in the car rather than stopping for food.

RobinBinNYC

It's hard to resist South of the Border!

diann24

http://hamptoninn3.hilton.com/en/hot...CHX/index.html

We stayed here in Lumberton at this Hampton Inn. I see they are claiming to be doing road work so this might not be the ideal place. They do offer a great breakfast which is included, and we had dinner at an Outback Steak house which is within walking distance to the hotel. There are so many places along 1-95 there is no shortages of a hotel. Just drive till you feel like stopping would be my advice. DH can do it with no stopping. I need my zzzz's!!

NeoPatrick

"It's hard to resist South of the Border!"

I've done it countless times. Trust me, it's very easy to resist.

mclaurie

Many of us have driven this route. If all you want is a halfway point, a google search shows it's Dillon, SC to say Palm Beach..
http://www.i95exitguide.com/stopovers/sc193.php

Here's an old tgread where a bunch of us relate experiences.
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...ami-to-nyc.cfm

Gretchen

There are many motels at the Darlington exit (it is Route 52 intersection).
I would get further south than Lumberton--and there is some unsavoriness around that area. Maybe they have cleaned it up now.
I like the idea of googling a couple of exits for their services so you will know.
Savannah would be a fer piece from NYC!! My NYC friend often stops at the Darlington/Florence exit on her way to FL.

rizzo0904

Done this trip many times. Make it 75% of the way there on day 1. You have more energy that day. We would stay in Savannah..it's roughly 12 hours.

diann24

Gretchen,

we knew nothing about "unsavoriness" around Lumberton I am only stating this is what we did. It was pitch dark at the time and cannot tell you about the area at all. I love Outback so it worked for us. We only went to Jacksonville. We had never driven before. We have friends who drive it often and I believe they did suggest Darlington as well. I am leaving this week actually but I always fly. We only drove because we had we have various families to visit throughout Florida. That would always be my choice.

schmerl

We just made this trip. We drive until we don't feel like driving anymore and then stop for the night. We prefer Hampton Inns along the way and they are at MANY exits along I-95.
We find South of the Border VERY EASY to resist.

Fra_Diavolo

I would advise you to get off the road around dusk. Many older folk making the trek stop driving and fill up the motels about that time. If you want to drive into the night, I'd make a guess where you'll be when you want to stop and make a reservation.

Another one who has found it very simple to resist South of the Border.

vincenzo32951

I'm not sure I understand the OP's request. Are you just looking for a halfway place to just flop? Or some place interesting?

Obviously, if it's the first scenario, there are a zillion places near 95. If it's the second, please indicate.

Gretchen

Diann, I only commented that because it was a topic in our Charlotte paper at some time recently. I think your info was good and certainly valid. But a lot does go on on that corridor at times. I think they can get a bit further on down the road also. ;o)

RoamsAround

Even at age 10 I thought South of the Boarder was a tourist trap when we made the ny to FLA drive way back in 1954 and it's gotten bigger and more honkey tonk every year since - VERY, VERY easy to resist.

Dukey1

"a little more than half way" is fine and that would be as has been stated in southern South Carolina mileage-wise. But at what time are you planning to start out? Stopping at dusk if you started out well before sunrise means you could get quite a distance. Also we have no idea how fast you plan on driving; the speed limit is mostly 70 or more most of the way; 65-70 in parts of Virginia (watch for the speed traps in Emporia) and in North Carolina; 70 all the way through South Carlolina.

Time for some OP feedback I'd say.

NeoPatrick

I may get slammed for this, but I have done a couple of reservations that can be cancelled day of arrival until 6 a couple of hours apart along the route. At 4 or 5 depending on how you feel and how much you may have been delayed, you can estimate how much further you want to drive and cancel the one you no longer want.

This prevents getting shut out from the motels along the highway if you want to drive fairly late -- and YES, that has happened to me. I don't consider cancelling these "highway motel" reservations quite the same as reserving several resorts preventing others from booking.

schmerl

It seems the OP doesn't care about this as much as we do!
If they want to make the trip in two days I would think they are just looking for a place to sleep for the night. In that case there is no problem since there are so many hotel/motels along I-95.