To drive or fly on an unplanned trip?
 

So there has been a lot going on in my life recently. I've had a lot of people visit which has kept me very busy, my dad on a recent visit had to go to the hospital for a week which of course was very stressful and while my job is okay it's not a job I'm terribly happy with.

With all that's been going I've decided to take an impromptu trip next week. I actually live in the Orlando area (I know, trying to escape where so many people travel to, lol) and am kind of torn how to approach this impromptu trip. It would be over a long weekend (Friday to either Monday or Tuesday) and I would like to spend around $500, $550 max.

Part of me really wants to go up to the mountains, maybe north Georgia and North Carolina. When it comes to the mountains, at first I just thought about doing a road trip but then I saw where I could get Southwest to Atlanta for $60 each way. I could easily pay one way and use Southwest points for the return trip (I have 40,000 points). I would have to get a rental car but checked and could rent one for a few days including their insurance for about $150.

The goal for me on this trip is to really disconnect and just get back out to nature, to the outdoors. Flying isn't exactly the luxury it used to be and I don't envy having to fly in and out of Hartsfield-Jackson, but it would save me a day. Heck driving I would spend $60 alone for gas and food, never mind driving I would need to advocate an extra day and the wear and tear on my car. With that said, some of that savings would disappear with having to get a rental car and pay for parking at an offsite car place at the airport.

Flying would also take away some spontaneity as I would be more locked in to where I could go and I couldn't change last minute. But again my car has 112,000 miles on it and I want it to last for awhile and I would like to limit the amount of miles put on it.

If you were in my situation what would you recommend? Any other advice for doing a last minute unplanned trip?

Yours is really a simple question and the answer is also equally simple:

First, go to the destination YOU REALY want to visit and don't get too hung up whether it will be a few dollars cheaper or more costly if you fly or drive. You are not spending all that much so a few dollars either way isn't going to affect you. Of course, if you have the type of personality where you'll fret over every dollar you spend then you have no choice other than to choose the least expensive options. For most people, however, whether they spend $500 or $550 isn't going to be a deal breaker.

Second, it doesn't make any difference whether you fly or drive - both options have their +'s and -'s and when the trip is over they will add up to an "=". You've already summarized the differences so YOU have to pick which option works best for YOU. Remember, this is YOUR trip - it matter little what others would do. A person who hates driving will always tell you to fly and those who despise air travel will tell you to drive. There is no right or wrong answer here, only different options.

If you enjoy driving then take your car as the drive itself will be part of the experience. If you don't like driving then fly. Either way you'll have time away from the stresses you are under.

It will cost more, but Allegiant will fly you direct from SFB to Asheville, which will save you the drive from Atlanta. If my car had that many miles on it I would be more inclined to fly.

<<also take away some spontaneity as I would be more locked in to where I could go and I couldn't change last minute.>>

So what? I don't see that as a huge consideration or really even worth consideration.

This is only one weekend short weekend on a very low budget. Just pick a place and go there. You don't need to change your mind at the "last minute".

My question would be what do you want to do when you get to wherever you go to? That to me is what should help you decide where to go and how.

You say you want to go to the mountains but say nothing about what you plan to do when you get there other than, "to really disconnect and just get back out to nature, to the outdoors." Well how do you plan to do that? Sit in your car in a parking lot, looking at some trees? Or get out on the Appalachian Trail for an overnighter?

What I see is all this thought and energy going into the pros and cons of 'fly or drive' and none into 'what will I do when I get there'.

If it were me, I'd just drive to the start of the AT; park my car; shoulder my pack and go.