croah

I am moving my car from Boston to Indiana on January 13th. It's a 16 hour drive. How many stops should I plan for rest, and where would be an interesting place to stop for the night along the way?

Can I just sleep in my car with a heating blanket?

tomfuller

Where in Indiana? 16 hours behind the wheel in a single day is not safe even in good weather.
If the car is prepared for winter driving (good tires, emergency food, shovel etc.) a second skilled winter driver would be necessary. Is it that car or yourself that has to be in Indiana?

Ackislander

Yes, where? Different routes for northern, central and southern Indiana. They are very different across PA.

Were you in Boston this weekend? Could you have driven safely in that weather? Do you know what the weather will be along your route? Next Monday?

Why don't you try to spend the night in your car in Boston tonight using the "heating blanket" you would plan to use?

Seriously, you should plan to stop halfway in good weather. Go a little farther than halfway on Day 1 if Day 2 has deteriorating weather. You should plan to stop at a motel. Stop at the first welcome center in each state and pick up a book of coupons for motels.

RoamsAround

>

Certainly possible but since your title" reflects an interest in being "safe" why would you even consider doing that?

Also, what do you mean by "interesting place to stop for the night"/ What type of things interest you? What do you plan to do at night other than have dinner and get some sleep?

As for how many rest stops you should make along the way depends on YOUR stamina and driving conditions. Some people stop every 2 hours, others every 4 hours. When I'm on a road trip I don't plan on a set number of stops. Instead I stop whenever I feel the need either for a bathroom break, I need gas, I'd like a bite to eat or if I feel drowsy. As it turns out for me one or more of those "events" seems to occur about every 3 or 4 hours.

Plot out your route using Google Maps or MapQuest - potential stopping points will become obvious.

Christina

I agree, I stop when I need to, which is usually to go to the bathroom or a lunch break. I just did a 7 hr trip and stopped once for lunch and probably one other time. I think something is wrong if you "feel drowsy", you shouldn't be driving if you do, as someone said that is when they stop. You shouldn't be driving at all in that condition. I never "feel drowsy" when I drive 7 hours in the day time.

Could be different for you but I did that for two days with a couple days in-between and my leg cramped up after the second time I did it (the one for the gas pedal). I was okay the first time. That leg still has problems and I can't stretch my hamstring as much in the gym, although I can't feel anything walking around.

In short, 8 hrs behind the wheel per day can be a lot for one person. I just wanted to get to my destination so maybe a longer lunch break or more stops would be better.

Yoiu don't need an "interesting" place to stop at night when it is January (so totally dark) and you plan to sleep in your car!!! What does that even mean, you want to go out on the town before you sleep?

J62

Unless it is actively snowing along the route the roads will be clear and dry so the drive is really no different than any other time of year. If there is a chance of snow accumulation then you not plan to be on the road at that time. Pay special attention to the lake effect zone parts of the drive, around the Great Lakes.

For long distance drives my rule of thumb is to get ~60% of the drive out of the way the 1st day if I can, and plan to be off the road by the fall of darkness. That means 1st day drive I plan to be on the road before the crack of dawn then stop for breakfast / coffee an hour or 2 down the road.

suze

I'm sure there are some places it would be OK to try and sleep in your car, if you really can't afford a motel room. But for a 16 hour drive I personally would want to break it up with a good and entirely safe night's sleep in a bed instead.

garyt22

Take the thruway straight across Mass and NY using Rt 90 west to Buffalo on day one... There are several motel properties near Buffalo/Niagara airport that are inexpensive and just off 90... Under $100 easy

Day 2 is a shorter drive along 90 west to Indiana...

Weather forecasts are clear for these days so you should have easy sailing...

fmpden

In my younger years I did a number of those. 16 hours was nothing. I was fairly disciplined. Every two hours I would stop and walk about the car at a rest stop. Second my car would only go about four hours on a 3/4 of tank. So the next two hour was always gas, restroom, a coke or something. About every six hours I would get a quick bite to eat. I could keep that pattern going for 18 20 hours. IF, and I did occasionally, get drowsy, I would not fight it. At the next rest area I would park and take a cat nap - generally an hour or so - then I would be refresh and hit the road.

Watch the weather. At the first sign of bad weather get off the road. If you wait, then everything will fill up by those who are smarter than you. Only hit bad weather a couple times - once delayed for two days.

You can do it - just be smart about.

Ackislander

Much of this assumes that the OP is going to Northern Indiana.

If s/he is going to Indianapolis or Bloomington, I-90 would not be a good route. If s/he is going to Evansville, Terre Haute, Columbus, etc, still other routes are better.

The weather is going to be cold, not nasty, so that isn't a big issue.