PDA

View Full Version : Driving from MA to Asheville NC with kids - crazy? ideas for stops?



almostmom
04-28-2010, 10:55 AM
OK, this is a bit long, but I'm hoping to get some advice! Thanks in advance if you make it through...

We are thinking of driving from Boston to Asheville, NC to visit some friends around July 4th. I'm really torn, as it would mean 4 car days over a 6-day holiday, but we have been trying to see these friends for years. The drive is about 14 hours total. The other option for us is that we could spend the time at a family house on the beach in Maine, only 2 hours away! But that is an easy fall back...

So if we do it, we'd leave on Wednesday June 30 (though we might go to NYC on Tuesday night and stay with friends, taking a few hours off the trip), and stay somewhere Wed. night, heading to Asheville on Thursday morning. Any suggestions on where to stop and stay? A hotel with a pool sounds nice, but we could also consider camping.

We'd have Thursday afternoon, Friday, Saturday,and Sunday morning to spend with out great friends and their kids.

Then we'd leave on Sunday July 4th (also a bummer) and drive half way back with a similar hotel or camping stop-over, making it home on July 5th.

I'm not putting this in a very optimistic light, but it would be wonderful to see these friends, who have been bugging us for years to visit (they've visited us more often). But I also know that going to Maine for this time would be so nice, as it might be the only time we have that house to ourselves all summer!

Flying is really expensive, and not direct.

Any advice is welcome!

Raidra
04-28-2010, 11:32 AM
We drove to DC when the boys were about 3.5 and 1.5. It's technically an 8-9 hour drive from Boston, but it took us 13 with all the stops we had to make. I wouldn't count on your drive being a 14 hour one.

If you really want to do it, I'd try to drive as much as possible at night so they'd be asleep, thus cutting back on the stops. It just seems like a long drive for such a short stay.

brittone2
04-28-2010, 11:40 AM
I :heartbeat: Asheville but think I'd opt for the beach. I personally would not find it relaxing to drive that far with two kids for a short stay, but everyone's personality is different.

Smillow
04-28-2010, 11:51 AM
Your kids are older (mine is only 1), but I always add a 25% increase to the amount of time a drive will take (50% if I am driving alone w/DS). That does seem like a lot of car time for such a short trip - how active are your children?

almostmom
04-28-2010, 11:57 AM
This time analysis is a really good point. I'll have to take that into consideration and see what DH says. He's more leaning towards going, and I hate to be the wet towel on the plan, even though I was the one who suggested it!

My kids are active, but not crazy (for example they can sit in front of the television for hours on Saturday morning no problem!) They go on 2 or 3 hour drives all the time when we go away for the weekend. But they do often sleep on these drives-- And if they don't, they are at their limit at 3 hours...

cono0507
04-28-2010, 12:01 PM
We drive 1000 miles from home each summer for a vacation with family in the mountains. After two days in the car to get there, we give ourselves at least a week there before we drive back. I tend to think that just a few days in between those big days of driving wouldn't make it worth it. I think I'd choose beach!

zoestargrove
04-28-2010, 07:50 PM
We drove from Mass to Myrtle Beach, S.C 2 years in a row. The boys were 1.5y and 3 the first time, then a year later.

We drove mostly at night so that the kids could sleep for the largest portion of the hours on the road. I bought and borrowed from the library lots of books on cd. These were great. We changed it up, story, songs, story, etc...and a big variety of snacks.

We stopped a lot. We even stopped for 4 hours in Virginia to go the children's museum.

My boys are very active, but they did tremendous on the drive.

I'd also want to extend my stay as long as possible before heading back and going back home.

doberbrat
04-28-2010, 09:07 PM
we've been driving from MA to Winston Salem NC several times a year w/dd and all the dogs since she turned 5w old. its a long drive. We've done it in a straight shot, in 2 days and in 3. Leaving at night and during the day. stopping in NYC or CT makes it feel MUCH longer. actually, stopping in NYC does make it longer period b/c we invariably get stuck in traffic - when not stopping we go around nyc by taking 84 all the way to 684 through ny. driving all night is great for the kids but hard on adults.

with as minimal stops as possible and driving 80mph it takes us 20h. we usually take 1 longer stop at Cabelas but that is maybe an hour? 90min tops? we do stop to walk the dogs at each stop so that takes a bit but also allows dd1 to stretch her legs.

I would be hesitant to do the trip for less than a week down there. its a long drive. Usually we go Sat night and come back on Sun. it takes time for the adults to recover from all the driving and frankly, all the talking by dd1.

I'd also be very hesitant to drive back on July 4. there will be alot of people driving with you - ie, more traffic = takes longer. hotels will be at higher capacity as well. not to mention the drunk driver factor which always makes me a smidge nervous.

otoh, it is a pretty drive and totaly doable assuming you're not in the cluster nursing phase ;)