Nova Scotia to Palm Bay Fla.

[Davidk]

More snow here last night....so we are taking the camper out of storage first week of April and heading to Palm Bay Florida for a couple weeks.Once there staying with family in their house. Start the camping season early for us.
We will travel the I-95 all the way. Approx 30 hours so stopping somewhere 2 maybe 3 nights.
Are there any dos or don'ts on where to pull in for the nights. We are thinking maybe KOA's or other campgrounds. I see that some are open by April 1st some later.

Thanks in advance
David Mona
and the Girls

[mkguitar]

if you have not done I95...I would suggest getting south of Boston into CT and stage for the trip through NYC so you are fresh either time it so you are before 7 am or after 10am

you will be taking the Geo Wash bridge- do not look at using the tunnels "for a look" at manhattan- no propane in the tunnels if you have.
once past newark, pretty easy through Philly. DC area is tough for traffic.

Once past DC suburbs it'll be easy sailing.

there is alot of traffic North->South as March brings speed week, bike week and spring break...so everything that caters to travelers and visitors should be open

mike

[mkguitar]

double posted sorry

[Davidk]

Thanks Mike

That's what i am looking for. This is the first time on the I-95 really. I a couple years back wet down to Maryland to pick up a new to me Hardtop Bayliner Boat. Made it to Jersey the first night, than Maryland next day, and yes hit supper time traffic around NY on way back.

Yes we have propane, but did not want to take the tunnels anyway. Thanks for the good Tips

David

[Davidk]

Mike , also someone told me to bypass ( go around NY ) but when i looked at it on map . That just seemed like a waste of gas and time, with smaller roads and hills.
Your thoughts ?

David

[coveman]

Originally Posted by Davidk

Mike , also someone told me to bypass ( go around NY ) but when i looked at it on map . That just seemed like a waste of gas and time, with smaller roads and hills.
Your thoughts ?

David

Last April did a tour from Kingston Ontario to North Carolina. The KOA`s are open in early April. I stayed at Harper`s Ferry, Fredericksburg and one near Roanoke Rapids, all good places for one nighters and easy to find but would call in advance to check on availability , they do get busy especially on weekends.
Personally we avoid the big cities and find the US designated highways more
interesting drives. US 17 is great

[Davidk]

Thanks Coveman

Will check the smaller highways, as we are in no big rush 4 days down, stay for 8 - 10, than 4 back. Our first big drive with RT. we would normally fly, but because one of the girls is quite old now we cant really leave her with anyone. That is one of the big reasons we bought the van
See The Girls below

[mkguitar]

there really is no way to cleanly avoid NYC, Boston or DC- just bite the bullet.

( regarding post below- the "parkways" are restricted for height and type of traffic. seen a few trucks got on by mistake and tore the roof off- I believe it is 8 feet)

routes inland encounter rivers ( bridge bottlenecks) and mtns...so geography works against you.

but there are some nice routes inland- and along the coast from Norfolk down- it's how much time you want to spend.

at the lower end of your trip, most people do not realize how long florida is- it's a big State North to South


pour over maps

make sure you have vac and rabies certs for the girls for the border, tags and chips too just in case they wander away

mike

[BobB]

Originally Posted by Davidk

Mike , also someone told me to bypass ( go around NY ) but when i looked at it on map . That just seemed like a waste of gas and time, with smaller roads and hills.
Your thoughts ?

David

We drove up to NS this summer from Philadelphia area and avoided NY entirely. I grew up on Long Island, so know what driving there is like. Went by way of NJ Turnpike to I-287 (exit 10) and over the Tappan Zee Bridge. Yes, there is construction for the new bridge, but traffic never stopped - slowed down to maybe 30mph, 15 minutes later and we were over.

Through CT, I-95 is not one of my favorite roads (my wife is from there and we drove back and forth for 30+ years by various routes). In our Mini Cooper, we used to take the Cross and Merritt Pkwy (Rt. 15) but there are height limitations on that route, lots of curves and people fly down it at 75+mph. IMO, not for RVs, even Class Bs.

After Tappan Zee, we took I-684 north to I-84 east to Mass Turnpike (i-90). Around Boston on I-495 on up through Maine.

Stopped at Wells State Park CG (intersection of I-84 and I-90 -@ Sturbridge). FYI- there is a Cracker Barrel and a Walmart there, so you could boondock, too). Then on to Wild Duck CG in Scarborough, ME. On way back we stopped in Freeport at Recompense Shore CG, after several nights at Acadia..

Philadelphia to St. John NB, with 2 overnights. About 750+ miles, 15 hours, with some rest and gas stops. You could do it with one stop; we drove straight home from Freeport on the way back. About 490 miles, 9.5 hours.

[InterBlog]

Your tile doesn't specify rig type... and you're looking primarily for hook-up sites?

We did a similar but opposite run last year - Houston Texas to Ingonish, about 42 hours (not all on IH-95 obviously, but part of it was). We boondocked almost exclusively because of the very long travel days and the need to make time, which meant that most sites like KOA were closed long before we stopped for the night.

I don't go anywhere without my paper Cracker Barrel map. Beats the heck out of Wallydocking any day of the week. Depending on where in NS you are originating, you might want to make Dysart's outside of Bangor your first overnight. For other general observations on a trip of that nature, I wrote this "lessons learned" blog post that might be of interest.

[Davidk]

Getting all things set up now......going over maps, what we will need to set up van for trip. Taking some items out that not needed for the driving trip as we would for actual camping only trip. ie BBQ, camp table , chairs, fishing gear etc

Mike.. thanks again, will most likely stay on or close to I-95 for trip down , will see for drive back. Have appointments next week to get the girls all set with shots etc. That wont be a good day....they are not big fans of the ....( vet ) don't say too loud

BobB .. thanks for info on your trip this way, it all helps

InterBlog.. We are in Middle Sackville NS ( outside Halifax ). Read your blog,nice.
We are driving as my signature says 1997 RoadTrek 170 Popular
Like the idea of Crackerbarrel , we love their food

Thanks to all that dropped a note with helpful information

David

[mkguitar]

Nice, My Brother in Law used to be your MLA...I'm a displaced Haligonian, But the weather is nice in AZ.

stuff:
take stuff which you can cleanly and easily store out of the way on your trip down.
camp chairs are only $10...disposable type bbq's ( I wouldn;t carry a dirty bbq in my van, and not big on the beverly hillbillies look with stuff carried outside the van).




shots; many rescue organizations do shots to help raise funds- it can save hugely over the vet visit unless you have other reasons.
it's often a walk-through process so no stress or strain on the pets.

mike

[Davidk]

Mike
Last name of Brother in-law ?

All items i mentioned about removing are all in the back trunk, storage area.

We are going to sister in-laws place she just bought for her retirement in a few years. As she lives in a piece i built on our place here for her ( 16' x 40' ). This is our first visit to the Palm Bay area. We really like Florida......or the heat and palm trees ha ha , not alot of that here in NS. But love it here in the summer.

Never thought of the rescue organizations for shots and things, i will look into that. The girls have been going to the same vets sense born.

[mkguitar]

John Holm NDP MLA
Mike

[Davidk]

Yes Mr Holm...NDP. Voted for him while we lived in Lower Sackville.
He was there for many years.

We are now up the road in Middle Sackville, different district

David

[markopolo]

The Ramada Inn in Lewiston, Maine allowed RV overnight parking in the back with electric plugin for $15 when we were there two years ago. I think the fee included access to the pool and showers. You could call ahead to confirm.

It was just off I95 and I think several RV'ers from the Maritimes make that the first overnight when heading south.

[BobB]

IIRCC, There are many RVers who overnight in the RV lot at the corner of Depot and Grove streets in Freeport, Maine near LLBean.

[Davidk]

Thanks markopolo, and BobB

I will look into both of these locations
Thanks

LLBean is one of my stops on the way home

David

[Manx]

If you have propane on board, you may be barred from Baltimore harbor tunnels (either I-95 or I-895), and have to detour on I-695.

See here: MdTA toll facilities: Q & A

[Davidk]

Originally Posted by Manx

If you have propane on board, you may be barred from Baltimore harbor tunnels (either I-95 or I-895), and have to detour on I-695.

See here: MdTA toll facilities: Q & A

Thanks Manx

The Fort McHenry Tunnel says, Bottled propane gas in excess of 10 lb's per container max of 10 containers is/are prohibited from the tunnel

I will have to check my book and see what size the tank under van is

Thanks for the heads up

David