Best Tips for your New York to Florida Drive

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You're in for a treat if you're taking the drive from New York to Florida! The United States' east coast is jam-packed with historical sites, picturesque routes, and breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean. Making the most of your drive is important whether you're on the east coast or going south to north. If you are planning a road trip or traveling to an unfamiliar destination, mapquest directions is a great tool to help you navigate with ease.  We've planned the most efficient path for you to follow so you can take advantage of all the attractions and activities a journey from New York to Florida has to offer.

Which route should I take?​

I-95 South is, in our opinion, the finest route from New York to Florida, and here's why:

To get to central and southern Florida, this is the shortest path.
It travels through nine states as well as Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Williamsburg, Charleston, and Savannah, which are all significant historical centers.
Nearby coastal communities like Jacksonville and Daytona Beach offer stunning ocean vistas.

Driving from NY to FLWhat’s the distance?​

While the distance will depend on your exact location and destination, you can get a pretty good idea of how far you’ll drive by using a major city as a point of reference. Here's time and travel info if you’re coming from New York City:

• To Daytona Beach, approximately 1,070 miles, or a little over 2 days
• To Destin, approximately 1,261 miles, or almost 2.5 days
• To Fort Lauderdale, approximately 1,263, miles or almost 2.5 days
• To Jacksonville, approximately 937 miles, or almost 2 days
• To Key West, approximately 1,440 miles, or almost 3 days
• To Miami, approximately 1,283 miles, or more than 2.5 days
• To Orlando, approximately 1,078 miles, or a little over 2 days
• To Panama City Beach, approximately 1,206 miles, or almost 2.5 days
• To Pensacola, approximately 1,238 miles, or almost 2.5 days
• To Petersburg, approximately 1,157 miles, or a little over 2 days
• To Tallahassee, approximately 1,098 miles, or a little over 2 days
• To Tampa, approximately 1,133 miles, or almost 2.5 days
  

Itinerary 1: Going to Disney!

Disney World is the perfect vacation spot for children of all ages. Explore the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and the Animal Kingdom Park for the ultimate Disney experience. Purchase some souvenirs at World of Disney to remember this trip for years to come.

You’ll probably want to take the fastest route to Florida — your favorite characters are waiting to meet you! Here’s the quickest way to get to Orlando from New York:

• Travel from NYC to Rocky Mount, NC
• Spend the night in Rocky Mount (night 1)
• Travel to Orlando, FL the next day (this might be a little longer drive than 8 hours)
  

Total travel time: 2 days, 1 night

Itinerary 2: Visiting The Big Guava (Tampa’s nickname)

Heading toward Tampa? It’s an animal lover’s paradise. Check out the Florida Aquarium, the Tampa Electric Manatee Viewing Center, Big Cat Rescue, and Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo to see Florida’s marine life and wildlife up close. Here’s the best route to take from New York:

• Leave from NYC
• Spend the night in Rocky Mount, NC (night 1)
• Travel to Jacksonville, FL and stay overnight (night 2)
• Go through Starke, past Ocala on I-75,orstay on I-95 and go through Orlando, past Lakeland
  

Total travel time: 3 days, 2 nights

Itinerary 3: American History excursion

If you’re a history buff, take this route on your way to Florida:

• Visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island before leaving NYC
• Stop by Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia
• Spend the night in Philadelphia (night 1)
• See Fort McHenry National Monument in Baltimore
• Spend the night just outside of Washington D.C. in Greenbelt, MD (night 2)
• Spend a couple of days in Washington D.C. and visit sites like the U.S. Capitol, The White House, Arlington National Cemetery, the Library of Congress, Lincoln Memorial, the National Museum of American History, the National Mall, Washington Monument, and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial (night 3 and 4)
• Visit George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate in Mount Vernon, VA
• Stop in Williamsburg to experience the Jamestown Settlement Museum, Yorktown Victory Center and Colonial Williamsburg (night 5)
• Travel to Fayetteville, NC, and tour the Airborne and Special Operations Museum (night 6)
• Drive to Savannah, GA and stroll through the historic district to see mansions, monuments and other sites from the Civil War and Revolutionary eras
• Spend the night in Savannah, then travel to your final destination in Florida (night 7)
  

What season is ideal for driving from New York to Florida?
The travel from New York to Florida by car is enjoyable all year round. Just remember to take the weather during the intended trip season into account. The east coast gets strong storms all through the spring and summer, hurricanes in the summer and early fall, and snowstorms in the winter. While making travel arrangements, we advise consulting the National Weather Service map and the National Hurricane Center activity map.

What should my gas budget be?
Your gas costs will vary depending on the car you drive and how far you go. To calculate the cost, utilize the My Trip Calculator on fueleconomy.gov.

Do I need to pay the tolls on the roads?
The route you take will determine this. Be sure you have additional change or cash in the car if your trip passes through New Jersey, Delaware, or Maryland.

Source: mapquest driving directions