ADVICE FROM THE FLORIDIANS - Event Date: 30 Oct 2013 - 15 Nov 2013

Last year, we tried every route to get from Jacksonville to Ft. Myers...back roads, going through Orlando, etc.  Even though it was slightly longer, it was faster to go I 10 west to 75 and then down 75.  At one point, our daughter left Jacksonville ahead of us by 45 minutes and went down 95 and through Orlando.  We went 10 and 75 and beat her by 15 minutes!

    If your traveling directly to Homestead from Saint Louis you would take I-75 across everglades then in Miami you would exit to Florida turnpike. That would be if you were traveling 20 years ago. Not sure now perhaps I-75 takes you all the way to Homestead now. I grew up in Miami 34 years, traveled often to Everglades national park while living there. That was the route then but that was some time ago. Or you could get on US 41 in Naples from I-75 and cross the everglades that way, both routes are a interesting drive. If you take US 41 there is air boat rides. Naples has collier Seminole state park you could camp at.  David and Danette

Odd, I did 4 trips (3 with the family, one with the pod) to the Orlando area in 2011 and the only time we had a problem was fighting a huge storm front going through the Carolinas.  Although three of them were 14 hour slogs point-to-point so we didn't arrive in the area until 10 pm, and the other one had us camping north of the city, which might explain it.

yep, need to avoid orlando and that's my dilema........unless i cross over very early or very late

Tweener:  What's your thoughts from cocoa beach over to destin?