Do you prefer to drive to your vacations or fly?

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

When we were less old/more crazy, we usetadrive straight through to Florida. I did it from Iowa in a motorhome in an ice storm in my previous life.

Then we started our practice of driving to Atlanta, about 10 hours, and going the rest of the way, 6-8 hours, the next day.

When our younger/crazier family started joining use, they would drive straight through, always after a full day's work, and meet us at the resort at check-in time.

Nothing like a bunch of cranky crabasses who didn't want to do anything but sleep and bitch for two days to make for a nice family vacation.

Now that I think about it, they haven't been invited in a couple of years.

[Lisa P Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Lisa P]

That's funny!!!

When our kids were little, we'd drive anywhere that could be reached within 18 hours. This included overnight driving, during which the kids slept and after which we were those crazy, crabby, cranky ones starting our vacation of FUN!

Now, we will drive anywhere within 12-15 hours in a single day's drive - usually with more than one small car. If it's farther, we'd need to overnight in a hotel, spending an extra travel day on either end of the trip. Since DH has his own business, extra days = lost pay. So on those longer trips, we fly.

I prefer to have our own stuff and our own vehicles. Car rentals are sky-high with drivers under age 25, so we're limited to sharing a single rental minivan when we fly. Until our "kids" are a little older, it's more fun on vacations together when we drive our cars there.

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

I much prefer driving than flying but we have no option but to fly to our timeshares in HI or MX and to Europe too.

[barndweller Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close barndweller]

Until that bridge to Hawaii gets built, we still need to fly once in awhile although we much prefer to drive. We generally stay in one spot for at least 2 weeks so I like to take everything but the kitchen sink including my sewing machine and my bicycle.

The nearest major airport is almost 3 hours away so by the time we drive there and go through the hassle of undressing to get through security and getting re-dressed and shoving all our junk back into their pockets and pouches, then spend the flight time with our knees against our chests strapped into the cheap seats with the other cattle, then ride the various escalators and moving sidewalks at our destination to then stand watching the luggage conveyor belt go in circles for an hour, schlep our luggage to the rental car shuttle stop watching every bus come by except the one for the company we picked this time only to finally arrive at the agency where the single clerk is waiting on the first of at least a dozen customers and then finally settling into what is laughingly refered to as a mid-sized car to wend our way through unfamiliar streets, hungry and tired .....well we coulda been there by now if we had driven.

The nearest timeshare destination we enjoy is about 7 hours by car and we haven't left the state. We'll drive up to 10 hours in one shot. More than that we grab a motel for the night.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

I wish there were more place to go within driving distance - I mean, I guess there ARE places - but more for warm weather driving - I am 2 hours to NYC, 6 hours to DC and then beyond.....
We have driven NY to FL - 20+ hours when the kids were little but now when u add up gas, tolls, etc. it makes more sense to drive.

Winter vacations are almost all flying to warmer climates, warm weather vacations are spent at home at the beach or flying to Europe or Caribbean destinations - I guess I am a 'fly-to' person!

[Transit Member Find all posts View Profile Close Transit]

I like driving as long as it's within 5 hours .Flying is a must for some destinations but it's just not fun anymore.

[odaddy Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close odaddy]

Living in the Northwest and owning Worldmark means about 20 resorts within 6 hours or less, so lots of driving when we are low on cash. Wefly anywhere over 6 hours at this point, mostly Hawaii,southern Ca, and Disneyworld

[katiemack Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close katiemack]

Until that bridge to Hawaii gets built, we still need to fly once in awhile although we much prefer to drive. We generally stay in one spot for at least 2 weeks so I like to take everything but the kitchen sink including my sewing machine and my bicycle.

The nearest major airport is almost 3 hours away so by the time we drive there and go through the hassle of undressing to get through security and getting re-dressed and shoving all our junk back into their pockets and pouches, then spend the flight time with our knees against our chests strapped into the cheap seats with the other cattle, then ride the various escalators and moving sidewalks at our destination to then stand watching the luggage conveyor belt go in circles for an hour, schlep our luggage to the rental car shuttle stop watching every bus come by except the one for the company we picked this time only to finally arrive at the agency where the single clerk is waiting on the first of at least a dozen customers and then finally settling into what is laughingly refered to as a mid-sized car to wend our way through unfamiliar streets, hungry and tired .....well we coulda been there by now if we had driven.

The nearest timeshare destination we enjoy is about 7 hours by car and we haven't left the state. We'll drive up to 10 hours in one shot. More than that we grab a motel for the night.

You have described the situation with flying so beautifully! It is torture!

[shaggy Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy]

I have always wanted to buy a teeny tiney trailer and just take off and see the states but with my bad leg and back I can't go much over 4 or 5 hrs without ending up in pain so I usually fly. I could have driven to Nashville in 7 hrs but I knew I'd be worthless if I did. shaggy

[deede Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close deede]

BEFORE 9-11, I loved to fly.

POST 9-11, I HATE all the hassle, and time required spent at airports.

I used to feel flying was convenient and fast. Now, i find I spend too many HOURS being searched and having to wait at airports.

We have cut out a lot of traveling.

[BoardGirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BoardGirl]

DRIVE. I like going on our own schedule and taking whatever we want to take. Stop off to see something interesting if we choose.

My family has always been about the road trip. Have slowly gotten DH used to the idea.

[phileaglesfan Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close phileaglesfan]

Airlines are ripoffs, I drive everywhere except if I'm on business or go overseas. Got to love the airlines, getting rid of the fuel surcharge only to bring in fees for just about everything. At least Delta is giving up on their $50 2nd bag for international flights.

And after SouthWest got nailed for not performing inspections on their airplanes I'm doubting their safety. At least in a car you already have contact with ground.

[billymach4 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close billymach4]

We prefer to fly and go west at least once a year. I would like to drive to more of our vacations but it's so damn difficult to get anything on the beach in summer on the east coast. I have been successful at that but it's no guarantee.

I swore when we drove to OBX that I would not ever consider more than 10 hours in a car, even though it is easier to bring anything you could want from the house including my pillow.

Winter is definately a fly to vacation there is nothing remotely warm enough within driving distance.

Lawren,

I agree with you. Living in the Northeast there is nothing worthwhile to drive to as far as I am concerned. Let someone out there set me straight?

I have to fly. NC is driveable but I don't think I can convince DW to do the 10 to 14 hr drive.

Me, I am a flyboy.

As most of you can tell by now I have caught the west coast bug.

[zdxlc9p6 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close zdxlc9p6]

Fly.

Doing the dollar-and-sense math, it is less expensive to fly and rent a car.

We ususally go for 2-3 weeks now that I have retired, and the economics for me works out to drive, including one night motel each way, gas, & food. When I was working, we flew to save vacation days.

Driving to Florida in Oct, fliyng to Cancun in Jan., and driving to S. Padre in March.

[StressCadet Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close StressCadet]

Lawren,

I agree with you. Living in the Northeast there is nothing worthwhile to drive to as far as I am concerned. Let someone out there set me straight?

I have to fly. NC is driveable but I don't think I can convince DW to do the 10 to 14 hr drive.

Me, I am a flyboy.

As most of you can tell by now I have caught the west coast bug.

I think we have opposite coast envy. LOL!

Just today I was looking around online at Boston and Cape Cod and then WOW! Who knew you could get to Maine so quickly from Boston (as it shows on Mapquest anyway) Then there is NYC. I could do a couple of weeks and see so many places I have never been.

I just brought it up to the family...it didn't go well-what about Hawaii they scream! (I already have 1/2 our trip for summer 2010 booked) Blah!

I very much enjoy reading about your visits when you come here Billy....gives me fresh eyes about my own home state. What's up next? Have you been up North? San Francisco? You need to see the Northern Coast, Monterey, Carmel, Big Sur. Yosemite maybe.

I will be seeing my own state this summer. Bass Lake (near Yosemite) and the Gold Country-Angels Camp. I'll thoroughly enjoy it-but it won't stop me for looking for my dream East Coast vacation either