detroit to central florida??

I use the Next Exit in my Smart Phone. The App is free and is excellent. I also use rvparky to view the campgrounds.

These are all free and work great.

mikemc53 wrote:
Getting ready to make the trip after Christmas and fairly certain (still open to decent suggestions, though) that we will be taking I-75 most all the way down.

The RV is currently winterized and we do have pets so our plan is to stay at pet friendly hotels on the way down and de-winterize once we arrive in Florida, or at least once we are far enough south to not worry about freeze.

I am looking for any help with apps, maps, websites, etc. that will help with selection of hotels and also best options for gassing up. I will be pulling a 35 ft TT with a Dodge Ram 3500 diesel and am more concerned with ease of access (hotel and gas stations) than saving a few pennies per gallon.

Any and all suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks gang.

Check out the allstays web site for CG's or motels.

The book Next Exit is excellent for travel anywhere in the U.S. It lists all Interstate highways and all exits, showing what is at that exit (fueling, motels, food, hospitals, diesel, etc.) and where they are in relation to the exit. We've used it for years.

I have pasted the link to the book at Amazon.com because it also gives plenty of info about the book as well as reviews by users of the book.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Next-Exit-2015-Interstate/dp/0984692134

Also google Flying J Truckstops on your route. That will take care of at least one or two nights of your journey.

You can park for 'free' in their 'RV' parking lot. Right next to store. No purchase necessary, just pull in and park.

All the ones I have stayed at were very nice and very safe. Food and bathroom facilities right there. Most of them have PLENTY of grass and trees to walk the pets too!

AND this time of year you will be surrounded by a plethora of other snowbirds doing the same thing! Actually I found it a pleasant place to spend the night, exercise the dogs and sleep in my own RV. They are right on the interstate easy off and back on if you want to get an early start back on the road. :C

mikemc53 wrote:
Thanks gang. Some very good things to consider and I will do that.

By the way, we are staying in Williston, Fl and have our reservations made and deposits paid. Didn't want to end up having to scramble, and friends have stayed there (and will be joining us eventually) and loved it.
This forum is awesome, by the way.

You will be 20 miles from where I am staying! :B
Check out the Rainbow Springs while you are here too it's really amazing how blue the water is.

Come on down the weather is fine!

Thanks gang. Some very good things to consider and I will do that.

By the way, we are staying in Williston, Fl and have our reservations made and deposits paid. Didn't want to end up having to scramble, and friends have stayed there (and will be joining us eventually) and loved it.

This forum is awesome, by the way.

You don't need to use motels.
I come from Wisconsin down and I have always found a CG open. They will NOT have the water on but will have electric and dump facilities open.

They do keep the water on to the showers and bathroom. So you can use those facilities to shower etc. and get to sleep in your own bed in the RV!

I also found out that if you can see the CG from the interstate you are on they will all be open, no water, but open! :C

You can use GS, woodalls CG search I think there is a box to check for open all year. I just wing it and have always found one open for the night.

BTW: My first newbie trip south I thought Kentucky was far enough south to 'de-winterize'....it is NOT! :B
Ever since that opps and a blown apart water filter I wait until I reach mid central florida! :C

We stay in the camper in campgrounds on the way down from Chicago. Until I can sanitize on the way we flush the toilet with pink stuff and run the furnace on 50 degrees while underway. We carry gallon jugs of water for coffee.
Our first stop is in Paducah, KY where it is usually warm enough to sanitize.

I-75 is probably the best choice.

Avoid going through Nashville, Chattanooga and Atlanta during rush hour or in really bad weather. Chattanooga especially is a killer when it's raining and dark.

The Good Sam web site has a pretty good basic trip planner.

All the good places in Florida are usually full through Feb. and into March.

We're in S/E Michigan also. We've traveled in the winter to Florida and have stayed in the camper. Run the furnace a couple hours before you want to stop and bring some warm blankets. Take a generator and run a space heater if you have it. We stop at Walmarts, go inside and do some shopping and use their bathroom and with their permission, we stay in the trailer in their lot. We travel I75 also and are headed to Florida the end of March and make the trip in 2 days.

I bought the book "The Next Exit" and it has come in quite handy.