Originally Posted By dlkozy hayden-don't stop in Stockton. Stop in Elk Grove, it is newer and nicer than Stockton. Right off of 5 you have multiple hotel choices none of which is more than 4 years old.
Originally Posted By Disney Joy hayden Why Stop ~ Magic Mountain ~ you are home free :O ) I be too pumped - that close - I'm not stopping. LOL dizzdis ~ I am sick of driving. I want a new Odyssey van - so if I get one of those in the next couple of years - maybe I will drive : o ) Otherwise I'm trying to get out of it. Say - if I sneak out of town for 5 days I wonder if anyone will notice...hee hee. I told my husband whenever anyone calls tell them I am in the bathroom. OH GEE...
Originally Posted By dlkozy Be careful about driving too long. It is dangerous not only to you and yours but everyone else on the road as well. It's just not worth it.
Originally Posted By dzy76 dlkozy I agree with that. I'm plannning on splitting my trip up. Took 1/2 day off from work to leave the day earlier. Will drive from Pendleton to (hopefully) Roseburg area and stay over. Then it's only 12 hours or so to Magic Mountain area. We have a room at Holiday Inn across from MM for two nights (paying more than 3 nights at CCI!). I figure 12 hours is as long as I can push it, even with three of us driving. Besides, it's supposed to be a vacation, not a marathon!
Originally Posted By forcemejure We just drove from outside Sacramento to DL (450 miles), and it took about 7 1/2 hours each way. My 3y.o. was great both ways, but we wouldn't drive much farther than that. We were planning on driving to Las Vegas in June (about 650 miles), but now we've decided to fly. 12-14 hours in a car all day is just too much to ask of him (and us!). I really suggest you put your foot down and set some reasonable expectations with these 21 y.o.s. That can be a pretty selfish age (just speaking from experience! , but is you lay down the law and stand up for yourself, you can structure your trip a bit better so you and your grandson aren't miserable the whole time. BTW, if you stop in Santa Clarita, the Hyatt in Valencia is the only 3* hotel in the area on Priceline. You can save quite a bit by booking that way, AND it has a very nice pool for your little one. Have a great trip!
Originally Posted By Disney Joy >>Be careful about driving too long. It is dangerous not only to you and yours but everyone else on the road as well.<< >>Besides, it's supposed to be a vacation, not a marathon!<< Everyone must do what is comfortable for themselves. I plan for my driving trips and get plenty of rest the week before the day - so I am not dangerous -and it's not a marathon - it's excitement. No offense taken but we all are differnt and for those that enjoy taking two - three days to get there - Go for it - For me - Mickey I will be there in a day. In fact one of these times - if time allows I would like to do multi stops - probably on the way back. We'll see..
Originally Posted By Disney Joy forcemejure too cool - 450 miles away. Let's see I could have left at 7 this morning and be in DL at 1 PM - maybe 2 PM Now that would be nice.....What a dream. Only thing better is to live a few blocks away - that would be even sweeter. LOL
Originally Posted By MickeyChick When I was a little girl my parents always drove from Salem to Disneyland in one day. We would leave in the evening and my dad would drive all night long. I'd sleep in the car the whole way down. Ever since it's been me doing the driving to get to Disneyland, I've only ever driven down once. That was in 1997 when my boyfriend (now husband) and I went down. The drive was awful and I've never done it again. We've flown down every trip we've taken since then. I don't know how my parents did it so many times. But that's just me. Driving is a lot cheaper, but for me it's just too much.
Originally Posted By passthepixiedust I am going to drive from Vancouver, Canada to DL in July. WITH a 13yo, an 8yo and a 5yo (I know, I am insane!). Because I am the only driver, I was planning on stopping somewhere around Medford and then somewhere around Gorman - I haven't made hotel reservations though because I figure if I get tired then I will just stop wherever I am. Sound doable ?
Originally Posted By momrussell passthepixiedust, If you are not going to make hotel reservations, pick up one of those travelers guides at a gas station or mcdonalds near the border of each state. They contain coupons for reasonable priced hotels. Use a cell or payphone to call them when you get close. When we drive to visit my family in So Cal from Oregon, we use these to get a cheap rate. Also, staying at the last town before a state border is usually a bad deal. The truckers fill the motels. We have had to pay 80.00 for a super 8 in Weed, CA because it was the only room left Other than that it's usally easy to to go until you can't and still get a reasonably price place to sleep.
Originally Posted By passthepixiedust Thanks for the tip, momrussell ! Any tips that help save money are good.
Originally Posted By Disney Joy passthepixiedust ~ When I would stop years ago - before I realize get up a little early and make the one day trip - I would drive until I got tired. I didn't make a reservation because I didn't know when I would stop. One thing if you do that - pull over about 9 - 10 PM at the latest. Otherwise all the motels fill up along the highway. A couple of years ago on the way back - I drove until midnight - I always leave late on the way back - and I couldn't find a motel, hotel or nothing. That was scary - I had to pull over in a rest stop. NEVER AGAIN - Now that was a spooky trip back -with lots of prayer. SO it's not good to push it. It was either a rest stop or drive off a mountain as I was sooooo tired.
Originally Posted By hayden Well I just got a cell phone with no roaming and long distance.. My Son has the Next Exit book and is writing down the Direct phone # to the motels and Hotels past Stockton.. So When I have had enough , we will call and go to that motel or hotel.. I have not driven long distances with my Grandson yet , he might be a trooper my kids were great , but I know some people tell me their kids are just a pain.. I have a DVD player in the van ,, A V Teck and a bunch of new movies and V teck games on hold for him ,, A bunch of drawing pads , And we will sing songs with the window down if it doesnt rain when we get to S. CAlifornia because we are from Oregon if its above 65 we are going to be HOT... I thank everyone for their comments and I know we will have fun as I said when I start to get cranky the days drive is over....
Originally Posted By dzy76 Momrussel, my sister was just telling me about those today! Does that really work? I'm going in the summer and I'm araid all the good places will be full. What about gettin AAA rates? Do they list chain hotels or just local stuff? What rates are usual? Also, one of my son's has asthma and allergies so I'm kind of picky about where we would be staying. Maybe I'm being to paranoid or overplanning a tad bit!
Originally Posted By momrussell I have used those throw-away coupon books for years in many states when I am driving and don't want to make reservations in advance because I am not sure when we'll stop. Many motels do offer a AAA rate - it varies. I agree with disney joy. Do not wait too late to stop. In a big city no problem but in smaller towns they can fill up. So, yes, the books do work and each coupon usually contains the motels phone numbers. I do recommend a quick call ahead, even 10 minutes to make sure they have rooms left. (only one time we had to go on to the next town because they were full but we saved time by not taking the exit)
