Roadtrip Miami to NOLA - need some help planning (1 Viewer)

[msommer]

The plan is for me to go to Denmark in mid October to pick up my teenage daughters (13 and 16) and then we go to Florida to enjoy nice weather. The girls want to do some shopping and then a road trip. 

We'll fly into and out of Miami and we have 8 days. Since I have a powerful hankering for some of @tipsy mcstagger's Q I figured this would be a good place to visit. We do not want to spend time in amusement parks but want to do the gulf coast, we can divert inland if there is something interesting to see. On the list of things to see are the Everglades and Kennedy Space Center. After that I need some help. Any suggestions from Gulf Coast/FL FBGs?

Is it possible to get tickets for the Dolphins/Steelers game on Oct 16 at a decent price? Much more likely we'll be in Miami then than in NOLA (who are playing the Panthers, so guessing that would be impossible to get into). Oct 23 we are going to be back in Denmark. 

Not sure if we'll drive back to Miami, I suppose that depends on the price of the airfare and drop off charges for the rental car. If we do drive back, then we'll split the sightseeing on the two trips

Also, should I be worried about hurricanes? I'm plenty worried about Zika mosquitoes but pretty sure none of us are planning on becoming pregnant any time soon.

 

[Evilgrin 72]

Dolphins tickets aren't usually too expensive. The fact that they're playing the Steelers is your problem, though - Steelers fans travel and there are plenty of them down here. Check Stubhub. 

Destin/Ft. Walton Beach is a good spot for an overnight stay on the way out. No way I would drive back to Miami with your time frame. It's a long drive. 

Hurricanes aren't usually an issue in mid October. Yes, hurricane season lasts until 11/1 but a tropical system that late is pretty uncommon. August/September is the real danger zone, but we haven't had any major storms in over a decade IIRC. 

Central FL has beaches, KSC, and theme parks. Looks like you have that nailed down, not much else to offer there. Orlando has touristy areas that have typical tourist attractions (Madame Tussaud, escape rooms, arcades, that kind of stuff) but if you're not interested in the parks, I'd drive by. Tampa has a good aquarium but there are many others here that know way more about Tampa than I. 

 

[msommer]

Dolphins tickets aren't usually too expensive. The fact that they're playing the Steelers is your problem, though - Steelers fans travel and there are plenty of them down here. Check Stubhub. 

Destin/Ft. Walton Beach is a good spot for an overnight stay on the way out. No way I would drive back to Miami with your time frame. It's a long drive. 

Hurricanes aren't usually an issue in mid October. Yes, hurricane season lasts until 11/1 but a tropical system that late is pretty uncommon. August/September is the real danger zone, but we haven't had any major storms in over a decade IIRC. 

Central FL has beaches, KSC, and theme parks. Looks like you have that nailed down, not much else to offer there. Orlando has touristy areas that have typical tourist attractions (Madame Tussaud, escape rooms, arcades, that kind of stuff) but if you're not interested in the parks, I'd drive by. Tampa has a good aquarium but there are many others here that know way more about Tampa than I. 

Yeah, the timing could have been better. The Titans (who it is my personal cross to bear to support) play the dolphins the week before but I cannot change the dates...

 

[gump]

If you are hitting Kennedy, I'd keep going north to St Augustine and swing by there.  (You are too far east to hit Tampa and Orlando isn't worth it.)  You can then hit I-10 out of Jax and head west.

The panhandle beaches are incredible (Destin, Seaside) and about an hour south of I-10.  Head a little further west to Orange Beach/Gulf Shores and you are closer to I-10 around Pensacola.  Downtown Pensacola is cool.  Then into Mobile...maybe check out historic downtown where Mardi Gras started...but otherwise I wouldn't waste any time there...not a great city.  Then NOLA from there.

 

[cstu]

Get in car in Miami, fill up car, drive to NO.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Get in car in Miami, fill up car, drive to NO.

Good advice.

Actually I've done this (well NO to Marco Island, then sail to KW, then drive back...).

Part of the greatness of America is just the stuff along the way. Florida is great for kitschy stuff. Seafood along the coast is a thing to do. And beaches, like Destin, Ft. Walton.

 

[eoMMan]

That's about a 12 hour drive...each way.

Can you change the flight so you fly out of New Orleans?

If you're going up the Gulf coast, I recommend checking out Dunedin. It's near Clearwater. Beautiful parks and beaches there.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

1. Buy an up to date road map of the entire state of Florida, believe me you're gonna need it. 

2. Space Center and the Everglades are pretty far apart, you won't be doing both in the same afternoon IMHO. 

3. All the theme parks outside of Busch Gardens in Tampa are located in Orlando, central part of the state and nowhere near the ocean. 

-Space Camp is not my thing, I would make a Bee Line for Key West, even if you just drove down 1 day, drove right back the next or even same day up and back, the Keys are so beautiful and you never know if you ever get an opp to do it again here. From Miami it is about 3+ hours to the tip of Key West mainly because you can't drive fast thru the islands. Just think about it. You don't have to drive all the way to Key West...Marathon and Islamorada are nice places to stop and turn around. 

Everglades? On your way from Miami to NOLA, take Alligator Alley which will take you thru the heart of the Everglades, you can find excursions off the beaten path if you really want to get out into the Everglades. Sept/Oct still red hot and muggy, just FYI...

Alligator Alley eventually turns into I-75 and will take you North along the West Coast of Florida, lots of beautiful beaches and wonderful fresh fish from the Gulf but I will say I am partial to the East Coast of Florida and feel the sand and beaches are more natural. 

The Panhandle of Florida takes a while and there are some gorgeous beaches in that area of Florida, especially around Pensacola and the like.  

 

[msommer]

That's about a 12 hour drive...each way.

Can you change the flight so you fly out of New Orleans?

If you're going up the Gulf coast, I recommend checking out Dunedin. It's near Clearwater. Beautiful parks and beaches there.

I'm thinking we'd dawdle on the way, stop over somewhere at least once, probably twice. Then drop the car in NOLA, spend a couple of days and fly back to Miami. The airfare is about 100 bucks and the rental car companies seem like they want certain types of cars moved in that direction so that looks doable. If driving on the Gulf Coast of Florida is prefered to the Atlantic side I'll skip the Space Center - not sure how interested the girls would be anyway 

 

[massraider]

1. Buy an up to date road map of the entire state of Florida, believe me you're gonna need it. 

What is this, a re-post from 1987?

 

[Ministry of Pain]

What is this, a re-post from 1987?

Some people own cars. You live in a spot where you never have to leave the block for much.

I always have maps when I take to the road, driven cross country many times and they always serve me well.

 

[massraider]

Some people own cars. You live in a spot where you never have to leave the block for much.

I always have maps when I take to the road, driven cross country many times and they always serve me well.

Yeah, I carry world maps around with me all the time. Ask your students about Google Maps.  

 

[msommer]

1. Buy an up to date road map of the entire state of Florida, believe me you're gonna need it. 

2. Space Center and the Everglades are pretty far apart, you won't be doing both in the same afternoon IMHO. 

3. All the theme parks outside of Busch Gardens in Tampa are located in Orlando, central part of the state and nowhere near the ocean. 

-Space Camp is not my thing, I would make a Bee Line for Key West, even if you just drove down 1 day, drove right back the next or even same day up and back, the Keys are so beautiful and you never know if you ever get an opp to do it again here. From Miami it is about 3+ hours to the tip of Key West mainly because you can't drive fast thru the islands. Just think about it. You don't have to drive all the way to Key West...Marathon and Islamorada are nice places to stop and turn around. 

Everglades? On your way from Miami to NOLA, take Alligator Alley which will take you thru the heart of the Everglades, you can find excursions off the beaten path if you really want to get out into the Everglades. Sept/Oct still red hot and muggy, just FYI...

Alligator Alley eventually turns into I-75 and will take you North along the West Coast of Florida, lots of beautiful beaches and wonderful fresh fish from the Gulf but I will say I am partial to the East Coast of Florida and feel the sand and beaches are more natural. 

The Panhandle of Florida takes a while and there are some gorgeous beaches in that area of Florida, especially around Pensacola and the like.  

1. Planning to buy a brand new GPS with lifetime maps - have a US map in my current GPS but it needs an upgrade (from 2010)

2. That was never the plan. definitely do it over two days. But the Space center can be scratched. I was in Key West many years ago, and while I'd like to go again but can't see how to combine it with ending up in NOLA

3: Yeah, bypassing Orlando on this one. Not a big fan of theme parks

Like the idea of driving through the Everglades and up the Gulf Coast. Should give max road trip feel and at the same time some nature viewing opportunities

 

[badmojo1006]

Didn't Top Gear do a roadtrip from Miami to New Orleans?

 

[msommer]

Didn't Top Gear do a roadtrip from Miami to New Orleans?

They did indeed, season nine ep 3. I'll see if I can find it. Thanks!

 

[Ministry of Pain]

1. Planning to buy a brand new GPS with lifetime maps - have a US map in my current GPS but it needs an upgrade (from 2010)

2. That was never the plan. definitely do it over two days. But the Space center can be scratched. I was in Key West many years ago, and while I'd like to go again but can't see how to combine it with ending up in NOLA

3: Yeah, bypassing Orlando on this one. Not a big fan of theme parks

Like the idea of driving through the Everglades and up the Gulf Coast. Should give max road trip feel and at the same time some nature viewing opportunities

Alligator Alley is 75 miles from start to finish, $3 to cross the state of Florida. There are not a lot of places to fuel up or eat along the way. 

I will gather up some of our places we've stopped within the Everglades. We actually were driving across last week and you all will not believe what we saw. 

I looked at my wife, we had seen a few specials about them on different nature shows but I said to her, "Was that what I think it was?" and my wife said are you going to pull over? I stop the car and start walking back along the road and unbelievable as it is, I rolled up on what had to be at least a 6-7 foot python snake, it had been crushed severed or run over on the road and dying on the side now...I couldn't believe what I was looking at. 

-Florida 25 years ago had no pythons in the Everglades. People released them into the Everglades which was a real shame. 

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Cruising along on Alligator Alley

You'll like this and maybe give you a little more info on that route to get out of Miami. 

 

[gump]

I'm from Clearwater, but I still like the idea of going up the East Coast and then hitting the Gulf at the Panhandle.

Florida has a lot of very different experiences...and the Atlantic smaller towns are cool in their own way.  Then the most naturally beautiful areas on the gulf are on the panhandle.  Miami to Tampa Bay is a little repetitive even though they are on different coasts.  Big cities, big busy beaches with lots of big hotels, etc.

 

[tipsy mcstagger]

Stop at some of the coldwater springs for a swim.  Caves at Marianna Florida are cool.  I'm partial to my hometown beach in Pensacola, but Destin has a lot more activity.   Skip Mobile and all of Mississippi  

Tickets will be easy to get for the Saints if we crap the bed in the first month.

So much to do here in NOLA...best tourist destination outside of Orlando in the entire south.

 l