There is a moment, somewhere past the last New York exit, when the city finally lets go and I-95 and I-4 opens up ahead of you. That is the start of one of the most driven routes in America: roughly 1,080 miles and 16.5 hours of wheel time to Walt Disney World. Done right, it is not a slog. It is a string of good towns, better food stops and a couple of sights worth the detour.
Open this route in XCRSNLeaving New York
Aim to clear New York before the morning rush, or after it, never in it. Fill the tank on the edge of town where prices usually drop, set the playlist, and settle in for the first 317 miles to Richmond.
The headline stop on this route is South of the Border at the Carolinas line. Leave real time for it; it sets the tone for the whole trip.
Richmond
Richmond sits about 317 miles in. It makes a good spot to stretch, eat something that is not from a gas station, and swap drivers.
Nearby, Savannah's historic squares is worth the short detour if the day is going well.
Florence
Florence sits about 611 miles in. It is the natural place to stop for the night: hotels are plentiful, rates beat the big-city ends of the route, and you wake up with the hardest miles already behind you.
Savannah, the last stretch
Savannah sits about 794 miles in. It is the natural place to stop for the night: hotels are plentiful, rates beat the big-city ends of the route, and you wake up with the hardest miles already behind you.
Rolling into Walt Disney World
The final 285 miles always go faster than you expect. Save a little energy for St. Augustine detour; it is a fitting finish.
By the end you will have seen South of the Border at the Carolinas line, Savannah's historic squares and St. Augustine detour, and you will understand why this corridor is a classic.
When to go and how to pace it
Split the drive near the halfway mark. Most travelers sleep in Florence, SC and Savannah, GA, which keeps each day under eight hours and leaves time for the stops that make the trip.
Check live gas prices along I-95 and I-4 before you go; they can swing a lot from one state or county to the next. XCRSN prices every leg for your exact car.
