Where to stop enroute?

[Cracker]

We're planning to depart Maine for Florida at the end of this month. My wife wants to spend the Halloween weekend at our daughter's home, North of Albany, NY. At that time, the campgrounds I'm familiar with in the area have closed for the season. Our daughter lives in an upscale neighborhood where the Airstream isn't really appreciated and - even if we could get away with it for a few nights - there's simply no place to park off the street. The neighborhood is sited in a very dramatic hilly environment (---foget about even attempting to level the refrigerator!!!.) It looks like our only choice is to stay in a hotel for the weekend where - hopefully - there will be room to park the Airstream and truck. Subsequently, we have been thinking about heading West to Jackson Center - before turning South for Florida. The additional overnight stops in the North have me concerned - since this is the first time I've travelled with a rig this size during the late Fall.

In general, have others found that most Interstate-sited motels/hotels can accommodate a 53' truck and trailer??? I don't mind the hotel expense until we get further South - and my wife is really not interested in overnighting at WalMart, a rest stop, or a truck stop. I would appreciate any insight you might be able to offer.

[wahoonc]

Cracker,
Noticed you are a WBCCI member, check your listing book for complimentary hookups in the area you are headed. All it takes is a phone call. I know we have hookups out here in the boonies of NC. People might be alittle off the beaten path but you never know. Other than that the parking lots of motels are hit or miss. Some of the ones I stay at in my travels have acres of parking others I am lucky to be able to get a full sized pickup in the lot. As a general rule the newer ones are going to have smaller parking lots, due I would suspect to the cost of realestate near the exit ramps.

Aaron

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by Cracker

In general, have others found that most Interstate-sited motels/hotels can accommodate a 53' truck and trailer??? I don't mind the hotel expense until we get further South - and my wife is really not interested in overnighting at WalMart, a rest stop, or a truck stop. I would appreciate any insight you might be able to offer.

Most chain hotels near Interstates have some provision for parking oversized vehicles, they want the revenue from long distance truckers, whose trailers are 53' long. If you find a place you aren't sure of, give them a call on your cell phone while enroute, better to find out before you pull off and get into a jam trying to turn around.
Good luck on your trip, and what part of sunny Florida are you headed to?
Terry

[Cracker]

Originally Posted by argosy20

Most chain hotels near Interstates have some provision for parking oversized vehicles, they want the revenue from long distance truckers, whose trailers are 53' long. If you find a place you aren't sure of, give them a call on your cell phone while enroute, better to find out before you pull off and get into a jam trying to turn around.
Good luck on your trip, and what part of sunny Florida are you headed to?
Terry

Terry:

I'm an old Florida native - thus the handle "Cracker." The family arrived in Florida at the beginning of the 2oth Century. I was born in Sarasota - but we still have a condo on the island of Tierra Verde - located at the South end of Pinellas County, on the Gulf Coast. We got displaced to the North (Maine) while struggling to earn a living - but we just recently retired. This will be a "research" mission to Florida to see whether or not there is anything left of the State that we can identify with! If I put my feet back in the water - or take a trip offshore in the Gulf - Maine may become a memory!

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by Cracker

Terry:

I'm an old Florida native - thus the handle "Cracker." The family arrived in Florida at the beginning of the 2oth Century. I was born in Sarasota - but we still have a condo on the island of Tierra Verde - located at the South end of Pinellas County, on the Gulf Coast. We got displaced to the North (Maine) while struggling to earn a living - but we just recently retired. This will be a "research" mission to Florida to see whether or not there is anything left of the State that we can identify with! If I put my feet back in the water - or take a trip offshore in the Gulf - Maine may become a memory!

We take our little wagon to the campground in Ft. Desoto county park on occasion, I have found that the further away you get from the central Florida area, it tends to get a lot less congested, and more like the Florida I moved to a couple of decades ago. That is one reason I am now in Cape Coral, it is like St. Petersburg was 20+ years ago. PM me if you think you might get down this way, I think we can squeeze the Sovereign into the driveway for a few days. I'll tell the Code enforcers if they ask that you are my long-lost Uncle Murray, or something...
Terry

[Cracker]

Thanks for the offer Terry. I was involved with a lot of marine work (i.e. - seawalls, docks, bridges) in the Cape Coral area from about 1968 through the mid '90's. I think that we'll probably try to establish at one of the resort campgrounds in the Tampa area and branch out from there. We may make a Winter sojorn back to the North to spend Christmas and New Years with our children and grandchildren - leaving the Airstream to await our return. I'm not too concerned about winter towing - it's just that I'm not ready to spend another two or three months in Maine after New Years!

Incidentally, Ft. DeSota Park is one of my favorites. Starting in the month it first opened (---I believe 1964) we probably camped there well over 200 times prior to 1980. It was only 10 miles from my office. My family would stay there for weeks at a time during the summer, comfortably established in a Starcraft pop-up, with a canvas add-a-room, and a large screen room over the picnic table. Add bicycles and two Grumman canoes and it was pure paradise.

[Pick]

Cracker, a good place to stop, if you are travelling Southbound on I75 is High Springs campground at Exit 404 or Traveler's campground at Exit 399.

[Cracker]

Originally Posted by Pick

Cracker, a good place to stop, if you are travelling Southbound on I75 is High Springs campground at Exit 404 or Traveler's campground at Exit 399.

Thanks Pick:

We may be entering Florida via Pensacola in order to visit relatives there, as well as in Tallahassee. That said, I still frequently opt to pick up I-75 after Tally - vs coming south on US 19. I believe, however, that I-10 is still north of the two exits you mentioned.