Drive or Fly to Florida? Traveling on a Budget
Honeymoon Island, Florida
To Drive or to Fly? That Is the Question…
For the holidays one year we took an unexpected and not-budgeted-for trip to Florida . Sadly this was due to a death in the family. But we made the most of our visit by spending time with family in the warm sun and made a few trips to the beach.
Flying to Florida
Flying to Florida is not as affordable as it used to be, and certainly not during the holiday season. Even our tried and true way to save ( flying Southwest out of Buffalo) actually cost more than flying from Toronto for once. Airfares are out of control.
I often wish we had more of a system like in Europe or the UK, where budget airlines seem to be the rule rather than the exception. Escaping to somewhere warm usually means a cut price flight to Malaga or Tennerife that barely costs more than a fancy meal out.
Fear of Driving vs. Flying
I am no stranger to traveling on a budget, but I avoided road trips! I feared road trips not because my kids are restless in the car, but because I am . Thinking of the 20+ hours we’d spend on the road filled me with a lot of nervousness.
But we faced this challenge the same way we did flying with a newborn or our first time traveling with a toddler : make like a boy scout and be prepared.
I had road trip tips and advice from friends who have done this drive several times. Some actually prefer it to flying! I am part of an amazing family travel community showered me with advice which I also share with you .
Driving to Florida vs. Flying = Saving Money
We figured during the holidays, with very short notice, flights for four people to Florida plus a rental car for just over a week would cost between $3500 – $4000. We anticipated that including gas, food, and lodging the road trips should cost less than $500 each way.
That’s roughly a quarter of the overall cost. And then we have the comfort of our own car and car seats to get around while we’re there.
Sharing is Caring
Please share any road trip tips you have. And if you’ve done the drive to Florida and can make any suggestions, even better! I shared all we’ve learned along the way.
Many thanks to CheapFlights.co.uk for inspiring this post.
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See Also:
Survival Tips for Road Trips with Baby
Baby & Toddler Road Trip Tips: The 5 Rs
Safety Tips for Baby When Traveling by Car
The Best FAA-Approved Car Seats for Travel
Travel Stories: An Eastern Canada Road Trip with Baby
A Road Tripper Is Born – The Tale of Our Drive to Florida
Travel Stories: An Eastern European Road Trip with Kids
Our First Family Road Trip: We Did the Drive to Florida!
Drive or Fly? Traveling on a Budget
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