Driving Austin to Florida

[Summerof79]

Anyone done it this Summer or recently? Just decided to head to Destin in two weeks and was wondering about the road conditions, especially potential construction bottlenecks. We will probably iron man it and drive at night so the kids can sleep, and we can keep our sanity better with less arguing between the kids. Better to arrive tired than be pissed off for hours on end is my theory. However a LOT of freeway construction is done at night and I thought I would ask if anyone had any info, mainly relating to I-10.

I also can't remember what the laws are, in that some states you can use a radar dector, some you can't. ALSo is the speed limit pretty much 70 the whole route on the interstate.

I figured thier might be some issues in Mississipi with the huricane damage, but thought Louusiana had gotten most of it's interstate repairs taken care of.

ALSO any suggestions are welcom on places to eat on the way back. We usually stop in henderson at pat's but am open to any suggestions for the ride home with will be a daylight drive.

 

[GM Platter]

Just pulled in last night from Fla to Houston. Only road issues were in Louisiana between Lake Charles and Lafayette. Watch the road signs, there's a loop around Lake Charles that will get you around some construction. No big problems, just a lot of damn 18 wheelers to deal with. 70mph speed limit most of way, except over the long Louisiana basin bridge. I saw no state troopers coming or going until I got to Tallahassee Fla.

Left Houston at midnight on Thurs going out and got to Destin around 11 am eastern. Coming back was a ***** during the day facing the heat of the day all the way home. If I did it again I'd come back at night.

 

[Utkclack15]

Done it too many damn times. 71 to 10 and then I-12 in Cajun country for a little while back to 10. I use to do it at night to avoid any traffic.

 

[Summerof79]

Night on the way over for sure... I saw the construction at Lake Charles mentioned above, but wasn't sure about how to detour around it. At night it 2 am it might not be a big deal.

Not looking forward to the drive, but that's what you ahve to do to get to the squeaky white sand.

A LOT more worried about the drive back by day that Sunday

 

[Summerof79]

I just looked at the map and I am guessing take the 210 Loop in Lake Charles to avoid the I-10 bottleneck?

 

[Smurfette]

Just make sure you don't hit Baton Rouge at Rush Hour!!!

It's only an hour away to spend the night in Nola

Enjoy Destin! It's gorgeous!! There's a Irish restraunt/Pub right after you cross the bridge (not the ft. Walton to Okaloposa one, the one from oka to Destin.) That place is really worth a stop!!

 

[hullabelew]

That would be McGuire's Irish Pub. Got thrown out a few years ago when one of the girls in our group pulled up the kilt of one of the irish folk singers.

 

[Smurfette]

There's also a really awesome restaurant at the Baytown Wharf called Bistro Bijoux. (High end, but worth ever penny-- not family friendly.)