Driving from Seattle to Orlando, want to go thru Ca. (route, travel)

[Akmill6138]

I will be driving from Seattle to Orlando, Florida. I want to drive through California so that I miss any bad weather. I would appreciate any comments regarding how long this drive should take, anything to be aware of, that type of thing.

Thanks

[burltodenver]

Take I-5 into California, then I-10. Goes all the way to Florida. In Florida, get on I-95 South, then I-4 East.

[burltodenver]

Actually, in FL, take I-75 S to US27.

[Restrain]

Swing across to I-10 above LA, avoid the LA area unless you just want to go see the Hollywood sign. Otherwise, other than the coast line, it is freeways, and UGH.

[Regajohn]

The internet is full of all kinds of " how to prep your car for a long trip" questions and answers (if you need anything like that). Also TripAdvisor has a road trip section to their forum where questions like yours are answered all the time. That might be a good resource (in addition to any answers you get here).

[Skydive Outlaw]

If you plan on driving through California, especially this time of year: Mt Shasta (I-5) will be your biggest challenge.

I've made several trips over that range from Seattle to Lodi before. When it snows heavy, State Patrol will not let any vehicles through that are not four wheel drive. And the motels will all be full at that point from people that were directed towards the last exit.

State patrol makes it clear that if you try to head over at night through heavy snow before plows make it up in the morning, that help won't be sent in if you don't make it over the pass that night into Redding.

I made it through that pass in heavy, blizzard conditions in my Wrangler after midnight, with no sight of other vehicle lights in front of or behind me, no cell signal, and plowing through 3ft. of powder going 25mph the whole way.

So, avoid the Mt. Shasta ascent in less than optimum conditions.

[Frihed89]

Google maps is your friend: Google "google maps Orlando, FL to Barstow, CA". Then on the map switch to "Barstow, CA to Seattle, WA.

There are many other routes that take you further West in CA, but traffic then becomes a problem.

Install the app, WAZE, on your mobil. It will connect to the GPS in your mobil.

But in any event, use Google maps. Find the intermediate destinations you want to travel through and set up the route you will travel segment by segment all the way from Orlando to Seattle. If you have lots of time, Highway 1 (and then get on 101 at Legget, CA) travels the coast from just South of LA all the way up through CA, OR, and WA. Take the ferry from Bainbridge Island, the Olympic Peninsula to Seattle. You won't regret it. It's a once in a life-time experience. Adds about 1+ to 2 days.

Again, Google maps is your friend. WAZE is your next best friend, as all users (including you) are able to post travel notifications about construction delays, traffic, accidents, police, hazardous weather, etc.) along your route and these will all be visible to you. I used it from Nashville to the San Francisco Bay Area and then, later, from the Bay Area to Seattle. It never took me astray.