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I am moving from Nevada to Florida and doing the move myself with a rented 16ft penske and will use their car carrier to tow my compact car. I am giving myself 8 days to make the trip.
What would be the best type of place to stay in my situation? Hotel/motel/airbnb. Some concerns would be ease of parking and theft. Is it better to stay in residential airbnbs to avoid attracting possible break - ins?
Or would it be better to stay at hotels where there is security and video?
Because I have 8 days to make the trip, I am hoping to be able to stop along the way and maybe explore 1 or 2 places along the way. I have no clue how to get the car on and off the car carrier. The sales guy at penske told me they will show me on the day I pick up the truck. Would it be easy to take the car off the carrier for short day trips along the way , or would it not be worth the hassle and I should just go from point A to B without stopping?
I've read that these trucks are underpowered and will be tough to drive up hills and whatnot. How hard is this trip going to be?
I would stay in places that had security cameras and a big parking lot. It would be easiest if you could just drive into the parking lot and pull out straight. Most airbnbs would not having parking for a commercial truck with trailer.
Don't sightsee on the way. Leaving a fully packed moving truck alone is not a wise thing. It's bad enough overnight. And make sure the car is locked even when on the carrier; an unlocked car is an invitation.
Don't worry about the mountains. It's pretty much downhill from Denver to Florida.
Agree. Most airbnbs would be located on residential streets, right? You want a big illuminated lot designed for larger vehicles such as RVs and...yes...rental trucks! There will be more eyes, maybe surveillance, and activity in those locations anyway. Park under lights. Lock everything and pack so you can take small valuables (laptop, tablet, personal treasures you care about) inside for the night. Don't leave anything visible in the truck cab. Keep it simple...don't mess with the towed car along the way. Every time you load/unload it you add complexity and more chances to damage it.
Last edited by Parnassia; 04-17-2021 at 02:26 PM..
Agree. Most airbnbs would be located on residential streets, right? You want a big illuminated lot designed for larger vehicles such as RVs and...yes...rental trucks! There will be more eyes, maybe surveillance, and activity in those locations anyway. Park under lights. Lock everything and pack so you can take small valuables (laptop, tablet, personal treasures you care about) inside for the night. Don't leave anything visible in the truck cab. Keep it simple...don't mess with the towed car along the way. Every time you load/unload it you add complexity and more chances to damage it.
How do I park in say a hotel parking lot? Would I have to unhook the transports or just leave it on and take up multiple spots? Trying to picture in my head how much space it would take . Wouldn't I be blocking the lanes between rows of parking?
I would stay in places that had security cameras and a big parking lot. It would be easiest if you could just drive into the parking lot and pull out straight. Most airbnbs would not having parking for a commercial truck with trailer.
Don't sightsee on the way. Leaving a fully packed moving truck alone is not a wise thing. It's bad enough overnight. And make sure the car is locked even when on the carrier; an unlocked car is an invitation.
Don't worry about the mountains. It's pretty much downhill from Denver to Florida.
What type of places would have the cameras and big lots? Any chain places you might be able to think of?
I've never done this type of trip with a big truck, however I've done several cross country trips that require quick overnight stays.
My recommendation would be to stay in motels, right off the highway. My experience is that name brand (i.e hilton or marriott's lower level brands) are the best and provide the most security. I usually read online reviews and use google street view to check out whats around the area. You'll find that many that are right off the highway have folks checking in and out 24 hours a day and are generally fairly safe.
In respect to the car ... I would highly not recommend loading and unloading. Seems like more trouble than its worth. Thats just me.
In respect to power, you're going from NV->FL, you'll be heading downhill!
Look for motels that cater to the trucking trade. They have those looooong parking spaces. They are (probably) fairly safe because truckers come and go all day and night, and those parking lots are lit up. They are not very fancy, of course. I stayed in many such because they tend to be the ones which allow dogs. Tip: research reviews before you book. Sometimes one Super 8 is a noisy dirty hole frequented by lowlifes and the one two exits down the freeway is the nice clean one.
How do I park in say a hotel parking lot? Would I have to unhook the transports or just leave it on and take up multiple spots? Trying to picture in my head how much space it would take . Wouldn't I be blocking the lanes between rows of parking?
If you make reservations in advance (plan ahead where you think you may want to stop. A good idea even if you are already enroute), call the hotel and ask where they want larger/longer loads parked. They often provide pull throughs specifically for such vehicles.
How do I park in say a hotel parking lot? Would I have to unhook the transports or just leave it on and take up multiple spots? Trying to picture in my head how much space it would take . Wouldn't I be blocking the lanes between rows of parking?
You take up multiple spots. One time I parked a smaller truck just sticking out of the spot a few feet and I got a ticket. Now I always park sideways and take up multiple spots if needed. Just leave everything hooked up and find a spot away from others if you can. Just make sure everything is locked up well. I’ve never had anything stolen in a hotel parking lot yet. I assume most hotels have cameras in most places and this helps deter would be thieves. I try to park so I can open my window and see my vehicle as well. If you’re not sure where to park you can ask hotel staff, but they’re likely going to tell you wherever you can find space and they generally don’t seem to care about parking logistics.
We didn’t make reservations but at each stop, I asked the hotel for the best parking location. I was driving a Ford F-150 SuperCrew (long) pulling a sea kayak on a trailer, even longer!
At each location, the hotel staff couldn’t have been more helpful. The best parking was in Jackson MS. The hotel’s back lot was across the street from the downtown police HQ. Don’t overthink it, it’s very common and the hotels are thrilled to have guests back.
What's your planned route? Hopefully Rt. 10. I've never driven it, but Rt. 40 up to Flagstaff is quire a haul.
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