95 vs Toll Road for Orlando to Miami Holiday Weekend

[LAdad]

New to this subforum.

 

Going for the first time to Florida this Summer.

We'll be flying into Orlando a few days before 4th of July and then driving down to the Miami cruise dock on Saturday July 5th.

 

Any significant differences between highway 95 and the toll road when driving from Orlando to Miami?

Traffic/ Speed/ Scenery/ Rest stops (bathrooms) when traveling with kids/ Food/ Safety (road conditions)?

On a holiday Saturday morning.. 5th of July?

 

Thank you in advance!

[kdawg954]

New to this subforum.

 

Going for the first time to Florida this Summer.

We'll be flying into Orlando a few days before 4th of July and then driving down to the Miami cruise dock on Saturday July 5th.

 

Any significant differences between highway 95 and the toll road when driving from Orlando to Miami?

Traffic/ Speed/ Scenery/ Rest stops (bathrooms) when traveling with kids/ Food/ Safety (road conditions)?

On a holiday Saturday morning.. 5th of July?

 

Thank you in advance!

 

95 has more exits, so more traffic getting on and off. 95 route is about 10 miles longer but that includes a 50 mile stretch on the 192 to get east from Orlando. Overall the "no tolls route" is about 30 minutes longer if there are no major traffic issues (which is rarely the case).

 

If you stop off and get a Sunpass for the trip ($5 and includes $5 in tolls), Turnpike to Miami will run about $13 one way . . . $18 if you pay tolls with cash. It's a much easier ride but get the Sunpass if you do this.

 

I will say, holiday weekends can be unpredicatable. I remember one Memorial day actually making a U-turn on my trip south because I heard on the radio and through my traffic features on GPS that there was major delays going south (over 2 hours) and ended up Pricelining the Embassy Suites near Sand Lake Road for the same night for like $40. It ended up being a "great move" and we just drove down after breakfast in the morning.

 

Just be mindful of that.

Edited March 31, 2014 by kdawg954

[Capt_BJ]

your best way is to split the difference .... look at a map.

 

leaving Orlando the turnpike IS your most direct route but about 1/2 the way south, 95 and the turnpike come right next to each other and actually cross each other a couple of times. Here I'd get off the turnpike and get on 95 . . .

 

Anyplace from Ft Pierce to Jupiter works.

 

 

(dd lives in Miami now and I've been doing the drive from Canaveral to Miami regularly.)

Edited March 31, 2014 by Capt_BJ

[kdawg954]

I usually "split the difference" when coming back to South Florida from places like Savannah, Jacksonville, Daytona or Port Canaveral (east coast . . I-95 is the only highway option on that side). Reason being I like to avoid the I-95 South traffic that usually starts south of Jupiter (plus I live more in central Broward so the Turnpike exit is near my house). So I'll jump on the Turnpike at Fort Pierce to finish my drive south.

 

If you are coming from Orlando (central Florida) and are trying to stay east to be near POM, you could ride the Turnpike to the Jupiter exit and then switch to I-95 and head down . . . or just ride the Turnpike down to the Golden Glades Interchange and catch I-95 from there. Not a fan of the first option as you have to deal with the sometimes extreme slow traffic from north of WPB airport to south of Boca, plus any accidents in Miami-Dade or Broward can be . . . ugh.

 

Really a number of options, but in the end, from Orlando, on vacation, I wouldn't think it will kill anybody to pay $25 in tolls R/T which gives you the fastest/safest way to your destination and shaves over 30 minutes in time each way. You would be saving probably 2 gallons in gas, so it's really not that much of a difference in the end.

 

With I-95 having more exits, there is obviously more rest stop potential than on the Turnpike, but the Turnpike usually has a Service plaza every 40 miles or so. Service Plaza's have restaurants, fast food, souvenirs, restrooms, vending machines, rest area, etc.

Edited March 31, 2014 by kdawg954

[LAdad]

Wow.

Great input. Thank you all so much!

Looking forward to out first trip to Florida.

[BlueHerons]

I just always stay on the turnpike.

[FLAHAM]

So do I. Among other things, your chances of running into either massive traffic jams or dangerously speeding drivers are significantly better on 95.

[Griff4AU]

I live in Miami, and head "up North" to Orlando about once a month. I also deal with 95 daily from Miami to Fort Lauderdale (30 miles) and twice a week from Miami to West Palm....

 

Unless I know I was going to miss all rush hour traffic from Palm Beach County down to Miami, I would stick to the turnpike as long as possible before the crossover, especially if you are on any sort of schedule. Doing the crossover can and will save you time if you miss rush hours and major events (weekends), but the turnpike is nearly always "safer" in terms of time management.

[Capt_BJ]

always nice to have differing views right? Last time I tried the turnpike I got off and went back to 95. I found the drivers to be worse on the turnpike. Bottom line is that the speed limit is virtually not enforced once you get south of West Palm Beach .... 95 has more lanes hence more room to maneuver IMO.

 

Once you get to Dade county you have to get on 95 to get to the port anyway . . .