Back in the Saddle Again- Doing back to Philly Area

Do you remember the old 1939 Gene Aurtry song, Back In The Saddle Again?  We have officially left Florida and are presently on the road heading back to our home in Philly area for the summer and early fall months! After 14 years of snowbird life, we’re changing up the way we do this long drive home this season.

19 Hour Trip 

It’s about a 19-hour trip (counting bathroom stops). In past years, we powered through it pretty quickly. We packed a cooler with food, stopped only when necessary, drove about 12 hours the first day, slept overnight, and then finished the last 7 hours the next day.

This year looks a little different. After some health concerns for my husband this past winter, we decided there’s no reason to rush. Instead, we’re breaking the trip into three shorter driving days — about 6 ½ hours the first day, 6 ½ the second, and around 6 hours the third day.

Two Nights In Hotels

We’ll spend two nights in hotels, have more time to stretch our legs, and avoid sitting in the car for endless hours. Long stretches without moving around really aren’t a good idea for my husband right now, so this slower pace just makes more sense for us. We will drive about two hours and stop for 1/2 hour, walk around, have a snack etc. Then repeat- It will probably take us 8 hours to drive what I consider a 6 hour destination. 

Savannah Georgia 

Our first overnight stop will be in Savannah, which is a lovely place to spend the first night. I’m looking forward to walking around the historic district, enjoying a good dinner, and making the drive feel a little more like part of the vacation instead of just surviving the highway. I’m still deciding where we’ll stop the second night.

Taking the Warm Florida Weather With Us

We left behind gorgeous 88-degree sunny beach weather in Florida, but it looks like we’ll be arriving in Philly to some pleasantly warm summer-like weather too. Yay !!!