Driving to Miami Thanksgiving weekend for cruise: 95 or Turnpike?

We will be riving to Miami from Atlanta on Thanksgiving weekend for cruise: should we take 95 or Turnpike? I have no idea what the tolls would be!

I see online that taking the turnpike is the quickest way, but cutting across to 95 does not add that much time. I would say tolls would be around $20.00 or so.

Turnpike makes the most sense as you are starting so far west of I95. I prefer I95 when I can as it's 3 lanes instead of 2 but unless you cross over on the 528, then turnpike it is. The tolls are fairly minimal as Flymia said, about $20. Another option is jumping on US27 west of Orlando and driving that road down to Miami. It'll add 30 - 45 min to the drive, no tolls, but we find the drive far more interesting visually plus getting to go through a few towns and what not. If you haven't done it before, the turnpike is brutal for the 3 hours you'll be on it.

Give yourself extra time as it is a high travel time of the year.

Keith

Give yourself extra time as it is a high travel time of the year.

 

Keith

Pretty good point. Even more reason I'd probably give US27 a try over the turnpike - usually much less traffic. I hate the turnpike, just did that drive this week, near Atlanta to Fort Lauderdale.

From the I-75 / I-10 interchange.....

Going East to I-95 is about 30 minutes longer than the 75/Turnpike route. Tolls on the turnpike would be about $20.

You can save about half of the toll amount, and only add about 10 instead of 30 minutes to your trip by taking the Turnpike to the Yeehaw Junction exit (State Hwy 60), and cutting over to I-95 at Vero Beach. (I just did this in June). As an added bonus if you go this route, some of the cheapest gas stations that you will see in Florida are at the state hwy 60 / I-95 interchange area (On 60, just on the East side of I-95).

I see online that taking the turnpike is the quickest way, but cutting across to 95 does not add that much time. I would say tolls would be around $20.00 or so.

Thanks so much! Good info

Going East to I-95 is about 30 minutes longer than the 75/Turnpike route. Tolls on the turnpike would be about $20.

That may be what a map program says but NOT my experience

We've been driving this route fairly routinely for 10 years .. ds went to FSU (BS), the South Alabama (MS) and then got a job in Mobile (Chemical Engineer) ....

In OUR experience, over time, we do 95 cuz it is FASTER ..... not to mention costs less. Take the bypass around JAX and you just SPEED along .....

You are just as likely to get slowed on the turnpike, esp' thru Orlando, as on 95.

it looks good on paper .... but in practice it just doesn't happen.

We've found 95 to be quicker than the turnpike on multiple occasions. We've done both a few times in the last couple years and have yet to get there quicker on the turnpike mostly due to traffic congestion. I'm admittedly a little biased since 95 is about 5 miles away from my house, but have still found it to be the better option.

As another poster mentioned, regardless of which route you end up taking, allow extra time. We only have a three hour drive and don't leave till Black Friday but are coming down a couple days early to have Thanksgiving in Miami to avoid the major rush of traffic.

Most traffic will be north bound on the turnpike. AT least from Orlando down we live in Broward and every holiday is like that