Driving to Port Canaveral

[BKJK]

We are driving 17 hours to Port Canaveral, we are going to drive most of it the before our cruise, lookiong for a cheap decent hotel to just get some sleep before the cruise. Thinking of stopping around Daytona...

[scchasgal]

We stayed at La Quinta in Cocoa Beach before our cruise. Reasonable price and clean.

[BKJK]

I will keep that in mind if we make it all the way, Im almost thinking we might have to stop after 15 or so hours. I would like to make it all the way the day before but we might be ready to stop sooner.

[jdcml]

I know that 17 hours is a push - but Daytona isn't really all that much shorter than Canaveral. Consider that many of the hotels there by the port also include parking for the week and a shuttle to the port! That can almost pay for your stay depending on when you are going. Some say that the shuttles take a little longer or leave later than they want, but even a cab from one of those locations still saves you the on site parking fees.

[scchasgal]

Where are you driving from and what time of year?

[BKJK]

I am driving from Illinois...

[BKJK]

May 20th planning on leaving before 5am

[molme]

We live in middle GA and can drive to Port Canaveral in less than 6 hrs. If you are coming down I-75 anything south of Macon will get you to the port in time for sail away. My suggestion would be to drive at least to the FL stateline and then start looking for a place to stay.

[BKJK]

Is it better to go 75 or cut over around jacksonville and go 95 to the port??

[harp86]

We always stay at Palm Coast. Its under 2 hours from canaveral. All the hotels are new and has all the pre cruise stores as we always forget something.

[molme]

We always go 75 to the FL turnpike then take FL 528 over to the port. This way you are cutting across the state and going south at the same time. I-10 to 95 is straight east and then south. Check mapquest for the mileage difference.

[BKJK]

It looks like 75 is about ten min. closer then going 95. I wasnt sure which way was the best. I heard there were some tolls on 75 , but we are traveling over 1000 miles so if its faster I dont mind paying the tolls.

[NicknTab]

Is it better to go 75 or cut over around jacksonville and go 95 to the port??

 

 

We live in FL and do ANYTHING to stay off the FL Turnpike (a toll road). If you go down I-95 and get off at the Port Canaveral Exit there are absolutely NO tolls from there into the Port/Cape Canaveral area. Furthermore, there is a hotel in port that I recommend for before or after the cruise: Radisson Resort at the Port. They have a free shuttle and will let you leave your car there while you are cruising. Also, they have sleep number beds and a really nice pool area with live entertainment most nights.

[RSV Angel]

Is it better to go 75 or cut over around jacksonville and go 95 to the port??

We are in N. Ga. right off I75. We are going on the Dream in April and I am going I75 to Macon then I16 to US 23 S to I95 S into Cocoa Beach. From My home it is about 9 hrs. to Cocoa Beach,where we will be staying on one of the stay and sail programs with free parking at the hotel for the week we will be sailing. If you deduct the price of parking at the port from the price of the room for the night it becomes a good bargain.:) Also it is actually 9 miles closer than the I75/ Fla turnpike toll route. Just Google map it!

Good luck and happy cruising!

[BKJK]

Can I ask you about where you leave your car at the Radisson Resort? Is it at the resort it self? I guess you feel its safe? Do you have to wait awhile after you get off the ship for a shuttle back to the resort? It sure seems like a good deal when I looked at the website and priced it. I also like the idea of sleep number beds. : )

[NicknTab]

You leave your car on the hotel property behind the gates of the parking lot. Also, you get a phone number to call when you get outta the terminal so you wait for a while... but not long. I'd say about 15 min. About the beds... I love my wife dearly and definitely love sleeping next to her.... however... it's nice to have your own sleep number bed after a cruise... I don't think I've slept so hard in my life....

[Essiesmom]

I just stayed there, and I found the Select Comfort bed miserable. First night it didn't work at all, and after they fiddled with it, I could get it a little softer, but still wasn't satisfactory. Now I know never to buy one. EM

[kujobie]

A lot of people stay at the Rad but you can get a comparably priced hotel right on Cocoa Beach. Most of them will let you leave your car there for the week and shuttle you to the port for free or on the cheap, and you can stay right on the beach, 10 minutes away from the port. The Rad is not on the beach.

[crewsweeper]

Can I ask you about where you leave your car at the Radisson Resort? Is it at the resort it self? I guess you feel its safe? Do you have to wait awhile after you get off the ship for a shuttle back to the resort? It sure seems like a good deal when I looked at the website and priced it. I also like the idea of sleep number beds. : )

BKJK...I'd suggest that when you come down I-75 and hit I-10 to head east toward Jacksonville and take 295 to I-95 South. There's a number of spots along the end of 295 to stop and you're around 2 hours to PC from that point. No tolls. Just take the exit 205 for the Beachline/Bennet Causeway Rte. 528

 

Also, there's a new parking area just off 528 before you get to the port. Lighted, security, fenced, shuttle to the ship @ ~ $7/day. You can reserve on line and get a 10% discount. I have to spell out the website: www dot parkcruise dot com. because it doesn't link properly here.

 

You can use this instead of the higher prices at the Radisson (where the car isn'tleft on the property) or Country Inn and Suites (car left on property but you pay for shuttle or taxi to ship). Accessible from the I-75/FL TRPK/528 toll route too.

 

If coming down the I-75 route, you might consider stopping in Valdosta GA, about 4.5 hours out of PC, or in Lake City, FL right after passing I-10, about 2.5 hours away (and you can track your progress via the Ron Jon's signs:)). Then using the parkncrusie lot versus the port parking.

[BKJK]

I had no idea about this parking option. Have you or anyone used it ? I think we are gonna have to stop and get a hotel before Port Canaveral , Im thinking somewhere in Florida off I-95 along the way, i would like to just have around a hour or so drive in the day of the cruise . That parking lot is a very good deal with the ten percent off online , just wondering if anyone has used it and feel its safe?

[Marie51]

I had no idea about this parking option. Have you or anyone used it ? I think we are gonna have to stop and get a hotel before Port Canaveral , Im thinking somewhere in Florida off I-95 along the way, i would like to just have around a hour or so drive in the day of the cruise . That parking lot is a very good deal with the ten percent off online , just wondering if anyone has used it and feel its safe?

 

Here's what we do. We drive as far as St Augustine and stop overnight. The next morning after a good nights sleep we eat breakfast and head out and it is about a 2-3 hour drive to Pt Canaveral. You get there just in time to board. This plan works well for us.

[crewsweeper]

I had no idea about this parking option. Have you or anyone used it ? I think we are gonna have to stop and get a hotel before Port Canaveral , Im thinking somewhere in Florida off I-95 along the way, i would like to just have around a hour or so drive in the day of the cruise . That parking lot is a very good deal with the ten percent off online , just wondering if anyone has used it and feel its safe?

It's new, they just recently opened but on the "New I work in Port Canaveral" thread, Shirley, who lives in the area visited the facility and liked what she saw. Also another cruiser used it a coupel of weeks ago and said it worked very nicely for them. Unless I start hearing different, I'm booking this for our June cruise.

[GTO-Girl]

We are in N. Ga. right off I75. We are going on the Dream in April and I am going I75 to Macon then I16 to US 23 S to I95 S into Cocoa Beach. From My home it is about 9 hrs. to Cocoa Beach,where we will be staying on one of the stay and sail programs with free parking at the hotel for the week we will be sailing. If you deduct the price of parking at the port from the price of the room for the night it becomes a good bargain.:) Also it is actually 9 miles closer than the I75/ Fla turnpike toll route. Just Google map it!

Good luck and happy cruising!

 

How is the traffic on US 23? I don't mind back roads if I can still make good time. We will be coming from the Covington GA area and usually go I-75 to I-10 to I-95, but was considering going I-75 to I-16 to I-95 because on Mapquest it doesn't look like its a lot of difference

[jty1220]

It's new, they just recently opened but on the "New I work in Port Canaveral" thread, Shirley, who lives in the area visited the facility and liked what she saw. Also another cruiser used it a coupel of weeks ago and said it worked very nicely for them. Unless I start hearing different, I'm booking this for our June cruise.

 

 

I booked the new parking complex for our May 1st cruise. Sure is a great deal

[BKJK]

Im thinking that I will take I95 and stop some place probally before daytona, I think I will be sick of being in the car by then lol maybe sooner...we can sleep in and head to the cruise. Im dont want to spend much on the hotel either, since we will be arriving late and probally get something to eat and go to sleep...and then up and head over to the port...Thanks to all of you for your help...I really am glad I found this board..You are all so helpful..