Longest distance feasible for driving for weekend visits?

[Waddams]

I live in GA, outskirts of Atlanta. SO moved away to Florida, just outside Orlando. It's 8 hours driving per mapquest.

I'm taking a 1/2 day Friday, and full day off Monday. Plan to spend Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night there visiting w/ her. Then drive home Monday.

Just wondering what other's opinion of max feasible driving distance for weekenders is? I'm considering next time I drive down trying out taking a 1/2 day Friday, then driving back Sunday. Just to see if it felt like we got enough time together with just Friday and Saturday night to justify the long drive.

[snow_girl]

I've driven 14 hours each way before for a weekend trip. Whatever you are comfortable with driving yourself then do it. I don't think 8 hours is so bad.

[kayla_622]

My SO lives in Savannah. I live in central Kentucky. Its about a 10 hour drive. We haven't had one of us drive the 10 hours just for a weekend before but next month I plan on taking off a Thursday and Friday. I'll drive down on Thursday and stay that night, Friday, Saturday, Sunday night and drive back Monday since I have that day off for the holiday. I've flown there once before so, I kinda know how many days I need to schedule off work so that I'm able to spend a decent amount of time with my SO.

Try to give yourself a day to drive there and another to drive back and at least 2 full days there.

[Moon]

Well, that's kinda up to you I would probably be OK with that drive, but not everybody would, it just depends how comfortable you are driving long distances, if you can afford the gas, and don't mind adding the mileage to your car. It's definitely too long, IMO, to do more than once or twice a month!

[Brieasaurus]

For us, it's a 16 hour drive. When my SO did it, he just went straight through in a day. I could never do that though, I can hardly drive an hour. It's all personal preference. Because of the cost and car trip, we try scheduling something so that our money goes a long way (i.e. a two and a half week visit) because we both can't afford to spend $600 and 32 hours just for a weekend visit. If you guys can then I'd say go for it!

[Waddams]

I actually just had to buy a new car. Old one was new in 2001 when I bought it, but it had 170,000 miles on it now. Needed a lot of work, was leaking every fluid imaginable, and falling apart, and I decided I needed something that wasn't about to fall apart, and where I wouldn't be risking another major car meltdown in 6 months. So I traded in and bought a little economy car. It's new but inexpensive still. And gets 40 mpg.

I can afford the gas. I also have an 8 year old son that I share 50/50 custody w/ me ex-wife. I'm definitely only going to FL once or twice a month. SO has kids too, but her ex- is on no contact court orders w/ them. It just kinda works out that I can travel on my kidless weekends a lot easier than she can either haul her kids w/ her back up here (we spent lots of time together before her move w/ kids - they all love each other), or I can travel w/ 1 kid a lot easier than she can w/ multiples.

I'm also itching to get out of the Atlanta area. Looking forward to whenever the opportunity is that I can move away, don't like it here. Just can't right now w/out moving away from my son and not willing to do that. So, my relationship circumstances give me the chance/opportunity to head to FL on weekends and get me out of town for a needed change of scenery!

Minor grumble - stoopid economy. She moved for a better job. She was struggling hard here and just couldn't find any better jobs. She kind of had to move to take the job. Still pisses me off though. I miss her horribly.

[Sora1101]

My SO drives that length of time to visit his friends for a weekend visit so it's totally plausible it's just up to you if you feel comfortable with it, don't mind spending the gas money, and missing a day and a half of work.

[Waddams]

What I'm wondering about now is this something I could leaving work early enough on a Friday to get there late Friday evening, and then drive back sunday, leaving not too early, but getting back so it's not too late to make work monday painful.

Anyway, I was just wondering what others here did? What their driving limits were?

[wonderlandless]

I've driven 14 hours each way before for a weekend trip. Whatever you are comfortable with driving yourself then do it. I don't think 8 hours is so bad.

Yup! My guy lives 16 hours away and I've driven up :]

[MattDavies86]

I would drive anywhere lol, but sometimes easier and cheaper to take a plane though, no domestic flights from you to there? or have you already checked? I've even googled the route to Thailand via car lol, crazy right? it says it would take me a week (that's all driving) lol, I would love to give it a shot sometime! but it would take 2 weeks driving 12hours a day approx :P

[Mims27]

My girlfriend lives about the same distance...7hrs away actually and that is exactly what I do all the time. I leave Friday morning and come back Monday evening. It works really well for us and this way I take less time off work. I enjoy the drive and it's TOTALLY worth it!

[Waddams]

I've checked out plane tickets. When I look at the cost of the tickets at the times I need to fly (Friday evening/Monday morning-afternoon), tickets are pricey. Flying Thursdays/Tuesdays seems to be the best times. And there are also specials sometimes that might permit a cheap hop down and back sometime.

But when I compare the cost of the ticket to the cost of gas, and factor in flight time, getting to the airport early because Hartsfield is sometimes a bit crazy, and then cost to park at airport for a few days in long term, time spent waiting for luggage on other end, etc., the cost to drive down is cheaper and total travel time difference is only a few hours. Flying just doesn't seem to compare too well. The best it got was driving was 1/2 the cost of flying Southwest, and they only fly into an airport that's an hour away from SO.

We've been talking about saving flight money for if there is a special on tickets to Vegas or something. Then we can both fly to the same destination and meet there.

[loveknowsnodistance27]

I drove 7 hours each way to visit my boyfriend for a weekend. Left Friday morning and got home Sunday night.

[iHeartt]

That's not bad at all. My SO would drive to see me Friday nights & leave Sunday afternoon. It was worth it to us! 8 hrs isn't that bad really.

[Rugger]

My SO and I used to do 6 hours once a month Friday- Sunday. That's all we could get because we both worked and once he started working days, I'd only get 4 hours with him each day. It was worth it though