Fastest Driving Route to Florida
The fastest driving route to Florida is also our favorite driving route to Florida, and on to Englewood.
It is about 4 hours faster than the next quickest route straight down Interstate 75 to Florida. This difference in travel time is based upon comparisons between Detroit, Michigan and Buffalo, New York as the northern starting points.
I have provided a map of the fastest driving route to Florida on this page in words rather than by using an actual map, where you can see our “sentinels of the south,” palm trees.
I have also provided a link for each location along the way to TripAdvisor, where you can locate and book hotels and other points of interest.
Interstate 79 – Interstate 77 – Interstate 26 - Interstate 95 - Interstate 4 - Interstate 75
Interstate 79 - Erie, Pennsylvania to West Virginia
The fastest driving route to Florida makes use of several different Interstate thoroughfares. Our journey actually begins on another Interstate (I-90). We travel west, from Buffalo New York until we reach Erie Pennsylvania. This port city on Lake Erie is actually the northern terminus for Interstate 79.
Our trip southward towards Pittsburgh is a naturalists’ delight. The rolling hills, forests and swamps along the route provide many opportunities for sighting wild birds and wild life in general.
However, the wild life does pose a problem to the unwary motorist. I have never seen a route that has so many deer trying to cross. Consequently, the side of the interstate is often, sadly, littered with the remains of deer that have met an untimely death. So keep an eye out for deer near the roadside as you travel this stretch of highway.
The instance of deer crossing the highway reduces in number about 90 minutes south of Pittsburgh at the West Virginia border. At this point the interstate enters more mountainous terrain.
The views along the roadside are spectacular. The fastest driving route to Florida twists and turns around the mountains until you are approximately five miles north of Charleston West Virginia. At this point Interstate 79 ends and you exit southbound onto Interstate 77.
Note: About 60 miles north of Charleston you can take a short cut along Route 19 to Beckley, West Virginia. It is a scenic route through mountainous terrain. If you follow this new expressway you will save about one hour in travel time.
However, there is a caution and it is a big caution. DO NOT exceed the speed limit or do anything that stretches the rule of highway traffic laws. The local police force seems to be everywhere.
Some travel organizations issue this warning as well on their trip itineraries. So if you want to make the fastest driving route to Florida even faster you can take this route. But, don’t break any traffic rules!
The fastest driving route to Florida includes several major east-west arteries which intersect Interstate 79. They include:
- Interstate 90 at Erie, Pennsylvania
- Interstate 80 at Mercer, Pennsylvania
- Interstate 76 north of Pittsburgh
- Interstate 70 at Washington Pennsylvania
- Interstate 68 south of Morgantown, West Virginia
Interstate 77 – Charleston, West Virginia to Columbia, South Carolina
After leaving Interstate 79, southbound Interstate 77 takes you right through the middle of Charleston, West Virginia.
Note: Interstate 77 actually has a northern terminus on Interstate 90, east of Cleveland, Ohio. We have taken this route and have found it to be a little bit further than following I-79 at -m10556-r78268-Erie_Pennsylvania-Hotel-Deals.html" target="_blank">Erie. But, it would still be the fastest driving route to Florida.
From Charleston, the highway twists and turns through the mountains. About one hour after leaving Charleston, you arrive at Beckley. This coal mining community offers many restaurants and motels. If you have time, stop and visit one of the interesting historical sites in the area. The theme of the venue might be coal mining or the civil war.
At Beckley the interstate continues through the scenic mountains of West Virginia. The next state on your trip is Virginia and what a dramatic entrance it makes!
The East River Mountain Tunnel marks the end of West Virginia and when you exit on the other side a beautiful vista of mountains and valleys dazzle in the sunlight.
But this is not the last tunnel on your trip along the fastest driving route to Florida. A few miles down the road looms the Big Walker Mountain Tunnel.
Both tunnels are split, two lanes north and two lanes south, and the view at either end of both tunnels is spectacular.
Wytheville, Virginia intersects with Interstate 81 and there are numerous places to stop, eat and re-fuel your car.
After about two hours of driving from Beckley, you will leave the mountains behind. The change in landscape is breath taking.
A few miles north of the North Carolina border you will descend a mountain.
What a sight! The hill down into North Carolina is about five miles long. The view to your left is awesome. It seems like the entire state of North Carolina is on the horizon.
At Charlotte you are almost at the end of the Interstate 77 leg of your journey. Shortly, you will see one of my wife’s favorite sights on this route.
Palm Trees!!
A trip to Florida is about warm weather and blue skies and surf. For my wife it is also about palm trees. For her the palm tree signifies great weather and fun in the sun.
A few years ago we discovered that we did not have to go all the way to Florida to find my wife’s favorite plant.
As we entered the state of South Carolina, we were turning into the Welcome Center, when Judy shouted, “Look at that!” I responded, “Look at what?”
“There are palm trees,” she exclaimed with glee. Yes, they have palm trees at the entrance to the Welcome Center. Both of us felt warmer already!
We would also like to encourage everyone to be well prepared for any road trip and particularly for the fastest driving route to Florida as described on this page. You can be well on your way by joining the RV Emergency Road Service from the Good Sam Club
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The fastest driving route to Florida has several major arteries which intersect with Interstate 77. They include:
- Interstate 64 around Charleston, West Virginia
- Interstate 81 at Wytheville, Virginia
- Interstate 40 at Statesville, North Carolina
- Interstate 85 at Charlotte, North Carolina
- Interstate 20 in Columbia, South Carolina
- Interstate 26 in Columbia, South Carolina
In about an hour or more via I-26 you will connect with Interstate 95
Interstate 95 – South Carolina to Daytona Beach, Florida
At this point on the fastest driving route to Florida, you are now on the oldest north-south throughway to Florida (I-95).
Note Interstate 95 is covered in more depth on the page entitled driving I-95. This motorway stretches all the way from the Canadian border in Houlton Maine to Miami, Florida.
In a few hours, you will pass through Georgia and find yourself at the Florida Welcome Center, just north of the city of Jacksonville.
At Jacksonville you can connect with Interstate 10 which will take you west across the top of Florida. Although it be tempting to follow this road to get over to the west side of the state it is not the fastest driving route to Florida.
A few minutes south of Jacksonville, is one of my favorite diversions along our route. The World Golf Hall of Fame located at the World Golf Village always causes us to stop and spend a few hours.
About two hours driving from Jacksonville will find you outside of Daytona Beach. Take Interstate 4.
Interstate 4 – Daytona Beach to Tampa
I love this section of the trip. Why? Because, the fastest driving route to Florida has me almost at my destination, sunny Englewood Florida.
In about an hour, traffic is going to get very dense. You are entering Orlando. I always try to plan on arriving in the Orlando area at a time other than rush hour. There are lots of activities in Orlando to tempt you to stop along the fastest driving route to Florida, from world famous theme parks, to restaurants, to outlet malls.
Another word of caution about Interstate 4, beware of construction!
In all my travels to this area I don’t think that I have ever driven this road without encountering construction somewhere along the route. Despite the heavy traffic and the construction this is still the fastest driving route to Florida!
Before entering Tampa, it is time to change interstates. But don’t worry this is the last major leg of your journey.
Interstate 75
Just east of Tampa take Interstate 75 southbound. About 90 minutes later watch for the Englewood exit.
You have finally made it! Englewood is just a short drive away.
Now I know what you are thinking, with all of these twists and turns, and route changes, there has got to be a better way.
Well there is a more direct route. But, believe it or not, the route that I have just illustrated is the fastest driving route to Florida. It is about four hours shorter from Buffalo New York than the next best route from Detroit Michigan.
Look for the page titled “The Most Popular Driving Route to Florida and Englewood” for the most direct route to “Enjoy Englewood Florida!”
Listed below are travel links to three highway routes and of course information about air traffic connections to the Englewood area. Enjoy your trip and we will see you on the beach!
If You Like Travel Choices, You"re in Luck!
Flying to Englewood Florida
Fastest Driving Route to Florida
Most Popular Driving Route to Florida and Englewood
Who Travels I-95 to Florida?
Go to Florida Travel Routes to Englewood from The Fastest Driving Route to Florida
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