Travel one day limit?

[Toolhog#1]

How many miles/time do you travel comfortably in one day towing your camper? I know there are a lot of variables to this answer but just trying to get an idea planning trips for next year. I am at 75-80% of my towing capacities towing my 212QB with my 2.8 Duramax Canyon including payload.

[Jim Davis]

This is just my personal preference. I'm 81 and simply don't enjoy long days runs. We do 200 miles for planning purposes but will go out to 250 if needed. This allows for a leisurely departure and being settled before the evening rush begins. We also plan layovers to visit friends or simply play tourist.

[extrachrispy]

It's probably better to think in terms of hours rather than miles, depending upon what kinds of roads you're taking. If I have to, I'll drive 12 hours in a day, but I much prefer to keep it to 8-10. On the interstate or on good secondary roads (limit permitting), I'll do 65mph so that the fuel economy doesn't fall off a cliff. That translates to 520-650 miles.

[RogerR]

I drive to Colorado to visit relatives prior to going into the mountains. 980 miles over two days. But we do a stop at a casino, Cabelas, or other free and safe place so no time needed to make hookups, park in a campground or deal with check-in, etc.

In the AM we both have cold cereal breakfast and leave early.

[pconroy]

Totally a personal preference thing. I prefer 350ish. But have done 600 if we're trying to get someplace.

[KCSA75]

When I first started following this forum somebody posted a similar question. The best answer I saw was a guy who said 300 miles or 3 p.m., which ever comes first.

[spoon059]

We've done 600 miles, and that is a LONG day, especially with kids. 400 is usually my limit, but 250-300 is preferred.

[Kim Gass]

depends on motivation. We have done 700 when we want to get home and avoid "camping " in a parking lot at temps near zero.

Lowest was I think 10 miles. We had to camp near the ferry and the ferry was nine hour ride and after disembarking we were not going to drive far in the dark with moose rampant so we camped about six miles from the terminal.

In Newfoundland 200 miles. Going across getting somewhere max 400. Otherwise its just a drag literally.

[Markb5900]

If we are trying to get someplace and not planning any stop’s except for gas, we will go 6-8 hours. We are early birds, so it’s rare we aren’t on the road by 6.
Now once we get near our destination, we go as little as an hour sometimes.

[steve.jurnigan]

We went Suffolk, VA to Arizona this past year. Going out I tried to make 500 miles a day. We did come up with extra day. We had 11 days booked at Flagstaff and 5 days booked at Moab, Utah. We had a schedule to make. Going to Maine next year we are not going to push like that. We will stop and spent several days at stops. Will plan a whole lot closer with shorter distance. I am 69.

[JFlightRisk]

Originally Posted by KCSA75

When I first started following this forum somebody posted a similar question. The best answer I saw was a guy who said 300 miles or 3 p.m., which ever comes first.

Ditto. ^^^

[Happy wife / happy life]

DW and I just finished a 6 week 5 state road trip. We’re really not in a hurry to get anywhere so 250ish works well for us. I’m an early bird,DW not so much. We leave around 9:00am and call it a day around 3:00pm.

[Docsouce]

We like 200 to 250 per day. Start around 9am, stop for lunch and a couple of doggie breaks, finish by 2 or 3pm latest. We too like to set up early and enjoy. This also gives us plenty of time to stop and check out something that looks interesting. Once west of Pennsylvania we jump on the US and state roads and avoid the interstates as much as possible. We have a 26 ft class C with a little Ford Fiesta toad.

[colby]

I like 1 4.5-5 hour day, so that could be anywhere from 200-300 miles depending on driving speed. Some days it's an easy ride, some days not so easy if you are fighting wind and weather. If we are heading south, we are usually a longer first day - say 6ish hours as there is no packing up in the morning, just hook up the trailer and go.

Once we are on the road, we have breakfast, pack up, get out of the campsite by 10ish, stop at a rest stop around 12ish for lunch , back on the road around 1, then drive another 2-3 hours depending on destination. We are at the site around 4, get unpacked, check out the area, make dinner and relax.

[davidrambo500]

If drive hard days. I usually push it to get where I'm going, and have extra time to enjoy while there and drive a little easier on the way home. As I said, I push it. I've done as much as 1000 miles he first day, and only 400 or do after that. I was a professional musician, and am very used to traveling all night and well into the next day. My way isn't for everybody, as you can see. We all have the ways that are comfortable to us, and no way is "right."

[craigav]

Perhaps as davidrambo500 stated but in reverse which is also correct (imo)...

We all have the ways that are comfortable to us, and no way is "wrong."

~CA

[MrJeep]

Well 73 here and we travel to one place that is 375 miles from our home. I usually drive it straight through, however it does make for a long day.

[Stan&Sharon]

I'm 71 and drive about 200 miles a day, no rush and always during daylight. We use "RV Trip Wizard" to plan our travel so we can stop at RV campsites each night. We unhook the camper then run out to fill-up (use "gas buddy" to find best prices) so after breakfast, we re-attach and go to the next stop. Every couple/three days of a long distance trip we'll stay a couple/three days before heading out again.

[Okie Traveler]

When my wife and I first began traveling we drove long hard days trying to go as far and see as much as we could. That was a lot of years ago. We usually plan 300 miles or six hours at most now for one day. If we need to go further we will do it the next day. We have learned that things are much more enjoyable when you're not too tired. But, as has been, it's really a personal thing.

[CAG]

I did not comment on this in the beginning because I knew it was going to draw the "I do this" "I do that" long list of comments.

To there credit some said exactly what this amounts to. You need to find your comfort zone and stay in it.



If you are beat at 5 hours, quit. If it came sooner, quit. Don't depend upon what someone else said or did because your limits may not be theirs and visa-versa.



Plan you day for 250 miles and if you are still trucking, go more. When you reach the point that you are spent, your eyes are crossed and the traffic is driving you nuts, get off the road.



There was the day that 9 hours was not problem, but 9 hours on a two lane, with farm equipment traffic and trying to find a place to pass was much different than on I-10 and cruising. So every situation is different and asking someone else what they do is fine but in my opinion worthless for you as an individual.