What is the average number of miles one can travel in a day?

[sc_surveyor]

Hello all,  we are looking at getting a Class C RV. We have never owned a RV before and would like to know how many miles a day can one normally travel during a day.  We were thinking about 400 miles a day but had seen someone say 300 miles a day.  Would like to get some ideas.  Miles per day might also depend on size of RV and if stopping at campground and fully hooking up.

 

[BLAKDUKE]

Well there are a lot of variables in that.  It depends on the type of trip, the intended goal, thehealth od the driver.  I finished up a contract job in ST. Louis.  My goal was to get home.  I went straight thru 13 hours, with only stops for fuel and coffee.  We went on vacation to New York in  Sept.  We had a week.  We drove 4 hours to just past Louisville and stop at the Belterra casino for 2 hours.  We intended to try and make Columbus Ohio and stop at a Walmart Super center.  We could not get past Mansfield Ohio.  They had a wally S.C. so there we stayed and got a good 8 hours sleep.  Did the same thing coming back.  I have talked to some folks that will absolutely not travel more than 4 hours in a day.  To each his own.

 

[tvman44]

Depending on destination I prefer not to drive over 6 hours a day (max of 8 hours) = 300 to 400 @ 50 mph average.  Works for me.

 

[Wendy]

That's kind of a "how high is up" question. We prefer less than 200 miles and have had some lovely days when we traveled less than 50 miles. We have also done 400 miles in a day and hated it but needed to get somewhere quickly. I would suggest starting out slowly, travel a short distance, take lots of breaks. Then you can do longer days if it works for you. Remember, the important thing is to enjoy the trip.

Wendy
La Pine, Oregon

 

[Wizard46]

We left the rally and drove 7 hours home. Hope we never have to do that again.

Normally we limit it to 5 hours and try for 4 hours. We don't worry about miles but usually average about 45 mph.

jerry

 

[ironrat]

To tell you how I see it, it doesn't matter how many miles at all. What does matter is how many hours you are going to today. Some roads and roads dictate 30mph some may be 60mph so how many hours is what matters, and that is how most States dictate a number also, and that law would be about 8 hours a day, that's what the truckers live up to and have log books and scale checks to insure this safety point. These guys are professionals for sure , so we should be using a number well below that, say 5 hours maybe, think about it!

 

[1275gtsport]

most of the trips we take are about the final destination, mostly because we are not retired yet. so we are kind of packing tons into the vacation (1 or 2 weeks tops)
if however we had the time to just go and not have to be back at a certain time I would rather explore the side and back roads.

seeing as your own sig lines says "time to relax" in my opinion that means you have no particular place to go and all day to get there.

where as if your talking about "how long can I drive until I can't move anymore" that is not my idea of "relaxing" but each to their own

 

[RoyM]

.  My goal was to get home.  I went straight thru 13 hours, with only stops for fuel and coffee. 

I have done that too many times : No more. We normally drive  6-7 hours max, on the road by nine and looking for a cg around 3:30 with a half hour break for lunch. After all, it is supposed to be a vacation, not a race.

 

[Gizmo]

As mentioned, there are a lot of variables.  My personal experience has been not more than 400 miles, 8 total hours on the road including stops for fuel, meals & bathroom. 

 

[99WinAdventurer37G]

To tell you how I see it, it doesn't matter how many miles at all. What does matter is how many hours you are going to today. Some roads and roads dictate 30mph some may be 60mph so how many hours is what matters, and that is how most States dictate a number also, and that law would be about 8 hours a day, that's what the truckers live up to and have log books and scale checks to insure this safety point. These guys are professionals for sure , so we should be using a number well below that, say 5 hours maybe, think about it!

Truck drivers can drive a total of 11 hours in a 14 hour period.  So if I start at 08:00, I can drive until 22:00 (10:00).  But only 11 of those hours can be driving.  So if one started at 08:00 and did not stop, they would only be able to drive until 19:00.

So, as a driver, I know that behind the wheel of my MH, I don't have to abide by those rules.  So many times, my goal is to get there no matter how many hours it takes.  I drove straight through, 17 hours to Florida, only stopping for gas, food and mother nature.  But the great thing about the MH is, if I get tired, as long as I can find a place to park, I have a place to nap, and don't have to worry about how I do it.  After I retire though, when there is no limit on "vacation time," I don't see the need to drive like I do now.  If I'm retired, no matter how long it takes me to get there, I can still stay 2 weeks if that is the time planned, and that is my goal. 

 

[Wizard46]

Took us 2 weeks to get from Georgia to Wyoming  ;D ;D

 

[sc_surveyor]

THANKS to everyone, so much, for their reply. Looks like I was unrealistic in my miles per day.  Really glad to know it now so we can begin to plan our travel time needed for a proposed trip this summer.

Thanks again

 

[garyb1st]

Take it for a good test drive on roads/highways typical of what you expect to travel on.  See how it feels.  Does it track properly.  Can you manage it with one hand or does it tend to wander a bit.  Once you have a sense of what that feels like, you can better determine how many hours a day you want to travel.  Stick with hours rather than miles.  Don't push it.  Half the fun is getting there.  Good luck.     

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

RVing is a leisurely life style, and we believe that should include the driving part.  We like to start late and stop early, which typically means a day lasting from 10:30-11:00 am  til around 4 pm. If the day is mostly interstate travel, that's about 250 miles (allowing for at least one stop for a bite of lunch in the rig). Less miles if a two lane road. Once in awhile we do more if we have some pressing need to be somewhere, but we try to avoid it. We also do not travel more than three days in a row and more often only two.

If you only have a week to get somewhere and back, then you probably have to drive more, at least on the first and last days.

 

[Chet18013]

We normally average 200-300 miles per day when we are traveling from A to B. If we have leisure travel plans we will often not go 100 miles and spend time looking around on side trips. When in a real hurry, we done 635 miles in a day, but once was enough for that much.

It's much more fun to stay off the interstates and see where the red roads lead you.

 

[jim and di]

Someone one said "there are destination people and journey people. Count me as a journey person. We leave early and stop early. Usually 250 to 300 per day. When we go cross country 300 is the max. As others have said its a slower lifestyle and meant to be enjoyed.
Your milage may vary,
Jim

 

[rockin rockwood]

One clarification that I have learned. A lot of folks are saying they average 50 mph, that doesn't necessarily mean they're driving 50 mph. Thats actually the distance travelled after stopping for breaks, gas, tolls etc. An 8 hour day will get you about 400 miles, even at 65 mph.

 

[Mopar1973Man]

Depending on destination I prefer not to drive over 6 hours a day (max of 8 hours) = 300 to 400 @ 50 mph average.  Works for me.

Exactly. It all about relaxing and enjoying the trip. If you drive longer then you end up being exhausted setting up camp and passing out from shear driving and setting up. You don't even want to crack a beer and enjoy your new home for the night. 

So yes I limit to the same amount also if possible.

 

[Jeff Brown]

We are destination people and we travel hard to and from said destination.  I have mentioned in other posts that having a "Jumping off point" helps us quite a bit.  My hours are 6-2:30 and my wife is a high school teacher so she works the typical 7-3:30 shift.  The difference between our commutes puts us both home at exactly the same time most days.  (The myth that teacher only work 6 hours is annoying by the way, thanks to a teacher most people can do the math and 7-3:30 is 8.5 hours.)

I try to get home early so we can leave by 4 on Friday evening.  That day is a reasonably short drive, but I still try to put 200 miles between me an home.  Typically with a meal break at around 100 miles.  As long as the batteries are fresh in my sons toys we can power into the night with little issue.  I call that day zero of the vacation, we then run about a 45 MPH average for as many hours as I can slog through to get where we are going.  The trip home is more leasurely with many stops along the way, but the last day is again usually a big driving day. 

I have found if we try to leave on Saturday morning from the house a leasurely breakfast followed by last min. items gets us out the door quite a bit later than I would like. On the other hand if we do all that Friday evening and Saturday morning we wake up in the RV; quick showers with some coffee and bagels then we are on the road, typically by 7, 8 at the latest.

So for actual mileage, our regular vacation (Round trip: ~Palm Springs, CA to Cannon Beach, OR) our biggest day is the first Saturday and we go from Independence, CA to Grant's Pass, Or on that day.  ~600 miles, it is a long hard day to be sure!  and the last day we are normally exhausted and we end up driving from somewhere near Sacramento back to almost Palm Springs.  We have 2.5 travel days and we cover 1150 miles in that time.  So I guess the average is 450 miles per day, but it works out more like 200, then 600 then 350 on the last day.

If I were retired I would be happy to go 300 miles per day on travel days, but my vacation time is precious and I want to spend it in specific destinations.  (Often in Cannon Beach, OR oddly enough.)

Jeff

 

[Frizlefrak]

If I were retired, it would be exactly what the folks above stated....250-400 per day, explore the back roads.  Given my current, somewhat frantic lifestyle, I've done 800 + in day.  Pulled the trailer straight through El Paso to San Diego a while back....13 hours.  Had an extra day to sight see while there....split the trip back into two pieces. 

Assuming I ever get to kiss the rat race goodbye, I'd cap it at 8 hours, wherever that gets me.