mapquest sarasota flRoad Trip From Austin, TX To Sarasota, FL?

My husband and I are planning to move to Sarasota in June. He's going to be driving a 24 ft Uhaul and I'll be following him in our Cobalt. Is there anyone out there that's taken a Texas to Florida trip that can help me estimate... or even "guess-timate" close enough to the kind of mileage it's gonna take for both vehicles? Also, does anyone have any ideas for the very best route to take? (I'm looking on mapquest & google and crossing my fingers that they know best.) And I know we're gonna stop once in between, but I'm trying to effort if it should be in Louisiana, Mississippi, etc. I've just never taken such a big trip like this in a car and could use a little guidance. Thank you so much for all your help!
Personally I would just stick that Cobalt on a U-Haul car carrier and just tow it with the 24' er because it's just much easier on all imapquest sarasota flnvolved
>Rent the trailer rather than the dolly
Day 1 will take you to Mobile AL

And if you feel like doing something really cool take a tour of the USS Alabama

Day 2 will take you to Sarasota
Expect to average about 45 -50 mph with that combo and get about 8-10 mpg
Play the gas game properly by figuring out which state has cheaper gas in it ;the one that you're about to leave or the one that you're about to enter and adjust your fill-ups accordingly\
Leave Austin early enough so that you won't get tangled in bound Houston traffic
As far as directions go :I would leave Austin On I-35 S head to San Marcos and then straight south to I-10 E thenit's I-10 to I 75S and into Sarasota
I don't what you're husband's experience with driving vehicles of that combo size are But driving on high speed 2 lane Texas roads would not be my first choice of a pmapquest sarasota fllace to develop them if I didn't already have them
Stay with the interstates
Safe trip .
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Update:
The reason that I suggested the trailer is not about saving money[ b/c given the cost of gas and the mpg of the Cobalt the trailer would come out to be the more expensive option ]But rather about you guys keeping each other company and keeping your mini caravan intact going down the road.
Trucks and cars are driven very differently and when couples do long distance moves such as you are doing it's often wisest and safest to simply forget about the idea of following driving each other and just set up pre-determined rendezvous points en route
Cell phones work well and walkie talkies are an excellent back up