Different route from the North

[two4theroad]

Hello all: I need some expert advise on a different route from the northeast. We are traveling from RI and just can't stand the drive down 95. Been thinking about picking up route 84 in CT to route 81 and maybe cutting across to 64 Richmond VA and picking up 95 there. What's your advise and opinions on that? Has anyone driven down even farther and picked up 77 and across to 26 letting you off in South Carolina. Any help with a new and improved way of getting down the coast is appreciated. I know it's probably a longer ride but if its not so chaotic and stressful it would be worth it. If anyone's done it, can you tell me about how much longer it is? Any idea's you have....I'm all ears

 

[tim5055]

If it were me, I would stay on I-81 and follow the I-77 to I-26 route.

But, remember I-81 is a heavily used truck route. Lots of 18 wheelers!

 

[CDNCruiser]

We live in Canada, about 25 miles west of the point where I-81 ends at the Canadian border.

Our normal route to "the Fort" is straight down I-81 to I-77 to I-26 and finally I-95.

Our leisurely 1,410 mile drive takes 4 days with stops at Harrisburg East Campground in Harrisburg, PA, Wytheville KOA in Wytheville, VA, New Green Acres Campground in Walterboro, SC and finally to the Fort.

We often spend a night or two at North Beach Camp Resort, on A1A just a few miles north of St. Augustine, FL. This stop ensures that we arrive at the Fort about noon . . . we think that our early arrival helps us get a campsite we prefer.

If you stop in Wytheville, VA I highly recommend the Peking Restaurant, delicious home-made egg rolls and the best won-ton soup we've ever had!

The drive through the Shennandoah Valley and then through the Lake Norman area in NC is very scenic.

Give it a try!

 

[thecplusplusguy]

This April I did the 84-81-17-95 route so that we could stop at South Of the Border in SC. It was very disappointing.
On the way home we did the 84-81-77-26-95 route this was much much better. Lots of scenery and a much more relaxed ride (except for 95 which you can't avoid). This is the route we will do in Nov. 2010 when we go down again.

Dan

 

[LarryJ]

Hello all: I need some expert advise on a different route from the northeast. We are traveling from RI and just can't stand the drive down 95. Been thinking about picking up route 84 in CT to route 81 and maybe cutting across to 64 Richmond VA and picking up 95 there. What's your advise and opinions on that? Has anyone driven down even farther and picked up 77 and across to 26 letting you off in South Carolina. Any help with a new and improved way of getting down the coast is appreciated. I know it's probably a longer ride but if its not so chaotic and stressful it would be worth it. If anyone's done it, can you tell me about how much longer it is? Any idea's you have....I'm all ears

I live 25 miles west of D.C. about a mile off I-66 basically at the junction of I-66 and Va. Rt. 28 that goes south from Dulles Airport. If 81S is a consideration here is my recommendation.

Get off 81S at Harrisburg onto US 15 and follow that south thru Fredrick, Md. all the way to US 29 just south of where it crosses I-66 and then go towards Warrenton and take 17/15 south there for about 5 miles to where 15 continues on to Culpepper and 17 splits off in Opal, Va and goes south to Fredricksburg and joins up with I-95 there.

As long as you're happy with a 60 to 65 mph speed US 15 from Harrisburg all the way to 29 and even 15/17 and then 17 into Fredricksburg is a nice road thru some nice scenery. As you pass over from Md. into Va. at Point of Rocks there is like a 2 mile stretch of twisty two lane road, but that is the only less than ideal road and most of 15 from Harrisburg to 29 is 4 lane highway and not many traffic lights thru Fredrick or Leesburg, Va.

Going north I always take this 15 to 81 junction and if south then the 17 south from 29 to Fredricksburg to connect to 95.

Larry

 

[LarryJ]

This April I did the 84-81-17-95 route so that we could stop at South Of the Border in SC. It was very disappointing.
On the way home we did the 84-81-77-26-95 route this was much much better. Lots of scenery and a much more relaxed ride (except for 95 which you can't avoid). This is the route we will do in Nov. 2010 when we go down again.

Dan

The problem is you took 17 which is out of the way and not as good a road as 15 and probably about 50 to 100 miles longer than getting off 81 at Harrisburg just between Harrisburg and Fredricksburg, Va. Harrisburg is less than two hours from my home and I-95 45 min and that is wasting 15 min each time getting to 15 to go North or South from my home ... about 15 miles going either north or south. Your 84-81-77-26-95 route is probably about 150 to 200 miles further than what I have described.

Larry

 

[jbgard]

Hi,

I did the 84-81-77-26-95 route from RI last year. It was 120 miles longer than following 95 down the coast, but the drive is much better. The only traffic we hit was in Orlando. More than paid for the extra fuel with the savings on tolls.

We did the trip in 3 days, 550 miles, 500 miles, and 380 miles (don't hold me to these) and stayed at these campgrounds on the way down:

KOA Harrisonburg VA
New Green Acres Walterboro SC

and these on the way back:

KOA Fort Mills NC
KOA Jonesboro PA

(Sorry, I don't have enough posts to include the links)

Incidentally, depending on where in RI you live, 146-90-84 may seem out of the way, but it is quicker from my location.

Have Fun!

Joel

 

[marble96]

We travel from the Eastern part Ontario Canada and I think CDNCruiser uses the same one I81 to 77 to 26 then 95. We find this route very good excellent roads not that many large trucks.

 

[thecplusplusguy]

The problem is you took 17 which is out of the way and not as good a road as 15 and probably about 50 to 100 miles longer than getting off 81 at Harrisburg just between Harrisburg and Fredricksburg, Va. Harrisburg is less than two hours from my home and I-95 45 min and that is wasting 15 min each time getting to 15 to go North or South from my home ... about 15 miles going either north or south. Your 84-81-77-26-95 route is probably about 150 to 200 miles further than what I have described.

Larry

You may have described what I actually did, but I'll take the extra miles on the 77 route to stay off 95. I don't like that road at all.

Dan

 

[mrsscooter]

We live in Ct in the Norwich area and this is they way we go every year:

RT 2 to 16 to 66 to 691 to 84 to 684 to 287 to Garden St Prkwy to Jersey Tnpk to 95

It looks longer, but it avoids a lot of traffic and for us, its been the quickest especially if you have an e z pass.

 

[LarryJ]

You may have described what I actually did, but I'll take the extra miles on the 77 route to stay off 95. I don't like that road at all.

Dan

I-95 south of Fredricksburg, Va. is not bad at all and with the bypass around Richmond makes it even better. Now I-95 in SC is another story, but you can't have everything.

I just relooked at the 81/77/26 route as compared to mine and you guys already using I-81 that route while about 30 miles longer is probably the best. I forgot that I'm only 10 miles from US 15, but 55 miles from I-81 so for me going over to I-81 and then south adds a lot of miles and time from where I live.

Also for me with a diesel the FJ at Carmel Ch. is only about 75 miles from my house and it's where I normally fill up on my way to WDW.

Larry

 

[sharadoc]

I-95 south of Fredricksburg, Va. is not bad at all and with the bypass around Richmond makes it even better. Now I-95 in SC is another story, but you can't have everything.

We didn't have a problem in SC at all on 95 any time we've driven. Could you be more specific??

Thanks,

 

[tedlou]

For me, SC has the worst section of 95. It is all “bump, bump, bump…..etc” I would love to find an alternate route.

 

[LarryJ]

We didn't have a problem in SC at all on 95 any time we've driven. Could you be more specific??

Thanks,

As mentioned the concrete slabs are uneven and the joints between them in the right lane have lots of pothole near the outside edge at the joints. It's tiring for those 150 miles or so to constantly watch for vehicles coming up behind you since I'm often straddling the center to avoid those potholes. I'm pretty sure it SC and not either NC or Ga, but I might have the state wrong.

Larry

 

[BradyBz12]

We're coming from southern NH and prefer to avoid pulling the TT through NYC. Our route is...

90 to
84 to
87 to
Garden State to
NJ Turnpike/95 (south of NYC)

We stick to 95 the rest of the way to FL - with the exception of the 2 beltways around DC and Baltimore.

The bumpity bumpity of SC isn't fun, and in December it seemed most of 95 in GA was under construction (hopefully it's done before the fall?)

We stick with 95 as it's the quickest/most direct route, and when we travel (Nov/Dec) it's probably the best road to be on if the weather gets iffy.

Safe travels!

 

[LarryJ]

We're coming from southern NH and prefer to avoid pulling the TT through NYC. Our route is...

90 to
84 to
87 to
Garden State to
NJ Turnpike/95 (south of NYC)

We stick to 95 the rest of the way to FL - with the exception of the 2 beltways around DC and Baltimore.

The bumpity bumpity of SC isn't fun, and in December it seemed most of 95 in GA was under construction (hopefully it's done before the fall?)

We stick with 95 as it's the quickest/most direct route, and when we travel (Nov/Dec) it's probably the best road to be on if the weather gets iffy.

Safe travels!

Hopefully you won't encounter THIS

This is an all too often occurance on the Beltway around D.C. and I-95 north of Fredricksburg, Va.

Truckers trying to meet a schedule and overly stressed and worked people living in the D.C. area are an explosive mix. Then then there is the "abandon you vehicle" syndrome that D.C. drivers have at even the hint of the white stuff during winter.

When we went north last May to NH/Vt. I just went up hit 81 north to 84 and across into NY/Ct to 95 aorund Bridgeport, Ct ... that was the general route w/o some of the details. I have no desire to get any closer to NYC than Newburgh, nor the tolls with a trailer over the bridges around NYC or NJ GSPW.

Larry

 

[BradyBz12]

Truckers trying to meet a schedule and overly stressed and worked people living in the D.C. area are an explosive mix.

A big reason we plan our trip to be going through the DC area between midnight-2am (and usually on a Friday).

Last year we left the night before Thanksgiving, and traffic through NJ and south, even at 2-3am was like the middle of the day! Luckily it moved along just fine, but we've never seen so many cars on the road in the middle of the night.

I have no desire to get any closer to NYC than Newburgh, nor the tolls with a trailer over the bridges around NYC or NJ GSPW.

Definitely with you on getting anywhere near NYC. We do take the Garden State though. Tolls aren't horribly bad (compared to some) and with the high speed EZ pass lanes they're a breeze in terms of travel.

 

[CDNCruiser]

Here's a tip for those who do not enjoy that construction in Jacksonville, FL

Take 9A which runs parallel to 95 but a few miles to the east. It's all good road, comparable to any Interstate, and has far less traffic. Here's a bonus . . . this route is 8 miles shorter than the 295 bypass which runs to the west of I-95

If you are southbound, take exit 362A to Route 9A
If you are northbound, take exit 337 to Route 9A

 

[two4theroad]

We took a test drive..Actual routes from Warwick RI...95S to 91 to 691 over to 84 to 380 for a couple minutes to 81 made it down to Harrisonburg VA, close enough for us, to what would be our next route 77. . I couldn't believe how much better the ride was. It was so stress FREE . I will never,ever... go 95S again. There was actual scenery! Yes there were trucks, but there are also a ton of trucks traveling down the coast. I also noticed the drivers weren't as aggressive as they are on 95. It was just so different . Actually enjoyable!!! Everytime we travel south I start my vacation and end my vacation so stressed and stroking out . It's no way to begin and end my wonderful vacation at Disney. On the way home we got on 81 again and then decided to take 80 in hazleton PA to 380 to 84 by-passing the Wilkes-Barre and Scranton area. Liked that even better!!!! No real differance in time. On the way south there was some construction and traffic around those two cities (according to the info we got that construction would continue until Dec) so we opted for the other route on the way back, and we were glad we did. No traffic, no cities, no heart attacks . Oh yeah as far as we went South, no tolls. Coming back only one toll on route 84 around exit 11 in NY $1 cars, I think $2 for campers. Way better than the Tappan Zee bridge. All in All I am real glad we took the ride. I'm gonna feel so much better when we leave RI Thanksgiving day to go to the Fort for two great weeks!!!!!! Our first time there during the Christmas season Thanks to everyone for all your input and help. I hope I have helped any of you who hate that ride down 95 like I do.

 

[thecplusplusguy]

When we were kids my parents used to take 5 of us plus them down 95 to Disney every year. My father would drive straight through sometimes. I don't know how he did it. I don't remember it much, but my older brother that came with me to Disney in April and did the driving was floored at how much better this route was over 95s. A little research goes a long way.

Dan