Best Route to WDW from Philadelphia AVOIDING TRAFFIC

[Danny K]

Hi Everyone

So I will be driving to WDW from Philadelphia soon, and I am wondering how to avoid traffic around washington d.c, or should I just go through. I will be leaving 2pm on a Friday after work. I cannot leave earlier because of work, and I really don't want to leave later.

So if all goes well I will be hitting D.C beltway around 5pm which is rush hour traffic. I have a few route options to ask you about, and you choose the best one, from your experiences to avoid traffic.


Option 1: Take I-95 and then take the east side of the beltway which is I-95 South, I-495 East, and then I-95 through Virginia.

Option 2: Same as option 1 but take the west side of the beltway (I-495 W) instead)

Option 3: Take I-95 S until around Baltimore area, then switch to Baltimore Washington Pkwy (MD-295) which will dump me on I-295 inside the beltway, and take that until it ends at I-95 on the line between MD and VA.

Option 4: Take I-95 S, and switch to U.S 301 S over the harry nice memorial bridge, and get back on I-95 around Richmond Area.

Option 5: Take I-95 S, and take U.S 13 S through delaware and MD peninsula, over the Chesepeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, then get on I-95 on the line between VA and NC via U.S 58 W.

Option 6: A whole other route. Take I-76 W to I-81 S through VA, then take I-77 S to I-26 S to I-95 S in SC.


Here is my view about these options: I see that D.C beltway is like a nightmare all around so Option 1 and 2 are out. I think Option 3 (Baltimore Washington Pkwy) is a good alternative, but I-95 S is also pretty bad from Alexandria, VA all the way to Richmond at that time, so Option 3 is still not a great option. Option 4 might be a good alternative, but the harry nice memorial bridge is narrow and hard to drive on, and closes down a lot, and there really isn't another alternative besides going all the way back up, so thats probably not a good option at all. Option 5 looks like a great option but it will be off of major highways so it might be slower, but not sure. Option 6 looks great to, but it adds like 100 extra miles.

This is what I think from what I read before, but you tell me please which is the best option in your experience. I am really nervous about option 4 because the bridge keeps closing down according to what I read.

 

[mjmyers10]

There is really no great way. Your best bet might be to make a game time decision after looking at the traffic issues. Make sure you have a great copilot to help navigate. I think just sucking it up and taking the beltway will probably be the least amount of time. You will hit traffic or lights either way.

 

[dutch244]

We left center city at 5 pm on Friday two weeks ago and the only traffic we hit was where the blue route meets 95. Don't take the Baltimore Washington Parkway and also use 95 straight thru Baltimore no need to go on a belt way around there. We have left from the Northeast around 330 before and no traffic until below Washington. If u have more then two in the car make sure you use the Hov lanes South of Washington then your delay willbe greatly reduced. We have drove it 6 times always straight thru the night and arrive between 8 and 11 am

 

[dutch244]

We left center city at 5 pm on Friday two weeks ago and the only traffic we hit was where the blue route meets 95. Don't take the Baltimore Washington Parkway and also use 95 straight thru Baltimore no need to go on a belt way around there. We have left from the Northeast around 330 before and no traffic until below Washington. If u have more then two in the car make sure you use the Hov lanes South of Washington then your delay willbe greatly reduced. We have drove it 6 times always straight thru the night and arrive between 8 and 11 am

We use your option 1 and the traffic I am talking about is from where 495 meets 95 until South of exit 143 on 95 but the Hov lanes help or leaving closer to 5 to get to dc after 8 help as well

 

[rwdavis2]

There is really no great way. Your best bet might be to make a game time decision after looking at the traffic issues. Make sure you have a great copilot to help navigate. I think just sucking it up and taking the beltway will probably be the least amount of time. You will hit traffic or lights either way.

This. You will hit traffic whatever way you go except for 5 and 6 but then you won't save any time either. Those 2 routes just take longer.

If you test the route on google maps it will take into account the traffic conditions at the time you do it.

 

[winthropf]

Another option is get off 95 in Delaware and pick up US 301. US 301 will pick up 95 between Fredericksburg and Richmond. There are some towns along this route that slow things down, but it avoids the DC traffic.

Another options to take US 13 through Delaware and Maryland and go across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and then take US 58 west to 95. Again, some towns on the route to slow things down.

 

[NotUrsula]

I know you don't want to leave later, but the time is going to be spent no matter how you do it: either you spend it at home taking care of last-minute details, or you spend it driving a wide detour, or you spend it sitting in traffic. The way that I look at it, I'd rather pick the most pleasant choice for how to spend the time.

Consider stopping before you hit the traffic zone to have an early leisurely dinner to let the worst of it pass. Then stop for the night earlier than you might have originally planned, so that you will be rested and ready to hit the road at the crack of dawn the following morning to make up the lost time. ( I *really* do not recommend trying to drive straight through the night after a work day; it really isn't a great idea from a safety POV. For that matter, arriving at your vacation destination exhausted and running a sleep deficit is no fun, either.)

 

[Danny K]

Another option is get off 95 in Delaware and pick up US 301. US 301 will pick up 95 between Fredericksburg and Richmond. There are some towns along this route that slow things down, but it avoids the DC traffic.

Another options to take US 13 through Delaware and Maryland and go across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and then take US 58 west to 95. Again, some towns on the route to slow things down.

I hate to say this, but you just restated my options 4 and 5. My question is U.S 301 vs U.S 13? I think U.S 13 is safer because I have heard the harry nice memorial bridge is narrow and hard to drive on, and sometimes blocked. How is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge

 

[Danny K]

I know you don't want to leave later, but the time is going to be spent no matter how you do it: either you spend it at home taking care of last-minute details, or you spend it driving a wide detour, or you spend it sitting in traffic. The way that I look at it, I'd rather pick the most pleasant choice for how to spend the time.

Consider stopping before you hit the traffic zone to have an early leisurely dinner to let the worst of it pass. Then stop for the night earlier than you might have originally planned, so that you will be rested and ready to hit the road at the crack of dawn the following morning to make up the lost time. ( I *really* do not recommend trying to drive straight through the night after a work day; it really isn't a great idea from a safety POV. For that matter, arriving at your vacation destination exhausted and running a sleep deficit is no fun, either.)

I plan to stop in Florence SC.

 

[winthropf]

I hate to say this, but you just restated my options 4 and 5. My question is U.S 301 vs U.S 13? I think U.S 13 is safer because I have heard the harry nice memorial bridge is narrow and hard to drive on, and sometimes blocked. How is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge

It has been quite a few years since I was on either one. The 301 bridge is narrow, but not too long. The bay bridge is over 20 miles long with 2 tunnels. Accidents will block this as well.

 

[Danny K]

It has been quite a few years since I was on either one. The 301 bridge is narrow, but not too long. The bay bridge is over 20 miles long with 2 tunnels. Accidents will block this as well.

Thanks, but the Bay bridge has 2 tunnels plus a bridge so i think its a better option to be honest.

 

[mikehn]

All your options are basically splitting hair. The best option of all is starting very late Friday night or early Sat morning. Leaving at 2pm on Friday is THE absolute worst time to start. The entire mid atlantic region is going to converge onto any and all roadways right around this time.

 

[artesian]

All your options are basically splitting hair. The best option of all is starting very late Friday night or early Sat morning. Leaving at 2pm on Friday is THE absolute worst time to start. The entire mid atlantic region is going to converge onto any and all roadways right around this time.

I tend to agree with this. If it were me traffic causes me angina so i would opt either coast route through Delaware or go west down 81. I'd rather be moving then sitting in traffic. I like the coast route although the constant shift on speed limits that way does get to be annoying

 

[DonnaL]

Maybe I missed it, but, did you say WHEN you will be traveling? Not time of day, but, time of year? If winter, I would avoid the 81 route because that will take you straight thru the Blue Ridge Mountains and weather could possibly be an issue. Any other time of year, that is the route I would choose.....yes, a little longer, but, really no heavy traffic areas. We drove the 95 route a few years back when our son did the Disney College Program and needed to be at WDW very early January and wanted to have his car in FL. We actually didn't hit a lot of traffic, but, we did take 81 into VA and picked up 64 I believe (thru Warrenton?) and got on 95 south of D.C. Actually, I remember driving 95 thru the Carolinas and Georgia and some areas were pretty desolate.

 

[bookwormde]

It is really not about the route, but the timing that you need to focus on.

 

[dvczerfs]

you are waaaayyyy to far south to use 81/77.

 

[stitchlovestink]

There is NO way I would do 4 5 or 6 if I were you! 4 and 5 would drive me crazy w/ the lights and if the bridge is closed....you are SCREWED!! 6 is too far out of the way. I think 3 is probably your best bet but just be prepared to hit traffic at DC but once you are thru there the rest shouldn't be bad. But traffic is going to be unavoidable at that time of day. What time are you planning on getting to Florence though?? It's really going to be the middle of the night and you'll have to check out of a hotel by 11am (in most cases).

 

[MillauFr]

With all of the improvements at the Wilson Bridge and the Springfield Interchange, option #1 is far better than it used to be. Yes you will hit some traffic but it is not worth driving hundreds of miles out of your way or driving on roads with tons of traffic lights.

 

[Colvin86]

leave Philly at 630pm
Or take the loop south at baltimore to Bay bridge go south 97 to 50 take 301 south
to 207 in virginia puts you at Petro truck stop in Ruthers Glen Va
2 and 4 lane ....toll leaving Md.... traffic is not bad..... easiest way to richmond on a friday rush hour
Lived in baltimore for 3 yrs and drove a truck..... nice ride no traffic jams