Calling all Jersey'ers...help with directions/hotels, please!!!

[beattyfamily]

Help again! I'm using this same old thread rather than start a new one.

We're going to PA (from MA) to visit my sister again!

This year we're leaving early Saturday morning and coming home Sunday. March 13-14.

We're going to do the Tappen Zee bridge again I think.

My question this time for all of you NJ people in the Princeton area is can you recommend a good hotel along Route 1 between Princeton and Morrisville, PA where my sis lives?

I'm thinking of staying at the Courtyard Marriott in Princeton because it has an indoor pool for my 2 DDs but I know nothing of the area. It's about 13 miles from her.

Also, will traffic be really bad on Route 1 on Saturday morning and Sunday morning? Should I reconsider and take Route 95 and the GWB instead? Then I'd have to look into other hotels down 95.

Thanks so much!!!!

 

[jel0511]

After taking the TappanZee Bridge, stay straight on Rt 287. After this, follow signs to the Garden State Parkway(it's an exit of 287, I just cant remember the number). You then can take the Parkway South to exit 129, which is the NJ Thrunpike. This isn't far off, and actually is a known way to circumvent having to go through NY City. You will hit traffic any way you go, but this is usually the best way. Stay off 9W or the Palisades, they take you much too far out of the way and will have MUCH more traffic.

 

[TiggerPiglet]

I believe the exit you would get off for the Garden State after the Tappan Zee is 14. It will have Garden State Parkway/New Jersey right on the exit sign, so you'll see it.
When you're heading to PA, you should keep a listen to the traffic report, if the GW is not crowded you should take that. We go to CT a lot and we'll always listen to the traffic report as we're driving and if the GW is not crowded we take that, it's much faster than the T-Z. Obviously if the GW is crowded, you should definately take the T-Z.
Have a safe trip

 

[beattyfamily]

Thanks so much for the replies!

So should I just listen to a local radio station down in CT to see if the GWB is crowded or not? Or some other station?

If I do end up taking the Tappan Zee Bridge, I continue on to RT 287, and then I take exit 14A (based on a couple of Internet searches, I think it's exit 14A) to the Garden State Parkway. Then I continue on to exit 129 to the New Jersey Turnpike. Does this sound right?

Thanks again, very much for your help/advice!

 

[Annie&Hallie'sMom]

I don't know where in PA you are heading, but I'm assuming you're taking 95 down? I'd get off and head over to the Tappan Zee. The exit for the GSP is #14. You'll need change for the tolls for the GSP though. Then you'll have to cut across NJ to get to PA. Like I said, I don't know where in PA you're headed, but I'm pretty good with NJ roads.

 

[beattyfamily]

We're heading VERY near Sesame Place to my sister's house in Morristown, PA. She says she's six miles from Sesame Place...

 

[jel0511]

Yep, that sounds right to me!!! Have a GREAT trip!!!

 

[TiggerPiglet]

BEATTYFAMILY, you can listen to either 880 or 1010 on the am dial for the GW traffic, sometimes they'll tell you about the T-Z. For the T-Z I think the station might be, but I'm not sure, 530 on the am. I'm not sure which highway you're taking from CT, but listen to the traffic for as long as you can until you have to make the decision of which bridge to take.
And now that you say it, 14A does sound like the Garden State exit not 14.

 

[jel0511]

O.K. things are getting interesting now.... What do you plan on doing once you get on the Turnpike? Do you plan on taking it down to Exit 6 the PA turnpike? If that's the case, you're going SEVERLY out of your way. You can actually take exit 130 off the Parkway, which is Route 1 South. Route 1 South takes you DIRECTY into PA, right to Sesame Place. I should know, I live 30 minutes from Sesame Place!!! Also, if you're getting off exit 9 off the turnpike, to catch Route 1, you can just take the Parkway to exit 130, it's MUCH faster!!!! My DH's family lives out that way, so were out there a lot!!! Let me know so I can help you, I can probably save you at least an hour and probably an hour and a half!!!

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by jel0511
O.K. things are getting interesting now.... What do you plan on doing once you get on the Turnpike? Do you plan on taking it down to Exit 6 the PA turnpike? If that's the case, you're going SEVERLY out of your way. You can actually take exit 130 off the Parkway, which is Route 1 South. Route 1 South takes you DIRECTY into PA, right to Sesame Place. I should know, I live 30 minutes from Sesame Place!!! Also, if you're getting off exit 9 off the turnpike, to catch Route 1, you can just take the Parkway to exit 130, it's MUCH faster!!!! My DH's family lives out that way, so were out there a lot!!! Let me know so I can help you, I can probably save you at least an hour and probably an hour and a half!!!

Wow, sounds like you can really help me out! I was just going to follow the directions of the Sesame Place website which says:

From Boston (5 hours): Route 95 South to NJ Turnpike South. NJ Turnpike South to Exit 6. West on PA Turnpike to Exit 28/Route 1 North to Oxford Valley Road Exit. Turn right onto Oxford Valley Road. Turn right at third traffic light.

My biggest concern was getting from NY to NJ as the last time we went to Sesame Place it took us 2 hours to get over the bridge!!! It was insane!

Thanks, TiggerPiglet, for the radio stations! We'll be taking 95 most of the way until we decide which bridge to take!!

Can anyone tell me about when we'll need to decide? When do we turn off for the Tappan Zee and are Tappan Zee and route 287 one and the same??

 

[Karel]

But taking Route 1 can be a nightmare with all the lights and shopping traffic. Taking the turnpike can actually be faster.

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by Karel
But taking Route 1 can be a nightmare with all the lights and shopping traffic. Taking the turnpike can actually be faster.

FYI, by the time we're down there, it will be around 9:00 p.m. or later...does that make a difference?

 

[beattyfamily]

This is where we are ACTUALLY going for tonight:

Radisson Hotel Philadephia Northeast,
Route One at Old Lincoln Highway
Trevose, PA 19053

It's 6 miles from Sesame Place...

 

[jel0511]

Off Route 95, I believe it's one of the first exits once you enter NY State. It will Route 287, Tappan Zee Bridge, you can't miss it. Now, for getting to Seasame Place. If you take the Tappan Zee Bridge and then get on the Garden State Parkway, you'll get off at exit 130, Route 1 South (I believe it says Princeton/ Trenton on the sign). You'll continue on this road for approx 45 minutes to an hour, before you'll cross the border into PA. There will be a toll of $.50 to cross the Delaware. After crossing into PA, you'll take the Oxford Valley Road exit, but make a left. That's it, you'll see the road to Sesame Place, up the road. It's past the HUGE shopping center on the left, the road to Sesame Place is on the right. There is a Pizzeria Uno on the corner.

 

[Karel]

Looking at your orginial post, I can tell you that traffic will be insane at that hour on a Friday night. I was just on the turnpike last night and we had bumper to bumper because three lanes went down to one lane (at exit 7). And Rt. 1 has a lot of big corporations so there will be a lot of cars leaving work.

I have to tell you - to get to where you want to go takes a lot of fancy footwork! I'm sitting here trying to figure out directions for you and I'm getting a headache!

 

[Annie&Hallie'sMom]

14A is right (sorry) for the GSP. At the time you're heading on Rt. 1, traffic should be lighter, but be prepared for lots of lights in the Edison area (right where you get on Rt. 1) as you get closer to PA, the lights are less and traffic is lighter. Unfortunately, there is no completely direct way to get from NJ to the Seasame Place area (I know my MIL lives out there) other than back roads (take rt. 78 to rt 31 which is very rural). I would definitely do the Tappan Zee Bridge to the Parkway though. Maybe you could take a late meal break on Rt. 1? There are plenty of restaurants there!

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by Karel
Looking at your orginial post, I can tell you that traffic will be insane at that hour on a Friday night. I was just on the turnpike last night and we had bumper to bumper because three lanes went down to one lane (at exit 7). And Rt. 1 has a lot of big corporations so there will be a lot of cars leaving work.

I have to tell you - to get to where you want to go takes a lot of fancy footwork! I'm sitting here trying to figure out directions for you and I'm getting a headache!

Where are you saying would be crazy? The bridge? Route 1?

 

[Annie&Hallie'sMom]

I think she was talking about the NJ Turnpike (which is Rt 95 in places). It's a Friday night, you're going to hit traffic no matter what, but my opinion (and it is only mine) is that if you take the Tappan Zee to the GSP to Rt 1 you've got a pretty good route. You may hit some traffic, but with the crappy weather we had, that's going to happen no matter what.

 

[jel0511]

O.K. looking at the location of this hotel, you have a couple of options. Old LIncoln Highway in PA is Route 1. So, if you take the Tappan Zee Bridge, and take exit 130 off the Parkway, you're already on the road to the hotel. After crossing the Delaware and paying the toll, Route 1 becomes an expressway, no lights. When you reach the first light, approx 20 minutes, turn right and the hotel will be on your left. This first light is just past the entrance to the PA Turnpike. So, if you feel more comfortable taking the NJ Turnpike to the PA Turnpike, you can exit at the Route 1 exit (exit 28), but head on Route 1 South and the hotel will be right there, right at first light.

 

[TiggerPiglet]

BEATTYFAMILY, I'm not sure what highway you're taking from CT, but if it's 95 you would have to make your decision on what road to take when you see the sign for 287west/T-Z bridge. So you either take 287West for the T-Z or stay on 95 South until you see signs for the GW.
If I remember correctly if you take 95 to the GW you have to get on the Cross Bronx first, if that's true also listen to the traffic about the Cross Bronx. Having been born and raised in the Bronx, I can tell you that road 90% of the time has traffic.
I think Karel might be referring to all the roads and bridges being crowded on a Friday. It's tough traveling through NY to NJ on a Friday. A lot of people in NJ work in NY, so they'll all be heading home when your on your way to the hotel. If you can leave after rush hour, you might be better off. Rush hour on a Friday is about 4:00 to about 7:00 or so.