directions from northern VA

[shadonjenon]

we leave in 7 days

we have mapquest directions, but they don't always give you the quickest route. what route do you drivers from the north take and are there any good short cuts?

thanks

 

[disneyldwjr]

we leave in 7 days

we have mapquest directions, but they don't always give you the quickest route. what route do you drivers from the north take and are there any good short cuts?

thanks

I95 to I4 seemed to be the quickest way. Straight shot.

 

[pbharris4]

We just hop right on 95 and I-4. It's a straight shot and probably the quickest (unless you get pulled over or there's an accident). Be careful around Greenville, VA. I think it's near the state line. I got a ticket there before and I have seen them sitting there a few times. We usually stop in Savannah, GA, but this year are stopping in Brunswick, Ga. Have fun!

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

Like the others said, it's pretty much a straight shot down I-95 to I-4. A lot of drivers from farther north -- PA, NY, and New England -- talk about using I-81 or US 301 to get around the DC traffic. Being in Woodbridge, you don't really have that to worry about.

After DC, Richmond is the only really major city you'd go through before Jacksonville, FL, and each one has a bypass (coincidentally, they're both I-295).

 

[disneyldwjr]

Like the others said, it's pretty much a straight shot down I-95 to I-4. A lot of drivers from farther north -- PA, NY, and New England -- talk about using I-81 or US 301 to get around the DC traffic. Being in Woodbridge, you don't really have that to worry about.

After DC, Richmond is the only really major city you'd go through before Jacksonville, FL, and each one has a bypass (coincidentally, they're both I-295).

I wonder what part of NE would use 81 or 301. DC traffic in the middle of the night is a cake walk.

 

[SteveMouse]

The drive is much more reasonable past Richmond- you know how traffic in the DC area can be, I suppose.

If you are interested and have (quite a few) extra dollars, you can take the Autotrain- it leaves from Lorton at 4pm and gets you to Sanford, just north of Orlando, at 8am the next day. You drive your car/van to the station, they drive it onto the train, you board, and off you go. The fare for 2 adults and one child (and one car) should be something around $450. If you're planning to stay a night in a (reasonable) hotel, you could probably figure $210 in lodging + gas.

-steve

 

[Uncleromulus]

Disneyldwjr:
And DC during the day is a disaster!! That I-81 route is a good one for those many drivers who can't (or do not care to) drive during the middle of the night.

 

[Olaf]

As everyone had said, I95 is straight shot, but it can be a slow shot as well. It depends on what time of year you're driving, but we left Woodbridge on a Saturday morning in August at around 8:00 am and hit terrible traffic all the way to Richmond (2.5 hours). After that it was smooth going. If we drive again, we'll leave either late Friday night or super early Saturday morning. I've heard Spring break is absolutely horrible, coming and going.

 

[disneyldwjr]

Disneyldwjr:
And DC during the day is a disaster!! That I-81 route is a good one for those many drivers who can't (or do not care to) drive during the middle of the night.

I know!!!! I used to live in Northern VA, my ex was at the Pentagon. It was a horror show 25 years ago, I don't even want to think about what it is like now. I still have NO clue where 81 is and I am glad there is an alternate for those who do not drive in the middle of the night.

 

[CPT Tripss]

I-4 through Orlando can get really jammed. We use the Greenway (417?) a toll road that loops around east of Orlando from Sanford to WDW. I think it's worth the money ($5 or so) to avoid the hassles at the end of the road.

 

[pbharris4]

Living in Woodbridge you know the regular traffic pattern. Saturdays are anyone's guess. Of course there's the daily accident somewhere between Woodbridge and Massaponax after that it's not bad. We leave here at about 8am after our WAWA cappucino break/fill up and get to Savannah around 5 or 6. Another thing we've done is leave Friday night at around 6pm, drive to Rocky Mount, NC to spend the night and then go the next morning.