Driving LI to Orlando - different route than I95??

[elf]

I've looked and posted in "folks driving" thread but didn't find my answer so I figured I'd try here.

We are driving down Easter Friday, I know traffics going to be bad. Does anyone know a secret route, ok. maybe not so secret but a less used route than I95 that worked well for them. We are leaving from LI. Some were mentioning using the route I81 that's ends up back to I95 in VA or S.Carolina but takes make an extra hour or 1 1/2 east, because it's near Harrisburg, Pa would that be worth the extra time? We plan to leave the east end of LI between 1:00 and 1:30pm.

The last holiday weekend we drove I95 to Va and DC Mem. day weekend it took double the usual time because there was traffic starting at the Belt PKY all the way down.
Thanks for any ideas!

 

[Dopey'sMAMA]

Try looking at the Bee Line, there are tolls, but the time saved makes it worth the couple of bucks to us.
Tracie

 

[shafke]

Leaving at that time you will probably hit some pretty nasty traffic at some point. How far east are you coming from? If you can get out of New York, ie: across the Hudson River by 3:00 or 3:30 you should be fairly safe from the NY traffic. You are going to hit something though whether it be Baltimore or DC. For us, Harrisburg is about 3.5 to 4 hours so you would probably hit Harrisburg at their rush hour although it probably will not be as bad as what you can hit on 95.

If I had to leave at the time you are planning I might consider Harrisburg. I would rather drive an hour or so out of the way than to sit in rush hour traffic for an hour. In the end it may end up only costing you 1 hour or so an 18 or 19 hour trip.

If you do decide to go Via Harrisburg the route we usually take is across Staten Island, cross the Goethals Bridge then North on the NJ Tpke to I78. I think it is 2 exits and the toll is less than $1. Take I78 through NJ into PA. I78 ends in PA at I81 which you then stay on til whatever your directions show back to I95.

If you go out of NY over the GW bridge, I think you can take I80 to I287 and then I78.

This route will add about 1.5 - 2 hours to the trip

 

[DISUNC]

We are driving down Easter Friday, I know traffics going to be bad. Does anyone know a secret route, ok. maybe not so secret but a less used route than I95 that worked well for them. We are leaving from LI. Some were mentioning using the route I81 that's ends up back to I95 in VA or S.Carolina but takes make an extra hour or 1 1/2 east, because it's near Harrisburg, Pa would that be worth the extra time? We plan to leave the east end of LI between 1:00 and 1:30pm.

The last holiday weekend we drove I95 to Va and DC Mem. day weekend it took double the usual time because there was traffic starting at the Belt PKY all the way down.
Thanks for any ideas!

I tried this last year....

The 81-77-95-4 drive...YES DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Much more pleasent drive. Avoided all the I95 traffic. And because of this, I made much better time. Left the Poconos around 5:30am was in Savannah GA by 5:30 pm. (always did the speed limit )
The ONLY drawback was that there aren't as nearly many rest stops this way as on I95 all the way.

 

[DISUNC]

....

If you go out of NY over the GW bridge, I think you can take I80 to I287 and then I78.

If you stay on I80, it will bring you right into I81, around MountainTop PA! Much more direct!

 

[shafke]

If you stay on I80, it will bring you right into I81, around MountainTop PA! Much more direct!

Maybe, but I have never liked that section of I81 from I80 south. It might just be a perception thing but the two or three times we have been on this road it always felt like a long trip and not very direct... you are going around and over mountains more than if you take 78 to 81.

Another thing to do is to check the PA DOT website and see what kind of construction is going on on each of these roads (I78/I81).

 

[AlwaysEeyore]

We plan to leave the east end of LI between 1:00 and 1:30pm.
QUOTE]

We did this in January, we left on a thursday though, from Exit 66 on the LIE we left at 2pm and made in through Washington DC by 7pm. With a 3 year old and 5 month old in the car. We stayed on 95 the whole trip and made it to WDW in 17 hours.

I can't help you with the Easter traffic though. Sorry.

 

[elf]

Thanks everyone. I'm definately taking the alternate route.

What about the Garden State Pkwy route along the beaches. I've never done it. It looks like a main road on the map. Then take a ferry to Delaware. Does this look like a viable option?


What is the Beeline? I know the Bee line in Orlando, is there another?

 

[Dopey'sMAMA]

No, it is the one in Orlando, you know for what ever reason I thought you needed directions from the Airport??? I don't know what I was reading, Sorry for the confusion.
Tracie

 

[msmayor]

Thanks everyone. I'm definately taking the alternate route.

What about the Garden State Pkwy route along the beaches. I've never done it. It looks like a main road on the map. Then take a ferry to Delaware. Does this look like a viable option?


What is the Beeline? I know the Bee line in Orlando, is there another?

Blech...the Parkway is awful. Then you're beholden to the Ferry schedule. I wouldn't go that way.

I personally wouldn't go out of my way all the way to Harrisburg...just seems too far west to avoid traffic.

In Jersey, the Turnpike is "95". I'd get off the Turnpike at exit 7...jump on I-195 west to I-295 south. Traffic usually moves much better on 295 than the Turnpike, especially near the Del. Mem. Bridge.

On our last drive to WDW, we also avoided the Washington DC area by cutting off I-95 in Baltimore and hopping on 301 south; some traffic lights, but it bypasses DC altogether and you pick 95 up again further into Virginia. I think I read somewhere that using 301 as an alternate is only 5 miles or so different than staying on 95.

 

[WillCAD]

On our last drive to WDW, we also avoided the Washington DC area by cutting off I-95 in Baltimore and hopping on 301 south; some traffic lights, but it bypasses DC altogether and you pick 95 up again further into Virginia. I think I read somewhere that using 301 as an alternate is only 5 miles or so different than staying on 95.

I have also done that in the past, but there is a 10-mile section of 301 going through southern Maryland that has unbelievable traffic on even an ordinary Friday.

Your best bet for getting through the Baltimore and DC region unscathed is to make sure that you don't get to Baltimore until after 7pm. This will put you into DC after the rush hour is over (the rush in DC lasts until 7pm even on a good day).

From the Fort McHenry Tunnel in south Baltimore, it's 920 miles to Orlando, and takes about 14 hours when you drive overnight. If you hit the northern edge of Baltimore, the White Marsh area, around 7pm, you will probably be able to get to Orlando around 9-10am Saturday morning.

 

[elf]

MY DH who is doing most of the night and city driving is pretty much against going to Harrisburg. So It looks like I'll try 295. What about before that if there is lots of traffic after Staten Island should I take 130.

How bad is the Garden state pkwy? Are there lights, or just usually crowded or is it just a small road?

This is such invaluable help, I'm not sure where else one could get all this information.

 

[DISUNC]

MY DH who is doing most of the night and city driving is pretty much against going to Harrisburg. So It looks like I'll try 295. What about before that if there is lots of traffic after Staten Island should I take 130.

How bad is the Garden state pkwy? Are there lights, or just usually crowded or is it just a small road?

This is such invaluable help, I'm not sure where else one could get all this information.

This is a good site for traveling on I-95. 295 is really no different than I-95. AAA always maps this way, and most people don't even realise that they aren't on I-95, when they "scootch" over to 295.

http://www.usastar.com/i95/restarea.htm

The Garden state parkway has no lights but LOTS of tolls, and LOTS of Atlantic City traffic. To be honest that will take you more out of the way than going by Harrisburg, since it runs down the eastern side of NJ. Whereas the NJ turnpike (I95) runs along the western state & cuts over to Delaware.

I have been driving these roads for 30 years, and I have no idea where 130 is!
However, if you are not familiar with Northen NJ, I strongly suggest you stay on I-95...DON'T DETOUR.

As far as traffic is concerned, it all depends on the time of day you go. Avoid major Metro areas during weekday rush hours. No matter when you get in or around DC you will be stuck in traffic. I also always ran into congestion on I95 in northern North Carolina, during weekends.

Good luck.

 

[DISUNC]

Maybe, but I have never liked that section of I81 from I80 south. It might just be a perception thing but the two or three times we have been on this road it always felt like a long trip and not very direct... you are going around and over mountains more than if you take 78 to 81.

Another thing to do is to check the PA DOT website and see what kind of construction is going on on each of these roads (I78/I81).

Yes this is true! The best bet is not to take the GW bridge, but take Holland tunnel right into I78. If you are not familiar with these roads it can be quite tricky...not the best of signs are posted.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Willcads advice is excellent--timing is everything. That's why we leave Glen Rock at 3:00 AM!!
And that 301 route--while perhaps better than I-95 at rush hour--does have problems of it's own. We tried it once and stopped at what seemed like a hundred red lights in that area he mentioned.

 

[gigsjp]

MY DH who is doing most of the night and city driving is pretty much against going to Harrisburg. So It looks like I'll try 295. What about before that if there is lots of traffic after Staten Island should I take 130.

How bad is the Garden state pkwy? Are there lights, or just usually crowded or is it just a small road?

This is such invaluable help, I'm not sure where else one could get all this information.

130 runs parallel to NJ Turnpike and Route 1, but I would avoid it. Also, watch out for interchange 8A on NJ TPK truck and car lanes merge and could be backed up around that time.

 

[CT- Mouse]

Elf ... is it possible to leave perhaps a day earlier ? Traffic may not be as bad. Also, you get an extra day of vacation !

In April, 2003 family and I left CT around 7:00 PM the day before Good Friday. Traffic on the NJ Turnpike and I95 was horendous. We have made the drive 11 times and I have never experienced traffic like that during overnight hours. This is usually when we make "good time".

Traffic at tolls was backed up (thank-you Fast Pass), traffic in Northern VA on 95 was slowed to 30 mph for considerable distances. This was at 5:00 AM ! Oh and thank you MD DOT for closing a lane on I95 on a holiday weekend.

Traffic on Good Friday during daylight hours was still heavy all the way to our stop overnight in Savannah, GA.

Which ever way you decide... Good Luck !

 

[dgaston]

It was our own Good Friday experience (3 hours in DC on 95) that first led us to the 81-77-26-95-4 route. Please, please, please consider the longer route. It is easier driving and NC reststops have beautiful landscaping. (Personal favorite reststops on the driving trip!)

 

[elf]

I think I'm going to talk to the kids teachers about just taking off that Friday (April 7).
Sorry for the confusion but we are leaving the week before Good Friday, but I expect it to be alot of traffic because that's the week I thought most people are off. We want to leave April 7. I wouldn't mind going to Harrisburg, maybe I'll promise to do that part of the drive myself.

I've never gone on a Holiday I know what to expect but it can't be helped. I can't take kids out of school too long. I've done it alot in past years but older dd has major problems in school. We are actually going to look at houses, and will be in the parks the of the week.

 

[csmommy]

I think I'm going to talk to the kids teachers about just taking off that Friday (April 7).
Sorry for the confusion but we are leaving the week before Good Friday, but I expect it to be alot of traffic because that's the week I thought most people are off. We want to leave April 7. I wouldn't mind going to Harrisburg, maybe I'll promise to do that part of the drive myself.

I've never gone on a Holiday I know what to expect but it can't be helped. I can't take kids out of school too long. I've done it alot in past years but older dd has major problems in school. We are actually going to look at houses, and will be in the parks the of the week.

This is what we are doing, I just do not know where to stop & spend the night that is cheap & clean. WE are hoping to drive from 6:00am - 7m. Any suggestions?