Driving! Route Help Please!!

[KaylaMarie134]

Hiya!

My DBF and I are Driving from Bangor, Maine to Orlando May 9th and back on May 28th (ugh Memorial Day - Didn't mean to be traveling this day!!) I need help planning our route!

We were thinking of leaving Bangor around 4am (we have to make a stop at DBF mothers to drop off our dog 2 hours south) and taking 95 to VA - Stopping for the night then heading out early again to make it to Orlando later that night.

I have been a passenger on road trips to FL but this will be my first time planning and driving myself.

The only reason we chose 95 is because we figured it would be easy to get on/off and I have the bladder of a two year old!

ANYWAYS! I am looking for advice on best places to stop, what route is best for traffic etc.

Any help would be AWESOME! Thanks in advance!

 

[amcnj]

Hi. There is a thread on the transportation board for 2000+ mile drivers which may give you advice and tips. I am in southern NJ and get on 95 in Delaware, but am careful on when I leave so as to clear Washington DC in a non rush time. The day of the week, time of day and time of year can affect when is the best time to be hitting various legs of your trip. For me leaving home at 2:30 am lets me get through DC by 5:30 am and in the Orlando area by 6:30-8:30 pm that night (affected by stops, traffic and weather). Hopefully others can give you guidance on what will work best for parts of your trip between Maine and Delaware.

 

[HeatherC]

We are in MA and have driven south several times. One idea to avoid NY traffic on the way down is to take Rt. 495 near the Hampton exit to the Mass Pike to 84 to 684 to 287 over the Tappan Zee bridge. You then take the Garden State parkway which eventually runs into the Turnpike/95 south of NYC.

We have found it to be about the same amount of time since there is usually less traffic this way.

An option for coming home would be to take 95 to Charleston, Sc and head north to Charlotte via 77 to Rt. 81. It is a gorgeous ride and while it is a little longer mileage wise, it has saved us a ton of time over 95 on a holiday weekend. It would bring you to Harrisburg, PA where you would take Rt 78 to 287 in NJ and back over the Tappan Zee thus avoiding Dc and NYC altogether.

If you definitely want to stick with 95, I would drive through the night. Unbelievable how much of a difference it makes.

Hope this helps!

 

[KaylaMarie134]

Hi. There is a thread on the transportation board for 2000+ mile drivers which may give you advice and tips. I am in southern NJ and get on 95 in Delaware, but am careful on when I leave so as to clear Washington DC in a non rush time. The day of the week, time of day and time of year can affect when is the best time to be hitting various legs of your trip. For me leaving home at 2:30 am lets me get through DC by 5:30 am and in the Orlando area by 6:30-8:30 pm that night (affected by stops, traffic and weather). Hopefully others can give you guidance on what will work best for parts of your trip between Maine and Delaware.

Hitting those places ( NY, DC etc.) at high traffic times is defiantly not something we want to do!

We are in MA and have driven south several times. One idea to avoid NY traffic on the way down is to take Rt. 495 near the Hampton exit to the Mass Pike to 84 to 684 to 287 over the Tappan Zee bridge. You then take the Garden State parkway which eventually runs into the Turnpike/95 south of NYC.

We have found it to be about the same amount of time since there is usually less traffic this way.

An option for coming home would be to take 95 to Charleston, Sc and head north to Charlotte via 77 to Rt. 81. It is a gorgeous ride and while it is a little longer mileage wise, it has saved us a ton of time over 95 on a holiday weekend. It would bring you to Harrisburg, PA where you would take Rt 78 to 287 in NJ and back over the Tappan Zee thus avoiding Dc and NYC altogether.

If you definitely want to stick with 95, I would drive through the night. Unbelievable how much of a difference it makes.

Hope this helps!

Oh thanks! We are not married to the idea of taking 95 - we just looked at it as a way to not get lost!
I Like the idea of avoiding DC and NYC altogether! Just driving in Boston traffic has gives me a slight edge of rage I guess that's what happens when you live in Maine your whole life, and we only deal with "traffic" in the summer!

 

[francie57]

If you aren't determined to go 95 through NY, I would agree with the pp that told you to go the Mass Pike (take Sturbridge Exit - #9), Rt 84 through CT, to 684, to 287 (we actually take the exit off 684 for the Saw Mill Parkway and take that to Exit 21 (I think) for the Tappan Zee Bridge), go over the Tappan Zee to the Garden State (Exit 14A). The Garden State will take you to 95. There are tolls on the Garden State but if you have an EZPass you will be all set with tolls basically all the way, except in Florida. The other way back up 77 is a really great route and the speed limits are over 70 most of the way so it is a great ride. Living in CT we avoid 95 here at all costs and especially through NY since we have run into trouble on that route at all time plus the cost of those bridges is extremely high.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

having gone thru DC a number of times, i have never done without a delay, no matter the time of day or night. allow extra time and there is no place but a rest area between Baltimore and DC for restroom stops until you get south of DC. one Saturday morning it tok us 2 hours to get from rest area to to we got out of bumper to bumper traffic south of DC.

 

[Robert P]

We are in MA and have driven south several times. One idea to avoid NY traffic on the way down is to take Rt. 495 near the Hampton exit to the Mass Pike to 84 to 684 to 287 over the Tappan Zee bridge. You then take the Garden State parkway which eventually runs into the Turnpike/95 south of NYC.

We have found it to be about the same amount of time since there is usually less traffic this way.

An option for coming home would be to take 95 to Charleston, Sc and head north to Charlotte via 77 to Rt. 81. It is a gorgeous ride and while it is a little longer mileage wise, it has saved us a ton of time over 95 on a holiday weekend. It would bring you to Harrisburg, PA where you would take Rt 78 to 287 in NJ and back over the Tappan Zee thus avoiding Dc and NYC altogether.

If you definitely want to stick with 95, I would drive through the night. Unbelievable how much of a difference it makes.

Hope this helps!

Correct. The 'inland' route is to pick up I-26 West to Columbia from exit 86 on I-95 in SC. From there, it's 77 North to 81, to 84/81, then hit 78 at Harrisburg, PA to come back East to 287.
In addition to the traffic headache difference, the only toll for that route heading North is at the Tappan Zee Bridge. Unless you can clear the NY to Richmond stretch by driving overnight, this is the route I would opt for.

 

[njmom47]

If you aren't determined to go 95 through NY, I would agree with the pp that told you to go the Mass Pike (take Sturbridge Exit - #9), Rt 84 through CT, to 684, to 287 (we actually take the exit off 684 for the Saw Mill Parkway and take that to Exit 21 (I think) for the Tappan Zee Bridge), go over the Tappan Zee to the Garden State (Exit 14A). The Garden State will take you to 95. There are tolls on the Garden State but if you have an EZPass you will be all set with tolls basically all the way, except in Florida. The other way back up 77 is a really great route and the speed limits are over 70 most of the way so it is a great ride. Living in CT we avoid 95 here at all costs and especially through NY since we have run into trouble on that route at all time plus the cost of those bridges is extremely high.

Just a note..the Garden State Parkway runs on the east side of the state; the New Jersey Turnpike runs on the west. I think when you mention the Garden State you really mean the Turnpike, which basically leads you to 95. (Not being mean, just don't want the OP to get confused).

 

[HeatherC]

I definitely meant the Garden State Parkway and not the Turnpike. It runs from 287 down through Bergen County and the Oranges. After that, it will run into the Turnpike (95) thereby avoiding NYC at all costs. Both roads are heading south, but the Parkway I guess you could say is a bit North of the Turnpike if you are looking on the map...kind of running parallel to each other.

Timewise it is always faster for us versus the Turnpike.

As an example, last year we cruised out of Bayonne, Nj with friends. We each left the ship at the same time. We took the Parkway to 287 and over the Tappan Zee. They took the Turnpike and over the George Washington Bridge. We reached home two hours before them! And this was on a Sunday leaving around 8am. They hit tons of traffic through NYC. We breezed right home.

Hope this helps!!

 

[LovinPooh]

We HATE 95 in the northeast!! That NYC-NJ-DC even Baltimore traffic is awful, as are the tolls! Last year we veered off 91 to 84??? Right out of Hartford and to 81?? when through PA and hooked up with 95 just below DC. Added about an hour, but it was pretty through PA.
We in in NH, so we can just hop on 91... I see your in Maine, so your already near 95. Safe travels however you do it

 

[KaylaMarie134]

We HATE 95 in the northeast!! That NYC-NJ-DC even Baltimore traffic is awful, as are the tolls! Last year we veered off 91 to 84??? Right out of Hartford and to 81?? when through PA and hooked up with 95 just below DC. Added about an hour, but it was pretty through PA.
We in in NH, so we can just hop on 91... I see your in Maine, so your already near 95. Safe travels however you do it

thanks! I am thinking avoiding 95 is the best way to go! But that Might change travel days! I've ridden straight though from fl to Maine before - not fun!