For 2,000+ Mile Round-Trip Drivers Only! (II)

[sharadoc]

HI Everyone,

I have been following this thread for awhile now. We are making our first drive with the 4 kids in August. We are leaving on Friday, August 19th & driving straight through. I am looking at leaving late afternoon or early evening on the 19th, so the kids will sleep the majority of the ride. I am in the Exton/Downingtown area & the most direct route for me is down 202 to 95 & 95 straight through. After reading through the posts, I am thinking since we are leaving on a Friday in the summer it might be better to take the 81-77-26-95 route. According to Google Maps it is an hour & 15 minutes longer, but I am thinking with the shore traffic we would hit on 95 on a Friday evening we would be much better off on the 81-77-26-95 route. Thoughts?

Thanks,
Craig

Hi Craig,

Welcome neighbor. I work at the V there in Malvern, so I'm very familiar with the area. I would agree with your assessment that you should take the 81-77, etc. route if you are leaving any time before 6 pm. If you leave at 9 or later, then 95 should be fine.

We left Limerick on Saturday June 18th at 4:30 am and would have had a great drive, if we hadn't chosen 495 west in DC at 7 am. Most lanes were closed, so we lost almost 2 hours. We cleared the shore traffic in VA by hitting it by 9 am, but that was cutting it close.

We haven't used the 81-77 route because it's in the mountains and it "scares" me to drive a road I haven't driven before in the dark.

Most folks who have used the mountain route loved the lack of traffic. We prefer to time our departure on 95 to avoid traffic. We are more familiar with the road, it's nice and flat and easy to drive. The worst part is all the lights on 202 once you leave West Chester LOL.

There are SO many of us who make the drive and can help, you will feel totally comfortable with your decision once you make it.

 

[sharadoc]

hi craig, you will be better off the 81-77 route than trying to go down 95 on a friday afternnon in the summer. sharadoc left from your area 2 sat. ago on at 4am and sat in traffic for about 4 hours. i would say it will take you about 16-17 hours. i just did it in 16 hours but we dont stop for sit down meals just gas and pee stops. have a safe trip!

2 hours actually LOL . And only because we took 495 west in DC.

Decided to stick with 95 on the way home and did great. Left OKW around 7:30 am. Got stuck for about 20 minutes in Baltimore at midnight when they closed half the tunnel.

Got home around 1:40 AM, sleepy but intact. If we hadn't stopped to pick up food, gas or rest our rooms, our drive time was a little over 17 hours.

 

[pmdeve]

HI Everyone,

I have been following this thread for awhile now. We are making our first drive with the 4 kids in August. We are leaving on Friday, August 19th & driving straight through. I am looking at leaving late afternoon or early evening on the 19th, so the kids will sleep the majority of the ride. I am in the Exton/Downingtown area & the most direct route for me is down 202 to 95 & 95 straight through. After reading through the posts, I am thinking since we are leaving on a Friday in the summer it might be better to take the 81-77-26-95 route. According to Google Maps it is an hour & 15 minutes longer, but I am thinking with the shore traffic we would hit on 95 on a Friday evening we would be much better off on the 81-77-26-95 route. Thoughts?

Thanks,
Craig

We always use the 81-77 route. It is so much nicer than going all the way on 95. The mountains are beautiful and there are lots of nice clean rest stops along the way.

 

[BC1836]

HI Everyone,

I have been following this thread for awhile now. We are making our first drive with the 4 kids in August. I am in the Exton/Downingtown area & the most direct route for me is down 202 to 95 & 95 straight through.
Craig

What a coincidence: The Blob was on TCM last night!

All the best.

 

[6disneylovers]

Hi Craig,

Welcome neighbor. I work at the V there in Malvern, so I'm very familiar with the area

I would agree with your assessment that you should take the 81-77, etc. route if you are leaving any time before 6 pm. If you leave at 9 or later, then 95 should be fine.

We left Limerick on Saturday June 18th at 4:30 am and would have had a great drive, if we hadn't chosen 495 west in DC at 7 am. Most lanes were closed, so we lost almost 2 hours. We cleared the shore traffic in VA by hitting it by 9 am, but that was cutting it close.

We haven't used the 81-77 route because it's in the mountains and it "scares" me to drive a road I haven't driven before in the dark.

Most folks who have used the mountain route loved the lack of traffic. We prefer to time our departure on 95 to avoid traffic. We are more familiar with the road, it's nice and flat and easy to drive. The worst part is all the lights on 202 once you leave West Chester LOL.

There are SO many of us who make the drive and can help, you will feel totally comfortable with your decision once you make it.

Hi Sharadoc,

I am in the Wegmans on 29 all the time.

I am pretty sure we are leaving before 6 pm, so I am feeling more comfortable with the decision to go the 81-77 route. My wife is a little nervous about driving on a road we haven't driven before in the dark too, but more afraid of sitting in traffic with screaming kids. LOL

Thank you for your input!

 

[6disneylovers]

We always use the 81-77 route. It is so much nicer than going all the way on 95. The mountains are beautiful and there are lots of nice clean rest stops along the way.

Thanks for your response! I am looking forward to the scenic drive & my wife will be happy to hear about the rest stops.

 

[dvczerfs]

2 hours actually LOL . And only because we took 495 west in DC.

Decided to stick with 95 on the way home and did great. Left OKW around 7:30 am. Got stuck for about 20 minutes in Baltimore at midnight when they closed half the tunnel.

Got home around 1:40 AM, sleepy but intact. If we hadn't stopped to pick up food, gas or rest our rooms, our drive time was a little over 17 hours.

welcome home sharon!!!!! how did you like okw? (rest our rooms )

 

[sharadoc]

welcome home sharon!!!!! how did you like okw? (rest our rooms )

Thanks!. We love OKW. That was our second trip there and we love it. We love the room size of a 1BR, the quiet, the parking near our door, the closeness of 3 parks, everything about it. Lauren likes the Community Hall stuff and the pool is nice too. She won the Wii Bowling Tournament this trip.

Yes, we always rest our room when necessary. It's one of those family expressions.

 

[sharadoc]

Hi Sharadoc,

I am in the Wegmans on 29 all the time.

I am pretty sure we are leaving before 6 pm, so I am feeling more comfortable with the decision to go the 81-77 route. My wife is a little nervous about driving on a road we haven't driven before in the dark too, but more afraid of sitting in traffic with screaming kids. LOL

Thank you for your input!

The most expensive lunch in Malvern - Wegman's buffets

Sounds like the right decision. Traffic and screaming kids makes for a really stressful start to the vacation, that's for sure!

 

[dvczerfs]

Thanks!. We love OKW. That was our second trip there and we love it. We love the room size of a 1BR, the quiet, the parking near our door, the closeness of 3 parks, everything about it. Lauren likes the Community Hall stuff and the pool is nice too. She won the Wii Bowling Tournament this trip.

Yes, we always rest our room when necessary. It's one of those family expressions.

tell her congrats!!!!! did you figure out how much you spent in gas? i spent $315.00 in gas this trip. i didnt think that was too bad.

 

[sharadoc]

tell her congrats!!!!! did you figure out how much you spent in gas? i spent $315.00 in gas this trip. i didnt think that was too bad.

We were right around $300 for gas, not too bad at all. Even with driving "over" 55

 

[dvczerfs]

We were right around $300 for gas, not too bad at all. Even with driving "over" 55

56..57 like me???

 

[PrincessMom4]

Hey Dvczerfs and sharadoc,

I was close to your nexk of the woods (I beleieve-not so great with exact geography...lol) We were down in Dickson City this week.

Also a warning...avoid Syracuse drivers...lol...There was one large truck hauling a smaller tractor on it. The jerk behind him he was "trying" to pass him very unsafely. Hits him, smashs up his own truck and yells at the poor truck driver who was minding his own business.

 

[dvczerfs]

Hey Dvczerfs and sharadoc,

I was close to your nexk of the woods (I beleieve-not so great with exact geography...lol) We were down in Dickson City this week.

Also a warning...avoid Syracuse drivers...lol...There was one large truck hauling a smaller tractor on it. The jerk behind him he was "trying" to pass him very unsafely. Hits him, smashs up his own truck and yells at the poor truck driver who was minding his own business.

where is dickson city? were you closer to philly or harrisburg?

 

[PrincessMom4]

where is dickson city? were you closer to philly or harrisburg?

Dickson city is out by Scranton. They also used to call it Electric City.

 

[dvczerfs]

Dickson city is out by Scranton. They also used to call it Electric City.

ok, you were about an hour, hour and a half north of me.

 

[skoba-nelson]

Hi Sharadoc,

I am in the Wegmans on 29 all the time.

I am pretty sure we are leaving before 6 pm, so I am feeling more comfortable with the decision to go the 81-77 route. My wife is a little nervous about driving on a road we haven't driven before in the dark too, but more afraid of sitting in traffic with screaming kids. LOL

Thank you for your input!

We left west of Cleveland one trip at 2 in the afternoon. For us we stopped at Marietta (OH & WV border) and had dinner. My DW drove then while I (successfully) got some sleep. I woke up to her getting gas at the NC/SC border. I drove until I was getting very heavy eyed in Georgia. Pulled into a McDonalds for a small catnap. Woke up 45 minutes later refreshed and ready to go. We had to kill time in Daytona for we would've arrived at WDW around 10AM. I recommend that route. We have driven for every trip but one and only once have had a traffic jam and that was in Jacksonville due to construction about 8 years back.

 

[C&G'sMama]

We were right around $300 for gas, not too bad at all. Even with driving "over" 55

It's a good thing for that 70mph speed limit (of course we stayed under that at all times.....)

 

[sharadoc]

It's a good thing for that 70mph speed limit (of course we stayed under that at all times.....)

LOL, let's just say that "some" drivers were showing an 8 in their speedometer in those places. Just like DVCZerfs says, you keep up with the traffic, just don't set the pace and be the fastest.

 

[dvczerfs]

LOL, let's just say that "some" drivers were showing an 8 in their speedometer in those places. Just like DVCZerfs says, you keep up with the traffic, just don't set the pace and be the fastest.

if you look at someones garmin, at the fastest speed for the trip, someone hit 9.