For 2,000+ mile round-trip drivers only!

[Flyerfan]

We are planning on taking this route this year, we like stop a Smithfield NC for the night, does this route have alot of hotels & resturants like 95??

If I recall correctly, 95 has something at just about every exit. Along 81 and 77, there are those stretches (no major cities close by) where there are exits with no real restaurants or hotels but it's not like you're traveling for miles and miles with nothing. It really is a beautiful drive through the mountains.

 

[daddisney]

If I recall correctly, 95 has something at just about every exit. Along 81 and 77, there are those stretches (no major cities close by) where there are exits with no real restaurants or hotels but it's not like you're traveling for miles and miles with nothing. It really is a beautiful drive through the mountains.

We are getting on 81 around Scranton, what do you think is a good half way point to stop for the night. Any recommendations for a clean/safe hotel.

 

[mrstomrice]

I would like to get the route through mapquest (or another direction site) to try the PA turnpike to 81-77-26-95 route...I can't get mapquest to create this route from Langhorne,PA to Kingsland, GA (our planned stop). Any help is greatly appreciated TIA

 

[rotlex]

I would like to get the route through mapquest (or another direction site) to try the PA turnpike to 81-77-26-95 route...I can't get mapquest to create this route from Langhorne,PA to Kingsland, GA (our planned stop). Any help is greatly appreciated TIA

Most mapping programs are going to take you on the shortest, according to them, path. All you have to do is "drag" the route they give you on map, to the way you want to go, and it will recalculate automatically.

Both Mapquest and Google maps will allow you to do this. Basically, type in your start and end points, then drag the highlighted route from the defaults, to the roads you want to use. You may have to readjust it in a few spots, but it's pretty easy to do.

 

[LovePug]

I would like to get the route through mapquest (or another direction site) to try the PA turnpike to 81-77-26-95 route...I can't get mapquest to create this route from Langhorne,PA to Kingsland, GA (our planned stop). Any help is greatly appreciated TIA

Try Google Maps. You can drag the blue route line around to try different directions.

 

[mrstomrice]

Try Google Maps. You can drag the blue route line around to try different directions.

Wow, thanks...that is great!

 

[robin09]

I would like to get the route through mapquest (or another direction site) to try the PA turnpike to 81-77-26-95 route...I can't get mapquest to create this route from Langhorne,PA to Kingsland, GA (our planned stop). Any help is greatly appreciated TIA

Boy do I understand that! I know people say it's easy to do, but I can be pretty dumb this way! I also have such problems with my GPS making it do what I want... just like my kids!

 

[MJ28]

We're going to WDW for the first time this October. We've taken the 81-77-26-95 route before when we have gone south for other reasons. I'm planning on taking it again. It's a nice drive. We're coming from Vermont. I like the fact that once you get past NJ there aren't a lot of major cities to deal with. We're spliting the trip up into 4 days, but we have some planned stops on the way down.

The times that I've taken 95 in the northeast I've been so frustrated with it that I don't even want to attempt taking it down the whole coast.

 

[awaldo]

It seems that we Midwesterner drivers are far outweighed by the East Coasters!

 

[rotlex]

It seems that we Midwesterner drivers are far outweighed by the East Coasters!

I said that to my wife while we were down there. It seemed I saw more PA, New Jersey, and New York plates than I do when I'm here in PA, at home!

 

[Tjkane28]

My family and I just returned from our first driving experience to WDW, and I recommend it without reservation to anyone who is considering it.

We left from Albany, NY at 2:20 AM on June 20, and arrived at the Beach Club at 8:00 AM, June 21.

By leaving early in the morning (late at night) we avoided all major traffic along the I95 corridor. This allowed us to make it to Santee, SC, by 3:00 PM June 20. We stopped at the Best Western, Santee. We swam, ate at Cracker Barrel, and were in bed by 7:00 PM. We awoke at 2:00 and were on our way down 95. We made it to The Beach Club by 8:00 AM. I logged about 19 hours of drive/break time on the way down. Yes, you actually to log a lot of miles cruising at 75-80 miles an hour as the posted speed limit is 70 beginning in NC.

Going home, we left the Beach Club at 9:00, June 28. I decided to take the alternate route of 95/26/77/81. This allowed us to avoid the I95 corridor on Monday morning. The drive home along 81 is far more scenic, but for the beauty to exchange services. There are very few hotel/motel/restaurants/gas/clean bathrooms right off the interstate along this route. We stopped in Charlotte, NC at around 7:30 PM. We left Charlotte around 8:00 Am Monday morning and arrived in Albany at 7:00 PM. We hit traffic in Scranton.

The ride home was a bit longer than the ride down, but we were driving during the day, and it was a work day rather than the weekend. I think we arrived home sooner than had I tried to drive through the megalopolis that is DC/Baltimore/Philly/NYC during rush hour.

Hope this helps, and I am happy to answer any questions.

 

[Flyerfan]

We are getting on 81 around Scranton, what do you think is a good half way point to stop for the night. Any recommendations for a clean/safe hotel.

It looks like the Charlotte area would be a 1/2 way point from Scranton. I can't really help you with recommendations for a hotel because we usually drive 12-13 hrs the first day and that puts us around Savannah, GA.

 

[LovePug]

It looks like the Charlotte area would be a 1/2 way point from Scranton. I can't really help you with recommendations for a hotel because we usually drive 12-13 hrs the first day and that puts us around Savannah, GA.

I agree. We get on 81 at Wilkes-Barre and are planning to stop close to Charlotte. I just mapped/timed it out last night on Google Maps.

 

[squirrlygirl]

I'm thinking of buying a power inverter. Our van has one built into the back, but I'm unsure how I feel about power cords trailing through to the front just so I can play around online, and I expect the kids will have their video games plugged into that one. Does anyone have a recommendation as to brand or style?

 

[pilferk]

I'm thinking of buying a power inverter. Our van has one built into the back, but I'm unsure how I feel about power cords trailing through to the front just so I can play around online, and I expect the kids will have their video games plugged into that one. Does anyone have a recommendation as to brand or style?

We bought one from Circuit City (now defunct, obviously) that we really like. 2 outlets on one inverter. I've seen the same one we bought at Radio Shack and Best Buy, but more expensive at both places.

I can't remember the brand...I'll try to dig it out over the next few days and get back to the thread to let you know.

 

[KPH500]

We just did the drive down from Central Mass on 6/25 and back on 7/4.

We left on Thursday 6/25 at 9:30am. Not an ideal time to leave but we didn't have the choice to leave any earlier, we were also on a time crunch to make it to a family wedding so had to get there as quickly as possible. We were checked in to Saratoga Springs by exactly 9:30am on Friday 6/26! Amazing time considering traffic in NY, DC, Richmond, not to mention the section of 95 that was closed in NC causing a several mile detour!

Departed WDW on Saturday 7/4 at just around noon. Stopped in Savannah for an impromptu dinner and walked the riverfront for an hour or so. Still made it back home to central Mass just before Noon on Sunday.

All in all a great trip.

 

[MapleGirl]

Does anyone know of a good website that will plan my trip for me? I'd like to find a pre-made plan that will take us from MA to Orlando in about 2 days with stops along the way to see the sights. I don't know anything about the route or where we should stop. The only things I know about are DC (would LOVE to visit some museums and memorials, but this might require a separate trip) and South of the Border.

So here are my questions:

1. Where can I map out my route?

2. What sights should we see along the way?

Thank you.

 

[tjbaggott]

Would anyone know of a trip planner like Mapquest that will account for the time of day or night you plan on driving? We are thinking of travelling at night which would in effect lesson the length of time it will take to arrive at our destination, but would like to find out HOW MUCH time it will save us by travelling in the dark.

 

[sharadoc]

Would anyone know of a trip planner like Mapquest that will account for the time of day or night you plan on driving? We are thinking of travelling at night which would in effect lesson the length of time it will take to arrive at our destination, but would like to find out HOW MUCH time it will save us by travelling in the dark.

Hi. I wonder if it would be less time, since a lot of road construction is done during the night hours in the summer.

 

[MapleGirl]

We're going to WDW for the first time this October. We've taken the 81-77-26-95 route before when we have gone south for other reasons. I'm planning on taking it again. It's a nice drive. We're coming from Vermont. I like the fact that once you get past NJ there aren't a lot of major cities to deal with. We're spliting the trip up into 4 days, but we have some planned stops on the way down.

The times that I've taken 95 in the northeast I've been so frustrated with it that I don't even want to attempt taking it down the whole coast.

MJ: What stops are you planning?