Going from Massachusetts to Disney in mid-October, debating Virginia Beach stayover.

[Shamrock88]

I'm in southeastern Massachusetts, traveling to Disney World in mid-October. I'm paralyzed from the neck down, and have never been to Virginia Beach. I'm debating if this is a realistic stopover for a day or two, and if so, should I take 95 to 64, or Route 13 and the cbbt?

I made the drive from Massachusetts straight through to Disney last April, but it was very difficult. I left Massachusetts at 9 AM, traffic on the George Washington and Washington DC were the only trouble spots, but they were sizable.

Going south on 95, is it better to take the Tappan Zee bridge?

Thank you in advance.
Shamrock

 

[1025cruise]

Definitely better to take the Tappan Zee. I never take the GW if I can avoid it.

 

[Mark & Donna]

I 95 to 64 may be easier and faster. Taking 13 and then crossing the Bay Bridge Tunnel can take longer due to all of the stoplights you will encounter. I have taken both routes and both are enjoyable but I now take 13 because I love the Bay Bridge and seeing the ocean!

 

[StirlingSilver83]

We drive down from nj to disney taking 95 all the way there. The only place we hit a lot of traffic was dc area. We left at 5am last time which put us right into rush hour in dc our next trip we are leaving on a Saturday so hoping we won't have to deal with rush hour again

 

[Shamrock88]

Definitely better to take the Tappan Zee. I never take the GW if I can avoid it.

thank you for your advice. Do you know offhand the exit I-95 South to get to the Tappan Zee?

 

[rimomma66]

thank you for your advice. Do you know offhand the exit I-95 South to get to the Tappan Zee?

I don't know what exit number it is but it's I-287/87.

 

[bookwormde]

We make the run to Outer Banks from northern Delaware all the time. It is easier to go 95 as long as you do not hit the extended rush hours but faster to go rt 1 to rt 113 to rt 12 across the bay bridge tunnel.

No matter what you are looking at adding abut 3 hours to the total drive time to Disney.

 

[Michael623]

If you can hit the GW during an off time it's a breeze and it's 40 mile shorter than the TZ. I personally hate taking the TZ because it seems like there is an accident every time I take it.

 

[olwyngdh]

Take 1 and 13 and follow the signs for the CBBT. We used to live in that area and traveled to the Philadelphia area on a regular basis, and it is very, very much the better route. You will hit some traffic around Salisbury, MD, and around Christiana, DE, but it is nothing compared to what you will hit on the DC route!

I currently live near Springfield, MA, and we go to Ocean City MD at least twice a year, and Allentown PA more often than that--My husband likes the GW bridge route, I like the Tappen Zee. I think he only likes the GW route because it gives him lots and lots of time to complain about traffic and bad drivers.

 

[cranbiz]

First exit after leaving CT on 95 south. And I agree, take the Tappan Zee both going and coming.

 

[Shamrock88]

If you can hit the GW during an off time it's a breeze and it's 40 mile shorter than the TZ. I personally hate taking the TZ because it seems like there is an accident every time I take it.

I was thinking the same thing. Is Wednesday morning at 10 AM a off time?

 

[bookwormde]

Take 1 and 13 and follow the signs for the CBBT. We used to live in that area and traveled to the Philadelphia area on a regular basis, and it is very, very much the better route. You will hit some traffic around Salisbury, MD, and around Christiana, DE, but it is nothing compared to what you will hit on the DC route!

I currently live near Springfield, MA, and we go to Ocean City MD at least twice a year, and Allentown PA more often than that--My husband likes the GW bridge route, I like the Tappen Zee. I think he only likes the GW route because it gives him lots and lots of time to complain about traffic and bad drivers.

If you take the rt 113 exit off rt 1 20 miles below Dover you miss all the Salisbury traffic

 

[olwyngdh]

If you take the rt 113 exit off rt 1 20 miles below Dover you miss all the Salisbury traffic

We do that to go to the In Laws house outside of OC, but it is a bit out of the way for the CBBT. When we lived in Hampton and I would travel up to Allentown, I went 13 rather than 113 because it was a bit quicker and I wasn't tempted to stop by the beach or Assateague

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

I'm originally from the Wilmington, DE area, and now live in the Virginia Beach area. I do the commute 7-8 times a year for holidays and family gatherings back home.

My suggestion would be to take the Jersey Turnpike across the Delaware Memorial Bridge into Wilmington, DE, and pick up I-95 South, there. Within a few miles, take Delaware 1 South. Rt 1 is a concrete multi-lane that's 65 MPH. It will take you all the way to the Dover Air Force Base, at which point it turns into Rt 113. This is a 55 MPH two-lane road. There are some small towns where the speed limit reduces, and some traffic lights. Rt 113 connects back into US-13 near the Delaware/Maryland border. Taking 113 will get you there much quicker than taking 13 the whole way from I-95.

I very rarely take 95 to 64 because of the traffic. Even though it's interstate the whole way, depending on the day of the week and the time, you can still sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic anywhere along the way from Baltimore to DC, especially around DC, and then between DC and Richmond.

If you've never been over the Chesapeak Bay Bridge Tunnel, coming down the Virignia Eastern Shore is worth it just to experience it. There are two observation areas.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

One note on the Eastern Shore route, if you're traveling on a particularly stormy day, check the status of the CBBT before you commit to the route, especially if you're towing anything, have a roof carrier, or are in a vehicle larger than a passenger vehicle. When it gets windy, they put restrictions in place and you many not be able to cross. It's a long, long ride back up to Annapolis to get around and back down the other side of the bay.

 

[Shamrock88]

I'm originally from the Wilmington, DE area, and now live in the Virginia Beach area. I do the commute 7-8 times a year for holidays and family gatherings back home.

My suggestion would be to take the Jersey Turnpike across the Delaware Memorial Bridge into Wilmington, DE, and pick up I-95 South, there. Within a few miles, take Delaware 1 South. Rt 1 is a concrete multi-lane that's 65 MPH. It will take you all the way to the Dover Air Force Base, at which point it turns into Rt 113. This is a 55 MPH two-lane road. There are some small towns where the speed limit reduces, and some traffic lights. Rt 113 connects back into US-13 near the Delaware/Maryland border. Taking 113 will get you there much quicker than taking 13 the whole way from I-95.

I very rarely take 95 to 64 because of the traffic. Even though it's interstate the whole way, depending on the day of the week and the time, you can still sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic anywhere along the way from Baltimore to DC, especially around DC, and then between DC and Richmond.

If you've never been over the Chesapeak Bay Bridge Tunnel, coming down the Virignia Eastern Shore is worth it just to experience it. There are two observation areas.

thank you so much!

 

[Shamrock88]

One note on the Eastern Shore route, if you're traveling on a particularly stormy day, check the status of the CBBT before you commit to the route, especially if you're towing anything, have a roof carrier, or are in a vehicle larger than a passenger vehicle. When it gets windy, they put restrictions in place and you many not be able to cross. It's a long, long ride back up to Annapolis to get around and back down the other side of the bay.

must admit I didn't even think of this, thank you.