PA to FLA - Ready to drive I-95

[RonH]

In a few weeks DW and our 2 DSs (4&1) will be making the drive from Northeast PA "back home" to OKW. We've done the drive twice before, but will not be going through the DC beltway this time. I keep hearing about I81 to I66 to I95 in Richmond VA is much better and only 14 miles longer. Does anyone have thoughts about either of these routes?

Also, we usually stay over in SC on the way down and in NC on the way back. Does anyone have any specific hotel preferences or recommendations? We use the I95 Exit Information Guide (www.usastar.com/i95/orderbook.htm) and AAA travel books, but I'm interested in any other guides or general travel tips anyone else has.

Thanks and safe traveling to those on there way to WDW!

 

[sperk99]

I can't help you on the road route but there are a lot of shortcuts along the way. We usually run into traffic in SC and there is a back road that runs parallel to 95 for about 25 miles. It's works out great for us. Another stop we always go to is Florence, SC. There is a restaurant there that was built in an old department store. It looks like you're eating on the outside but you're really inside. The kids even get to pick ice cream from an ice cream truck...

Pretty cool.

There is a website www.drivei95.com ( I think) and they have a book which is pretty cool!!!

 

[Bill From PA]

Personally, I'd do I81 to I83 to 695 to 95 to 495 to 95.. IF I'd hit the Balt. and DC belts in the wee hours. We drive to Myrtle Beach and back each summer and do the driving from 8 pm and go straight through. We hit the Balt and DC areas after rush hour is over and rarely have traffic problems. Alternate routes suggested by MapQuest and other such sites seem to involve more rural routes and sometimes take you through numerous traffic lights which can slow you down. As for a place to stay, figure your endurance then do a Google on I95 hotels. There's a site devoted to facilities along this route with hotels right off the ramps for you to choose from. We actually stayed at South of the Border one year. Interesting but tacky.

Bill From PA

 

[Uncleromulus]

Bill's right as usual.
THose alternate routes are good IF you are unable to get around Baltimore/DC in the "non-rush" hour times. And if you can reach I-81 w/o a major detour out of your way. From where you are in NE Pa. you may have to drive West before you can even get to I-81(??)

They do have their own problems tho--to which I'd add TONS of trucks on I-81.

We're leaving tomorrow morning (Friday) at 3:30 AM (which barely beats the start of the DC rush hour) and doing I-95. I'll post a driving report when I get back on October 11.

 

[PlutoPony]

FYI - FM radio station WTOP 107.7 is the DC metro area and has regular, good traffic reports.....

Is I-81 still a mess (construction wise) at Harrisburg PA?? It's been a year since we've been that way so don't know current status.

If you take I-66 east from I-81 you'll still end up on the Beltway (495) - and I-66 is equally bad in rush hour. You can take it for a bit and then cut thru the country to get to I-95 - w/o looking at a map I"d suggest Route 15 south (exit 66 at Haymarket) to Route 17 which intersects I-95 on north side of Fredericksburg..... easy drive, mostly 4 lane, don't know how much time it saves - but definitely less stressful!

 

[hobogary]

Take I-81 to Winchester VA, and take US 17 to I-95, If you go all the way to I 66 it's longer and you still got off 66 and travel 17 most of the way.(66 takes you back to DC)

 

[Disney Spaz]

I live in Maryland between Baltimore and D.C. and I can tell you if you absolutly must drive 695 to 95 to 495 back to 95 do it between midnight and 4AM otherwise get ready for traffic. Our local T.V. stations always talk about how these Interstates now have bumper to bumper traffic 18-20 hours out of the day. My DH and I always drive but we leave our home between 10PM and Midnight to avoid the traffic. This being said be ready to deal with a lot of tractor trailers. This is when most of the big riggs are running the 95 corridor. Don't get me wrong it is doable but it must be timed right.

 

[padisneylover]

Since I live about 30 miles north or you give or take a mile or so LOL! We used to live in Fla and traveled back and forth frequently. As the other poster said taking route 81 to Winchester then on to 17 and back onto 95 really is the best way from where we are. We have tried many ways and always found this to be the best. We usually planned on staying the night some where around Dillon SC and were able to hit WDW area without any trouble the next day. It makes one longer day about 12-13 hrs depending on how fast you drive you could perhaps make it in less time and then about 6-8 the next day.
Hope this helps and have a safe trip.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

Another alternate route to get from I-81 to I-95 is to get on I-64 near Staunton and take that to Richmond to pick up I-95. If you were to go that route, though, be aware that Route 288 (the new bypass going along the southwest quarter of the metro area) is STILL incomplete. The bad weather has slowed the road construction quite a bit. It should be open sometime this fall, but exactly when is uncertain.

Rush hour traffic through Richmond, though, is a cakewalk compared to DC. The I-295 bypass will take you around Richmond and Petersburg.

Several have also said they've taken I-81 further through Virginia and took I-77 through the Carolinas to pick up I-95. Not sure what conditions are along I-77, though. Like Uncleromulus said, truck traffic along I-81 through Virginia can be very heavy at times.

 

[MulanMom]

It won't help you to avoid DC, but to get to I-95 and bypassing the Baltimore and most of the DC beltways, we take I-81S and follow the split to I-83. However, rather than going 83, we continue West. Road becomes 581. We take the exit for Route 15 south. There are a few parts where there are traffic lights, but PennDOT's worked a lot at making this 4 lane road as limited access as possible.

When you reach Frederick, MD, you stay on the highway as it becomes I-270 E. It brings you into the lower SW quandrant of the DC beltway, and you still have to deal with the Springfield Interchange and I-95 traffic, but it's pretty quick. This past summer, we hit DC about 11pm and there was traffic, but at least it was moving.

We live in Allentown and it would be very easy to take the turnpike South to the Blue Route to I-95 outside of Philly, but, for some reason the 270/15/81/78 route always gives us better time.

HTH!