Preferred route from Northeast?

[drewc]

Hi,

We've driven from upstate to NY to Florida and South Carolina several times, and we've used both the full I-95 route, and also the 81 - 77 - 95 route.

This year will be the first time we drive down with our pop-up, and I'm wondering what route most folks trailering choose. I like I-95 because it is direct, lots of restaurants and amenities, etc. The alternate route is good because there seems to be less tie-ups. Overall I prefer 95, because I don't like the number of trucks on 81 and the stretches of 2-lane when all those trucks are trying to pass each other.

We're heading down partly on Good Friday, and I know that last year that tied up on 95.

Just like to get the opinions of those with experience travelling down year after year. Thanks!

 

[drewc]

bumping

 

[marybrat]

Hi. We're planning to drive down with our travel trailer in August and I had asked a simliar question. (We're coming from Buffalo.) The majority of folks that I have talked with have suggested not taking 95. Keep in mind, we have never done the drive ourselves. I'd be interested in your opinion once you return.

 

[surferrat]

I have a friend that drives from North Carolina and one from Ohio and takes the I-95 route...One of the worst places you aare gonna hit is here in Jacksonville...The best thing to do is bypass 95 through Jax. and take the 9A exit....That will loop you around the town of Jacksonville and the exit is right after you pass Jax International airport.

This bypass makes travelling through Jacksonville much easier...We seem to always be underconstruction....

 

[dblr]

From De. I take rt 301 to 95 in Va. it brings you out at the 104 mile marker right where there is a Flying J. When we get into Fl. I took A1A to rt 301 and then pick up Rt 27 ( I think) but we some time stay @ Thousand Trails but Disney is right around the corner.

 

[loveDmouse]

We just took our first trip to the Fort in December in our motorhome. We took 95 the whole way. No problems. Jacksonville is a bit crazy with the construction but we found that the time we took the bypass (295 I think?) it was about the same time. We came through on a Sunday coming in and Saturday leaving. Now during the work week I might avoid Jacksonville.
I don't care where you go you unfortunately can't avoid construction. At least that is the way it seems.
Good luck! Have a good time!

 

[cyberdeb]

We have driven down a couple of times from suburb of Philadelphia with our pop up. We wanted to avoid 95 around Washington DC. THat has to be the worst place you will encounter especially depending on what time you are there. I dont remember the exact route we took but it was through Delaware, MD and over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge into Norfolk. We took 58 over to BIL house just off of 95 at the Virginia/NC border. We spent the night there. It was about an 8 hour drive for us. It is definately a more scenic route. Not sure that it is any faster or slower (maybe a little), but not nearly as nerve racking as towing a pop up on the Capital Beltway would have been.

 

[loveDmouse]

We have driven down a couple of times from suburb of Philadelphia with our pop up. We wanted to avoid 95 around Washington DC. THat has to be the worst place you will encounter especially depending on what time you are there. I dont remember the exact route we took but it was through Delaware, MD and over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge into Norfolk. We took 58 over to BIL house just off of 95 at the Virginia/NC border. We spent the night there. It was about an 8 hour drive for us. It is definately a more scenic route. Not sure that it is any faster or slower (maybe a little), but not nearly as nerve racking as towing a pop up on the Capital Beltway would have been.

You must have come down Route 13. That runs down the Eastern Shore which runs through Delaware, Maryland and Virginia (which is where we are, VA) and goes across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel into the Norfolk/VA Beach area. There are lots of stops lights to deal with on 13. That can really slow things up. Then you get on 64 East and run that to 58. 64 can get really busy too. Seems like there is always a lot of traffic to deal with over there and always construction on some part of it.
I have heard the traffic around DC is awful. Maybe someone will know what route they can bypass DC with.

 

[kmccain]

We live in NE Pa, close to 81.

DH used to be a truck driver and we always go 81 to 83 in Harrisburg then 695 around Baltimore and pick up 95.

95 all the way to 495/95 around Washington

Then 95 all the way to to 4 in Florida

Rush hour in the morning and at night is not the time to hit any of the major cities. You will be fine if you can avoid them at that time.

Hope this helps!

 

[drewc]

Thanks for all the feedback. It's funny, but we've been pretty lucky around DC, only getting held up once on the way back home when we hit a lot of vacation traffic heading back North.

I think we might take 95 down to Florida (using a few of the bypasses around DC, Richmond and JAX) and then we might jump over to 64 and 81 on the drive back, since I recall things backing up around Fredericksburg last year (the weekend after Easter).

 

[Mac and Us]

We drive a Motorhome to Disney from NH. We have taken several routes in search of a route where we don't hit a lot of traffic AND doesn't add more time to the trip (it's long enough as it is).

Our preferred route is the one DBLR suggested. We found that RT 301 (it runs parallel with I95 through Virginia) is less stressful than I95. I95 is busy from Richmond straight through DC even at night. The traffic is moving (at the speed limit or higher) 4 lanes wide. It's ok for a car but when your driving a motorhome it's exhausting.

 

[rbork]

It's not the drive down around Easter -It's coming home with the "snowbirds". We were in the worst rolling back up from Florida through the ENTIRE state of Georgia! Left FW ~0900am and got to NC at 2100pm!
We avoid the Capital Beltway 495 at D.C by always hitting that at night because rush hour starts at 0500am!
Good Luck and Do what's right for you!

 

[cyberdeb]

You must have come down Route 13. That runs down the Eastern Shore which runs through Delaware, Maryland and Virginia (which is where we are, VA) and goes across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel into the Norfolk/VA Beach area. There are lots of stops lights to deal with on 13. That can really slow things up. Then you get on 64 East and run that to 58. 64 can get really busy too. Seems like there is always a lot of traffic to deal with over there and always construction on some part of it.
I have heard the traffic around DC is awful. Maybe someone will know what route they can bypass DC with.

Yes, i do believe it was 13. I dont recall that many lights. If i remember correctly there is a bypass there around Wilmington, etc. However, I could be wrong, i was not driving, so i dont really remember. It was a little hairy in Norkolk going through city traffic, but i have to say it was so much better than the beltway was. But it was a much prettier ride and again, we were stopping at BIL's house so we went that way for that reason.