Where to stop between Boston & DC?

[katie111]

Looking for a safe place to stop between Boston & DC. Going to leave late Sunday afternoon to get through NY with no rush hour traffic. Am driving solo with the kids and do not like to drive at night so I'd like to stop somewhere at a midway point for the night. Will have a lot of stuff in the car so it needs to be somewhere safe and nearby restaurants would be great. Not sure if I'm going to go 95 or the inland route.

 

[mikehn]

Whatever you do, time yourself so you are not going through the DC/Baltimore area during morning and afternoon rush hours on Monday. Once you get past Richmond, VA, the nightmare is over.

 

[Missytara]

Look at the possibility of going through DE, MD, or VA. Do the tunnel, not the bridge. Stay in a hotel in DE or MD for the night, or if you can get a bit farther, VA.

You will not be sorry. At this point, avoid DC all together.

 

[PlutoPony]

Any chance you could leave noon'ish? If so, you should be able to get just south of DC by 8-9pm I think and that would make your next day a lot easier. Stafford or Fredericksburg would be good places to stop on I-95 that meet your criteria.

If you stop north of DC, wouldn't recommend hitting Baltimore until at least 9am and maybe even later, especially if it's a rainy day. Don't know what's south of Philly (does Wilmington DE have anything?)

 

[disd55]

My opinion is, maybe leave a little earlier, an hour or so, and travel straight South through Delaware, avoid most of Maryland, and then take the Chesapeake Bay Tunnel through to Virginia and stop and Virginia Beach for the night. There is a bunch of Holiday Inn's, Homewoods and Doubletrees there. Then you have avoided most of the infamous mid-atlantic corridor.

 

[katie111]

Thanks for the replies.

Sorry, I should have been clearer in my original post. We are actually stopping in DC for a few days for a mini vacation before our vacation. I don't like driving alone with the kids at night & I'm trying to avoid rush hours which is why I was thinking of leaving Sun afternoon, stopping, and then arriving in DC around 1pm on Monday. So I'm thinking of stopping somewhere in PA or NJ and was looking for suggestions for that.

 

[JimboCh]

Exit 5 New Jersey Turnpike.

Hilton Garden Inn Mount Holly / Westampton

Mall right down the street from the hotel, very close to Exit 5 Entrance.

Places to eat, Cracker Barrel, Fridays, Burger King, Chuck E Cheese, Applebee's just to name a few.


I think that would put you about 3 hours from DC


I would leave around Noon though, It's about a 5 hour trip from Boston to Exit 5 if you don't hit alot of traffic. Even on Sundays the NJ Turnpike can be busy.

 

[gibbow]

I can usually make it to DC from Exit 9 on the turnpike in less than 4 hours when I leave between 7am and 10am.

If you can make it further exit 5 works as posted above.

If not, exit 11 is good for a simple stay over. It's for Edison's Raritan Center, a business center but is home to a good amount of hotels right off the exit and food such as Harold's New York Deli where one plate can easily feel you and your kids.

North of exit 11 is not what I would recommend, and immediately after 11 they aren't too grand.

The DC area is rough around rush hour and you could easily add 2+ hours sitting in traffic. The longest it has taken me was 5:30 when an RV caught fire on the Delaware Mem. Bridge.

Like mentioned, if you can make it to 5 that is grand, if not, 11 offers:
The Sheraton, an Extended Stay, and a Holiday Inn.

Hope this helps!!

Orrr....... try and get into Delaware around UoD... at this time it isn't too busy with any rowdy college students and there is a lot to eat and hotels in the area, even a hotel used by the UoD hotel management school if I remember correctly.. but that's if you can make it that far! I'll try and post more if I can think of anything!

Again, hope this helps and healthy/safe/fun travels!!

 

[magsmum]

We drove Boston to DC a few years ago and stayed in Edison at the Sheraton. Worked for us!