I do take I95 south from NJ to Florida, by myself without trepidation. You will hear all kinds of advice on how to avoid the traffic near DC and Va.......I've tried a couple alternatives in that area and it just seems that there is traffic no matter where you drive in that zone. I just avoid rush hour and Friday pm beach traffic and deal with the few miles of bumper to bumper near the border to Va. Lumberton, NC is an excellent safe spot to stop. There are five or six hotels right off the exit that are clean, in a safe area and very nice. I stayed at the Comfort Suites. Fast food and sit down restaurants right next door. I would NOT recommend stopping in Fayetteville, NC. I did not feel safe there at all. Once you are through NC, I95 south is a very easy ride, often two lanes lined with clearly marked gas and food stops along the way. Be prepared to pump your own gas (NJ does not allow that, so if you are not familiar with how it works, just prepare ahead of time). Once I was in FL, my GPS sent me on Route 207 to Route 19 through the Ocala Forest. It took about 2 hours to reach the Villages once I crossed into Florida. The Ocala Forest is a little desolate (pine trees and palms), but I felt safe driving through. Be sure to fill up your gas tank before, since there was not many stations on Route 19.
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