Repost of previous post ...hope it helps....
We drive from Clinton CT to FL a couple of times per year. Previously Sarasota, now The Villages(20 hours driving).
Since I work on a company PC (Desktop not Laptop) driving is the only feasible way to travel back and forth with this computer .
We do 2 days...1 long day(12-14 hours) and 1 short day(6-8 hours). I've done this mostly with the wife but sometimes alone. We found that driving anything shorter on the 1st day, ends up with us sitting on a bed in a motel room, waiting for dark to fall asleep.We drive til 10-11PM and get a room wherever we stop.
Sometimes we make reservations during our Christmas travel....busy time.
Our normal practices & recommendations are:
- Try to travel on Sat. & Sunday if possible,
- Make Tappen Zee / GW Bridge decision based on radio traffic reports(WCBS 880 Traffic on the 8 minute mark, 1130 Bloomberg radio on the 5's, and 1010 WINS on the 10's)
- Getting an EZ Pass for tolls can save 1-2 hours during busy travel at tolls(good for all tolls til you hit the FL line).,
- Take 895 outside Baltimore to the Harbor Tunnel(avoids Baltimore Center city traffic)
- Take the BW expressway & 295 Balt. to D.C. (straight shot and avoids I-495 around D.C.)
- Take I-295 around Richmond(few miles longer, but much faster...avoids Richmond
- traffic and curves)
- IN FL we take I-95 to I-295 south above Jacksonville to I-10 to 301 south.