[misky]

I'm driving down from RI for the first time the first week of Jan. I want to avoid rte 95 until I pass Washington. Any suggestions? Is it worth avoiding rte 95?

[Harry Gilbert]

2 options:

You can take I84 west into NY and pick up I81 south and take that to I64 in Va. That will take you back to I95 just below Richmond.

Or,

If you just want to bypass Baltimore and Washington you can take I95 into De and get off on 896 east/south (can't remember which it is but it's the last exit before the toll) That will take you to US301 which will cross into Annapolis and bring you out halfway around the DC beltway.

Personally I'd suggest I81. it's longer but a more relaxed ride if you don't care for the traffic in the northeast.

Originally Posted by misky

I'm driving down from RI for the first time the first week of Jan. I want to avoid rte 95 until I pass Washington. Any suggestions? Is it worth avoiding rte 95?

Last time I drove down. Came 95 all the way. Just made sure I was thru Washington mid morning. It still is a gamble.

[kit9240]

From CT I took Rte 81 thru Blue Ridge Mtns. Pick up 84 in CT which takes you to 81 in Scranton, PA. Follow 81 to 77 . Take 77 to Columbia, SC. Take 26 to 95. Take 10 to 301. Be very careful on 301 as there are many speed traps! 81 is a beautiful scenic route thru the Blue Ridge Mtns.Good luck and enjoy the trip!

[Pat_RI]

How much extra time do these alternatives add vs 95?

[Papa]

Originally Posted by kit9240

From CT I took Rte 81 thru Blue Ridge Mtns. Pick up 84 in CT which takes you to 81 in Scranton, PA. Follow 81 to 77 . Take 77 to Columbia, SC. Take 26 to 95. Take 10 to 301. Be very careful on 301 as there are many speed traps! 81 is a beautiful scenic route thru the Blue Ridge Mtns.Good luck and enjoy the trip!

We did that similar route from Massachusetts 2 months ago. It was fantastic. It made the trip 1 hour longer, i.e. 23 vs. 22 hours

[spk7951]

Originally Posted by Pat_RI

How much extra time do these alternatives add vs 95?

According to Mapquest the I-81/I-77 route, we use, avoiding the DC to NY mess will add 1 hour to our trip. However we have found that to be closer to 15 minutes or so because of the lower amount of traffic along that route. For us we have no desire to travel along the DC/NY route when going back to CT. Also not to be forgotten is the better gas mileage we get by staying away from that area of I-95.

[VillagesFlorida]

Originally Posted by spk7951

According to Mapquest the I-81/I-77 route, we use, avoiding the DC to NY mess will add 1 hour to our trip. However we have found that to be closer to 15 minutes or so because of the lower amount of traffic along that route. For us we have no desire to travel along the DC/NY route when going back to CT. Also not to be forgotten is the better gas mileage we get by staying away from that area of I-95.

Well said! We travel back and forth to Maine at least once a year and avoid the I 95 corridor through the big cities at all costs. As a few other posters have stated, we go I 84 through NY, to Scranton, Pa. Head south there on I 81. You have several options as to where you will join I 95 again. We usually get off in Winchester, Va., take Rt. 17 to Fredericksburg, Va. where you can pick up I 95. Or, you can stay on I 81 to 64 down to Richmond....nice traveling southbound as it is mostly downhill! We will never go that way northbound, since it will be all uphill! You can go farther south on I 81 to Rt. 77, through a very, very scenic Fancy Gap, on down to Columbia, SC, where you will take Rt. 26 to I 95. Don't attempt the I 77 route if the weather doesn't look good for that area. The elevation through Fancy Gap is high and there could be fog or snow, depending on conditions and time of year.

[tpop1]

Posted this before but we stay on I-95 almost all the way. Avoid busy times in NYC and DC.

We drive from Clinton CT to FL a couple of times per year....(20 hours driving). Tried every way and found this route is usually the fastest and SPEED is our most important factor getting to TV!!.

We do 2 days...1 long day(12-14 hours) and 1 short day(6-8 hours).


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.

Tried 301 one time but cost us the hour mentioned above!

All good suggestions in these replies, so you takes your choice and all roads lead to The Villages...be safe and welcome back!!!!

[Fourpar]

We go to Cape Cod a couple of times a year, and always go as Kit9240 does. Nice roads, less traffic, and much less stress. May take a little longer, but I think it easier and safer driving. Life is too short to drive I 95!
Have a good trip,

[AJGeorge]

Misky
Take 95 to Tappen Zee Bridge.
Continue on 287 thru NJ
Pick up 78 to Allentown and continue to 81
Follow 81 thru PA, MD, WV and VA
Take 77 to Charlotte, NC
Continue on 77 to Columbia, SC
Take 26 Towards Charleston, SC
Pick up 95 towards Jacksonville, FL
Take 295 around Jacksonville, FL
Take 10 off of 295
Take 301 off of 10
Follow 301 to the Villages.
This is abount 2 hrs longer than if you stay on 95 all the way.
Have a good trip.

[rockyisle]

We drive from NH and do the 81 South route. We get onto 77 south then to 85 toward Greenville SC.. We take some back roads to get to 75 South. I hate 301 and 95 and will do almost anything to avoid them. We've only added a couple of hours onto our trip - which is delightful and relaxed. I'm not certain what 81 south is like in mid-winter as some of it is elevated..
I'm always interested in new directions as long as they don't include 301 and 95.

[VillagesFlorida]

Originally Posted by rockyisle

We drive from NH and do the 81 South route. We get onto 77 south then to 85 toward Greenville SC.. We take some back roads to get to 75 South. I hate 301 and 95 and will do almost anything to avoid them. We've only added a couple of hours onto our trip - which is delightful and relaxed. I'm not certain what 81 south is like in mid-winter as some of it is elevated..
I'm always interested in new directions as long as they don't include 301 and 95.

No 301 for us, either! We take the bypass around Jacksonville, getting off in Orange Park. (Exit 10). Follow Rt. 17 south to Palatka where you bear right on to 19. This route takes you over good roads with barely any traffic lights and little traffic once you get south of Orange Park. In Altoona take the right turn on to 42 and stay on it until just past the Orange Blossom Opry in Weirsdale. You can stay on 42 to 441 or you can take the left in Weirsdale on to 25 to Griffin Rd. in Lady Lake. Turn right there and you will come right to 441 by CVS and Perkins. Some folks don't like coming down through The Ocala National Forest but it sure beats the lights and speed traps on 301.

[misky]

What about facilities (hotels, restaurants, bathrooms, etc) when you take the 81 route?

[spk7951]

Originally Posted by misky

What about facilities (hotels, restaurants, bathrooms, etc) when you take the 81 route?

State rest stops are, I think, every 60 miles on I-81. For hotels and restaurants I do no think it is much different than the NC/SC section of I-95. Open space for a bit and then you come to an area where there are hotels, restaurants and shopping and then open space again.