[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by dougawhite

If you want to avoid Boston area traffic, try heading north on I91 in Springfield, MA. Then in VT cross into NH through Keene and then Concord, NH. Both beautiful places to stay and relax. From Concord, take Rte 4 to Portsmouth and then up I95 to Portland.

That's a much nicer ride, but the traffic can be horrendous, going through some of those small towns in VT.

Of course, you do get to see the world's largest display of multi-colored Adirondack Chairs and some nice views along the way.

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by dougawhite

If you want to avoid Boston area traffic, try heading north on I91 in Springfield, MA. Then in VT cross into NH through Keene and then Concord, NH. Both beautiful places to stay and relax. From Concord, take Rte 4 to Portsmouth and then up I95 to Portland.

That’s how we would drive to Portland from our home in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. We take back roads to Northampton where we pick up 91 north to Brattleboro, VT and then cut across into Keene, NH. On a side note, Keene, NH is home to my favorite golf course in New England, the beautiful 36 hole Bretwood Golf Course.

[E Cascade]

Take 295 around Richmond and I-95 EXPRESS lanes around DC and Baltimore (passing thru White Marsh) to the east taking the express choices (all brand new) every time you can get on it. It saves you HOURS of time. Also take the NJ Trnpke to Garden State Pkwy north to go over the Tappan Zee Bridge. You never even know NY is there. I can get from TV to Maine bridge in 21 hours, with no big deal and no horrible driving. You now can get around DC and Baltimore in short order. 15 hours Florence, SC to ME. Best days to drive Sat (TV to Florence 6 hrs) Sun (SC to ME 15 hrs). Best restaurant is Reins in Vernon, CT, just north of Hartford.... in and out at the counter and gas across the street. Yup, for also using 290 bypass thru Worcester, MA up to 495 around BOS.

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by Driller703

Do not go 301 a I-95!
Go 77 to 81 to 84 and onward.

Originally Posted by bigjohnny19

Start out with U.S. 301 N to FL 200 E to get to I-95 N of Jacksonville

Originally Posted by E Cascade

Take 295 around Richmond and I-95 EXPRESS lanes around DC and Baltimore (passing thru White Marsh) to the east taking the express choices (all brand new) every time you can get on it. It saves you HOURS of time. Also take the NJ Trnpke to Garden State Pkwy north to go over the Tappan Zee Bridge. You never even know NY is there. I can get from TV to Maine bridge in 21 hours, with no big deal and no horrible driving. You now can get around DC and Baltimore in short order. 15 hours Florence, SC to ME. Best days to drive Sat (TV to Florence 6 hrs) Sun (SC to ME 15 hrs). Best restaurant is Reins in Vernon, CT, just north of Hartford.... in and out at the counter and gas across the street. Yup, for also using 290 bypass thru Worcester, MA up to 495 around BOS.

Portland Maine is 1400 miles from The Villages. Gross, FL is 150 miles from TV and you can't get there in less than 3 hours, no how, no way. If you're taking 95N, you're going through Gross.

Portland is another 1250 miles from Gross. You would have to average 70 mph from Gross, FL to Portland, ME ... that includes stopping for gas & food, as well as any traffic or construction along the way. I have travelled NH or MA to FL, 50 times. I have never, not once, been able to average over 64 mph for the entire trip.

This thread is getting like the threads on milage for Lithium carts. Yeah, you can maybe get 80 miles on a 210 AMP ... don't go over 18 mph, coast down hills and don't carry a passenger or any extra weight. Not the real world.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

the beautiful 36 hole Bretwood Golf Course.

Yes, totally agree there, we make an annual pilgrimage early every fall, September. Won a corporate outing there my first time.
I made my first nearly 300 yard drive there, top of the hill North Course # 6
Our friends who moved with us to TV made her first hole in one there, the day they bought their house in TV.

Need to play the south course again, only once in 15 years.

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by CoachKandSportsguy

Yes, totally agree there, we make an annual pilgrimage early every fall, September. Won a corporate outing there my first time.
I made my first nearly 300 yard drive there, top of the hill North Course # 6
Our friends who moved with us to TV made her first hole in one there, the day they bought their house in TV.

Need to play the south course again, only once in 15 years.

They used to have a weekday special when I was much younger, unlimited play with a cart, for about $55 (now it’s 36 holes with a cart Monday through Thursday for $99). My buddies and I would do the special at least a couple times per year and always played a minimum 54 holes. One year my best friend and I showed up on June 21st (the longest day of the year) at dawn and attempted to get in 100 holes. We would have made it, but we ran into leagues that slowed us down and had to quit after 92 holes because of darkness. Both courses are beautiful, but my favorite is the south course. Ya gotta love 36 holes with almost zero houses, the covered bridges lined with blooming flower pots, and the really nice bent grass greens.

[daca55]

Made this trip many times. I like to avoid DC and the beltway and NYC. I take 95 to 17, 17 to 81n, 81n to 78, 78 to 287, 287 to 87, 87 to mass pike, Mass Pike to 495. Only tolls are on the mass pike. It’s a nice ride. I stop in Florence and then again in Maryland. Safe travels!

[roadrnnr]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

IMHO, I would head off 95 in Virgina and go towards Harrisburg PA, you avoid Baltimore and Wash DC, then you have several choices to continue north.

Yep That's the route I take.

[jacqueline larsen]

I take 301 to A1A to 95. East at Fredericksburg VA on 17 across the Patomic to 5 North to 295 north to 95 to the Garden State Parkway all the way to the NewYork Thruway. East on the Mass pike to 495 north to 95 to Portland Me.
I avoid Baltimore, DC and NYC.

[Dexterconfetti]

Keep cats in separate cages. Dose with gabapentin from vet. 100mg capsule; open capsule, stir into food. Pill takes about two hours to take affect, but then they sleep the whole rest of the way. Give it to them each morning and you’re good to go. note: put disposable litter box in bathroom tub. I use a plastic tarp under the box for spills. Scoopable litter of course Each cat gets 15 minutes alone evening and am to do their thing.
I bag all cat stuff, the box litter, empty food cans in a big black baggie so that no one even knows there was a cat in the room although yes, I do use pet friendly rooms. Good luck!

[AMB444]

Originally Posted by walterray1

We will be traveling with 2 cats (not going to be much fun) and expect to limit the daily drive to 6 or 7 hours out of expected 21 hours.

Yes, you are doing this right. I have no advice for your specific drive as mine was to the upper midwest.

But I do have advice for the kitties for that long of a drive. No longer than 6hrs with the cats. We recently drove 24 hrs with cats from upper Midwest.

Expect lots of "meowin'".

Get hemp oil, catnip and test this out before you leave to determine if these will work for your kitties.

Be ready to unload them first into hotel room and have a water bowl, box, and food immediately.

It's essential to find hotels that accept the cats (fess up and pay them). Large majority of hotels are NOT pet friendly so plan WAY ahead. They will nickel and dime you and will charge an extra $50 per night for the two cats. Ridiculous.

I personally would not travel that distance with pets due to unfriendly hotel conditions charging huge amounts for an overnight stay for animals that don't cause problems. But it is what it is with the greedy hotel industry.

[AMB444]

"put disposable litter box in bathroom tub. I use a plastic tarp under the box for spills." Excellent advice. Don't let any litter go down drain. Also buy a cheap dustpan and matching brush. Bring lots of trash bags.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

We travel NE to TV and back with 2 cats occasionally. We start with them in carriers and cages, however, we open the doors so they can roam freely. The more you travel with them, the more they get comfortable with the travel. some with talk the voice of their people all the whole time (cry), initial vet drugs before leaving helps them get acclimated.

We cover the seats and floor with a plastic tarp to keep accidents and claws from wrecking any locations. Litter box on one side of the floor, food/water on the other floor in the back seat. We have left them in the truck overnight instead of taking them into the hotel room. Windows were cracked slightly and nights not below freezing. They were fine. . .

While driving, and they are not experienced, they can end up in places you don't want them to be:
Under the dashboard, behind the gas pedal, on the driver's lap, on the dashboard in front of the driver,

Events which can happen:
They poop on your legs/clothes while driving and in any other places except the litter box. . have cleaning wipes available, travel with a go bag with a change of clothes happened two hours into our drive last time. They from motion sickness. . They find place to sleep which they find requires less motion prevention work by muscles. . like sleeping during rough seas, tough if you are constantly using muscles to resist rolling.

We keep an extra towel to put on the passenger's legs to prevent claws from legs during warm months drive with short on. .

good luck. .

[walterray1]

Originally Posted by CoachKandSportsguy

We travel NE to TV and back with 2 cats occasionally. We start with them in carriers and cages, however, we open the doors so they can roam freely. The more you travel with them, the more they get comfortable with the travel. some with talk the voice of their people all the whole time (cry), initial vet drugs before leaving helps them get acclimated.

We cover the seats and floor with a plastic tarp to keep accidents and claws from wrecking any locations. Litter box on one side of the floor, food/water on the other floor in the back seat. We have left them in the truck overnight instead of taking them into the hotel room. Windows were cracked slightly and nights not below freezing. They were fine. . .

While driving, and they are not experienced, they can end up in places you don't want them to be:
Under the dashboard, behind the gas pedal, on the driver's lap, on the dashboard in front of the driver,

Events which can happen:
They poop on your legs/clothes while driving and in any other places except the litter box. . have cleaning wipes available, travel with a go bag with a change of clothes happened two hours into our drive last time. They from motion sickness. . They find place to sleep which they find requires less motion prevention work by muscles. . like sleeping during rough seas, tough if you are constantly using muscles to resist rolling.

We keep an extra towel to put on the passenger's legs to prevent claws from legs during warm months drive with short on. .

good luck. .

Thank you to all who have posted ideas and information. It will definitely by an adventure.