What is the BEST driving route from CT?

[freihofer]

We've decided that for our June trip to Disney, we'll be driving. In the past, we have flown and taken the train. My DD-6, DS-3, my DW, and I will be traveling together in a Chevy Silverado (extended cab). We have a TV/VCR combo and a laptop to help keep the kids entertained. Since we've never driven to Disney before, it looks like there are at least two possible routes from CT. One route would be 95 straight through to route 4. This appears to be the least number of miles. The other route is 84 to 81 to 77 to 26 to 95 to 4. This appears to be 140 miles more, however, we will miss all major cities. We plan on leaving at 3:00 a.m. Sunday morning and making one overnight stop. Which would be the better choice and why? We would appreciate any other travel suggestions!

PO 2000
BC 2001
WL June 2002

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

Keeping this bumped up so someone from CT will see and help.

JMO, but I'd go with the I-95 route. If you're driving on Sunday, I don't think traffic in the big cities should be much of a problem. Once you get past DC, Richmond is the last big city you encounter directly before Jacksonville, and Richmond traffic is mild compared to DC.

 

[GeorgeG]

We drive from NY west of the Hudson River, so I don't know how Rt. 95 is getting through NYC. Here's what I would suggest:

Take 95 to NYS line and then 287 (White Plains/Tappan Zee Bridge) to 87 (NYS Thruway) west across the Tappan Zee Bridge to where it splits off again to 287 south (at Suffern/Mahwah). This will take you around all the busy exits on 95 in north NJ and get you back on 95 below them. From there, it's 95 all the way except for the eastern by-pass (495) around Washington.

Once you get to Daytona, hang a right on Rt. 4 and go until you see the WDW exits.

Have a great trip

 

[jenny2]

We usually go over the Tappan Zee bridge when we drive to WDW. Once coming home we stayed on 95 through NYC and we won't do it again! The $10 Washington Bridge toll, crazy drivers and really rough roads convinced us of that. We're now towing our 27' camping trailer and like the ease of the Tappan Zee bridge route.

Just remember to bring LOTS of change! There are dozens of tolls along the Garden State Pkwy and the NJ Tpke!!

 

[Candlelady]

We take 84 from Hartford to 81 in PA. 66 in VA to 17 which hooks up to 95. The only real traffic nightmare was in Orlando. Took us close to 2 hrs to get thru the Friday evening rush hour.
We leave on a Thurs. to arrive on Saturday and do not want to take the chance of hitting DC traffic. Since you're leaving early on a Sun morning you shouldn't run into that problem, at least on the way down. The only toll is $1 on the bridge in NY (sorry, can't remember the name) on the way home.

Good luck on your decision

 

[DisTwix]

Hey there -

I drive that general section of 95 and other highways every other month. My route is from Raleigh to Binghamton. I would DEFINITELY do whatever you have to do to avoid the Baltimore/DC area. It doesn't matter what day you drive through or even what time of day - it is ALWAYS a mess. And, it is a mess for 60 miles outside of both places.

The best way to get on 95 from 81 and avoid all the major mess of DC/Baltimore is as follows:

81S - 66E (in VA) to 17S (also VA - a more rural highway) to 95 - like Candlelady suggested. You'll pick up some of your lost miles there, and it's a great break from the pressure of highway driving.

I have now done that route about 15 times and haven't hit significant backed up traffic through that part of VA. You can actually pick up 17 from 81 - it's just as good, if a little shorter.

The worst part of your trip will be through Richmond, which is under some major construction, and the general 3 lane craziness that takes place on 95 from about Richmond all the way to Orlando.

I highly recommend books on tape to get ya'll through the long drive - lots of libraries loan them. I just started using them and it makes a HUGE difference for me, but I drive alone.

So - good luck and have lots of fun!!!!!

 

[QuickGold]

I've driven from CT to Florida plenty of times. Take 95 all the way down. At New York, take the George Washington Bridge(if no traffic, tune radio to WABC 880 AM for traffic updates) to Garden State Thruway or if GWB is busy, take Tappan Zee. Also, be sure to see how Cross Bronx Expressway is. Sometimes, it's real hell.

Aside from that, just shoot down 95 the rest of the way. DC will have a slight delay but taking thouse 495 or whatever that roundabout way isn't nessacery as the time you waste on there is equal to, if not more than, whatever delays you might hit while going on 95 through DC.

Remember to stop at South of the Border(NC/SC border)...fun for kids and adults. It's been a tradition of my family to stop at Florida Welcome Center and get complimentry cups of Florida Orange juice before heading to WDW.

 

[msdis]

We just came back last week and went right by your exit. I grew up in Southington, Conn. so it was on my mind as we drove by the signs.

We stopped over in Hilton Head for one night and caught I-95 up to I-26 to I-77 to I-81 to I-84
IT WAS THE BEST!!!!! We were at WDW on Sept 11th 2001 and kept our rental car and drove home on the 12th. We were certainly not prepared, had never driven no where near that distance, and was totally unprepared for what we may face along the way. No route maps, no nothing. The only thing we knew was I-95 went all the way to Maine. We had made phone calls back home and we had lots of "go this way", and take "that route". For fear of getting lost, etc. we took I-95 all the way home. The whole ride from Va. up was horrible!!!! We almost got off on the wrong exit in NYC. I told my DH if we had, I would have jumped out of the car in front of the first mac truck I saw. The traffic was horrible, too many lanes to keep track of, too many accidents, etc. This time it was like a Sunday drive; lot less traffic, lot less lanes to keep track of, lot less ugly industry, and mostly beautiful mountains and farms to see. We left HH at 7:30 am and it was getting dark as we were at about Scranton, Pa around 8-9pm. I do remember going past Southington at midnight.
My biggest fear taking the non I-95 route was would there be enough detailed signs. What would the condition of the roads be like? Would there be rest areas? Would there be frequent exits with good services for food and gas? All this worry was for nothing! It was every bit as good as I-95 without all the negatives. I had a hard time getting the exact detailed info I wanted, but I used "MapBlast" and did piece work( HH to Staunton, Va; Staunton, Va to Scranton, Pa; Scranton to Maine) I figured it came out about 50 miles longer overall. We also averaged 4-5mph better on the non I-95 route which more than made up for the 50+- extra miles. I had also mapped out connecting I-81 via I-64 in Richmond and found that route vs. I-26 to I-77 to be about another 50+- miles even longer(it doesn't look it when you look at it). Glad we went the way we did! Sorry if all this info seems backwards because it is. Out of fear of driving and flying esp. after 9/11 I agreed to fly down and drive back. That way if the flight down was horrible I didn't have to fly back, and if the drive down was horrible I didn't have to dread the drive back It was a win win situation.

Good luck with your decision and if you have any more ????'s please feel free to ask!


BTW-good choice of vehicles. We love ours!

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

Originally posted by DisTwix
The worst part of your trip will be through Richmond, which is under some major construction, and the general 3 lane craziness that takes place on 95 from about Richmond all the way to Orlando.

Hopefully the construction on 95 in Richmond is close to an end. They're still doing work on the James River Bridge in downtown, but the intersection with the new Pocahontas Parkway / highway 895 going across the river to the east is close to complete. The eastbound lanes open tomorrow and the westbound lanes will be open in a month or two. In any event, I'd suggest taking I-295 around Richmond.

 

[Rpsemont]

We just came back from a quick 3 day trip to williamsburg, VA - Flew into BWI (just to avoid that northern NJ mess) Left airport at 3PM, drove through (around) Washington at 4pm. Ended up south of DC, back on I-95 and in stop and go. If you end up here, stay or get, way to the left and get in the HOV -3 (High occupancy vehicle 3 or more people) lane. In that lane we flew fight by everybody. We did not run into any traffic around Richmond, but then we didn't go all the way through. For our july trip to NC from MA we're doing the 84-81 and wherever. But I think we tie back into 95 at DC. DH hates that northern section of NJ. We never know whether it's to/from Beach traffic, Six Flaggs, or just plain tooo many cars! Post after you get back and left us know how you went and where the traffic was. Have a great trip

Just out of curiosity - why not do the friend fly free on SW? The four of you could go RT for $434 and could probably get a rental car for small $. You save all that time, wear and tear, hotel room and meals for trip down and back and with a 3yo you'd get to board the plane first?

 

[Uncleromulus]

Timing is everything in getting around Baltimore and DC.
We drove down and back on I-95 just 2 weeks ago. Don't assume Sunday will be an easy drive day around DC. It ain't!! Huge backups at the mixing bowl are common every day of the week.
We left our home in S. Pa. at 4:00 AM and were past the mixing bowl by 6:00 am. That was cutting it close as there was a ton of traffic (mostly heading into DC from the South) even at that early hour.
If you do drive 95, all I can say is avoid DC at any time even remotely close to rush hour.
As for Richmond--we always use I-295. Takes you right around the city, and usually not a whole lot of traffic.
I-95 and I-4 in Florida were a mess--construction almost the entire way. No delays, but not "easy" driving by any means. And that was on a Saturday morning.

 

[albiats]

Originally posted by DisTwix

I highly recommend books on tape to get ya'll through the long drive - lots of libraries loan them. I just started using them and it makes a HUGE difference for me, but I drive alone.

I also recommend the audio books on tape to keep the driver and passengers somewhat interestedas the time goes by.

I always stop at a Crackerbarrel Restaurant / Old Country Store and rent one of their books on tape. You can rent it anywhere and return it anywhere and as long as you return it within 7 days, the cost is minimal.

You actually pay the purchase price when you rent it and as long as you turn it in within 7 days of 'buying' it , the cost is only two or three dollars. If you keep it longer than 7 days and then turn it in, it costs more.

They have a good selection and my DW likes to listen to a good mystery and she slips in a romanc enovel now and then when I'm not paying close attention.

If the book ends anywhere close to the end of our trip, we wait for the next major meal time to turn it in. By turning it in, I can get enough money back to pay for that last meal, if it's just the two of us.

hope that helps

 

[DisTwix]

Albiats -

I didn't know that Cracker Barrel rents books on tape!!!!! That is the most excellent news!!!!!!

Seriously - there is a Cracker Barrel at every 5th exit in the south - that is awesome news. Thanks!

 

[albiats]

DisTwix - glad to help.

Yes, they have quite a selection. It costs about $20 to $30 to get a 3 or 4 hour audio book of entertainment the first time. When you turn it back in within the first 7 days, you'll get a refund of all but $3 or $4 dollars. Just be sure to save your receipt with the book.

When we travel back and forth to NE Ohio, we get the first book soon after leaving. Sometimes we'll get a second one and finish it before getting there, but it's an economical way to use them.

On the last time taking it back, I know I can get a pretty good breakfast meal fopr two that's already paid for just by taking back the book.

If you have a problem with them, just tell them about it as soon as possible. In almost all cases, they won't charge you for it.