[marennorge]

I am flying to Boston Dec 17 and leaving there Dec 20 to return to The Villages by car. I have driven the I-95 South route several times and getting around NYC and Wash DC, as others have noted, can be a real bear.

I am contemplating the I-84/I-81 route through PA and VA before connecting back up to 95 in either NC or SC. I know it goes through the Blue Ridge Mountains so I am wondering about driving conditions mid-Dec. I know the risk of snow and ice is a roll of dice but wondered if anyone had any other comments to add.

Thanks in advance.

[CaptJohn]

Originally Posted by marennorge

I am flying to Boston Dec 17 and leaving there Dec 20 to return to The Villages by car. I have driven the I-95 South route several times and getting around NYC and Wash DC, as others have noted, can be a real bear.

I am contemplating the I-84/I-81 route through PA and VA before connecting back up to 95 in either NC or SC. I know it goes through the Blue Ridge Mountains so I am wondering about driving conditions mid-Dec. I know the risk of snow and ice is a roll of dice but wondered if anyone had any other comments to add.

Thanks in advance.

I think I remember seeing this addressed in another thread within the last couple of weeks. You might want to try a search.

[rabonkmontage@msn.com]

Takes a little bit longer. But no white knuckle driveing through the DC ect. areas.

[PennBF]

Have driven these roads a number of times. You would take I-84 to I-81 and as a result go up the mountains in the Poconos. This can have some serious snow and a lot of deer.
The other way is i-84 to 209 and go down to Stroudsberg and then I-80 to
I-81. Better route although 209 is only 2 ways but trucks are prohibited from using it. Both ways will get you to Harrisburg and then on down. It will take
more time (would guess 2-2 1/2 more hours) and although there is a lot less
traffic it is still longer and you do hit some serious mountains.
If you want to avoid the terrible Washington/Baltimore area there is always
the route going down through Delaware (get off at the end of the NJ Turnpike) and cross the Chessapeak Bridge and then back to I-95. Would be better than the Harrisburg route.
I also found that going through DC on i-95/or 295 ?? is faster and better than the beltway. It comes out on the beltway just before the bridge on I-95.
Just some ideas.
Another option to avoid the NY City traffic is to stay on I-84, cross the Newburg bridge, take 9W south to the Palisades Parkway and take that to
Fort Lee NJ and pick up the NJ Turnpike to Wilminton, Del. and then take the route to the Chessapeake Bridge?? (You pick up the Palisades Parkway at the Bear Mountain Bridge).

[Mr Hanky]

You should be good. Just be aware of freezing fog or black ice on the bridges and over passes. Not saying you will get that kind of weather but would be aware of it. Enjoy your trip.

[Sunshine Mary]

Amtrak Auto train is GREAT

[barb1191]

Originally Posted by Sunshine Mary

Amtrak Auto train is GREAT

Great advice... I would do the same during the Winter months in order to avoid unexpected foul weather. Your longest drive would then be from MA to VA where you pick up the Amtrak Auto Train.

[Sunshine Mary]

Originally Posted by barb1191

Great advice... I would do the same during the Winter months in order to avoid unexpected foul weather. Your longest drive would then be from MA to VA where you pick up the Amtrak Auto Train.

Lorton, VA (Washington, DC) drop you off at
Sanford, FL (Orlando)
That how we came down and that how we well go back .

[l2ridehd]

Do the I 84 to I 81 and then take I 64 back to I 95 at Richmond VA. From Richmond South, I 95 is fine. The second option would be I 81 all the way to NC then over and pick up I 75 all the way to FL, but then you have Atlanta to contend with. I would map my trip based on when I would hit those choke points and adjust the route that way. NY, DC, or Atlanta are all bad during rush hour, but all are OK other times.

[jblum315]

When I lived in NY and frequently traveled south, we used to take RT. 301 from the Jersey Turnpike (Delaware Memorial Bridge) south to Richmond and then pick up I95. It's a little longer and slower, but is much more scenic and interesting and avoids Baltimore and D.C.

[CtButterfly]

Have taken that route often from CT and MA . . . From the Sturbridge toll it would take about 2 hours to reach NY border on I-84. Then 2 1/2 hrs to go thru NY and PA to reach I-81 in Scranton. 3 hrs to get thru PA on 81. 1/2 to get thru Maryland and WV. Then about 4 hrs thru VA till you get to I-77.
From I-81 split taking I-77 to Charlotte, NC around 3 hrs. from Charlotte to I-26 in SC about an 1 hr. another 1 hr. across I-26 to I-95 . . . 1 1/2 hrs from where you get on I-95 to the GA border. 2 hrs thru GA to FL line and 2 1/2 to 3 hrs to get to The Villages - there are many debated routes of which to take. . . . going the inland route is about 150 miles longer than taking a straight shot down 95, but you'll usually have less traffic, far less tolls, especially when going northbound, great scenery, and personally I like the gas stops and hotels along the route. Under normal conditions it should not
take you longer than 23 hours driving time.

[getdul981]

If you can get on I-95 around Richmond, you will be better off than taking I-81. 81 has LOTS of mountains and tons of trucks south to Wytheville, where some of them take 77 We used to live in Roanoke, VA and I do believe that I heard somewhere that the stretch of 81 between Wytheville and Staunton is one of the worst for accidents, and I believe it. If you stick closer to the coast (I-95) instead of going inland (I-81) you might avoid some of the bad weather that can hit that time of year too. If you do take 81 and then 77 south, be extremely cautious coming down Fancy Gap Mountain. It has fog and bad weather when there isn't any anywhere else. It seems that areas along the coast don't have as bad weather as more inland. Have a safe trip!

[jpharmat]

First of all.. safe travels ! We drive to the Villages at least once a year, sometimes twice from Oxford Ma. We have always taken 95 all the way, never with any troubles. Planning is key. We usually traven early Sunday and have never ran into any severe traffic in the metro areas.

[Mr Hanky]

Originally Posted by Mr Hanky

You should be good. Just be aware of freezing fog or black ice on the bridges and over passes. Not saying you will get that kind of weather but would be aware of it. Enjoy your trip.

JUST READ THIS............One man was killed and at least 18 others were injured after four crashes involving 55 cars on Thursday morning near Hendersonville, Tenn., according to NewsChannel5.com.

Police believe dense fog and icy patches contributed to the crash, according to MSNBC.com.

More than 130 were stuck on the roadway because of the other wrecks and at least one person was killed after a car slammed into the back of a U.S. mail truck.

[VillagesFlorida]

Originally Posted by jpharmat

First of all.. safe travels ! We drive to the Villages at least once a year, sometimes twice from Oxford Ma. We have always taken 95 all the way, never with any troubles. Planning is key. We usually traven early Sunday and have never ran into any severe traffic in the metro areas.

Hubby is a retired professional truck driver who, over the years made many trips down I 95 through the Bronx, across the GW bridge, etc. So many times travelling southbound he saw cars that had broken down and were abandoned. When he returned northbound, a few hours later, the vehicles were stripped of tires and anything else that could be removed and many had been burned out. In some areas along this route there is almost no place to pull over if you DO break down. It's a good thing that a lot of folks like the I 95 route. That helps to keep I 84 to I 81 pretty stress free.