Wednesday before Thanksgiving drive to Philly (Boston, Sturbridge: live, garden, best)

[krayzbone227]

It's looking like I'm going to have to drive down this year. I want to hear your tales--I know it's going to be painful--especially referencing time of departure and travel time.

Danke!

[Cato the Elder]

I think you're looking at 7-8 hours at best during that week. One year, it took us around 10. We always take the Tappan Zee as well, or it might be worse.

[holden125]

On the Pike westbound it's pretty bad as you get later in the day. The earlier you leave the better. If you can't get out until 2 or 3 PM, or even later, expect to sit in some serious traffic. I'd imagine it's no picnic getting past the NYC area and across NJ either.

If it's a high traffic day, I avoid NYC altogether. I take Mass Pike West to 84 West to 684 South to Saw Mill River Pkwy South to 287 West/Tappan Zee Bridge, to Garden State Pkwy South, to NJ Tpke South.

If you're going to PA and not the NJ side of the river, I tend to avoid the southern half of the NJ Tpke, when the split ends. You can get off at Exit 9 (New Brunswick) and take Route 1 South. Just past Princeton you can get 95 South (which now is separate from the NJ Tpke) toward Philadelphia.

[JacksonPanther]

Originally Posted by holden125

On the Pike westbound it's pretty bad as you get later in the day. The earlier you leave the better. If you can't get out until 2 or 3 PM, or even later, expect to sit in some serious traffic. I'd imagine it's no picnic getting past the NYC area and across NJ either.

If it's a high traffic day, I avoid NYC altogether. I take Mass Pike West to 84 West to 684 South to Saw Mill River Pkwy South to 287 West/Tappan Zee Bridge, to Garden State Pkwy South, to NJ Tpke South.

If you're going to PA and not the NJ side of the river, I tend to avoid the southern half of the NJ Tpke, when the split ends. You can get off at Exit 9 (New Brunswick) and take Route 1 South. Just past Princeton you can get 95 South (which now is separate from the NJ Tpke) toward Philadelphia.

Exactly!

By the way, about the Route 1 portion of this route. Is Route 1 (between New Brunswick and I95) a regular high-speed limited-access expressway like the turnpike?

[shiver]

Ugh. The most dreaded drive of the year. My family lives in upstate NY near Albany so I always take the Pike West all the way. Poking my eyes out with a pencil is preferable to the drive between Boston and I-84 Sturbridge exit. One year I left mid afternoon and it took almost 3 hrs to do that drive (about 50-60 miles). I-84 through Connecticut is brutal. A good friend of mine has family near Waterbury, CT and I remember that it took her 6 hrs once (should be 2.5-3 hrs).

That sad, here are the tricks I've learned over the years. Get on the road as early as possible. Going late is another option. Same friend who goes to CT has left Boston in the evening (after 7PM) and said it wasn't bad. Although she was only going to CT. Getting to Philly is a whole other story.

Another friend of mine who does go to the Philly will leave Boston at the crack of dawn on Thanksgiving. Not ideal, but unless she gets Wed off, she doesn't like driving at night and she refuses to get on the road at 2PM on Wed when her work lets out.

Good luck.

[sm4269a]

Having done the drive to northern NJ regularly, I say leaving really early or really late are your best options for avoiding traffic congestion. Day before T-Day is always insane, even if you get out of MA easy you're bound to hit traffic at the TZ bridge especially around rush hour. Take the Merritt Parkway through CT.

[gf2020]

Either leave the Boston area after 8:00 PM on Wednesday evening or before 6:00 AM on Thursday.

[beth98]

If possible I'd consider leaving as early as possible on Wednesday, like in the 5am range. I second the Merritt Parkway suggestion and definitely take Tappan Zee Bridge. I also suggest some way to monitor traffic that's better than a radio. A traffic enabled GPS or phone or a friend to monitor the situation and call you. Accidents can make a big difference, so be willing to change plans as you go if needed. If for any reason you don't have an EZPass, go get one now. I'd keep some cash on me as well, since I believe there is one toll in that route where the EZPass gets more backed up than the cash line, though I can't remember which toll.

[holden125]

Originally Posted by JacksonPanther

Exactly!

By the way, about the Route 1 portion of this route. Is Route 1 (between New Brunswick and I95) a regular high-speed limited-access expressway like the turnpike?

No, it's got lights and all sorts of strip malls. The other option, if the Turnpike is not already backed up, is to stay on it until Exit 8A in Cranbury. From there you take 32 West, turn left on 130 South, and then take the county road 614 West over to Route 1 just above the interchange with 95.

The Turnpike runs far to the east of Route 1 and it's a good 20 minutes just getting back to Route 1 this way, so I'm not sure it's faster than just taking Route 1 all the way down from New Brunswick.

[HenryAlan]

Originally Posted by gf2020

Either leave the Boston area after 8:00 PM on Wednesday evening or before 6:00 AM on Thursday.

Yep. For years I made the drive down to New York and the only palatable approach was leaving at 4am on Thursday.