Florida to Maine driving options... (Freeport, Belfast: Home Depot, to buy, construction)

[cdodge04]

Hey guys,
I'm going to be leaving here on Tuesday and coming back home to Maine. I'm thinking about taking a little bit different route though than when I came down. On the way down we did 95 to 495 then to 90 from there we took that over to 84 and onto 684, then off on the Saw Mill Parkway. We took Saw Mill down to 87 and took the Tappan Zee bridge and then got on the Garden State Parkway. Took the GSP down to 95 and then finished the trip from there on 95 down to Florida.

This time I'm thinking about staying on 95 all the way back through to New Haven, getting on I91 and taking that back to 84. Then obviously 84 back to 90 to 495 to 95.

Anyone have any input? How is 95 going through NYC? Newark and Jersey City?

I'm planning on driving mostly at night, so the traffic will be a little bit better. I'm looking for the easiest possible route home, the route we took to get down here was easy enough, but didn't know if 95 all the way to New Haven would be quicker/easier..

[CalieCat]

We live in NW Georgia and these directions would be the ones that I personally would take, I just put in Freeport since I didn't know where you are heading:
Driving Directions from Woodstock, GA to Freeport, ME

I don't like taking the 84 route through Pennsylvania, BORING and I felt like it's added extra time onto our trip! Since you say you will be driving primarily at night I would think you should have smooth sailing through all the cities (barring an accident....).

[CalieCat]

Funny, when I put in Freeport as my destination I almost put in Belfast....I didn't see your profile that you ARE from Belfast!! We we up in May but didn't get a chance to come to Belfast....

[cdodge04]

Hey CalieCat,
Those directions seem pretty similiar to the ones we took to get down (in reverse obviously). I can't make up my mind if I really want to go the Tappan Zee bridge back though because it was crazy coming down. We took the TappanZee bridge at 2 or 3 in the morning, and they had the bridge down to 1 lane from 6. We had to wait in traffic for 45 minutes which was crazy for 2 or 3 in the morning. I'm afraid it might be that way on teh way home as well. We ran into A LOT of road construction on the way down on the route we took.

[cdodge04]

Haha Belfast is a pretty good stop, but if you guys made it to Camden then you aren't missing too much in Belfast. Belfast has some nice shops in the downtown, but other than that...there isn't much.


We stopped in Georgia at a store on the way down here to FL and met some of the absolute nicest people ever. I don't remember where it was, I'm thinking somewhere around Savannah...

[CalieCat]

I googled tappan zee bridge and found this:
Thruway Authority to Continue Tappan Zee Bridge Deck Replacement Project It looks like they will still be closing lanes in the evening during your drive...we drove through NY probably around lunch time and we didn't seem to get into too much traffic, moderatly heavy but no stalls.

We've taken the 84 route through PA 2 times and the other way 2 times and they both took about the same amount of time (even with traffic). For us 84 is way out of the way, too many added miles and driving at night it's harder to find places that we wanted to stop. You don't realize how big Virginia is until you go that route!

[StarlaJane]

I would suggest taking the Merrit Parkway instead of 95 to New Haven. If you do want to pick up 84 from New Haven, you actually have to get off in Hamden then take route 10 (Whitney Ave.) through Hamden to Cheshire, where you pick up 84. It's not the easiest thing in the world--there are signs but you have to pay attention when picking up 84 in Cheshire b/c there are some twists and turns. I'm not sure if it will save you time, but IMHO 84 is prettier than 95.

[mainebrokerman]

Originally Posted by cdodge04

Hey guys,
I'm going to be leaving here on Tuesday and coming back home to Maine. I'm thinking about taking a little bit different route though than when I came down. On the way down we did 95 to 495 then to 90 from there we took that over to 84 and onto 684, then off on the Saw Mill Parkway. We took Saw Mill down to 87 and took the Tappan Zee bridge and then got on the Garden State Parkway. Took the GSP down to 95 and then finished the trip from there on 95 down to Florida.

This time I'm thinking about staying on 95 all the way back through to New Haven, getting on I91 and taking that back to 84. Then obviously 84 back to 90 to 495 to 95.

Anyone have any input? How is 95 going through NYC? Newark and Jersey City?

I'm planning on driving mostly at night, so the traffic will be a little bit better. I'm looking for the easiest possible route home, the route we took to get down here was easy enough, but didn't know if 95 all the way to New Haven would be quicker/easier..

a few years back i drove thru n.y to jersey, most folks recommended going over the tappanzee (sp) bridge, not the george washington (bridge)
well, i missed my exit for the tapanzee and ended up going over the g.w.(bridge), what a nightmare, id rather have a root canal than go thru that mess again (highly recommend the tappanzee)

[retiredtinbender]

I've made a good amount of trips south from Eastport. to JJersey the 9 yrs I was stationed there, South carolina about once a year, and 4 years in Kennesaw/Vinings Georgia. I've been down I 87 to the GWB and Jersey Pike (Never again) and up I 95 through NYC (OH HE!! NO.). I always enjoyed I 84 to Scranton/Wilkes Barre and down I 81, I 40 (Tenn) to I 85 or 75. Gettysburg, caverns and mountains in Virginia, Chattanooga. I dislike the tolls on I 95 to Virginia and N. C. seems to last longer than Texas.

Callie, we used to ride the Ga mountains up to Jasper Galonaga(sic), Woodstock. Gorgeous riding. I used to work at the Home Depot in Woodstock.

[JC3]

Did the drive a about 6 yrs ago. Travelled at night and took the GW Bridge. At night it was not bad. I prefer the Tappanzee but decided to go 95 all the way. Jersey Turnpike moved right along too. Not sure how it is in CT now but that was the place where they were always doing road construction. I always planned my trip when heading south so I would make sure I was through DC before morning work traffic began.

First time I took 95 all the way south (was towing a bass boat), I got a few shocks. At each place I had to pay the tolls, I would tell the attendant, I didn't want to buy the bridge, just wanted to go over it.

Travel at night so you go through NY late and get through DC before working hours and you will be okay. I also found having a CB can be very helpful on those long trips. Many of the truckers are very helpful if you run into traffic tie ups or accidents or are lost.