Memorial Day weekend traffic (Chesapeake, Richmond: home, buy, restaurant)

[Melbourne Family]

Hi,

Planning to head away for the memorial day weekend, looking at either Cambridge MD or Charlottesville VA. Any suggestions on which would be a better option with regards to holiday traffic. Won't be leaving home until around 4-5pm Friday.

Thanks for your help

[car54]

You'll hit the Ocean City beach traffic heading to Cambridge....

[ChristineVA]

95 Southbound will be gridlocked at that time. Usually there is a Springfield, VA to Richmond VA backup on that Friday before Memorial Day.

[Alanboy395]

Originally Posted by Melbourne Family

Hi,

Planning to head away for the memorial day weekend, looking at either Cambridge MD or Charlottesville VA. Any suggestions on which would be a better option with regards to holiday traffic. Won't be leaving home until around 4-5pm Friday.

Thanks for your help

I'd go with Cambridge. I-95 S btwn Springfield and Richmond is a parking lot on ANY Friday around 4pm let alone Memorial Day Friday. I'm heading to the Hampton/Chesapeake, VA area two weeks after Memorial Day and i'm taking Amtrak down there this time to avoid the traffic. The last time i went down there i left at 1:30 on a Summer Friday afternoon from King St on 395 and didnt get to Chesapeake until 7 pm. I-95 S on Friday? No thanks!

[springfieldva]

Instead of 95, you could take 66W to 29S to get to Charlottesville. There would probably still be a whole lot of traffic but it wouldn't be as bad as 95.

[car54]

Originally Posted by springfieldva

Instead of 95, you could take 66W to 29S to get to Charlottesville. There would probably still be a whole lot of traffic but it wouldn't be as bad as 95.

Yeah, Route 29 South is the way to go to C'ville...I-95 wouldn't even occur to me for that destination. And if 66 is messed up, just take 29 all the way.


Hey Mel, if you go to Cambridge, be sure and take a sidetrip to St. Michael's....it's a GREAT Bay town! And stop at Knapp's Narrows (Tilghman Island) and just nextdoor is Dogwood Harbor where the last of the Chesapeake Bay skipjacks lie.

We and another couple are going to cruise to St. Michael's as is our annual custom. If you stop by look for a big, old wooden powerboat tied up at or near the Crab Claw restaurant....I'll buy ya's some crabs!

[Melbourne Family]

Thanks for the replies! Yes we were planning to go via 29 all the way if Charlottesville was the winner.

How long do you think we should plan on in taking to get there in comparision to getting to Cambridge? Still really like the idea of heading to Cambridge but if it's going to be an extra hour or so in the car with a tired toddler then Charlottesville wins hands down!

[michgc]

I would definitely not go to Cambridge on Memorial Day Weekend unless there was a specific reason you had to be there that weekend. The traffic will be an absolute nightmare. Save that area for early Fall when traffic has died down and it's still nice there.

From Vienna, it takes us about 2 hours to get to Charlottesville - taking I-66 to Route 29 South during non-rush hour. We go down there a lot. There is so much to do and it's a beautiful drive!

[Melbourne Family]

Originally Posted by michgc

I would definitely not go to Cambridge on Memorial Day Weekend unless there was a specific reason you had to be there that weekend. The traffic will be an absolute nightmare. Save that area for early Fall when traffic has died down and it's still nice there.

From Vienna, it takes us about 2 hours to get to Charlottesville - taking I-66 to Route 29 South during non-rush hour. We go down there a lot. There is so much to do and it's a beautiful drive!

Thanks for the info, looks like Charlottesville will be the winner!

[horseplayer]

As much as free crabs sounds great, it would take more than that to get me out there on Memorial Weekend. If Charlottesville is too busy; Harrisonburg is only an hour, and then only two hours back to NoVa.