Road trip , Boston to PG (Jacksonville, Gainesville: lawyers, inspection, legal)

[justNancy]

Originally Posted by manugit

Happy holiday fellow Punta Gordians, making my 1st road trip on xmas day eve to see the progress of my new home. No special road trip adventure , I95 is the plan, but looking for any suggestions for a safe trip. Leaving Boston at 10pm on 12/25 , headed for Fayetteville NC we get some zzzz,s. Then head for the Wyvern in PG for a few days. I'm a rookie so I welcome your thoughts thanx

I always try to avoid I-4, but there will be construction projects in Orlando during your time of travel per the link below which will make conditions worse. 301 or I-10 from Jacksonville are better routes. It's a personal choice. 301 is shorter, but it has more stops because you'll be driving through towns with lower speed limits and traffic lights. However, it also breaks up the monotony of driving on an interstate.

[URL="http://www.i4exitguide.com/roadnews/major-detours-closures-4-construction-orlando/"]MAJOR DETOURS AND CLOSURES FOR I-4 CONSTRUCTION IN ORLANDO
[/URL]

[QuilterChick]

Originally Posted by SeaRay35

Dam, QC I thought I drove fast. 19 hrs from Boston to PG wow!

You can make good time on 81, there are no hangups; but remember, I head out from Prov. and leave early a.m. Add one hour from Boston. (GPS/nav. makes life easier.)

No restaurant stops, I take a small Coleman cooler holds a sandwich and a can of Sprite, plus the requisite dark chocolate Mounds bar, and only stop for a rest room break. I keep the speed limit and forge ahead; might drift up to 70/75 now and then if necessary; and only drive during daytime. (I've done that 301 thru Ocala and Gainesville, to me it's not worth it. I don't like to go thru 'towns'.) The other posters are spot on, stay away from Rt. 4 at any time of the year. I would strongly advise staying away from Atlanta Rt.85 (you can take the ring road which I believe is 585 if you absolutely have to go that way). Atlanta is a major migraine. Going anywhere near TN is plain silly ... you are too far west. You can pick up I-26 So. at the Johnson City TN/Asheville exit at 81 is best, plus NC has the best roads and scenery galore.

Why not go one of the routes suggested on here, and drive back one of the other routes to determine which you like best. Best wishes on your new place in PG. (Repeat: "I will NOT get a speeding ticket in the South" .... )

[MikeM8560]

Originally Posted by double6's

.orange county ny to pc would be two night lay over for me..I don't like to push myself too much.

I did Clearwater to NH straight thru 26 hours once never ever again

[MikMal]

Originally Posted by Montycjv

I'll be driving from Orange County NY to Port Charlotte this week also...Plan is to leave on Thursday afternoon and try and time it right getting thru the Washington D.C. area by 7pm on Thursday......

If you're planning on getting thru the DC area by 7 PM, good luck. Rush hour backups thru Baltimore and around DC start around 4 PM and easily last past 6:30 or 7. My suggestion would be that if you can't make it past the area by 4, then avoid the entire area. It isn't rush hour there; it's rush hours.

[blare246]

Originally Posted by Montycjv

I'll be driving from Orange County NY to Port Charlotte this week also...Plan is to leave on Thursday afternoon and try and time it right getting thru the Washington D.C. area by 7pm on Thursday. I'd like to take 95 South, but very concerned about the traffic at that time around Washington and Fredricksburg. Was hoping to make it to Rocky Mount on night #1 Then day 2 straight to Port Charlotte.

My alternative is heading to 81 South thru PA, Maryland, West Virginia, then Virginia. Jump on 77 thru Charlotte and eventually back on 95 South near Columbia, SC area. This adds 75 miles to the trip vs. 95 South from NY, but I may end up ahead of the game with traffic...

I welcome any other suggestions...doing this ride solo, except for 2 dogs riding with me....rest of the family gets to fly in..lucky me.

I have to agree with MikMal about DC traffic. I lived in the DC area for nearly 30 years before moving down here last February. Normally, rush hour traffic begins on 95S around 3 PM. Given that you plan on leaving the Thursday afternoon before Christmas (along with millions of other drivers), you may want to rethink the plan. If at all possible, you might want to start the trip really early either on Thursday or Friday so you hit the DC area well before afternoon rush hour. If you must leave Thursday afternoon, I'd recommend timing it so you hit the DC area after 7 PM.

Taking 81S might be a better alternative if you want to avoid major traffic. Let's face it, you probably will have steady traffic on 95 from Philly to Fredericksburg, especially given the time of year. Also, although you'll have to contend with truckers on 81, it will probably still be faster than 95. (When we drive up to the mid-Atlantic, we usually do the 95-20-77-81 route just because it's a prettier drive.)

However you end up traveling...be safe!

[QuilterChick]

Originally Posted by Montycjv

I'll be driving from Orange County NY to Port Charlotte this week also...Plan is to leave on Thursday afternoon and try and time it right getting thru the Washington D.C. area by 7pm on Thursday. I'd like to take 95 South, but very concerned about the traffic at that time around Washington and Fredricksburg. Was hoping to make it to Rocky Mount on night #1 Then day 2 straight to Port Charlotte.

My alternative is heading to 81 South thru PA, Maryland, West Virginia, then Virginia. Jump on 77 thru Charlotte and eventually back on 95 South near Columbia, SC area. This adds 75 miles to the trip vs. 95 South from NY, but I may end up ahead of the game with traffic...

I welcome any other suggestions...doing this ride solo, except for 2 dogs riding with me....rest of the family gets to fly in..lucky me.

This is exactly what you northerners don't want to experience driving to FL via Rt. 95. .... and it's usually the 4-wheelers (not the 18-wheelers) that cause the problems.

Massive 55-car pileup in Baltimore causes closure of I-95

[born01930]

I drove Gloucester MA to PG straight through, followed the frog mans route. Left at 4AM arrived almost exactly 24hrs later. Not too bad...did it on a Sunday to avoid the D.C. traffic. Pack some chocolate covered espresso beans for energy, or be sensible and take 2 or 3 days to do it.

[mr&mrssunshine]

Rarely do I post anything sensible, buts it worrying seeing people claiming to drive 24 hours non stop. if I posted I drove all the way drunk,there would be an outcry but after a whole day at the wheel your reactions have to be at their lowest.




as the old joke goes " granddad died peacefully in his sleep, the 3 passengers were screaming in terror" !!


surely a stop or 3 is common sense ?

[Montycjv]

Thanks all for the advice. I've rethought my plans and will now get on the road by 6:00am Thursday morning and begin the drive south from New York. That should put me in the DC Metro area around 11am....then hopefully clear sailing from there.


I'm not going to push it...driving in daylight only so I'll find a motel along 95 South wherever I end up...then into PC/Punta Gorda by 4pm on Friday. At least that's the plan.


Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all...safe travels. I'll be glad to hit warmer weather this weekend, woke up this morning in Middletown NY and it was 3 degrees!

[blare246]

Originally Posted by Montycjv

That should put me in the DC Metro area around 11am....then hopefully clear sailing from there.

That's a good time to hit the DC area. Midday has far less traffic! Something to remember...when you're driving in southern Virginia (around mile marker 20), keep an eye on your speed. The cops in Emporia seem to make most of their money by nabbing speeders.

Safe travels!