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I am driving from Boston to Charleston SC for a vacation and wonder about the best route to take. I want to avoid the major cities and would like to leave on a Sunday and arrive on Monday.
What's the best route to avoid traffic? I'm thinking Mass Pike to 84 to TappanZee and ???
Any recommendations regarding a stopover city on the way down?
Thanks in advance.
I used to make that trip from here to Cape Cod. Route I used was Tappan Zee to GS Parkway. I95 into DC, then I think it was 495 around DC, back to 95 again. For me that was the easiest route. I once traveled 17 through NC I think? Not sure why I took that route, but never again. You go thru too many hick towns and sheriff's with 10gal hats chewing tobacco just looking for an out-of-state car to pounce on.
I haven't made that trip now in over 10yrs, I just fly! The hell with it
Oh yeah, no stop-overs. We did it straight thru. Lots of coffee
After the Tappanzee your gonna have to hop on 95. Thru DC stay on 495 around DC, I dont think its the belt way , go to the right. Virginia is a LOOOOOng rd. I would stop in Virginia some where. I did when we moved down here and it helps.
I drive up about once a year to check in on the office in New Hampshire that I work remotely from (I'm originally from Swampscott). I've never taken the GS Parkway, I take the Jersey Turnpike. I think it all depends what time you leave to coordinate when you're driving through the big cities. Last time we went up there we left Charleston at 4am and got to Melrose around 10pm (but we stopped in DC for an hour or so on the way).
As you get close to the DC area, take 495S to 95S. Stay on 95S until you hit 26E in South Carolina. 26East will take you right into downtown Charleston. It's about 8 hrs from D.C. to Charleston via that route.
From my experiences too, the worst part of the drive is going to be up in the Northeast. If you can avoid the traffic past NY it shouldn't be too bad. I agree on 495 around DC - we haven't hit traffic there on any trip (knock on wood).
My fiance and I nearly had heart attacks trying to get through NY to MA the last time we drove up. We apparently drive way too slow and carefully (and no, we're not old - in our late 20s). But that time it was really late at night so we took the GW, not the Tappan Zee. Couldn't wait to get back home to SC. We are definitely not city people/city drivers.
Yall are sending him through the worse traffic in the world, he said he wanted to avoid the major cities.....
Take the scenic route, it is about 100 miles longer and infinitely faster......
1.Head southwest on Tremont St toward School St0.8 mi
2.Turn right to stay on Tremont St299 ft
3.Take the 1st left to stay on Tremont St469 ft
4.Turn right at the 2nd cross street onto Marginal Rd322 ft
5.Take the ramp onto I-90 W Partial toll road 54.9 mi
6.Take exit 9 to merge onto I-84 W toward US-20/Hartford/New York City Partial toll road
Passing through Connecticut, New York
Entering Pennsylvania 231 mi
7.Take the exit on the left onto I-81 S toward Wilkes-Barre Passing through Maryland, West Virginia
Entering Virginia 400 mi
8.Exit onto US-220 Alt S/Roanoke Rd Continue to follow US-220 Alt S 3.0 mi
9.Make a U-turn at Summerfield Ct Continue to follow Cloverdale Rd 2.8 mi
10.Slight right onto the I-81 S/US-220 S ramp to Roanoke0.1 mi
11.Merge onto I-81 S68.6 mi
12.Take exit 81 to merge onto I-77 S toward Charlotte NC Passing through North Carolina
Entering South Carolina 229 mi
13.Take the exit toward I-26 E0.4 mi
14.Keep left at the fork, follow signs for I-26 E/Charleston and merge onto I-26 E105 mi
15.Take exit 221B on the left for Meeting St toward Visitor Center
I'm with OTC on this route, if you have to drive. I'm originally from Western MA and I must say this is a very scenic route, especially the Shenandoah Valley of VA. I'd driven it both ways and 95 is just plain awful from NY to VA. Yes, it is a longer distance to go through up and around, but you avoid all the horrible traffic areas of 95, you get a much nicer ride, and I think in the end it may be quicker in the long run because you are avoiding all the choke points on 95.
BUT, If you are able to fly, I'd recommend that first. It's a loooooong drive from MA to Charleston.
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Thanks for the Help
