driving nova to nyc saturday morning (Chesapeake: how much, houses, bus)

[qwertman]

I'm probably going to be driving from nova to the nyc area (actually about an hour south of the city in jersey) saturday morning. Need to be there by 11AM. Google maps says 3 1/2 hours from the specific locations. how much time should I add for traffic?

Thanks.

[Bigfoot424]

I'd add an extra hour to be on the safe side. You never know what to expect in DE and Jersey but on a Sat morning it shouldn't be bad. I'd rather be early but that's me.

[normie]

An extra hour sounds about right. Plan to stop at Maryland House, that's the best of the rest stops (IMO). Here's another little tip about Maryland House--the cleanest and nicest restrooms are upstairs. Nobody ever goes up there, so you don't have long lines, either.

[normie]

Another tip--if you don't need to have a car while you're up there, try taking Vamoose. It's a van that goes from Rosslyn to Penn Station for $25.

[cdmurphy]

Originally Posted by normie

An extra hour sounds about right. Plan to stop at Maryland House, that's the best of the rest stops (IMO). Here's another little tip about Maryland House--the cleanest and nicest restrooms are upstairs. Nobody ever goes up there, so you don't have long lines, either.

We prefer Chesapeake House, because it's in the middle. Heading northbound, if people have been holding out for a bathroom, they stop at Maryland House. Southbound, Delaware House (plus Delaware House gets most of the coach bus traffic). So Chesapeake House has fewer people, plus Quiznos and a recently remodeled dining area.

qwertman - you should also factor in some additional time if you don't have a SmartTag/EZ-Pass (especially at the toll leaving Maryland/entering Delaware).

[normie]

Originally Posted by cdmurphy

We prefer Chesapeake House, because it's in the middle. Heading northbound, if people have been holding out for a bathroom, they stop at Maryland House. Southbound, Delaware House (plus Delaware House gets most of the coach bus traffic). So Chesapeake House has fewer people, plus Quiznos and a recently remodeled dining area.

qwertman - you should also factor in some additional time if you don't have a SmartTag/EZ-Pass (especially at the toll leaving Maryland/entering Delaware).

Good point. By the way, don't you think Maryland House, Delaware House, and Chesapeake House are the silliest names for rest stops? It always cracks me up to see the signs for those places.

[qwertman]

thanks for the info. I have stopped at one of those big rest stops in MD on my way to Atlantic city before - the one in the middle of the highway. never knew there was anything upstairs.

[cdmurphy]

Originally Posted by normie

Good point. By the way, don't you think Maryland House, Delaware House, and Chesapeake House are the silliest names for rest stops? It always cracks me up to see the signs for those places.

I was surprised when I first experienced the Houses and the NJ Turnpike rest stops. Everywhere else I have driven (all across the South and the Midwest), a rest stop is basically a cinder block shelter with dirty un-air-conditioned bathrooms and, if you're lucky, a vending machine or two. Of course, those are also not on toll roads, either.