Long Islanders (NY) who moved to Tennessee (Knoxville: safest, nicest)

[Mi shots]

What route did you travel to Tennessee. Which is the safest, fastest route?
Thanks

[46Barb]

PA Turnpike (I-76) west to Harrisburg. I-81 south which turns into I-40 west in Tennessee and continue on to Knoxville & Nashville.

When we made the trip down I asked and lots of truckers told me this route was better than going through WV & KY to get to the Nashville area.

[MetropolitanTN]

WV interstates are very curvy and can be scary for those unaccustomed.

Of course, you know to go through PA and not MD and DC.

[LauraC]

Originally Posted by Mi shots

What route did you travel to Tennessee. Which is the safest, fastest route?
Thanks

I usually stop in Maryland to visit before I come back to Tennessee from LI so I-95 south to the Washington Beltway to I-66 west to I-81 south to I-40 West. You may or may not have to get on I-40 depending where in TN you are going. Except for the Washington Beltway, which I despise, it's a very very easy trip. There are no tolls on that route in Virginia or Tennessee. You must exit I-66 and I-81 for gasoline.

If you can get to I-66 west or I-81 south without getting on the DC Beltway, do that. I only get on it because of my Maryland stop.

Whatever you do, don't drive south to North Carolina and then head west on I-40.

[MetropolitanTN]

I agree with Laura about avoiding 66 and the DC metro in general. Its easier, and faster I believe, to go through PA.

When I moved to NYC, from NE TN, years ago we'd drive through DC for the novelty. After the 2nd or 3rd time we'd seen enough and had our fun. We then decided to go through PA and save us the traffic, crazy drivers, and congestion in DC. We'd be getting enough of that in New York once we got there anyway.

[Mi shots]

Well I really want to avoid curvy roads or two lane roads on hills/cliffs. That freaks me out a bit.

Thank you for your answers. Will print out and take along for guidance.

How long did it take for you all from one point to Tennessee border?

[Pam& Bill]

Originally Posted by Mi shots

Well I really want to avoid curvy roads or two lane roads on hills/cliffs. That freaks me out a bit.

Thank you for your answers. Will print out and take along for guidance.

How long did it take for you all from one point to Tennessee border?

I'd say 12- 15 hours would be a good average.
Pam

[Kreutz]

I just happened to see this, I'm a Long Islander that moved to VA, do not take I-95S. This will take you through Emporia VA which is a massive speed-trap (especially with NY plates).

Take I-78W through NJ+PA and I-81S the rest of the way into TN. Your wallet will thank you.

Also, much less traffic.

[Mi shots]

Originally Posted by Kreutz

I just happened to see this, I'm a Long Islander that moved to VA, do not take I-95S. This will take you through Emporia VA which is a massive speed-trap (especially with NY plates).

Take I-78W through NJ+PA and I-81S the rest of the way into TN. Your wallet will thank you.

Also, much less traffic.

Thank you

[J&Em]

We took Kreutz's way more often than any other it was the nicest way to go.

I had to do many trips down 95 to the DC area, and south and it felt like one long traffic jam. Going on 95 through southern Jersery, and the piece covering the little bits of Delaware and Maryland there was always at least 2 or 3 radar traps which in turn would create more jams and slow downs. DC and the beltway area are also no fun, and 95 down to where you can pick up I-85 to get through NC to I-40 is also pretty heavily trafficked although it does seem to ease as you get closer to Richmond. If you have fears of mountain driving I-40 through the mountains might make you a little nervous.

I-78 seemed endless, especially from the point where it becomes I-81 as the PA area got flatter near Harrisburg but usually no heavy traffic and only a few speed traps now and then. There is less traffic most of the time until you hit the area around Hagerstown and Fredrick which always seemed to be very heavy. I-81 once you are out of the cities in the northern part of VA is a beautiful road with the Blue Ridge mountains to your left the whole time.

The roadway in southern VA gets more hilly with big curves, nothing scary and as you get to TN it goes back to flatter roadways with the mountains on the left. It does not get scary anywhere and it is an interstate so no worries about being narrow and over cliffs.

Time wise I can't say exactly because we came from further north in the Hudson Valley but from the Bear Mountain Bridge to the TN state line took just under 10 hours most of the time. Add city traffic when leaving LI should add maybe a half hour? Add close to 1.5 hours to get to Knoxville from the state border if you are heading our way.