Florida to Long Island Avoiding Tolls (bridges, plane, overnight, cheaper)

[RupertrepuR]

Hi, I'm wondering if anyone knows a way to drive from Florida to NY while avoiding the tolls. We drove up taking i95 in November and from I think Maryland up to NYC there were a bunch of tolls (some of them being pretty expensive) and would like to avoid them, yet at the same time not take too long to get there. We figure it usually takes 21 hours (if you don't stop at all) to get there, so we'd like to take no more than 25 hours (not including stops).

The main tolls we want to avoid are the ones getting to Long Island passing through NYC. If we enter NY by going through Westchester then going down to Long Island would it be cheaper than going straight into the city?

[stillkit]

You can take I-95 all the way up through Philadelphia to Trenton, NJ, then US-206 north through Princeton to Somerville, NJ. Follow the signs and they'll take you onto I-287 north around to Westchester County. You'll still pay a small toll for the 7 miles of Delaware Turnpike and for the Tappan Zee Bridge, but it will be a lot cheaper than the NJ Turnpike, which just had another toll increase.

Once across the Hudson, you can go down to Long Island via I-87, the Major Deegan Expwy through the Bronx and across the Tri-Borough Bridge, or stay on 287 to I-95 south and use either the Throgs Neck or Whitestone bridges out onto the island, depending upon where you're going.

But, remember that you can get onto Long Island without paying a bridge or tunnel toll, but you can't get off without paying one.

That route it quite a bit farther, though, and a little slower because of US-206. You be the judge whether it's worth it or not.

[Febtober]

I took I 81 the last time I drove from Manhattan to Atlanta and back instead of I 95. It's more inland and rural than 95. I found it more relaxing. I drove back from Atlanta overnight and there was no shortage of places to stop for gas.

I think there was a $1 toll somewhere in PA, and that was it until you hit the Hudson River crossings. If you're worried about the tolls on the crossings to get to LI, you could take the Holland Tunnel into the city (which you'll have to pay the toll for) and you should be toll free after that if you take the Brooklyn/Manhattan/Williamsburg bridge, as none of those have tolls.

If you try to go up through Westchester, you'll be paying twice, once for the Tappan Zee, then again for the Triboro/Whitestone/Throgs Neck.

Really for the amount of money you'll be spending in gas, I would just take I 81 to avoid most of the tolls, then not sweat the nearly unavoidable ones as you get into the city proper.

[StephPI]

i'm driving from florida to long island, helping a friend move back with a 12' budget trailer, honda crv following..I just want someone to please tell me, the easiest, less stressful way to get there...up 77 to 81, hit Luray Caverns, OR, go through the chesapeake tunnel to a ferry, OR, just stay on I-95, but, DC & Baltimore are a concern...Geez, I'm just helping a friend move back to where everyone wants to leave....I personally, want to make something more of this trip, but, I have a short time frame, out of florida driving to long island on tuesday, out by plane on saturday.

[Blessed1]

I'm taking the almost exact trip next weekend. I take 95 to Baltimore, then 83N into PA. In Harrisburg, I pick up 81 for a short distance then pick up 78. I'm going to southern CT, so I take 287 to the Tappan Zee bridge. Much less tolls and traffic and just a little out of the way.
Have a safe trip!