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Take I-90 to I-84. (Sturbridge)
I-84 to I-81 (Scranton)
I-81 to I-77 (Ft. Chiswell, VA)
I-77 to I-26 (Columbia SC)
I-26 to I-95 (near Santee SC)
I-95 to I-10 (Jacksonville FL)
I-10 to US 310 South to Ocala
Pretty good, but I hate getting that far out of the way But my way does take another hour according to Google LOL
Pike -> 84 -> 81, but then I'd take 684 to the Tappan Zee -> 287 -> US-206 -> 95 through Philadelphia which can be dicey -> DE-1/US-113/US-13 over the Chesapeake in Virginia Beach -> 64/264/US-58 -> 95 the rest of the way
I haven't done that drive, but I want to point out that the few times we have been on 81 in Virginia, it seemed that every other car was a state trooper either pulling someone over, or about to pull someone over. So I would definitely stay with traffic.
Then again, in this covide era, maybe the traffic won't be so limiting.
Take I-90 to I-84. (Sturbridge)
I-84 to I-81 (Scranton)
I-81 to I-77 (Ft. Chiswell, VA)
I-77 to I-26 (Columbia SC)
I-26 to I-95 (near Santee SC)
I-95 to I-10 (Jacksonville FL)
I-10 to US 310 South to Ocala
This indirect routing is only 2 hours longer (21 hrs vs. 19 hrs) than taking I-95 all the way from Boston to Jacksonville FL.
I have driven this route from CT many times. I-81 is beautiful as it goes along the Shenandoah river valley and looks up to the Blue Ridge Mountains. The drive from I-77 from VA down into NC is as stunning and it is very down: use low gear.
I-81 is also a better road bed than I-95, which goes through every major city along the east coast. I-81 generally has fewer trucks than I-95.
Oh, did I mention that I-95 has a gazillion tolls, and not cheap 25 cent tolls - each toll is a few dollars. Really adds up. This alternate has NO Tolls once you cross the Hudson River.
Two hours more and a more picturesque, quieter ride. That's a trade off I have willingly made many times.
We travel from Jacksonville, Florida each Christmas and summers and this is the way we go home to Rhode Island pretty much except for the last 100 or so miles. Maybe we deviate a bit but it has always been the best route.
In the past we used to religiously take I-95 even experimenting with our travel hours and even driving straight through several times but traffic, construction and accidents have led us to go what we call the back way to protect our sanity.
Good luck on your upcoming trip!
PS. Trust me on this one, South Carolina’s I-95 is two lane and a wicked hot mess during the holidays. You can be literally traveling at 40 MPH for miles. Once everyone hits Georgia and the lanes open it is like NASCAR!
Through the NOVA corridor, the EZ Pass will only help after 12 noon.
Was not my point: EZ Pass works for NYC/metro NJ bridges, NJ Turnpike, MD I-95/Tunnels, et al...
Was not pitching the EZ Pass high toll 'lane'. It simply saves getting in lines to pay cash and several of the EZPass tolls have drive through at road speed 'collector' bridges overhead.
We do this run, VA to NY/NJ and back, several times per summer.
GL, mD
Was not my point: EZ Pass works for NYC/metro NJ bridges, NJ Turnpike, MD I-95/Tunnels, et al...
Was not pitching the EZ Pass high toll 'lane'. It simply saves getting in lines to pay cash and several of the EZPass tolls have drive through at road speed 'collector' bridges overhead.
We do this run, VA to NY/NJ and back, several times per summer.
GL, mD
I am aware of that. I was speaking specifically of the NOVA corridor.
I do love the drive through Fancy Gap in particular. And I would agree that its a much nicer, though longer drive. A couple things the OP should keep in mind ... stretches through PA/VA/part of NC can be long and boring. Cows and semis for hours. Also OP, be sure to check the weather report for the mountains. The Blue Ridge in inclement weather isn't for the faint of heart. There's nothing like creeping down the mountain in rainy or icy fog with 18 wheelers breathing down your neck. LOL!
There are certain highways (US 40 over Loveland Pass in Colorado; US 209 between Stroudsburg and Matamoras, PA (the Ho Chi Minh trail), and US 52 at Fancy Gap) which became legendary in the world of those who earn a living by "hossing" 40 tons of freight over a less-than-perfect terrain.
Fortunately, most of them have been replaced with interstate-grade highways; but it still helps to convey that you're aware of your surroundings to the other fellow. This is why 18-wheelers sometimes flash their lights at the other fellow when passing,
Take I-90 to I-84. (Sturbridge)
I-84 to I-81 (Scranton)
I-81 to I-77 (Ft. Chiswell, VA)
I-77 to I-26 (Columbia SC)
I-26 to I-95 (near Santee SC)
I-95 to I-10 (Jacksonville FL)
I-10 to US 310 South to Ocala
This indirect routing is only 2 hours longer (21 hrs vs. 19 hrs) than taking I-95 all the way from Boston to Jacksonville FL.
I have driven this route from CT many times. I-81 is beautiful as it goes along the Shenandoah river valley and looks up to the Blue Ridge Mountains. The drive from I-77 from VA down into NC is as stunning and it is very down: use low gear.
I-81 is also a better road bed than I-95, which goes through every major city along the east coast. I-81 generally has fewer trucks than I-95.
Oh, did I mention that I-95 has a gazillion tolls, and not cheap 25 cent tolls - each toll is a few dollars. Really adds up. This alternate has NO Tolls once you cross the Hudson River.
Two hours more and a more picturesque, quieter ride. That's a trade off I have willingly made many times.
I would take a similar route but leave I81 to head east on I66 until Route 17 which will take you to I95 in Fredericksburg. This routing keeps you away from NYC, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington and is a little shorter than Lillie's route and less likely to have weather problems. No tolls the rest of the way. I also would look to stop in North Carolina to make it in two days to Ocala.
There are a number of ways you can go for the Boston- Baltimore portion, many of which have been mentioned here. But for the remainder, there aren't a whole lot of options. It's mostly going to be 95 to Jacksonville.
From Boston to NYC I'd avoid 95 like the plague, which it is, given all the trucks. Much better to take mass pike to 84 to 91 south to the Merritt Parkway to the Hutch to the Cross County west to 9 south to the GW Bridge. A morning departure will get you to NYC mid-day with tolerable traffic unless there's an accident. No good way to avoid the NJT unless you go waaay out of the way. It's a punishing drive, with all the traffic to dodge, so I'd suggest not pushing it, and stopping around DC for the night. That way you'll avoid the evening outbound traffic from DC to VA, and be in counter-flow the next morning.
I've driven between Boston and DC more times than I care to admit, and recognize that there's no good way to get around NYC or northeast traffic problems. The alternatives that look good on a map are terrible on the ground and just as traffic and truck clogged as the NJT is. For instance, on 81 you're likely to spend a good deal of your time in the passing lane travelling way below the speed limit in a long line of traffic lead by a truck passing an even slower truck. And for that privilege you'll add hours to your trip.
I've driven between Boston and DC more times than I care to admit, and recognize that there's no good way to get around NYC or northeast traffic problems. The alternatives that look good on a map are terrible on the ground and just as traffic and truck clogged as the NJT is. For instance, on 81 you're likely to spend a good deal of your time in the passing lane travelling way below the speed limit in a long line of traffic lead by a truck passing an even slower truck. And for that privilege you'll add hours to your trip.
Gah. One time returning from Philadelphia, Google took me into Staten Island, over the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge into Brooklyn, over the Brooklyn Bridge, FDR Drive to 87/Cross Country/Hutchinson/Merritt Pkwy. It was something.
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But my way does take another hour according to Google LOL
