route suggestions for ME to FL at the end of 2015...

Road condition on I81 is very bad between Scranton and I80. Lots of construction, very rough pavement, concrete barriers with very narrow lanes and no shoulders. It beat us to death on the way up to Maine this year. Came back I87/287/78 to I81 just north of Harrisburg. Time it for non rush hour and its an easy drive. From I81 I cross over to I95 on I66 and Rt 17. Got gas for $1.90 on I95 in S. Carolina. S Carolina has ground off the rough concrete and Ga and Fla are 3 lanes wide.

I've done

* I84-I81
* I84-I87-I287-I80-I81
* I84-I87-I287-I78-I81

The routes using 287 aren't too bad traffic wise. I've done them on a weekday afternoon (not rush hour). I'd choose that over the rough conditions and road construction on I81 south of Scranton. Also, I84 in eastern PA is frequently channeled down to one lane for bridge rebuilding, making this route even slower.

Another way to bypass Scranton is to take 209 down to E. Stroudsburg and hook up with I80 there.

For getting back to I95, I like taking US50 out of Winchester VA to hook up with US17 to Fredricksburg. Very scenic.

Personally I don't think 287 is far enough outside of NYC. I would stay on I84 to I81. You can then decide to travel I81s to I64 to I95 or if you want the more scenic route you can take US 15 south to US 17 to I95.

cdbinns wrote:
We live in Maine and travel often to the northern Virginia area west of Washington, DC. Our favorite route is 295/95 through Maine and NH. Through MA we take I-495 to I-90 W (Mass Pike) to I-84 W. We stay on I-84 all the way to Scranton, PA where we take I-81 S. We turn onto I-83 and US 15 near Harrisburg, PA, but since you want to continue on to Florida, you could continue south on I-81 and then take I-64 east to get back to I-95 near Richmond. That route goes further west so its longer, but Virginia is pretty. You'll have more large truck traffic on that route, but you will miss, NYC, Philadelphia and Washington, DC. Hartford, CT can be congested if you hit it during rush hour.

I live in Florida and have family in Mass. This is the route I would recommend, too. I HATED I-95 and usually got stuck in traffic and construction between Boston and DC. The route described above takes you around most big cities and it's a nicer route. Great scenery as you drive through the Shenandoah Valley.

We live in Maine and travel often to the northern Virginia area west of Washington, DC. Our favorite route is 295/95 through Maine and NH. Through MA we take I-495 to I-90 W (Mass Pike) to I-84 W. We stay on I-84 all the way to Scranton, PA where we take I-81 S. We turn onto I-83 and US 15 near Harrisburg, PA, but since you want to continue on to Florida, you could continue south on I-81 and then take I-64 east to get back to I-95 near Richmond. That route goes further west so its longer, but Virginia is pretty. You'll have more large truck traffic on that route, but you will miss, NYC, Philadelphia and Washington, DC. Hartford, CT can be congested if you hit it during rush hour.

We travel to Florida each winter. We can't rely on inland routes do to unpredictable weather. Therefore, this is how we get there: MassPike to I-84. I-84 to I-87. I-87 to I-287. I-287 all the way to NJ Trpke. (I-95). I-95 to Florida. We use I-695 outerbelt to get around Baltimore. I-495 outerbelt to get around DC and I-295 to get around Richmond. We camp at Timberlane CG. in Clarksboro,NJ. Then KOA Enfield/Rocky Mount in Enfield,NC; next KOA-Savannah South in Richmond Hills,GA. The next day we're in Florida. Safe Travels.