SE New England to Charlotte, NC (Carowinds)

ct1964ups wrote:

ChooChooMan74 wrote:
We have a Coaster Crew event coming up in a few weeks at Carowinds in Charlotte, NC. Still debating on my route. I95 to I85 seems flatter, but round trip tolls will cost me over $180. I81 to I77 is a bit longer, and probably hillier, and avoids most Metro areas. Any input? Towing a Roo 183 with a Jeep Liberty Diesel.

We do this trip through there maybe 4 or 5 times a year from western Ct...I would suggest that you come down 95 from RI to rt 9 ,to 91 south to 691 to 84,then stay on 84 to Newburgh,NY....there go south on 87 to Sufferin,NY and take 287 west to 78,,,roughly 45 miles to 78....stay on 78 to 81....stay on 81 to 77 in Wythesville,Va...77 straight down to your destination....also many campgrounds to chose from..IM me if you want any info
Now, coming home...if you want to go to Kings Dominion....go the by-pass out of campground to 85 to 95 up to Kings..straight thru Richmond as all the construction is done ..we just came thru there last Friday...when you leave Kings go up 95 to Spotavanya,Va and take rt 17 north toward Warrenton,Va to I-66 to I-81...and just repeat the above directions in reverse....
We use both of these routes..switching back and forth for a change
Chuck

Thank you for the tips. Much appreciated. Since we are leaving Mid Week, we are going to drive til we can't any longer. We should be able to find a campground with a vacancy on a Thursday.

ChooChooMan74 wrote:
We have a Coaster Crew event coming up in a few weeks at Carowinds in Charlotte, NC. Still debating on my route. I95 to I85 seems flatter, but round trip tolls will cost me over $180. I81 to I77 is a bit longer, and probably hillier, and avoids most Metro areas. Any input? Towing a Roo 183 with a Jeep Liberty Diesel.

We do this trip through there maybe 4 or 5 times a year from western Ct...I would suggest that you come down 95 from RI to rt 9 ,to 91 south to 691 to 84,then stay on 84 to Newburgh,NY....there go south on 87 to Sufferin,NY and take 287 west to 78,,,roughly 45 miles to 78....stay on 78 to 81....stay on 81 to 77 in Wythesville,Va...77 straight down to your destination....also many campgrounds to chose from..IM me if you want any info
Now, coming home...if you want to go to Kings Dominion....go the by-pass out of campground to 85 to 95 up to Kings..straight thru Richmond as all the construction is done ..we just came thru there last Friday...when you leave Kings go up 95 to Spotavanya,Va and take rt 17 north toward Warrenton,Va to I-66 to I-81...and just repeat the above directions in reverse....
We use both of these routes..switching back and forth for a change
Chuck

If you are leaving at midnight just stay on 95 not much traffic at that hour. If you are looking to avoid the tolls that I can't help you with. I take 95 because it is the most direct route and shortest, that and I travel at night.

Actually, if you catch 95 to Old Lyme, you can take route 9 to 84.

Crabbypatty wrote:
I would do 84>287>78>81>77. Unfortunately for us we live on Long Island so we have to drive, I mean sit through the snarl getting off LI. Our last trip south having done the I95 route to many frustrating times, we went 78 to 81 south to 66 to Fredericksburg KOA. our favorite layover when we went to Charleston. However there are cg's down 81 so I would go to 77. It is longer but the same time as your actually driving and not sitting in traffic Jams. I95 is just horrible southbound all the way to Richmond VA. Avoid it like the plague.

Happy Trails

84 is a little out of the way from my parts, and if all goes right with work, I hope to be on the road by the time Cinderella's chariot turns into a pumpkin. But, if things go wrong, I guess 95>9>84....

I would do 84>287>78>81>77. Unfortunately for us we live on Long Island so we have to drive, I mean sit through the snarl getting off LI. Our last trip south having done the I95 route to many frustrating times, we went 78 to 81 south to 66 to Fredericksburg KOA. our favorite layover when we went to Charleston. However there are cg's down 81 so I would go to 77. It is longer but the same time as your actually driving and not sitting in traffic Jams. I95 is just horrible southbound all the way to Richmond VA. Avoid it like the plague.

Happy Trails

Thanks for the input. Tentative plans call for us leaving around midnight on Wednesday into Thursday and take 95 from Providence to NY, then, take 287 over the Tappan Zee to 80 (or was it 78) to 81. I checked US 50 to 17 and that adds 60 miles to the trip. Would that 60 extra miles outweigh any grades on I81 or I77? But that looks like a very feasible option coming home, since we are doing Kings Dominion on the way home.

I, like the others, would take I-81 over I-95 any day with an RV. Baltimore, DC, and NYC are not fun driving even in a car.

If you have some extra time, you might want to swing a little bit into Pennsylvania and stop at Knoebels and/or HersheyPark. Both have excellent coasters (as you're probably well aware), and both have campgrounds associated with them. I think I'd have to say the Phoenix at Knoebels is my #1 favorite roller coaster of those I've ridden on thus far.

We also avoid 95 like the plague and take 84 (you can also take 91 through CT). From 84 go to 287 over the Tappan Zee, down 287 to 78 to 81. From there I'm not sure because we always went to the coast. It does take you through some of the major cities in CT-they aren't that difficult to navigate but there can be traffic. You also go through Harrisburg, also fairly easy to get through. Going that route takes you right by Cabela's in Hamburg, PA. There are two places you can stop-Cherry Hill Park in College Park, MD, but that means some time on the Beltway in MD. Not a big deal at non-peak times. The other is Pine Hill campground in Kutztown, PA on 78. Inexpensive pull-through sites, very clean, great staff and lots of fireflies! Bare-bones but perfect for just an over-nighter.

We avoid I95 like the plague. We take I84. You have a choice to get to I81 south; go through Scranton or go south on I87 - I287 - I80. We did I84 to Scranton last weekend the road south out of Scranton was miserable. We came back I80 to 287.

From I81, you can take US50 out of Winchester VA to US17 and reconnect to I95 in Fredricksburg. This misses most of the major traffic headaches.