New England (Cape Cod)to Florida in Feb

lucy6194 wrote:
Thinking about a trip from Cape Cod to Ft Myers in Mid Feb. pulling 5th wheel. What is best route. Questions re New York,Baltimore, D.C. bridges, tunnels etc. not newbies just never done this route before. Also worried about un winderizing.

I see lots of 5th wheels and big ol class "A"s traveling on 95 up until the border of NYS. It's skirting NYC that you want to get around.

How about 95 to 495 to Mass Pike to 84 to 91 to 15 back to 95? Stay off the GWB at allll costs due to high winds, tons of traffic and tractor trailers that think they own the road.

Take I-84 - I-81 - I-77 to I-75 ... not nearly as much traffic and construction.

Some construction in Pennsylvania on I-84 that might be finished now -- but not a long one, and then it's pretty well clear all the way south.

IF you take I I-95, you will have lots of tolls, it's not faster, and traffic will stress you out so bad you'll want to turn around.

Just watch the weather, and don't travel on snow days -- the interstate system plows regularly, so the roads stay in good condition for driving as long as you plan well.

I traveled from Cape Cod to Tampa multiple times a year for over fifteen years in all seasons -- and got out of that I-95 route quickly. Just watch the weather, don't get caught in snow, wait it out until the roads clear. Good luck ...

monkey44 wrote:
Take I-84 - I-81 - I-77 to I-75 ... not nearly as much traffic and construction.

I second this route. Much nicer and more scenic drive.

We do I-195 to I-95 in Providence, then pick up Rt 9 i New London to I-84. You can continue to Wilkes and down I-81 but take US 17 south from Winchester to hook back up to I-95 south of DC. This misses NYC and DC altogether.

If you are planning on staying in an RV park/campground be aware that almost all are closed in Feb.
NORMANDY FARMS used to be open all winter but someone posted a while back that they don't now. You might want to call them. They are in Foxboro which is a ways from Cape Cod. I don't know of any others that are open.

Sounds like you need to leave about 3 months earlier.

Ken

jplante4 wrote:
We do I-195 to I-95 in Providence, then pick up Rt 9 i New London to I-84. You can continue to Wilkes and down I-81 but take US 17 south from Winchester to hook back up to I-95 south of DC. This misses NYC and DC altogether.

Right, misses DC, but they're heading to the Bay side of Florida, so to go down I-81 and I-77 and pickup I-75 all the way south. Makes no sense to go to I-81, then back to the coast, then back across the state again.

And, I-95 is traffic, traffic, traffic - where I-75 is only traffic near the major cities.

Normandy Farms is closed from 12/1 thru 4/1. They stopped opening year round a couple of years ago now.

Clay L wrote:
If you are planning on staying in an RV park/campground be aware that almost all are closed in Feb.
NORMANDY FARMS used to be open all winter but someone posted a while back that they don't now. You might want to call them. They are in Foxboro which is a ways from Cape Cod. I don't know of any others that are open.

monkey44 wrote:
Right, misses DC, but they're heading to the Bay side of Florida, so to go down I-81 and I-77 and pickup I-75 all the way south. Makes no sense to go to I-81, then back to the coast, then back across the state again.

And, I-95 is traffic, traffic, traffic - where I-75 is only traffic near the major cities.

Got it, but I'd be worried about weather in February. The coastal plain east of 81 might be a better choice and you could shoot over to 75 further south.

Leave early on a Sunday, use the Tapanzee bridge to avoid GWB and then head straight down...... You'll be able to get past DC that first day and from there it's a breeeze to FL using 95. We took the western option one time and vowed that we'd never do it again. To each his own, eh? ;-)