Connecticut to Tampa

Nate and Shady wrote:
I recommend staying on I-81 into Virginia and then catching US17 in WInchester, VA and taking that to I-95 in Fredericksburg, VA. Or catching I-66 just south of Winchester, Va and then catch US17 off of that to I-95 in Fredericksburg, VA. Avoid I-270 and I-495 around DC unless you want to sit in traffic for a couple of hours. Just my opinion from living around the DC area.

Wow. Thanks everybody. Great routes.Over the years we've gone to Fl a bunch of ways but until last year (due to weather) we avoided 95 in the NY NJ etc. hassle like the plague.
I can't remember all the variations but a lot of times we overnighted at an Elks lodge in Va. - - Winchester or Fredericksburg maybe, to watch the playoffs. But I think that meant mountains.
Avoiding NYC, NJ Tpk, DC, and the mountains without adding hundreds of miles is what we tried to do. Heck, with the price of gas right now, maybe a few more miles is a good thing.:h
We may hit the road in time to celebrate New Years Eve at a Wal-Mart on the way down. Soooo, anybody going to be doing the same thing? Or are we completely nuts?
Bottom line: safe travels to you all and Happy New Year.

Be wary of taking I-287 over the Hudson River. The Tappan Zee Bridge can be a parking lot at certain times of the day and year. And now the bridge is under construction to be replaced, so it could even be worse. When I travel for work from NJ to Hartford, I always take Rt 15 (Merritt Parkway). I think since the road is a parkway it has restrictions on commercial vehicles, but I'm not sure about RVs. Some of the overpasses may be low. Additionally, there are sections that have sharp curves with little to no shoulders. I would think that would lead to a white-knuckle experience towing a TT.

The downside to I-81 through PA and on south is the amount of truck traffic. And much of the highway is only two lanes in each direction, so you tend to get stuck behind trucks passing other trucks in hilly sections. Make sure you have good sway control! :)