Harrisburg Pa to Kissimmee, Fl Best Route/Issues

[PaYahoo101]

We plan to head south Dec. 27 early AM. My thoughts are I-81 to I-66 to Rt 17 to I-95 into Fla and then I-4. Any alternate suggestions? Any issues you know of? Hoping for good weather and dry roads. We will either do the trip in 2 or max 3 days. Thinking of overnight at either Fayetteville, NC or Florence, SC.
Wish we were already there but have to work around Hunting Season and Christmas with Family.

[PaYahoo101]

thanks for sharing your experiences. Last year we went down 81 to 77 to 26 to 95, very non eventful. We came back 95.
We traveled down last year a few days after Jan 1.
Hoping going between the holidays this year is not a big mistake, but one way or the other, we will get there.
Merry Christmas All

[Roadpilot]

We tried all the routes also. Conceptually I like the 17 to 95 route, but it never fails, over the last few years that as soon as we hit 95 the traffic stops for hours. It clears up by Richmond. The route with the fewest surprises is 81 to 77 to 26. Occasionally on the long hill we'll either hit weather or an accident but it's rare.

We never go through or around Balt or DC, because of past experiences.

[don_b1]

We have tried all three of the routes suggested and they all have good and bad points. I prefer the 81,66,17 and 95 route but they all will get you there with not a whole lot of mileage difference. The 77 and 26 way will have a chance of some bad road conditions on the 7 mile hill but other than that it is a scenic route. I hope you don't have too many traffic issues. We used to go between the holidays and it seems at the time we attempted it the traffic was a nightmare, everyone had the same idea it seemed. You will find a lot of the football bowl games are taking place and people taking advantage of the time off from work I am guessing. We were not too bad until we got south of Richmond and from there to Georgia traffic would just stop for no apparent reason other than too many cars and not enough traffic lanes. The traffic did start to move once we hit Georgia and the three or four lane road helped get things moving again. We did the 77 and 26 route one year also and it was a parking lot on 26 for miles waiting to get on 95 also, and this was late at night. I hope you have better luck than I did for the three years I went during that time frame, I now go in October. I am guessing people will tell you they went the same time and had no problems. I hope you will be one of those and have a pleasant and safe trip, good luck.

[soren]

I have done the trip, starting from about 100 miles NE of Harrisburg, every year for the last 15, or so. I tried all different routes, and finally settled on the one listed by rrupert. The key to keeping the journey as pleasant as possible is to spent the least amount of time on 95 as you possibly can. The rt 77 stretch from 81 to the NC line can be a real trouble spot if the weather is bad, but other than that it's generally quiet and low keyed compared to the insanity on 95. Good luck.

[ependydad]

raindove wrote:
We just jump on I83 in York, and go down around the Balt and DC Beltways, and hop on I95 south. Straight shot down 95.

Went down a few years ago, leaving Dec 26. Hit some snow. It was getting a little dicey, so we stopped at a Walmart, thinking we might just stop for the day.

Shopped a bit, and I didn't like the atmosphere at that Walmart, so we decided to try to move further down the road. We got back on the road, and they had managed to get the roads cleared off while we had been stopped.

Given that your (the original poster) driving thru the week between Christmas and. Re Years - I wouldn't expect a whole lot of traffic that week and I would do as suggest above (83-695-95).

Stops-wise, there are a plethora of places off of I-95 running south.

[brooks379]

IMO.... That's the only way to go. You miss Baltimore and DC.

[mark5w]

We travel from PA to Florida the original way you stated. Stop at RVaction Park in Selma, NC. Easy off and on to 95, all pull thru sites. We never tried an alternative route. Just like going the same way I guess.

[rrupert]

You could do I-81 to I-77 at Wythville, VA, then I-77 to I-26, I-26 to I-95. We do that route but we start on I-79 from NW PA and work our way to Wythville. The weather can get a little dicey that way also. That way is about 40 miles further but it keeps you off most of I95.

[raindove]

We just jump on I83 in York, and go down around the Balt and DC Beltways, and hop on I95 south. Straight shot down 95.

Went down a few years ago, leaving Dec 26. Hit some snow. It was getting a little dicey, so we stopped at a Walmart, thinking we might just stop for the day.

Shopped a bit, and I didn't like the atmosphere at that Walmart, so we decided to try to move further down the road. We got back on the road, and they had managed to get the roads cleared off while we had been stopped.