Mass. to OBX

[Monster9903]

Planning on going to the Outer Banks of NC this summer. I used Good Sam Trip planner and they sent me the route to go. They plan on using the George Washington Bridge in NYC. I don't think that's the best route. I used to go over the Tappan Zee bridge above NYC but there is talk that that is a mess as they plan on rebuilding it. I thought about taking I90 to the NY Thru-way down to Garden State to NJ turnpike. Any other ideas?

[Crowe]

The new bridge is being built next to the old bridge-drove through there last October and there's no impact on the current bridge. We always go over the Tappan Zee then plan our route from there depending on where we are headed. Have done the route Demoon indicated, but my husband had issues going through the tunnel. The lights are spaced in such a manner that it had a strobe effect and made him very dizzy and a little disoriented. Most people have no issue, but just as a head's up it's something to consider. Love OBX.

[weathershak]

demoon wrote:
Our daughter lives on the Outer Banks, so we make this trip at least twice a year. Your starting route is fine, but if you are east of Sturbridge, take 84 from there to 87. After the Delaware Memorial Bridge, take 13 south and follow the signs for the Chesapeake Bay/Bridge/Tunnel. In Norfolk, you are looking for the Chesapeake Expressway to 168 south, which goes to OBX. This route has tolls, but is in our opinion the easiest, and shortest, plus it avoids cities.
Enjoy. OBX are a great place to visit.

X2 A nice stress free ride.

[demoon]

Our daughter lives on the Outer Banks, so we make this trip at least twice a year. Your starting route is fine, but if you are east of Sturbridge, take 84 from there to 87. After the Delaware Memorial Bridge, take 13 south and follow the signs for the Chesapeake Bay/Bridge/Tunnel. In Norfolk, you are looking for the Chesapeake Expressway to 168 south, which goes to OBX. This route has tolls, but is in our opinion the easiest, and shortest, plus it avoids cities.
Enjoy. OBX are a great place to visit.

[jplante4]

We did exactly that trip last May. Here's the route and the reasons.

Travel Day 1 - I95-I287 over the Tappan Zee down 287 to NetCong NJ to stop for a couple of days and visit relatives. Avoid the GWB and the Cross Bronx Expressway at all costs.

Travel Day 2 - I80 to I81 through Harrisburg to Winchester VA where we picked up US 50 to US 17. Reconnect with I95 and stopped at the Fredricksburg KOA for the night. We did this to avoid Baltimore/DC and the no propane bridges around there.

Travel Day 3 - I95 to I295 to I64 to Norfolk. You can take 664 around Norfolk or just stay on 64 to go through. You'll need to stop on either road and prove to a state environmental agent that your propane is turned off. From Norfolk we picked up 168/158 down the Currituck Peninsula then across the bridge onto the OBX south on Rt 12. We picked up a rental car in Kitty Hawk and continued 35 miles further south to Rodanthe. We stayed in the Hatteras KOA.

Just a note. No cell service on Sprint at Hatteras. The park WiFi was poor and our hotspot didn't work either. in fact, the radio in my old laptop wouldn't even work. I suspect it was interference due to the large cell tower close to the CG.

[DrewE]

What part of New England are you starting from? I might be tempted to do I-84 or I-88 (as appropriate) to I-81 to I-64 and skip the seaboard cities as much as possible. It would probably be wise to skirt around Richmond via I-295 with this route.