Route to Florida

[snipe]

Hello all, I would like to ask for suggestions of a driving route from Eastern Canada/New England south to the Carolina's and possibly Florida. The reason is to avoid the usual places like NYC, Boston...etc. and if there is a route that minimizes routes thru mountainous regions if that can be done. Looking for your experience in driving this route.

Cheers.

[magicbus]

As I recall there aren't any big elevation changes across NJ and PA, but I have to admit since we changed to a Sprinter I really don't notice anything unless it gets really big :).

As you approach the Tappan Zee Bridge you will notice it has been renamed the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge and there are a couple of pretty good downhill curves where 87 and 287 merge into the bridge access so you might want to be aware of that.

Dave

[snipe]

As it turns out I would be traveling the 95-287-78 route on Sunday morning and would like to know how the elevations are like on that route, looking for opinions.

[Airdaile]

snipe wrote:
Has anyone taken one of these routes or have comments from Maine...

95-495-95-295(RI)-95-287-78-81-64-295(VA)-95-southern destination
95-495-95-295(RI)-95-287-78-81-66-17s-95-southern destination

Thanks.

If your goal is to miss NYC metro traffic, then neither of these. I-95 in CT and the Tappan Zee Bridge to I-287 is congested and the roads are in terrible condition. I would only do that route on a Sunday morning.

Instead, take I-90 to I-84. From there you can pick up I-81 several ways. I've done US209 down the Delaware Water Gap to I-80.

[magicbus]

On our return last March we took the 81-78-287-95 route and liked it. Once in NE we stay along the coast to get to Cape Cod for our ferry so we’re stuck on 95 though Connecticut. There is an RV park open all year right on 78 that we found that times out well for our ferry. Not much on atmosphere but run by nice folks and new clean bathrooms.

Heading down we will go 287-78-81 unless it is going to snow in the mountains and rain on the coast, in which case we bite the bullet and go straight down 95.

Dave

[DrewE]

I95 in MA and CT (and presumably RI) can have a fair bit of traffic; in my experience it usually moves along okay, but there's a lot of vehicles on the road. Not my favorite driving to be sure. I'd probably take I-90 (toll) to I-88 to I-81 rather than I-287 and I-78. I-84 through Connecticut is not bad now (there is still some construction going on, but the worst of it is past and the road in decent shape); through NY and PA it's pretty rough pavement, at least as of a year or so ago when I was last on it.

Depending where in Maine you are, it might also be sensible to take e.g. US2 across to Montpelier, Vermont, then I-89 to I-189 to US7 south to VT 22A to US4, into New York state, and 9N to 149 to I-87 south and continue on however seems appropriate. Not the fastest route, and not perfectly flat (you're going east to west in northern New England, after all), but nice roads and not bad traffic.

[snipe]

Has anyone taken one of these routes or have comments from Maine...

95-495-95-295(RI)-95-287-78-81-64-295(VA)-95-southern destination
95-495-95-295(RI)-95-287-78-81-66-17s-95-southern destination

Thanks.

[spud1957]

This year from New Brunswick;

I95>I495>I90>I87(toll)>I84>I81>I66>VA15>I95>FLORIDA

Not a fan of I84 thru Hartford to Newburgh. Prefer I 90 thru Mass and I87 along the Hudson. $20 toll but worth it to me.

[DrewE]

My usual route is basically Interstate 81 to Interstate 77. Interstate 81 does somewhat go through the mountains, but the terrain is really more like rolling hills than significant grades. Interstate 77 descending Fancy Gap is a significant grade and can be a little trecherous at times due to foggy conditions. They have variable speed limits for that reason. Taking reasonable care and properly downshifting and such are necessary, but if done it's a perfectly good route and in my opinion much preferable to needlessly going through NYC, Baltimore, Washington DC, etc.

[Ed_C]

Here is what I would do. Get on I/95 in Maine, just into MA get on I/495 to I/90 (Mass Pike Toll) to I/84, just into PA US 209 to I/80 just a couple of miles to PA 33 to I/78 to I/81 (to avoid mountains just into VA take US 17 to I/95 to FL) I stay on I/81 to I/77 (some mountains 2800') then into NC on I/77 (flat from here south) to I/26 to I/95 into FL.

[BarneyS]

Moved to Roads and Routes forum from 5th wheels.

[JIMNLIN]

check out our roads and routes forum made for questions like yours. Welcome to the forums.

[RobWNY]

lap527 wrote:
Our traffic here in Florida has tripled since last month. Be careful out there the interstates are crazy!

You aren't joking! People drive like idiots down here and I'm not referring to Floridians only. I've almost been taken out twice since we arrived on November 25th and there's been one accident 1.5 miles South of where we are near Titusville that was a quadruple fatal. I've yet to see a Highway patrol car anywhere on the Interstate near me. I now use US 1 and the local roads to get to where I need to go.

[lap527]

Our traffic here in Florida has tripled since last month. Be careful out there the interstates are crazy!

[pianotuna]

This route avoids most of the big cities.

https://freecampsites.net/#!Halifax,+Nova+Scotia~Albany,+New+York~Harrisonburg,+Virginia~Orlando,+Fl...