Avoiding garden state parkway south

[Wandering_Storm]

Heading for Florida in my Class A with a toad. I dislike traveling the Garden State Parkway. Is it better to take 287 south to the NJ Tpk. Or pick up 78 to 476? I will be traveling from Mass. To Florida beginning of Jan. I usually take the NJ Tpk to Deleware Memorial Bridge and then301 south to Annapolis etc. Avoiding the Garden State Pkway will be a new adventure. Any advice or road conditions information will be greatly appreciated. Thanks McD

[Gjac]

In Jan I would stay on 95 south over the GWB. If you travel on the W/E there will be little traffic. If you travel during the week you need to get to the GWB before 6:30am. There are no tolls out bound. Returning I take one of the alternate routes depending on traffic or construction. Usually take the beltway west around DC to 270 to 81 to 84 into Ct. Least amount of tolls this way especially if you are towing.

[Viewfinder]

Pass42 wrote:
Or 287 to 78 west to 81...south to 66, back east to 17, south to 95 @ Fredericksburg
avoids NJ, Washington, Baltimore,............

More miles but more smiles. Less fees overall. Yes it does take more time. Check for open campgrounds or plan one night 'dry' should put you in warm enough area.

jim

[tropical36]

bullydogs1 wrote:
If you haven't tried 84 to 81 to 77 to 26 to 95, you should try it once. It may be an hour longer, but it'so much easier.


X3!!!

And why so much hurrying anyway. After all it's a rolling motel, not a sports car.
I haven't been that whole route in quite a number of years and didn't have the rig that I have now, so are there any long 6% grades on I81, as it certainly doesn't look like it does?
I ran it part ways this past summer coming from RI and it was great, but then eventually ended up on the 68 corridor, going into Morgantown WV and where the route is very mountainous.
No problem and have been up and down the Rockies as well, except my tranny would rather have it otherwise.

[Bags4266]

Tapped zee, parkway and then pickup the turnpike in Woodbridge as the previous poster stated. If you roll to far south on the parkway your gps will take you to the Lewis ferry in cape may.

[MRUSA]

NeverHome2 wrote:
84-81-77-26-95 is the only way. The GPS says it is an hour longer but in real life, traffic, stoppages for no reason, and other aggravations it is much the better and less time route.

I have gone both ways in a big truck many times and I know the difference.

I totally agree. I've done it every way possible and the above route is prettier, more relaxing, and avoids all the big cities with their associated traffic and delays. Winchester VA is a favorite stopping over point.

[Pass42]

Or 287 to 78 west to 81...south to 66, back east to 17, south to 95 @ Fredericksburg
avoids NJ, Washington, Baltimore,............

[philandterri]

There is a KOA open all year near intersection of I 81 and I 78 Jonestown PA. Stayed there several times before it became a KOA, easy pull thru sites.

[jerseyjim]

I would say NOT to take I-81...in winter. Mountains....cold...sometimes snow...and one year, only ONE (overnite) campground was open...way south, almost to I-40.
At least my experience. Stay East...Tappan Zee then south from there staying on the interstates. Boring sometimes...but practical.

Checkout the winter availability of campgrounds (if stopping overnite is in your plans) nothing much available until Virginia.

g'luck!

[NeverHome2]

84-81-77-26-95 is the only way. The GPS says it is an hour longer but in real life, traffic, stoppages for no reason, and other aggravations it is much the better and less time route.

I have gone both ways in a big truck many times and I know the difference.

[Bill1374]

I use 287 to 206 through Princeton to 95 through Philly then on to 301. The inconvenience of the congestion in spots is more than offset by avoiding the Garden State and Baltimore/DC.

[bullydogs1]

and the Delaware mem bridge toll is 20 bucks...10 + 4 if you detach....20 together.....thieves...

[bullydogs1]

If you haven't tried 84 to 81 to 77 to 26 to 95, you should try it once. It may be an hour longer, but it'so much easier.


X3!!!

[Roadpilot]

We live on the NH seacoast during the summer and SWFL in the winter. We have a MH and a toad. We have tried it all. 301, the GSPW, 95 etc. After trying them all we take 84 to 81 then sometimes 17 to 95 but usually 81 to 77 to 26 to 95. We we drive back and forth in the middle of the winter for holidays, we leave the MH in FL and then we'll often do 95 to the JP and GW bridge, but the traffic and delays are awful.

If you haven't tried 84 to 81 to 77 to 26 to 95, you should try it once. It may be an hour longer, but it'so much easier.

[jplante4]

Yeah, we just did that TZ Bridge-GSP-Tpke-I295-301 route at the beginning of November. We did the Ct-southern Jersey part on Sunday and it wasn't too bad. The only reason we did this instead of the I84-I81 route was because we were stopping north of the freezing line and needed campgrounds that were open after Nov 1st, which the OP will need to deal with as well.

We stayed at Aces High in East Lyme, CT and Timberlane in Clarksboro NJ. Both open year round.

301 was the old route to Florida in the days before I95. In some sections it's fine, and in others it miles of thump-thump concrete.