Best route to Florida from Maine

[4952]

Hi

We are taking a trip from mid coast Maine shortly after Christmas. Does anyone have a good route that you could suggest to Florida at this time of year?

Thanks so much

[polarlyse]

Try SOUTH. It works for me

[urnmor]

I am sure you will receive a lot of suggestions however my preferred route coming and going to Plymouth MA is 95 to the Tapennzee Bridge then the Garden State parkway to the Jersey Turnpike, over the Delaware Memorial Bridge then follow the signs to route 1/13 to Dover De. There you will have a choice to take either 13 or 113 to Pocomoke Md. In Pocomoke the route becomes 13 all the way to the Chesapeake Bay bridge tunnel. Go around Norfolk on the outer loop and follow signs to Suffolks. Get on Route US 58 to Emporia VA and then take 95 to Florida. IMO this is the most direct route and does not take you through the Baltimore/DC/ Richmond Corridor.

I am also assuming you will be taking a minimum of three to four travel days. If so one place you may want to think of overnighting is the Assateaque National Park however it does not have electrical or water hook ups so you will either need propane for heat or generators. Another possibility to overnight would be just before entering the Tunnel on the Eastern shore side a large rest area however again you will meed propane for heat and there are no hook ups ( I have never stayed there other then to stop to use the facilities.
Safe travels

[STREMN]

"Best Route" leaves a lot open to "WAG"(Wild Ass Guessing). Things that come to mind...adventures along the way, visiting friends & family, sightseeing, getting to know your rig, how long are you going to drive each day, or is this just a get there thing, etc...

Points to consider for your trip, bridge height, tolls, traffic, weather, places to stay along the way. Depending upon what your using for route planning some may offer paths that take you down roads with low bridges in CT. Tolls on the GW Bridge are crazy along with the traffic and road surface conditions. There are some major cities to pass thru or bypass heading south. Southern CT and the NYC area can be pretty obnoxious with traffic volume. December is cold in your trailer...

We've traveled several times through these areas over the past couple of years. This is what we do to try and avoid all these events. We travel in off peak times to avoid the am/pm rush hours. 9am and 6pm start times generally allow us to avoid those events.

From New Hampshire:
Rt 95 SB
Rt 495 SB
Rt 290 WB
Rt 90 WB
Rt 84 WB
Rt 684 SB
Rt 287 WB
Rt 78 WB
Rt 15 SB
Rt 66 EB
Rt 95 SB

Things to see along this route...Cabela's in Hamburg, PA. This is our overnight first stop, fuel and food. Camp in the Cabela's parking lot...they even have a dump station. Hershey, PA - visit the Chocolate Monster...Gettysburg, PA - you could spend a couple days there...and there are even Campgrounds open on the border of the battlefields at this time of year. Cold weather... Manassas, VA - Civil war history, battlefields etc...there's a family farm camp ground in Haymarket, VA. Cold weather...

This gets you to Rt 95 SB below all the bad traffic in the DC, MD, NJ, NYC areas. If I remember correctly this adds up to about $16 in tolls...$13 for the Cuomo(Tappanzee) Bridge and the balance for NJ/PA 287/78 routes. I could go on and on with other places VA south, but let's stop there to keep things brief.

Enjoy the adventure!

Tom - S/OS #025

[carl2591]

I hear there is a nice road called I-95.. goes right to florida non stop and once you get past wilmington Del, there are no more tolls unless you take the long way around them. good luck and good trip.

To me driving up north is a PITA.. lots traffic, everyone is in a dam hurry and they cut you off just to stop at the next light..

[Zil]

As carl2591. I can't address the north jersey or new york area. But i295 from the Trenton area will save lots of traffic of Philly i95. After the Delaware Memorial Twin Bridge, I use 310 south from 40 to miss traffic down to Richmond, or just before. 310 to 50 and across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, not the bridge tunnel, Norfolk can be a nightmare. Look at Google Maps. My plan this time of year is to get to warm as fast as i can.

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by 4952

Hi

We are taking a trip from mid coast Maine shortly after Christmas. Does anyone have a good route that you could suggest to Florida at this time of year?

Thanks so much

Florida is a big place, Daytona to Tallahassee is a big target. A more specific destination would be helpful if you want specific directions.

Will your travel be leisurely, or a speedy trip to warm weather?

In either case, I would wait until the day before departure to make the choice of route. My preference would be to take a westward route leaving NY, then an inland route south through PA, VA, NC, SC and GA. But, if ice/snow for those areas was in the forecast I would stay on I-95. (even though I despise driving, even solo, on I-95 north of Richmond)

[Pjsepski]

I very seldom reply; but need to on your request. Having driven from NC to Maine (Blefast, Acadia) many times with our A/S - I would avoid at all costs driving on 95 through DC and Baltimore at any time of day or night. We head west as soon as possible coming out of Maine, usually head for the TappanZee bridge, find a route over to the Hershey, PA - Carlyle, PA. Have headed for Scranton PA and found some RV parks, easy off and on. Nice, easy area to navigate and visit as another stated. Then we take 81 South and come into NC. But we have taken 81, bypassing going thru Baltimore, and head back to 95S at some point in lower VA or NC. Bridge in Baltimore does not allow propane and they will fine you. If heading for the Gulf Coast, we avoid going thru Atlanta - and get on 95 in NC, and head west once over the Florida state line.

[FilmGuy]

Originally Posted by Pjsepski

I very seldom reply; but need to on your request. Having driven from NC to Maine (Blefast, Acadia) many times with our A/S - I would avoid at all costs driving on 95 through DC and Baltimore at any time of day or night. We head west as soon as possible coming out of Maine, usually head for the TappanZee bridge, find a route over to the Hershey, PA - Carlyle, PA. Have headed for Scranton PA and found some RV parks, easy off and on. Nice, easy area to navigate and visit as another stated. Then we take 81 South and come into NC. But we have taken 81, bypassing going thru Baltimore, and head back to 95S at some point in lower VA or NC. Bridge in Baltimore does not allow propane and they will fine you. If heading for the Gulf Coast, we avoid going thru Atlanta - and get on 95 in NC, and head west once over the Florida state line.

Can’t agree more. The roads around DC are awful, and can put a real strain on your rig, not to mention your patience.

[jmerrell]

I agree with one of the suggestions below. If you get on the MA pike to RT 84 in Ct all the way out and pick up 81 south you will avoid a lot of tolls and traffic and even though it is longer mile wise it is much more relaxing, beautiful and in some cases faster because you avoid all the traffic around NY and NJ. I pick up 95 north of Savannah. I hate 95. It is boring stressful and makings driving South a chore. Take your time and enjoy the parts in-between! Have fun!

[SteelyRick]

So we have a home in Maine and one in Charlotte NC. I know this route pretty well. We always avoid 95 as much as possible. This is the quickest and less stress route: Leave Maine on 95 to 495 to 90 west (Mass Pike). Connect to 84 west and take it through Ct to 684 South to 287 west. Take 287 to Past NY thruway into NJ. Connect with 78 West towards Harrisburg Pa, connect with 81 South until southern Virginia to 77 South. Take 77 through Charlotte to Columbia SC, then connect with 26 South East until you hit 95 in middle of SC. Then you take 95 South from there. Other than making sure you go through Charlotte at a non-rush-hour time.....the trip avoids all major traffic snaffuus of NYC, Baltimore and DC. Also - almost no tolls on this route. Safe travels!

[Memererita]

I worked as an AAA Auto Travel Counselor for 5 years. If you could be a little more specific regarding the departure city and final destination, I would be more than happy to assist you with planning your get away. How many days are you allowing for travel?
I have seen some of the routes that have been suggested. I was a little concerned with one of the routes that takes you to Norfolk, that is defonitely not the most direct route.

[wv2017]

Hi 4952,

We absolutely DREAD driving on I-95…… anywhere from just above Boston….. to just below Richmond, Va.

That said, each year when heading south out of Maine on I-95 South…… just after crossing from New Hampshire into Massachusetts, we take I-495 over to I-90 West, briefly, in order to get onto I-84 West. We take this across Connecticut, past Newburgh, NY and over toward Scranton, PA….. where we pick up I-81 South.

Interstate 81 is a much more relaxing & stress-free Interstate than I-95…..

We take I-81 South, down into Virginia, where it crosses Interstate 77. There we take I-77 South, down thru North Carolina, Charlotte, and into South Carolina, to avoid our second most DREADED area….. (“the Atlanta Metro area”!).

Continuing on I-77 South, takes you into Columbia, South Carolina, where we then pick up I-26 South, which puts us on back onto I-95 South, and on into Georgia and Florida.

We have driven this route at least 30 times thru the years, in both directions, from Central Florida to Northeast Maine, and love it..... It avoids the congestion of I-95 (from DC to Boston), as well as driving thru Atlanta. Additionally, I-81, I-77 and I-26 are all toll-free as well !

Safe travels !


.

[urnmor]

I would avoid at all costs driving on 95 through DC and Baltimore at any time of day or night.
totally agree and remember if you go that way you cannot go through the tunnels in Baltimore with propane.

As to driving the turnpike and/95 IMO they are not as bad as some say. Especially since the Tapenzee new bridge and the widening of the parkway is complete. IMO the worse section is the garden State Parkway around the Oranges as there is just a heck of lot of traffic. I also do not recommend going through NY and over the GW bridge to I 95.

As I said earlier we live on the Eastern Shore of MD so that is why I recommended route 13/113 route the traffic is not bad and flows well.

[Rocinante]

Yes indeed, I-95 through Baltimore and DC is a disaster. The loops around both cities are nearly as bad, and sometimes worse. Avoid them, or carefully schedule your pass to avoid normal traffic patterns.

Definitely a +1 for taking I-81 south through the Shenandoah valley if you can get there without risk of snow as you pass over the Appalachians. It's a nicer drive and has less traffic, as long as you can also afford the requisite time needed to avoid Atlanta on the way down. Again, if you go through or around Atlanta, it's imperative that you time your passage to avoid the worst of normal traffic patterns.

[mpsgolf]

The more we travel in Sali the more we avoid interstates and big cities.

Airstreaming is about enjoying the adventure. The trip to get there can be as much fun as the destination.

Thus endeth today’s philosophical thought.

Now where’s my beer .... ?

[rmkrum]

There ia also a lot of crazy traffic on I-95 in Florida. It's usually better to take the Florida Turnpike to avoid some of the heavy local traffic on I-95.

Lived in West Palm Beach for years--I-95 was a mess when they built it, and it's not gotten better. Was back down there for a visit a year or so ago--still nasty. Avoid as much of it as possible in Florida.

[AV8]

Just did this from Manchester NH to the Keys. You need to look very closely at the weather this time of year, as the higher terrain of 81 can be colder than down at the coast. That said, if you can time it for clear weather, 81 is the best route by far. Google will say it takes longer, but only by an hour, and practically I think it is almost always faster. If you have the flexibility start on a weekend.

Rick

[Sovereign85]

To #1 and #4. With all of that, I would call it "SWAG" (Scientific Wild Ass Guess) to find best route to Florida from New England area. Jim

[Ladyfish]

We live along the I-95 corridor and are leaving for Florida on December 3rd. We will take I-95 all the way. First, there are convenient campgrounds all the way to our destination.
Second, I-95 is heavily patrolled, accidents are quickly tended and help is always available. If you have a flat, an I-95 worker will arrive with their equipment and change your tire in 5 minutes (yes, it happened). Go through Philadelphia, Baltimore and DC during non-rush hour traffic or plan the trip to go through early on Saturday or Sunday morning. Do not go through during rush hours or Sunday afternoon/evening. After that the rest is a piece of cake.

There are tolls. Maryland has tolls on every bridge and tunnel. Just pay them, don't try to go around. Not worth the effort!

We have tried all the suggested alternates including down through DE and across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge at Annapolis as well as the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel into VA. We have taken I-81 and it can be scenic in the spring and fall. But, it's too late for that. This road has nasty accidents and will close with you stranded. We blew a tire on this road in the middle of nowhere.

Just take I-95 south all the way. Take a 1 day break when you reach something interesting. There are campgrounds all along the I-95 corridor so you could stop and see Philadelphia, DC., Colonial Williamsburg, Savannah or St. Augustine. Take your time and enjoy the trip without the hassles!