Driving directions

[eddy]

For those that have traveled to Virginia Beach or sandbridge, do you go 64 through Newport news and the Hampton tunnel bridge? Or do you avoid that tunnel traffic and stay south on 295 past Richmond to 460 to 13 and connect back to 64 on the other side? This would be for traveling down on a Saturday...

[tifosi77]

We made the trip from central PA several times in the 80s, and we always did 295/13/64. Going through Newport News and Hampton Roads seems to add another layer of city traffic that can be avoided.

[eddy]

I'm thinking that's the way to do it. Did you guys go a different route coming down to avoid DC traffic at all, or is that not so bad?

[tifosi77]

On a Saturday, the Beltway traffic shouldn't be too bad (be sure you go around the west side, through VA, and not around the east, through the speed trap-laden Maryland). But I'm not a reliable source on that for this purpose; when we'd drive down, we'd usually stagger the trip, stopping in DC for a day, spending the night, then leaving for Va Beach the next morning. It was three decades ago at this point, but of the dozen or so trips we made to Va Beach over the years, I can't think of a time when we didn't stop in DC first.

[shafnutz05]

Eddy -- The best way (IMO) to get down to Richmond and points SE: As soon as you come into Hancock, MD, leave 70 and take 522 south towards Winchester. From there, I-81 S to I-66 E to US 17 south, which spits you back onto 95 down near Fredericksburg. In terms of Google Maps time difference, it is technically 9 minutes longer, but it saves you any potential complications on 270 or the Beltway. Not to mention the always unpredictable stretch of 95 in Northern Virginia.

https://goo.gl/maps/1zRIW

As far as Hampton Roads is concerned, don't think it is worth cutting that far south. Have your wife (or whoever isn't driving) check Google Maps as you head down to check for any major traffic issues, don't necessarily have to make that decision now.

One of my favorite things nav wise about living in eastern PA is being able to take US 13 the whole way to Virginia Beach from Wilmington, DE.

[tifosi77]

Now that I think about it, this is 2015. Why are you asking 5AF and not Waze? lol

[dodint]

I'm thinking that's the way to do it. Did you guys go a different route coming down to avoid DC traffic at all, or is that not so bad?

US-17N at Fredricksburg to
I-66W to
I-81N

Haven't driven through DC in probably 10 years unless we were visiting our friends in Alexandria.

[eddy]

Now that I think about it, this is 2015. Why are you asking 5AF and not Waze? lol

What is waze

[tifosi77]

It's an app that aggregates GPS data from users currently on the road and uses some fancy algorithm to calculate the fastest route from A to B. Uses that GPS data to estimate taffic flow, and can recalculate on the fly; absent a major incident while en route, I can't recall it ever being more than a minute off on estimated ETA. Can sometimes take you on goofy routes on surface stretets, but that's part of the fun.

And if you are trolling me, I will slap you with a rubber glove. :p

[eddy]

Source of the post Eddy -- The best way (IMO) to get down to Richmond and points SE: As soon as you come into Hancock, MD, leave 70 and take 522 south towards Winchester. From there, I-81 S to I-66 E to US 17 south, which spits you back onto 95 down near Fredericksburg. In terms of Google Maps time difference, it is technically 9 minutes longer, but it saves you any potential complications on 270 or the Beltway. Not to mention the always unpredictable stretch of 95 in Northern Virginia.

https://goo.gl/maps/1zRIW

As far as Hampton Roads is concerned, don't think it is worth cutting that far south. Have your wife (or whoever isn't driving) check Google Maps as you head down to check for any major traffic issues, don't necessarily have to make that decision now.

Source of the post US-17N at Fredricksburg to
I-66W to
I-81N

Thanks guys, this is the route I'm definitely going to take to avoid DC. If I remember correctly, this is the way I used to go as a kid and it's a nice drive.

After checking out Waze (thanks tif), I'm going to play it be ear and see what traffic is like when we get closer. There is a nice bottle shop that I have my eye on and it will be better to get there through the Hampton Roads tunnel so I may have to put up with a wait to stock up for the week (we are going to sandbridge)

[dodint]

Yeah, that's a nice drive back north. And if you want to make it more scenic for some reason, shortly after you get on I-66W take exit 23 and cut across to I-81N through Sky Meadows State Park. Pretty country, I've done that on a motorcycle and the car a few times.

[shafnutz05]

Or if you REALLY want it to be more scenic, take I-64 out of VA Beach the whole way to the Skyline Drive, and follow it north to Front Royal. This may or may not add ~10 hours to your trip

[eddy]

Or if you REALLY want it to be more scenic, take I-64 out of VA Beach the whole way to the Skyline Drive, and follow it north to Front Royal. This may or may not add ~10 hours to your trip

I'd love to take that drive someday, according to google maps , it would be about 10 hours total to home, so that's about a 3 hour addition (plus 3 kids and a wife who has to pee every 35 minutes = +4 hours)

[blackjack68]

This thread makes me think of this.

https://screen.yahoo.com/californians-d ... 00032.html