Best driving route from Hartford to Orlando

[datw@epcot]

Hi All, I'm planning on driving from Hartford to Orlando in August, what is the best route to take, particularly from Hartford through New York to I-95? I know better than to get on I-95 in Connecticut, but I'm not sure if it is best to take the George Washington Bridge, Tappan Zee Bridge, or another route. I'll be leaving on a Sunday night around 6pm.

 

[Phonedave]

Hi All, I'm planning on driving from Hartford to Orlando in August, what is the best route to take, particularly from Hartford through New York to I-95? I know better than to get on I-95 in Connecticut, but I'm not sure if it is best to take the George Washington Bridge, Tappan Zee Bridge, or another route. I'll be leaving on a Sunday night around 6pm.

I go from Northern NJ to New Hampshire / Vermont and back about 2-3 times a year.

My route is I-91 to 84 to 684. Over the Tappan Zee and take either the PIP or 9W (depends on day and time) to I-95.

I live right by the GWB, if you want to take 9W, I can tell you how to get to I-95 (its easy)

Sometimes if there is a traffic report (or just for a change) I take the Saw Mill Parkway instead of 684. It's just more interesting, but it is slower.

Do not go over the GWB, especialy if there is some sports event (Yankees game for example) ending around the time you would be there.

-dave

 

[Mr Wizard]

When you get to the Baltimore area on I 95, before the tunnels that go under the harbour stay to your left and take the "old" tunnel Rt.895. When on the other side look for 295-Balto/Washington Pky. Take it south and it will take you straight thru DC and bring you out at the foot of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge which takes you into VA. This saves a lot of miles going around the DC beltway. It sounds like you would hit hit this area late at night which would be perfect. I would avoid it at rush hour. It usually does move OK but it is just two lanes each way with no shoulder and if there is an accident you will be there for hours. Also, avoid I 95 in the southern part of VA from 2 till about 6 PM, it's a parking lot.

 

[Bluewaves]

Stay of the GWB, when I used to go from North Jersey to New England used to go up the Palisades Parkway or the Garden State to the NY Thruway, So for you, that would mean taking 84 across the Tappan Zee Bridge and then taking the Thruway to the Garden State and then the Garden State down to the NJ Turnpike to get on 95.

I wouldn't go anywhere near NYC even on a quiet day its a mess. Might be a few more miles to go around but it will save you time.

 

[shaelyn]

When we were recently driving to Hartford from DC, the backup for the Tappan Zee was RIDICULOUS. We sat for about an hour and a half because of construction. As long as that's all cleared up, I'd definitely say go that way rather than taking the GW.

 

[DrewDAK5150]

Watch out for DC traffic too. It's nuts. Once you get past Richmond, it's usually smooth sailin' until Jacksonville.

South of the Border is a rip-off. Don't let its millions of quirky billboards fool you.

Enjoy the most boring highway in all of the US! :snore:

 

[rkelly42]

Hi All, I'm planning on driving from Hartford to Orlando in August, what is the best route to take, particularly from Hartford through New York to I-95? I know better than to get on I-95 in Connecticut, but I'm not sure if it is best to take the George Washington Bridge, Tappan Zee Bridge, or another route. I'll be leaving on a Sunday night around 6pm.

Every year I drive from the Providence area to Disney. I leave at 1am and drive to St. Augustine and stop there. When I leave at that time I take the GW bridge and there is zero problems. But leaving at 6pm on a Sunday stay far away from the GW bridge as you can. Take the Tappen Zee it will be a much much safer bet. If you have any other questions about driving let me know I have driven down quite a few times.

 

[DisneyPrincess5]

Hi there :wave:
We used to do this until we got tired of it haha.
We used to take 95 from New Haven to Orlando.
There can be some traffic, especially when you chose difficult times to travel, but for the most part, it was alright.

 

[Rob562]

If you don't already have one, get an EZ-Pass transponder through the NY Thruway (or FastLane from the Massachusetts Turnpike, they work on each others' systems). You can sign up online, I know the Mass Pike's website is www.masspike.com

You'll get a slight discount (10%, I think) on the NY tolls (probably just the Tappan Zee on your way home) and I think NJ just added some discount plan on EZPass tolls, but more importantly you'll be able to avoid continually stopping to pay the various tolls along the way (especially if your route includes the Garden State Parkway).

The EZPass/FastLane transponder will be good for tolls as far south as Virginia, though I think the last tolls you'd encounter on your route would be the ones through Maryland, until you got to Florida. (Note that EZPass can't be used on the Florida tolls.)
http://www.masspike.com/pdf/maps/fastlanemap.pdf

I have FastLane, and though I don't use it on a daily basis, it's very convenient for those times when I drive into Boston or to go visit friends in NH or upstate NY.

-Rob

 

[dizzney]

We've actually used the TappenZee to go to westchester from Staten Island, avoid teh GW, a nightmare most of the time of late.

We drive to WDW most of the time and leave at 3AM getting thru Washington before the rush hour and usally into NC by 10-10:30AM, it really helps if you can avoid the rush hour.

 

[3girlswdwdreams]

This is gonna sound nuts...... but here's another scenario just to give you options. lol
I am usually a direct route kinda gal LOL But growing up in CT... I've had way too many I-95 nightmare drives. I would avoid ALL OF IT!

84 to Scranton
81 south into VA
pick up 77 south near border of NC
26 in SC to 95 and on your way..

Low to no tolls....... it adds exactly a 100 miles to the trip, which I realize is a lot.......but prespective is 1 1/2 hrs of driving.... but the joy of no crazy traffic and tolls....a much nicer more enjoyable ride... worth it in my book and almost sure bet you would be spending that 1 1/2 stuck in traffic or very slow moving anyway. On the way from CT to Richmond a lot can happen! lol

Unless you are going to leave in the middle of the night, getting through DC by 6am....... I would avoid it all.

 

[datw@epcot]

Thank you for all of the responses, to build on this, I have two additional questions:

1 - Where do you usually stop for gas?
2 - How long do drives similar to mine normally take?

 

[Rob562]

Thank you for all of the responses, to build on this, I have two additional questions:

1 - Where do you usually stop for gas?
2 - How long do drives similar to mine normally take?

Along the way, I would make sure to fill up your tank before leaving New Jersey. Prices always seem the lowest there. (And it's always Full Serve, too).

-Rob

 

[Phonedave]

Along the way, I would make sure to fill up your tank before leaving New Jersey. Prices always seem the lowest there. (And it's always Full Serve, too).

-Rob

Just dont do it at a Turnpike rest area. Sort of negates a lot of the discounted price.

-dave

 

[Craig & Lisa]

no matter what don't enter north carolina with anything less than a full tank of gas, nothing against the state, but gas is way too much there. Also saty away from south of the border, tourist trap.

 

[Rob562]

Just dont do it at a Turnpike rest area. Sort of negates a lot of the discounted price.

-dave

It's been a while since I've driven down the Jersey Turnpike, but I'm not surprised. But I did find that gas was usually rather cheap at the big rest area at the top of the Garden State Parkway. And I know a few places to stop at right before crossing into PA on I-78 when I'm driving to my parents'.

Here in Mass, I believe it's part of the contract of the gas stations on the Mass Pike that they can only charge at most 2 or 3 cents more than comparable off-Turnpike gas stations in the area.

-Rob

 

[kerrie]

i too am driving from hartford area,I usually take 95 the whole way at night. But I bough the gps this ime and will go what ever way it tells me. But I also dont want to go in Nc without a full tank LOL have a nice trip. Also if your a aaa member get thr trip planner they offer

 

[Rob562]

i too am driving from hartford area,I usually take 95 the whole way at night. But I bough the gps this ime and will go what ever way it tells me. But I also dont want to go in Nc without a full tank LOL have a nice trip. Also if your a aaa member get thr trip planner they offer

Unless your GPS is one of the advanced units that includes traffic data, I wouldn't always trust it in places where I know traffic is a problem.

For example, my TomTom always wants to bring me down via the GW Bridge. But I know better, and go to the Tappan Zee. (One nice feature about the TomTom is that in addition to telling it to avoid a specific road, you can tell it to avoid an entire city/metro area. So if I tell it to avoid the Bronx, it routes me to the Tappan Zee.)

-Rob

 

[datw@epcot]

i too am driving from hartford area,I usually take 95 the whole way at night. But I bough the gps this ime and will go what ever way it tells me. But I also dont want to go in Nc without a full tank LOL have a nice trip. Also if your a aaa member get thr trip planner they offer

How long does the trip usually take you when you take 95 the entire way?

 

[Gregger]

Hi All, I'm planning on driving from Hartford to Orlando in August, what is the best route to take, particularly from Hartford through New York to I-95? I know better than to get on I-95 in Connecticut, but I'm not sure if it is best to take the George Washington Bridge, Tappan Zee Bridge, or another route. I'll be leaving on a Sunday night around 6pm.

I'm from NE Pa. and I take 81S to 77S through Charlotte, NC to 26E then 95S, 295S around Jax, FLA then 4W to WDW. All the bus drivers from NE Pa. take this route. It's faster than 95S all the way due to traffic, etc by large cities......I would do a mapquest to check out this rt and verify time difference. It's also a very scenic trip...blue ridge mts...etc. You can jump on 78w? to 81S ...I think? I'm also going to WDW in August!!!!