Heading to Florida!

[Martsing]

First, I hate I-95! That said, we are coming from Central MD and will be heading right down I-95! Our destination is Port Canaveral by Friday. We are leaving at noon tomorrow with a plan to get past Richmond before rush hour and to South Carolina for the night.

I will put about 8 gallons in the fresh tank and leave the unit winterized (28 tonight) until our first night on the way south. We are excited about Christmas in Port Canaveral!

I am open for any route suggestions if you have recently made this trip!

Marty

[timfromma]

This Spring will be our 3rd consecutive year making the drive to FL from MA. My preferred route is:

81S
77S
26E
95S

[ScottBrownstein]

81 to 77 to 26 to 95. I would never, ever again navigate I-95 between Washington and past Richmond. Nobody ever told the highway engineers that when you reduce the number of lanes the traffic will not simply disappear.

[DAISY BOYKIN]

Martsing, After you cross the state line into Florida look for EXIT 362 which is just below the exit for the Jacksonville Int Airport (JIA), make sure you are in the right hand lane to Exit at # 362 which will put you on the I-295
EAST Jacksonville beltway. The exit sign will say Jacksonville Beaches and Daytona, Follow the east bound beltway around Jacksonville until you get to 9B exit to the left is a new short cut to I-95.
There is a lot of construction to about a mile long to I-295 just before you
exit off on to 9B. Once you get into the construction area, shift to the LEFT
lane for your EXIT off I-295 on to 9B south. Believe me the construction will not slow you down at all.
And by the way I-95 in South Carolina is being smoothed out by grinding of
the concrete highway.

Good luck & Merry Christmas

[marinerjoe]

Other than the relatively high toll on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel from the Eastern Shore of VA to Virginia Beach, I'm surprised more folks don't take the much more relaxing ride down 13. I'm originally from CT, and have travelled from VA Beach to CT more times than I would like to count. Other than the Hudson River crossings (GWB or Tappen Zee) and the Cross Bronx or other routes to continue north, the ride is very pleasant and normally stress free. As opposed to dealing with the Baltimore - DC - Richmond insanity on 95.

Give it a look and see if coming through my area might make for a better travel experience. And most importantly...

[kenandterry]

I’ve done the route mentioned I81S I77S I26E I95S and onward into Florida.

It’s really no different to go I81S I66E Hwy 17 I95 S and virtually eliminates the climb up and over the Blue Ridge when you take I77S

If your complaint with I95 is way North of Washington on this route.......sorry.

[timfromma]

I like the drive over Blue Ridge. Prettiest part of drive IMO.

[Martsing]

Wow, thank you all SO much for the rudder corrections on this. I am definitely considering that I81 route.

Marty

[ependydad]

I lived in Columbia, MD and traveled to Orlando, FL many times. I-95 was my preferred route. Leaving at noon is good- but make sure you're not late. 11am might be a better shot for getting through DC.

In South Carolina, I've stayed at the Walmart in Dillon, SC (large level lot).

I always considered the I81 route but never wanted the extra miles. I was only a stone's throw from I-95, so it was hard for me to justify.

[kenandterry]

FYI

This is a great spot along I-95, but it’s in North Carolina just outside Virginia

RV Resort @ Carolina Crossroads

[KFX450RXC]

I love I-95 south. Its sort of sentimental though because whenever we're on I-95 south, we most likely headed to Disney or Ocean Lakes.

But I get on I-95 in NC at the I-40 interchange. So all those horror stories I hear about Va. and north are just stories to me.

[merrykalia]

Originally Posted by kenandterry

I’ve done the route mentioned I81S I77S I26E I95S and onward into Florida.

It’s really no different to go I81S I66E Hwy 17 I95 S and virtually eliminates the climb up and over the Blue Ridge when you take I77S

If your complaint with I95 is way North of Washington on this route.......sorry.

The only problem with this is that I-66 is now a toll road and it's according to how much traffic is on it, how much the toll is!

I would suggest the I-81 to I-77 to I-26 and then finally to I-95. I, too, detest having to get on I-95 and will do about anything to stay off of it.

[allenb12]

Sound advise for getting thru Jacksonville. Lake Jasper just north of Savannah is a good place to stay.

[PSUFan1]

Originally Posted by kenandterry

FYI



This is a great spot along I-95, but it’s in North Carolina just outside Virginia



RV Resort @ Carolina Crossroads

X2 - pull through sites are great. Stayed here on our trips to Myrtle beach.

Next year thinking about staying at Point South KOA in SC since the have pull through sites. Looking to stay further south so I can make the remaining distance to Disney in a reasonable time.

[keith_h]

We overnight at the Savannah South KOA when going to Orlando. For us it is the half way point and makes for two 5-6 hour drives. Most of the sites are pull through and it is an easy off and on from I-95.