I need the easist way to get from Virginia to New England (RI) by car

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

That is the way with the least amount of stress, not necessarily the shortest or quickest route.

 

We are not city people and I'm already beginning to get knots in my stomach thinking of the last time we did this. By the end of the trip dh and I may not be speaking to each other.

 

Help!

[Melinda in VT]

We just did VT to VA roundtrip last month. In general, I think the interstates are the easiest. You're a lot more likely to get lost on smaller roads.

[Karenciavo]

If you are traveling up 95 you could get on the Garden State Parkway North (exit 11 on the NJ Turnpike.) Take that to the end onto the NY State Thruway (Route 87/287) Take the Tappan Zee Bridge over the Hudson, then stay on 287 which will bring you back to Interstate 95.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

Ugh! We did 95 all the way last time and around NY city was a nightmare. If that's easy, maybe I should just take something to knock me out for a couple of hours. Wake me up when we are there.

[partyof5]

If you are traveling up 95 you could get on the Garden State Parkway North (exit 11 on the NJ Turnpike.) Take that to the end onto the NY State Thruway (Route 87/287) Take the Tappan Zee Bridge over the Hudson, then stay on 287 which will bring you back to Interstate 95.

 

 

I agree with the Garden State/Tappan Zee idea. We drove from Delaware to NH/MA on a regular basis for years. Once we got on 287, we would take 684 North for a while and then take 84 through CT, which is preferable for more northerly destinations in New England.

 

Maybe it depends where you are going in New England.

 

Okay, just read "RI" in your post, so probably 95 IS your best bet out of NYC. Sorry!

Edited May 14, 2009 by partyof5
need more coffee before hitting reply

[Brigitte]

Pull out a map and see what I-81 to I-84 gets you. You avoid NYC, but will likely add many miles to the trip.

[LND1218]

On 95 at night! As in the middle of the night.

 

We leave home at dinner time. From where we are that means we miss the DC traffic. We hit NYC (we cross the GW bridge) around midnight or 1:00 am. Then we sail through CT. We go up through CT to Mass and onto NH - arriving there in the early AM.

 

We have also done going to PA, but I find it too slow and annoying. There is always road construction. But take a look at 81 and 84 for a route that avoids 95 and NYC.

[SueinNC]

We make this trip every summer for the past 15 years since we moved south. We have done all of the routes suggested above. 95 is a nightmare once you hit CT. There is mostly just two narrow lanes of traffic which is very, very congested. It will take you hours to travel a few miles.

 

But, the far easiest way is 81 to 84 (pass thru Hartford) to 2 . That will put you in RI. We have mostly gone this way for the past 7 years. Check your map for directions for Rt 2 to the part of RI you are going to. You will pass Foxwoods Casino but there is rarely any traffic congestion.

 

We are going the last week of June thru the first week of July. :)

ETA: It takes us 13-15 hours to get there by this route leaving from NC.

 

 

Another alternative to get to 84 :

10: Merge onto I-81 N via EXIT 32 toward ROANOKE (Passing through WEST VIRGINIA and MARYLAND, then crossing into PENNSYLVANIA). 369.4 mi

11: Merge onto I-78 E via EXIT 89 toward ALLENTOWN (Crossing into NEW JERSEY). 107.4 mi

12: Merge onto I-287 N via EXIT 29 toward I-80/MORRISTOWN/US-202 N/US-206 N (Crossing into NEW YORK). 47.4 mi

13: Merge onto I-287 E/I-87 S/NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY S toward TAPPAN ZEE BR/NEW YORK CITY (Portions toll). 18.7 mi

14: Keep LEFT to take I-287 E/CROSS WESTCHESTER EXPY via EXIT 8 toward WHITE PLAINS/RYE. 6.7 mi

15: Merge onto I-684 N via EXIT 9A toward BREWSTER (Passing through CONNECTICUT, then crossing into NEW YORK). 27.9 mi

16: Merge onto I-84 E via EXIT 9E toward DANBURY (Crossing into CONNECTICUT).

 

Stay on 84, pass thru Hartford, and take Rt 2.

Edited May 15, 2009 by Caledonia Academy
Added time it takes us to get there.

[Brigitte]

We make this trip every summer for the past 15 years since we moved south. We have done all of the routes suggested above. 95 is a nightmare once you hit CT. There is mostly just two narrow lanes of traffic which is very, very congested. It will take you hours to travel a few miles.

 

But, the far easiest way is 81 to 84 (pass thru Hartford) to 2 . That will put you in RI. We have mostly gone this way for the past 7 years. Check your map for directions for Rt 2 to the part of RI you are going to. You will pass Foxwoods Casino but there is rarely any traffic congestion.

 

We are going the last week of June thru the first week of July. :)

 

Another alternative to get to 84 :

10: Merge onto I-81 N via EXIT 32 toward ROANOKE (Passing through WEST VIRGINIA and MARYLAND, then crossing into PENNSYLVANIA). 369.4 mi

11: Merge onto I-78 E via EXIT 89 toward ALLENTOWN (Crossing into NEW JERSEY). 107.4 mi

12: Merge onto I-287 N via EXIT 29 toward I-80/MORRISTOWN/US-202 N/US-206 N (Crossing into NEW YORK). 47.4 mi

13: Merge onto I-287 E/I-87 S/NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY S toward TAPPAN ZEE BR/NEW YORK CITY (Portions toll). 18.7 mi

14: Keep LEFT to take I-287 E/CROSS WESTCHESTER EXPY via EXIT 8 toward WHITE PLAINS/RYE. 6.7 mi

15: Merge onto I-684 N via EXIT 9A toward BREWSTER (Passing through CONNECTICUT, then crossing into NEW YORK). 27.9 mi

16: Merge onto I-84 E via EXIT 9E toward DANBURY (Crossing into CONNECTICUT).

 

Stay on 84, pass thru Hartford, and take Rt 2.

 

Oh, yes, Rt. 2 and Foxwoods! The memories....dh speeding up Rt. 2 back to Hartford in the middle of the night - my water broke at 27 weeks, while we were at our house in RI. Dh was teaching at a boarding school in CT at the time. Now I am feeling nostalgic for that stupid house.

[skaterbabs]

On 95 at night! As in the middle of the night.

 

We leave home at dinner time. From where we are that means we miss the DC traffic. We hit NYC (we cross the GW bridge) around midnight or 1:00 am. Then we sail through CT. We go up through CT to Mass and onto NH - arriving there in the early AM.

 

We have also done going to PA, but I find it too slow and annoying. There is always road construction. But take a look at 81 and 84 for a route that avoids 95 and NYC.

 

 

 

Yep. I-95 at night is a breeze. :auto:

[pooh bear]

I'm not sure where in VA you are, but I google mapped it, avoiding highways and this is what it says

 

VA TO RI

[SueinNC]

Oh, yes, Rt. 2 and Foxwoods! The memories....dh speeding up Rt. 2 back to Hartford in the middle of the night - my water broke at 27 weeks, while we were at our house in RI. Dh was teaching at a boarding school in CT at the time. Now I am feeling nostalgic for that stupid house.

 

 

Ahh, now I am nostalgic! I remember midnight rides to Misquamicut during our late teen years down RT 2. Was the boarding school in Avon or Simsbury?

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will be copying them and taking a look at our road atlas.

[kah]

95 is certainly the most-common choice, but if you're in eastern VA, consider going up the Eastern Shore- you could get as far as Baltimore, at least, with not much traffic.

 

From the western part of the state, 81 might be the shorter/easier route, depending on what it is about traffic that bugs you. 81 doesn't have as much stop-and-go, bumper-to-bumper kind of traffic, but it does tend to have high-speed truck traffic.