Looking for the best route from Western, NY to Berlin, MD.

[Kels Crew]

Hello All!
We just purchased our first travel trailer and are new to camping. I'm hoping this will open up a whole new world for us.


Last night was spent buying memberships and trip planning software. Trip Wizard and GS membership. The software programs are nice but lack one thing, experienced driver's input.


I am looking for the best travel route to pull a 32' travel trailer from Western, NY to Frontiertown campgrounds in Berlin, PA.


I am trying to avoid steep grades with our tow vehicle. I'm being slightly neurotic by this entire thing so says DH is to take the 90 to Syracuse and drop down I-81.


I'm also looking for half point to spend the night. I'm traveling with DH, two kids, and two dogs.


Any and all input would be sincerely appreciated. I feel like I haven't slept in 3 days trying to book this trip.

[RVThere]

I hope you didn't spend too much on trip planning software because Google Maps is great and FREE! Plus you get live traffic that automatically reroutes you.

From Rochester to Berlin is about 5hrs and 15 mins. If you take 90 out to Syracuse and then shoot down 81, it adds almost 2 HOURS to your trip.

Why not shoot down I-99 for most of the trip?

[Indy Glenn]

When I plan a trip, I start with Google Maps:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Lake...2!2d39.9206363

Then I'll go to the Good Sam Club web site and go to the Travel Planning tool:

RV travel – trip planning tools and information from Good Sam Club

This is a benefit that comes with your GS membership. You may notice travel times may be longer using the GS Trip Planner as it is designed for your RV set up.

Also, look at the Pilot Travel Center web site.

Below is a link to the Locations Travel Planner portion of the web site:

https://pilotflyingj.com/store-locator/

You'll find out that fueling will be different with a 32' RV in tow. I use this trip planner to plan out where I will fuel up as many Pilot/Flying J stations have dedicated RV Lanes, which are designed you, the RVer. They are great! Of course, if you have a diesel tow vehicle, you can use the truck lanes - - an RV Plus card will help here.

Pilot/Flying J will also give you a discount when showing/swiping your GS Club card and to take it a step further, if you apply for an RV Plus card, think dedicated debit card, will give you an extra couple cents off a gallon, 5 Cents for gas, 7 cents for diesel and no need to go into the store when using the truck lanes.

One other piece of equipment you may consider purchasing and the is an RV specific GPS. There a a few to choose from. You may have one in your tow vehicle but an RV specific GPS will take into account your rig. A good RV GPS will warn you of sharp curves ahead, height restrictions, steep grades, and free Life Time Map (LTM) updates.

Good luck and enjoy your new TT, it will open up another world for you and your family making many new memories and friends.

iRV2 is a great place to ask questions and learn. Always feel free to PM me - I'm here to help.

g

[Kels Crew]

Thank you so much for the help!!

Wow, I will keep digging to find better routes for sure. 2 hours is a long time.

So far we are invested in a GS membership and RV trip Wizard. I must say Wizard is handing but not for mapping.

I have been playing with Google Maps for the basic and then dragging and dropping into the GS Trip Planner. I'm just unsure of the roads that we would be driving.

DH will be getting a Garmin! I had no idea that some could be rig specific. We'll have to look into that a little deeper.

Glenn, thanks for the links. We're going to Berlin, Maryland, but I essentially I have been using Google and dragging and dropping

Anyone have any ideas of good half way stopping point. I'm only figuring one in because this will be our first long haul ever.

[D Lindy]

The 90-81 route will add 100's of extra miles and hours of time. With no info on your tow veh. you almost sound like your TV is undersized to tow your TT. The shortest (and yes there are mountains, you can't cross Pa without mountains) route is US-219, I-80, I-99, US 322, US 30, US 202, I 95 South, MD State rt 1 south,, US 113 south to Berlin. Anyway you take it though this will be a FULL DAYS DRIVE and then sum towing a camper.

[RVThere]

One place to consider overnighting is Corning, NY. The glass museum is very interesting and there's a campground (Camp Bell) about 10 miles before you get to Corning.

[Indy Glenn]

Originally Posted by Kels Crew

Thank you so much for the help!!
Glenn, thanks for the links. We're going to Berlin, Maryland, but I essentially I have been using Google and dragging and dropping

Anyone have any ideas of good half way stopping point. I'm only figuring one in because this will be our first long haul ever.

Sorry about the wrong destination, I got Berlin, PA from your original post - - - no worries - - "spell-check"! Sheesh....LOL

Half way points - - how about Hershey, PA? Gettysburg, PA????? Both neat places and family friendly.And way not make more than one stop?? If time allows - - Corning, NY glass works is a great family stop - - be sure to set up an appoint to blow some glass......

And if you want to avoid mountains and steep grades - the Thruway does not have steep grades - - I am not sure about I-81 south through NY but a zoomed in look at Google maps of your route will give you an idea of the terrain.

Check out Garman and Rand McNally RV specific GPS systems.....

And don't sweat the mountains and grades........here is a tip for you, when starting to go down a steep grade, start at the top at the speed you want to travel the entire grade. Not knowing what your tow vehicle is, no one can give you more advice than this as gas trucks and diesel trucks "may" have features to keep speed down but this is an unknown. Check You Tube for videos of driving a TT down a steep grade.......

g

[Kels Crew]

Lindy and Glenn

Our truck is a 4.3L, 4 x4, 3:42 gear ratio, and 6 speed transmission. The max trailering package on it is installed on it!

Corning and Hershey sound like two great stops.

[Springdale1]

I live just south of Rochester, we have pulled a 30' camper about 8000lbs loaded with a 2011 1500 Silverado with 5.3 engine with 3.42 gears. I have a Reese dual cam hitch. We run 390 to 86 then to 15 down to 81. Yes there are hills but all good road and hills are not bad. And traffic is on the light side. So you should have no problem with that route down to rt80. It will be about a 4 hrs pull to that point so you could look for camping or even overnighting in a WalMart.

[marksheinkopf]

If going to Berlin MD try and get a spot at Castaways RV Park
Much nicer than Frontier Town and highly rated. We've stayed there many times. Hard to get a sight in summer. Closest campground to Ocean City MD. And they run shuttle buses to OC

[Winemaker2]

If you are planning on Corning Museum the Glenn Curtis Museum in Hammondsport is a good half day stop and many wineries nearby to visit.

[Indy Glenn]

Originally Posted by Kels Crew

Lindy and Glenn

Our truck is a 4.3L, 4 x4, 3:42 gear ratio, and 6 speed transmission. The max trailering package on it is installed on it!

Corning and Hershey sound like two great stops.

This thread became active again and made me wonder if your trip has happened yet or when ??

How'd it go or what are your plans......please update.

Also FWIW - - I was putting some trips together, I ended up subscribing to RV Trip Wizard. I won't lie, I initially had second thoughts but after getting into it, it does save some time basically going from web site to web site. With Trip Wizard, it measures out my milage a a leg of the ride and then give lots of suggestions on camp grounds and such at a stop along the way. It is not the easiest to use at first but once you get the hang od it I believe it save me time. What they did with RV Trip Wizard was to link many if the web sites I used in one place........lazy me!!!! LOL I even got it to download the trip to my GPS a Garmin.

g