Virginia to Bar Harbor Maine help

[Charles L]

Looking to avoid New York City cluster f@#$. Is it bad for a 30 ft class c towing a dolly/camry taking the thru Bronx expressway? Should I avoid and divert or take a chance? I will be arriving in the late afyternoon say 3 pm to 5 pm. Does not look like many choices on the map. Thanks.

[BFlinn181]

I'd go west from VA to I-81 N, then at Scranton, PA go E on I-84 across Connecticut to I-90, I-290, to I-495 around Boston to I-95 N of Boston almost at the NH border. Avoids all the mess of Washington, Baltimore, Phila, NYC and is a much more pleasant drive.

[Charles L]

Thank you. I will look into that route.

[Stevec4]

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

I'd go west from VA to I-81 N, then at Scranton, PA go E on I-84 across Connecticut to I-90, I-290, to I-495 around Boston to I-95 N of Boston almost at the NH border. Avoids all the mess of Washington, Baltimore, Phila, NYC and is a much more pleasant drive.

I would make a slight change to this route. There is no need to get on 290. just stay on 90 to 495 - Pick your times well, 84 thru the waterbury CT area can be very slow during rush hour, there is a lot of construction in that area. Also the exit onto 495 from 90 during rush hour can back up significantly.

Also, if you don't mind the JTP we have taken the Cheaspeake Bay Bridge to the Jersey Turnpike then get off on the Garden state parkway to join 287 to 84. Avoids NYC and saves a bit of time.

We are in a Class C with out a TOAD
Steve

[Loggenrock]

AVOID!!!
You don't say which part of VA you are in - makes a bit of a difference. If western, take I-81 north. If eastern, Chesapeake Bay is our route.

Last season we found I-78 in PA to be horrible - surface so bad we had to reduce speed to 40-45 mph to not shake things apart.

Being in NH, we have to travel thru the northeast to get anywhere else. I have given up on I-84 in CT. No matter what time of day, either traffic or construction stops us in our tracks east or westbound.

How much time do you have to make your trip? A much more relaxing route is 81 north to Binghamton, NY, then I-88 to Albany. Saves tolls by not taking I-87. Now you have choices.

I-90, toll road, east to 495 to 95. Highways.

We use Rte 7 to Rte 9 across southern VT, then into NH. 2 lane, few hills, but we do it fine with our B+ and toad.

Other option is continue north on 87 - can go all the way north to top of Lake Champlain if you want - otherwise pick up Rte 4 across VT to 91 north, pick up Rte 2 and follow that all across NH and ME to 95 in Newport, ME north to Bangor, then down to Ellsworth and Bar Harbor. MUCH more scenic! ST

[n-e-d]

Agree with Stevec4 forget 290 go 90 to 495

Loggenrock's routes are slices of New England( they will be slow) the northern route 4 to 2 is one of my favorites

[Sweetbriar]

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

I'd go west from VA to I-81 N, then at Scranton, PA go E on I-84 across Connecticut to I-90, I-290, to I-495 around Boston to I-95 N of Boston almost at the NH border. Avoids all the mess of Washington, Baltimore, Phila, NYC and is a much more pleasant drive.

We did the reverse last summer. Easy dive. Did in three days. with two stops along the way. A couple of days at Salisbury Beach State Reservation MA and an overnight near Port Jervis NY.

I would not take the Eastern Shore route US 13 thru Delaware. You'll still have to deal with Wilmington and Philadelphia. From my home base in south eastern VA I'll take what ever route I feel like to US17. Sometimes I'll pick up 17 in Newport News or take I64 and I95 to the Fredericksburg area. Won't drive DC in my daily driver if I can avoid it. Did DC once in the coach on the way to Hershey. The traffic starting at Woodbridge to Rockville (34 miles) added three hours to the drive.

[Charles L]

I am in Chesapeake on the east coast. I am leaning towards using the I-81 route. I know it adds about 3-4 hours to the trip. I do not want to deal with the big City traffic. The coastal route goes way too close to NYC and all the unknowns towing a dolly behind. I wish there were other choices to get up north. The good sam trip planner is not very good for this. I guess I will go back to the old map and program the trip with City waypoints at the route changes. Thanks for all the help.

[TonyDi]

If you're not in a hurry and want an interesting trip. Take the bay/bridge to Lewes, DE. take the ferry to Cape May NJ. (I've done it many times) plus it gives you a break and is not expensive, compared to tolls and additional gas going up I-95. Take the Garden State Pkwy all the way to the NY Thruway. Keep going north on it and then take I-84 east to I-90 to I-495 to I-95,

In Maine we love Rt 1 as it goes up the coast, by quaint villages. It a fun time all the way to Bar Harbor.

(on edit) make reservations for the ferry.

[CamperDad]

Originally Posted by TonyDi

If you're not in a hurry and want an interesting trip. Take the bay/bridge to Lewes, DE. take the ferry to Cape May NJ. (I've done it many times) plus it gives you a break and is not expensive, compared to tolls and additional gas going up I-95. Take the Garden State Pkwy all the way to the NY Thruway. Keep going north on it and then take I-84 east to I-90 to I-495 to I-95,

In Maine we love Rt 1 as it goes up the coast, by quaint villages. It a fun time all the way to Bar Harbor.

(on edit) make reservations for the ferry.

We are traveling up that route in June. Does the ferry fill up often? Just wondering how far in advance we need to make reservations.

[gmasters]

Originally Posted by BFlinn181

I'd go west from VA to I-81 N, then at Scranton, PA go E on I-84 across Connecticut to I-90, I-290, to I-495 around Boston to I-95 N of Boston almost at the NH border. Avoids all the mess of Washington, Baltimore, Phila, NYC and is a much more pleasant drive.

made that trip 2x
first time 95 from richmond oh what a mistake

next time we took what was posted above
less tolls and better roads