Driving from DC to Boston. Suggestions?

[thepd7]

I'm hanging in DC right now with friends but driving to Boston tomorrow (moving there for work).

Google shows a route that takes 8.5 hours but seems to have a lot of toll roads (95 through NJ and NY).

Does anyone know of any better routes? I'm thinking about leaving DC around 11 AM so I'll hit NY 3-4ish, is traffic going to be horrible trying to get out of NY at 4 on a Friday?

Thanks in advance and if you are in Boston let's grab a beer some time!

 

[HAL9000]

Fly

 

[thepd7]

Fly

Thanks for your useful post. I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

 

[HAL9000]

Thanks for your useful post. I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

No you wouldn't.

 

[Brainonska511]

Toll roads are the way its going to be. Just take 95 to the NJ Turnpike. It splits just before or after you leave Delaware (I forget which). If you stay on 95, it'll take you towards Philly before it rejoins the Turnpike (and thus on a detour that will extend your journey). For after you get through Jersey... follow the map?

Fly

No you wouldn't.

Trolling again for +2 to post-count?

 

[HAL9000]

Neckarbs useful suggestion of the night: set your GPS to avoid toll roads...?

 

[repoman0]

95 through NJ should be fine at that time, you might also consider the Garden State parkway. Take the tappan zee bridge rather than George Washington (i-95). Leave a half hour or hour earlier if you can and traffic will be fine. Once out of NY any route is fine, I recommend route 15 in CT (merritt parkway) to break the monotony of interstate driving..

Oh and you can take 287 through about half of NJ to avoid tolls if you want.

Welcome to Boston, it's cold up here!

 

[vshah]

lately i've been taking the acela...so much more relaxed. more expensive though.

 

[thepd7]

95 through NJ should be fine at that time, you might also consider the Garden State parkway. Take the tappan zee bridge rather than George Washington (i-95). Leave a half hour or hour earlier if you can and traffic will be fine. Once out of NY any route is fine, I recommend route 15 in CT (merritt parkway) to break the monotony of interstate driving..

Oh and you can take 287 through about half of NJ to avoid tolls if you want.

Welcome to Boston, it's cold up here!

What's the benefit of taking the tappan zee bridge? Would you take Palisades to get there then 295 back to 95?

Is the garden st parkway not a toll road? It looks like that will add some time since it's going all the way around NJ.

Thanks! I love Boston and have been there 5-6 times for work over the last few years but being from Texas it's definitely going to be an adjustment dealing with the winters.

vshah: Acela looks awesome! I have a Jeep full of everything I own now but I'll definitely consider it for weekend trips to DC later.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I'm happy you have a job and you're already used to being raped for parking so, Boston will be a breeze.

 

[MrChad]

Buy yourself an EZPass.

 

[manlymatt83]

I'm hanging in DC right now with friends but driving to Boston tomorrow (moving there for work).

Google shows a route that takes 8.5 hours but seems to have a lot of toll roads (95 through NJ and NY).

Does anyone know of any better routes? I'm thinking about leaving DC around 11 AM so I'll hit NY 3-4ish, is traffic going to be horrible trying to get out of NY at 4 on a Friday?

Thanks in advance and if you are in Boston let's grab a beer some time!

I live in Boston. Just take 95 into New Jersey, up the New Jersey turnpike, Parkway North to 287, then head towards the Tappanzee Bridge, then merge with 95 again. Once in New Haven, head North on 91 through Hartford, then Up 84 to I-90, then East on I-90.

 

[manlymatt83]

lately i've been taking the acela...so much more relaxed. more expensive though.

Not when you use discount codes and book ahead of time. And when you're a select plus member so you get the huge coupon books

 

[vshah]

Not when you use discount codes and book ahead of time. And when you're a select plus member so you get the huge coupon books

yeah I keep forgetting to sign up for that

 

[GoSharks]

Take the tappan zee bridge rather than George Washington (i-95).

This.

 

[DominionSeraph]

I recommend route 15 in CT (merritt parkway) to break the monotony of interstate driving..

Yes, such a nice road.

Once in New Haven, head North on 91 through Hartford, then Up 84 to I-90, then East on I-90.

95 to 395 would be my preference. Skips Hartford and 395 is quite nice.

 

[acheron]

Buy yourself an EZPass.

This, though you don't have time now. For next time, anyway.

You can avoid most of 95 if you really want by going further west than cutting back east, but it's not worth it. Just take 95. Tappan Zee bridge is a good idea though.

While I agree with taking I-84, Hartford sucks if you hit it at the wrong time, which it sounds like you might be doing. I haven't tried 395. Looks like a longer route, but might be worth it to skip Hartford, I dunno.

Acela is nice. My wife bought us plane tickets to Boston for a couple weeks from now; I wish we were doing the Acela instead. (Not only because they don't grope you.)

 

[preCRT]

Watch your speeds in CT, their state troopers love giving out tickets.


If you're taking 95 through Providence beware of the disappearing right lanes.

 

[Linflas]

You may want to investigate avoiding the little snippet of Delaware you have to drive through. From what they were saying on the news they are screwing around with the toll plaza and there were 25 mile backups over Thanksgiving weekend.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

From DC:

Take 95N
To 695W around baltimore
pick up 83N to Harrisburg
Arround Harrisburg, pick up 81N to Scranton (don't look for dunder miflin, it ain't there)
In scranton, take 84E until you hit I-90 in Mass
Take I-90 east until you hit the big dig
Go to Sam Lagrassa's for dinner and then hit the elephant walk for brews.
Pass out.

I've driven the above route ~90 times in the last ten years. It is a little longer than taking 95N all the way, but you save ~$50 bucks in tolls each way, and the risk of traffic is FAR less. The only issue is that there seems to be perpetual construction on 81N through PA.

Good luck, and have fun.

 

[Linflas]

From DC:

Take 95N
To 695W around baltimore
pick up 83N to Harrisburg
Arround Harrisburg, pick up 81N to Scranton (don't look for dunder miflin, it ain't there)
In scranton, take 84E until you hit I-90 in Mass
Take I-90 east until you hit the big dig
Go to Sam Lagrassa's for dinner and then hit the elephant walk for brews.
Pass out.

I've driven the above route ~90 times in the last ten years. It is a little longer than taking 95N all the way, but you save ~$50 bucks in tolls each way, and the risk of traffic is FAR less. The only issue is that there seems to be perpetual construction on 81N through PA.

Good luck, and have fun.

Sounds similar to how we used to go to Montreal. Since we are SW of DC we would take US15 North to Harrisburg then I81 the rest of the way. The distance difference was about 60 miles and it was well worth it.

 

[thepd7]

I'm happy you have a job and you're already used to being raped for parking so, Boston will be a breeze.

lol yeah I found reverse commuter for $125/month so it's not too bad.

Buy yourself an EZPass.

done. Is it the same for the entire east coast?

95 to 395 would be my preference. Skips Hartford and 395 is quite nice.

I'm actually meeting someone in Hartford so I can't go around. I know 84 to 90 isn't bad though.

 

[Brainonska511]

done. Is it the same for the entire east coast?

Yes. Hell, I used an Ez-pass to go from Chicago to Long Island last summer. Even though the midwest has "I-Pass", the Ez-Pass was still accepted through all the toll plazas on the way.

 

[thepd7]

From DC:

Take 95N
To 695W around baltimore
pick up 83N to Harrisburg
Arround Harrisburg, pick up 81N to Scranton (don't look for dunder miflin, it ain't there)
In scranton, take 84E until you hit I-90 in Mass
Take I-90 east until you hit the big dig
Go to Sam Lagrassa's for dinner and then hit the elephant walk for brews.
Pass out.

I've driven the above route ~90 times in the last ten years. It is a little longer than taking 95N all the way, but you save ~$50 bucks in tolls each way, and the risk of traffic is FAR less. The only issue is that there seems to be perpetual construction on 81N through PA.

Good luck, and have fun.

Hmmmm, google says that adds an hour and a half...decisions decisions.

Also, I haven't heard of Sam Lagrassa's, what's good there?

 

[jersiq]

From DC:

Take 95N
To 695W around baltimore
pick up 83N to Harrisburg
Arround Harrisburg, pick up 81N to Scranton (don't look for dunder miflin, it ain't there)
In scranton, take 84E until you hit I-90 in Mass
Take I-90 east until you hit the big dig
Go to Sam Lagrassa's for dinner and then hit the elephant walk for brews.
Pass out.

I've driven the above route ~90 times in the last ten years. It is a little longer than taking 95N all the way, but you save ~$50 bucks in tolls each way, and the risk of traffic is FAR less. The only issue is that there seems to be perpetual construction on 81N through PA.

Good luck, and have fun.

Definitely they way to go. I live outside Hartford and visit family in Baltimore frequently. I actually just drove this thanksgiving weekend to avoid the I-95 mess.