Road Trip DC to Boston help

vinylstalker

Wassup strut. Taking a last minute trip to see my sisters new house in Boston next
week. Flying into Dc, seeing fam there, renting a car and then up to Boston.
Taking I -95 all the way.
East Coast Strutters: Please advise about the following:
Route tips? Speed traps? Toll avoidance?
Good lunch spot not far off the highway?
Can't miss it detour within 25 miles?

I know this is a well traveled route, thought I could get some cool info here.

I know Boston ok.
Sis lives in Winchester, never been there.

Thanks!

PATX

I would probably cross the Hudson at Tappan Zee - it avoids a lot of traffic and is RR!

Alternatively, if I wanted to do something along the way I would consider driving up the Hudson to New Burgh and crossing over to Beacon (aka Williamsburg on the Hudson) and visit DIA Beacon art museum. The area round there is much, much prettier than driving through the tri-state post industrial rust-scape. Then you can continue on via 84 or even 90 and avoid all the I-95 commuter traffic in places like New Haven or Providence. Scenic route.

If you do go via 95 through CT and RI the local cuisine is pizza and clams, sometimes combined.

DB_Cooper

SportCasual said:

I would probably cross the Hudson at Tappan Zee - it avoids a lot of traffic and is RR!

Alternatively, if I wanted to do something along the way I would consider driving up the Hudson to New Burgh and crossing over to Beacon (aka Williamsburg on the Hudson) and visit DIA Beacon art museum. The area round there is much, much prettier than driving through the tri-state post industrial rust-scape. Then you can continue on via 84 or even 90 and avoid all the I-95 commuter traffic in places like New Haven or Providence. Scenic route.

If you do go via 95 through CT and RI the local cuisine is pizza and clams, sometimes combined.

Yeah, 84 to 90 is the way to go through CT into MA. As for avoiding NYC traffic, I'm sure other dudes will have the best routes.

vinylstalker

Thanks for the CT to MA advice, sounds good. Looking to avoid
traffic and shitty scenery.
I like pizza, never had clams, but hate oysters so I'm suspect but ready to try em.

Delay

DC to Boston is a 8-9 hour drive without stopping and with traffic can be 11-12 hours. Where are you staying in DC? If you're in VA, you should definitely wait until 9am to leave. The beltway is insane before then. Tolls are plenty, and really expensive on that drive so i'd definitely try to rent a car with an EZ pass. The food options get really bad after Baltimore, so definitely try to eat there. You like crab cakes? There's also a lot of interesting food in Langley Park which isn't that far off your path. You might want to consider camping out somewhere on the route. Obviously NYC would be my suggestion if you have any friends here.

vinylstalker

Staying in DC proper, on 16th street. No ez pass. 12 hours with traffic? Shit.
Love crabcakes. Best spot close to interstate?
Thinking now maybe best to leave DC in the evening to avoid traffic and camp
at a KOA campground or something.
Oh, what about skateparks?

Frank

Bad timing... I'm about to take off for a 10 day trip to Croatia, if you're driving back the 18th or later you should stay over at our place in Brooklyn for a night or two.

vinylstalker

Thanks Frank, I may take you up on that. My return date is open ended,
gonna play it by ear.

And now plans have changed and I'm driving
the whole trip
from Baton Rouge to DC to Boston.
Now expensive tolls are more of a concern, but I'm taking
our Honda crv so camping or crashing in thee car
are real options.

Delay

you could get a sandwich here:
http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=chinks+cherry+hill+nj&fb=1&gl=us&hq=chinks&hnear=0x89c135fe14275495:0xcdd1b5221b1f61ed,Cherry+Hill,+Cherry+Hill+Mall,+NJ&ei=ucxATpKqAZTC0AG46MGnCQ&sa=X&oi=local_group&ct=image&ved=0CAQQtgM

it's not TOO far off the path, but the betsy ross bridge has a $5 toll

Delay

vinylstalker said:

Staying in DC proper, on 16th street.

16th and what? maybe you should check out the zoo and eat some ethiopian in dc.

you can take 14th all the way out of town.

The_Non

95 to 287N to 87N to 84E to 91N to 90E. Otherwise, I'd say your ass will be chapped in a multiplicity of ways.

vinylstalker

The_Non said:

95 to 287N to 87N to 84E to 91N to 90E. Otherwise, I'd say your ass will be chapped in a multiplicity of ways.

Hey thanks for that TN, checked that route, looks good.
I don't mind adding some miles on the trip to avoid gridlock, shitty scenery and tolls.

PTom, dads house is 16th st. NW, a few blocks from piney branch pkwy.
Dad doesn't drive and is clueless.

Paging Breeze, where do I. get lunch in Baltimore?

And generally, if y'all had to pick one city or store on this route to stop and dig
for an hour, where would you go?
Plan on hitting up Paychecks spot on the way back.

Delay

hit SOM records in DC on 14th st.

pkny

DB_Cooper said:

SportCasual said:

I would probably cross the Hudson at Tappan Zee - it avoids a lot of traffic and is RR!

Alternatively, if I wanted to do something along the way I would consider driving up the Hudson to New Burgh and crossing over to Beacon (aka Williamsburg on the Hudson) and visit DIA Beacon art museum. The area round there is much, much prettier than driving through the tri-state post industrial rust-scape. Then you can continue on via 84 or even 90 and avoid all the I-95 commuter traffic in places like New Haven or Providence. Scenic route.

If you do go via 95 through CT and RI the local cuisine is pizza and clams, sometimes combined.

Yeah, 84 to 90 is the way to go through CT into MA. As for avoiding NYC traffic, I'm sure other dudes will have the best routes.

If you're gonna cross the Hudson north of NYC (which I heartily cosign), I'd also suggest hopping off of 95 in NJ at either the Garden State Parkway or I-287 (in that order of preference) to head northbound. Both of these roads will eventually get you to the NYS Thruway. If you're going to be in this area around normal work traffic times, you'll hit traffic on any of the major NJ roads, but other times should be smooth sailing. I've been steadily traveling back and forth between the Mid-Hudson Valley and central NJ for 10 years now, and I take the NYS Thruway/GSP combo about 99% of the time. I absolutely hate driving on the NJ Turnpike (aka 95) anywhere north of New Brunswick.

pkny

vinylstalker said:

The_Non said:

95 to 287N to 87N to 84E to 91N to 90E. Otherwise, I'd say your ass will be chapped in a multiplicity of ways.

Hey thanks for that TN, checked that route, looks good.
I don't mind adding some miles on the trip to avoid gridlock, shitty scenery and tolls.

You could also stay on 84E to get to 90E, instead of hopping of 84E to 91N. There *is* a possibility of hitting traffic in Sturbridge, which is where 84 and 90 meet, but it's still an option. I've also had moments where traffic is jammed up in Hartford, but in my experience, if you sail through there, you'll have no problems during your time on 84.

vinylstalker

Fu*kin awesome dudes, just the kind of info I was looking for.

On the return trip I want to visit Frank in BK and Good Records, so I have to
barge through 95 and subsequent hell, yes?

I think I want to take the scenic and laidback route there, maybe
camp halfway.
Dig spot en route?
Where would you eat?

Thanks!

pkny

vinylstalker said:

Fu*kin awesome dudes, just the kind of info I was looking for.

I think I want to take the scenic and laidback route there, maybe
camp halfway.
Dig spot en route?
Where would you eat?

Thanks!

If you're looking to dig and check out some scenery, you could always stop off in New Patlz, NY, which is exit 18 on the NYS Thruway. It's a small college town (home of SUNY New Paltz), and has two records stores (Rhino Records and Jack's Rhythms) on a few hundred feet apart. There's also some amazing scenery as you drive west on Rt 299 out of New Paltz and toward the Shawangunk Ridge. Just search "New Paltz" in Google Web and Images, and you'll find some pics and info.

Delay

If you drive through Richmond, VA. be sure to stop at steady sounds

and while you're there get some food over at Black Sheep

The_Non

Or Mama J's

Snagglepus

pkny said:

vinylstalker said:

The_Non said:

95 to 287N to 87N to 84E to 91N to 90E. Otherwise, I'd say your ass will be chapped in a multiplicity of ways.

Hey thanks for that TN, checked that route, looks good.
I don't mind adding some miles on the trip to avoid gridlock, shitty scenery and tolls.

You could also stay on 84E to get to 90E, instead of hopping of 84E to 91N. There *is* a possibility of hitting traffic in Sturbridge, which is where 84 and 90 meet, but it's still an option. I've also had moments where traffic is jammed up in Hartford, but in my experience, if you sail through there, you'll have no problems during your time on 84.

Yeah ... stay on 84E to 90E. It's about 20 miles shorter and you're avoiding any traffic in the Springfield area.

vinylstalker

Thanks bruh.
Loving these super-focused replies.
I'm gonna have the ultimate route thanks to y'all.
SS rulez

vinylstalker

Black sheep looks rad.
The link is incorrect but I googled it.