What is the best route from Boston to Florida?

[DJJ]

I have a TripTik from AAA which has me going 90/ 84/ 684/ 287/ NY State Thruway/Garden State Pkwy/ NJ Tpk/ 95S. I am leaving next Tuesday in the morning I am gussing around 3-4 AM. Would this be the best route considering the time and day I am leaving? I am planning on stopping in Fredericksburg, Va. on the first night.
Thanks.

[Webmaster]

We've been traveling to Florida at least once a year since 1975... and that's the exact same way we go 95% of the time.

[DJJ]

Thanks for the reassurance. My only problem is my GPS doesn't want to go that way. It wants to send me 90/84/91/15/8-108/95/Hutchinson Pkwy/Bruckner Blvd/Bronx Expy/George Wash Bridge/95. My head is spinning.

[bossmann]

I'm not from up where you are, you're a bit further north than myself, but as for the GPS part of your last post, there's a chance that the default route setting on your GPS could be set either to shortest mileage OR shortest time to location. Most GPS's have an option to change that in its setting's area. Or it might sound like a pain, but you could always punch each step into your GPS as you go (ie. once on 90 punch in to go to 84 etc.), which may sound tedious but its a way of you telling your GPS what way you choose to go. Safe trip

[DJJ]

My GPS has 4 settings. Faster time, Shorter distance, Less fuel, and Off road. It is set on Faster time which I think would be right. I may just have to have the directions written down and hopefully the GPS adjusts itself on the fly.

[dsnoyes]

Listen to your gut - the original route you posted is the way you want to go. We travel from NH to NJ several times a year to visit family and we always go that way and avoid 95 through NYC (GW Bridge). The reason the GPS is taking you that way is that it's a bit shorter - but the route through Hartford/White Plains and over the Tapan Zee Bridge is actually faster. Safe travels!
Sue from NH

[DJJ]

Will do. Thank you.

[95trip]

I ended up cheating my old buddy I-95. It's been 20 years since my last affair. Traveling from Central Maine to Clearwater/St Pete FLA in 1991 I headed on the western route through CT on 84 over to Scranton/W-B and along I-81 along the Appalachians then to I-77 through Charlotte, then off to Columbia SC and joining back on to I-95 near Walterboro SC. That was the only time I ever went southbound on that route. I had bad road management though, leaving too late in the morning and ended up in a stinkhole hotel in Scranton. Also driving in a Firebird vs my grownupmobile (small SUV) the legs got cramped and the Septmber weather was extremely hot and humid. My trips south now always entail a afternoon departure and I drive until the first rest area in VA (now that it is open again) get a few hours sleep and saunter down to Santee SC for golf that afternoon. So I-95 south is rarely a problem for me with my overnight through the Northeast. However northbound is much different. My usual trip takes me anywhere from Florence SC to Rocky Mount NC on the first day, then the trouble always begins. I HATE traveling the northeast any week day and even on weekends can be slow. Whether one travels east or west of DC, it will always be the wrong choice. NJT can also clog up anywhere from PA TPK to NYC. Getting across the GWB and the Cross Bronx makes me wonder how people do this on a daily basis. So I took the western route as I explained in the first part. 1st night just north of Charlotte, 2nd night in Goshen NY and then a cakewalk home the following day. I put on an extra 95 miles with this route (1680 vs 1575) and had an additional 1 1/4 hour travel time. Had a 40 minute slowdown/crawl in Charlotte due to an accident and a slowdown for 20 minutes in Wilkes-Barre PA because of construction. Of course no tolls all the way through until bridge at Newburgh, NY. So I spent a little more time, used a little more gas but saved from the tolls at Harbor Tunnel, MD bridge over the Susquahanna River, Delaware Tpk, DMB, NJT, GWB & NY Thruway. The scenery, especially in southern VA was spectacular on I-81. Will probably revisit this route on next trip north, but not heading south.