Trip from Boston to Florida

[DJJ]

I am driving from Boston to Florida, about 1500 miles. I plan on stopping 2 nights. I am "hoping" to make it to Chester, Va (based on cecommendations of this website) the first night. This will be about a 600 mile drive. I am then planning on stopping in Savannah, Ga. my second night, about 450 miles. Can anybody recommend a clean, decent, fairly priced hotel at these 2 locations? Also, any decent place to get a good meal and a couple of drinks? I will be travelling alone. Any help, or recommendations for this trip would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Dave

[Webmaster]

There are quite a few hotels in Chester at exit 61. One in particular is an unusually good value... The Comfort Inn is a newer hotel with interior corridors, free internet access, a business center, and outdoor pool. Rooms include coffee makers, iron and ironing boards, microwaves and refrigerators, and cable TV. Upgraded Business suites are available with wet bars. Rates start at $36 bucks a night... great for this area. Here's a link to more info:

http://rez.i95exitguide.com/hotel/?refi ... _hid=44792

There's a great little Mexican restaurant on site (Don Pepe Mexican Restaurant) that get's rave reviews... lots of other restaurants nearby too.

In Savannah, I-95 exit 94 is our recommendation. That exit has lots of choices. The LaQuinta is a good value, the Baymont Inn or Wingate are a bit higher priced by worth the extra the better quality. Here's a link to more info on these hotels:

http://rez.i95exitguide.com/city/?refid ... 3000003899

This exit also has a ton of restaurants. Check out "The Shell House". We've had many I-95 travelers recommend this particular restaurant as a must stop when traveling thru Georgia.

Have a safe trip!

[relic]

Hi, I would recommend the Super 8 in Savannah off exit 94. It's about a year old, very new and modern. I stayed there last year and enjoyed it. It's about a 15 minute drive to downtown, plenty of options to eat in the area. Consult Tripadvisor for more good advice on what to see, eat, etc. Good luck on your trip.

[DJJ]

Thanks for the great info. Can anybody recommend a hotel in the Maryland area? My new plans will require a stop somewhere in the Washington DC area. The hotels seem a little pricey. Maybe I need to get past DC the first night. I'm looking for a decent cheap hotel. Also wondering what the traffic concerns will be in the morning in that area.
Thanks.

[Webmaster]

You would do better by trying to make it past DC the first night. The hotels are less expensive and the traffic will be behind you. If you stay in Maryland, you'll have to leave quite early in the morning (4-5am) to make it past Baltimore and DC before the morning rush.

South of DC, shoot for Fredericksburg...
http://www.i95exitguide.com/stopovers/va126.php

Our "Great Overnight Stops" section may help you for the rest of your trip...
http://www.i95exitguide.com/stopovers/index.php

[DJJ]

Thanks for the great info. I am planning on trying to make it to Fredericksburg, Va. the first day and then Savannah, Ga. on the second day. I do have one more question. What would be the best time to leave Boston to try and avoid the majority of the traffic? I am planning on leaving around 4 AM. Maybe even a little earlier?
Thanks in advance.

[Webmaster]

Boston to Fredericksburg is about 9 hours (500 miles).

If you leave at 4am, you'll hit New York City about 8am, Baltimore about 11am and DC about noon. If you're leaving on a weekend, traffic wouldn't be much of an issue. If you're leaving on a weekday, you're hitting NYC during the morning rush and Baltimore/DC during the lunch rush (yes, there is a traffic spike during lunch).

I usually leave at about 10pm (from New Hampshire). I hit NYC before the morning rush and Baltimore/DC before the lunch rush. If driving at night is an issue, then just schedule your (weekday) trip to avoid rush hours...

Generally speaking, rush hour is 6–10 am and 4–7 pm. large metro areas experience a another, less frantic, lunchtime rush hour from noon till 2 pm.

Below is a (typical) Travel Time Index graph by Time of Day and Day of Week for I-95.

[DJJ]

Thanks for the great info. I am leaving on a Tuesday. I wish I could leave at 10PM. That sounds like a great time to avoid most of the rush hour traffic. However, since I am driving alone, I don't think that's such a good idea for me. It would be tough staying awake. It looks like my 4 AM plan is going to put me right in the middle of rush hour traffic. Even if I leave a little earlier I will be hitting the traffic. I may just have to deal with it. Even if the drive takes me 10-11 hours, I should be in Fredericksburg at a decent time. Thanks again.

[bostonboy]

I don't know where in the area you live -- but if you were to leave at 7 -- and go out 90 / 84 / 15 / 91 / 95, you'd be crossing the GW at around 11. You will get caught in the Washington rush, but that's a good time to get off the road, chill out, have dinner. Yes, you'd get to Fredricksburg in the mid-late evening ... but -- you'd be coming off a good night's sleep and going into another one.

When I leave here (30 miles north of Boston) -- I tend to make it to Emporia / Roanoke Rapids -- on my solo drive story (see the second page of "Are We There Yet - Solo Drive down the Big Road) , I left at 7 am, made it to Gold Rock / Battleboro at around 10:30. I stopped outside of DC and had dinner while the rush was in process.

Have fun! Mrs bostonboy and I will be driving to FL in November, but stopping off in Savannah on the second day.

[DJJ]

Thanks for your input. I also live 30 miles north of Boston. We are probably neighbors! I am too much of an early riser to leave at 7AM. I ususally leave for work around 5 AM every day and I know I'd be bouncing off the walls ready to hit the road long before 7! But I do like your idea. I do have another question on the route you take. I have a AAA TripTik and they have me going 90/ 84/ 684/ 287/ NY State Thruway/Garden State Pkwy/ NJ Tpk/ 95S. I've read a few different ways of going. Are you familiar with this route?
Thanks!