Toronto - Florida Route

I'm driving from Toronto to Florida in a few weeks.

Previously I've taken I-79 via Pittsburg to Charleston W. Va then I-77
thru' S. Carolina where I'd pick up I-95. I don't have any great
problem with this route (although the mountains can be a bit tiring in
traffic) but I wouldn't mind a change of scene.

According to my map, as an alternative, I could strike out East at
Pittsburg and take I-70/76 then I-70, I-270
via Hagerstown and Frederick and pick up I-95 South of Washington DC.

Does anyone have any experience of this alternative route? I take my
time on this trip (5 or 6 days) so I'm not in a great rush, though
obviously I'd prefer to avoid seriously heavy traffic. (I assume
circumnavigating Washington would let me in for a bit of heavy going
anyway).

127.0.0.1 wrote in news:navmj0t3n1hn214fhhdrjbi7l4uqnin0t5@
4ax.com:

On Sun, 05 Sep 2004 15:11:40 -0400, WoofWoof
wrote:

I'm driving from Toronto to Florida in a few weeks.

Previously I've taken I-79 via Pittsburg to Charleston W. Va then I-77
thru' S. Carolina where I'd pick up I-95. I don't have any great
problem with this route (although the mountains can be a bit tiring in
traffic) but I wouldn't mind a change of scene.

According to my map, as an alternative, I could strike out East at
Pittsburg and take I-70/76 then I-70, I-270
via Hagerstown and Frederick and pick up I-95 South of Washington DC.

Does anyone have any experience of this alternative route? I take my
time on this trip (5 or 6 days) so I'm not in a great rush, though
obviously I'd prefer to avoid seriously heavy traffic. (I assume
circumnavigating Washington would let me in for a bit of heavy going
anyway).
What is wrong with I90 to I 81?


Teh W Va Turnpike is the better route IMnsHO wave as you drive into St
John's county in Florida

In article ,
WoofWoof wrote:

Previously I've taken I-79 via Pittsburg to Charleston W. Va then I-77
thru' S. Carolina where I'd pick up I-95. I don't have any great
problem with this route (although the mountains can be a bit tiring in
traffic) but I wouldn't mind a change of scene.

Unless you have serious objections to two-lane highways, you might
consider trying US 1 from Columbia SC, via Augusta GA to Jacksonville.
To save a little time, you could take I-20 from Columbia past Augusta,
then exit on US 221 and go south a few miles to US 1.

Although it's mostly two lanes, US 1 is fairly pleasant driving through
Georgia. The biggest town besides Augusta is Waycross, and you can even
bypass Waycross by switching to GA 15 at Baxley. It goes in an
almost straight line southward, and rejoins US 1 south of Waycross. My
wife and I usually take this route when driving to Florida from upstate
SC.

You even get to go through Santa Claus GA, just south of Lyons. :-)

One more tip: if you're headed for central Florida instead of the east
coast (I-95), you can also bypass Jacksonville. At Folkston GA, just
north of the GA/FL state line, turn onto GA 23 which runs southward into
Florida. At MacClenny, jog left (east) a block on US 90 to county road
228, which goes past I-10, then hits US 301, which is a nice fast
four-lane route to Ocala. Another option is to continue on US 1 into
Florida, then turn onto US 301 at Callahan; but that stretch of US 301 is
two lanes and has a *lot* of truck traffic. GA 23 is almost deserted, on
the other hand.

--
Jon Bell Presbyterian College
Dept. of Physics and Computer Science Clinton, South Carolina USA

SP Cook wrote:

WoofWoof wrote in message

I'm driving from Toronto to Florida in a few weeks.

Previously I've taken I-79 via Pittsburg to Charleston W. Va then I-77
thru' S. Carolina where I'd pick up I-95. I don't have any great
problem with this route (although the mountains can be a bit tiring in
traffic) but I wouldn't mind a change of scene.

According to my map, as an alternative, I could strike out East at
Pittsburg and take I-70/76 then I-70, I-270
via Hagerstown and Frederick and pick up I-95 South of Washington DC.


First off, thanks for answering my question in the terms that I asked
it: that is, I was asking for opinions on a specific route, not
putting out a general call for alternatives. While I do appreciate the
time others have taken to propose other alternatives (and I will, in
fact, think about them) that was not really what I was asking for.


The route you propose is much longer, much more mountainous (since you
are traveling E-W in the mountains, you are in them longer) and MUCH
more crowded. Much more traffic, and much much much more truck
traffic, frustration than the traditional route. You will invest
HOURS just on the DC Beltway. I-70 and I-95 are MAJOR MAJOR truck
routes.


Thanks, this is just what I needed to know. It doesn't appear to be
much longer on the map, but admittedly I haven't specifically checked
it (mostly because, if you force Streets & Trips to take a route other
than the one it suggests, by giving it specific cities to go via, it
insists on taking you downtown in those cities on the way).



BTW, the best version of the traditional route is not to take I-79 all
the way to Charleston, but to exit at I-79 Exit 57 and then take the
4-lane US 19 (WARNING SPEEDTRAP) south to where it will join I-77 at
MP 48. This saves you 39 miles, and two thirds of the WV Turnpike
tolls, and driving through Charleston. It also bypasses the (equally
a speedtrap) no-median northern section of said Turnpike.



The only time I ever tried leaving the Interstate routes - to save
miles - was in Florida where I once used US-301 to cut the long corner
of I-10 from I-95 to I-75 (I'm headed for the Gulf coast). This turned
out to be a disaster time-wise with umpteen speed limits, traffic
lights and 2 lane sections with slow moving trucks. I've never strayed
since. (But if you promise me that US-19 will be OK, maybe I'll give
it a try (:-) ).



If you are looking to drive a different route, try HWY 401 to Detroit,
and then I-75 all the way down to the Florida's Turnpike.

It's certainly a though ... the route my father-in-law used to take.
What's the border-crossing like in Detroit these days?

Woof:
I have traveled the 79/77 route twice last year to florida, and this
spring to myrtle beach. Both times we traveled back on 95, then 270 to
the turnpike.

I found traveling on 95 ok, however I hate the turnpike, it's winding
narrow roads made my kids and I sick. The only good thing was in
hagerstown there was a good mexican restaurant, i forget the name now.
On holidays and weekends 95 can be busy, so watch out.

I'd have to say i prefer the 79/77 - my family likes to say overnight in
Beckley.

The email below was the advice I took.
Have a good trip!

From: SP Cook )
Subject: Toronto to Florida: Best Way?

Take the QEW to the border
(various people will recomend varrious border crossings, I would say
the traditional end of the QEW at Ft. Erie - Buffalo, but that is a
local thing.)
Get on I-90 (which is the NY Thruway in NY) WEST through NY and PA to
Erie, PA. Remember that the NYTW does NOT take Canadian money.

I-79 SOUTH through PA and WV to just south of Sutton, West Virginia -
Exit #57- US 19 SOUTH - To Summersville - To Beckley.

(US 19 is a 4-lane road, but not an Interstate, however going on US 19
saves 40 miles off staying on I-79 until its end at Charleston and
then taking mountainous I-77 from there. WARNING, Summersville, 20
miles south of the 79 - 19 split, is an asshole speedtrap and
anti-Canadian. Drive in the left lane at 45 MPH through the town
(about 3 miles long)). If you are in an RV or something that can't
handle a 8% grade sustained over about 5 miles, stay on 79 until it
ends on the outskirts of Charleston and then take I-77 SOUTH from
there.

Take US 19 SOUTH to Beckley and enter I-77 at MP 48

I-77 SOUTH(which is the WV Turnpike in WV) through WV, VA, NC and SC
to its end on the SE side of Columbia, SC.

I-26 SOUTH from Columbia to its junction w/ I-26 near Orangeburg, SC.

I-95 SOUTH through SC, GA, and into FL. Depending on the time of day,
you might want to take I-295 around Jacksonville. Once you reach Fort
Pierce I-95 and the Florida's Turnpike run parallel to each other,
with I-95 (free) being on the coast and FT being inland. 95 has
multiple exits and is burdened with local traffic, FT has limited
exits, limited speed enforcement, and MUCH less traffic, but is toll.

Woof:
I have traveled the 79/77 route twice last year to florida, and this
spring to myrtle beach. Both times we traveled back on 95, then 270 to
the turnpike.

I found traveling on 95 ok, however I hate the turnpike, it's winding
narrow roads made my kids and I sick. The only good thing was in
hagerstown there was a good mexican restaurant, i forget the name now.
On holidays and weekends 95 can be busy, so watch out.

I'd have to say i prefer the 79/77 - my family likes to say overnight in
Beckley.

The email below was the advice I took.
Have a good trip!

From: SP Cook )
Subject: Toronto to Florida: Best Way?

Take the QEW to the border
(various people will recomend varrious border crossings, I would say
the traditional end of the QEW at Ft. Erie - Buffalo, but that is a
local thing.)
Get on I-90 (which is the NY Thruway in NY) WEST through NY and PA to
Erie, PA. Remember that the NYTW does NOT take Canadian money.

I-79 SOUTH through PA and WV to just south of Sutton, West Virginia -
Exit #57- US 19 SOUTH - To Summersville - To Beckley.

(US 19 is a 4-lane road, but not an Interstate, however going on US 19
saves 40 miles off staying on I-79 until its end at Charleston and
then taking mountainous I-77 from there. WARNING, Summersville, 20
miles south of the 79 - 19 split, is an asshole speedtrap and
anti-Canadian. Drive in the left lane at 45 MPH through the town
(about 3 miles long)). If you are in an RV or something that can't
handle a 8% grade sustained over about 5 miles, stay on 79 until it
ends on the outskirts of Charleston and then take I-77 SOUTH from
there.

Take US 19 SOUTH to Beckley and enter I-77 at MP 48

I-77 SOUTH(which is the WV Turnpike in WV) through WV, VA, NC and SC
to its end on the SE side of Columbia, SC.

I-26 SOUTH from Columbia to its junction w/ I-26 near Orangeburg, SC.

I-95 SOUTH through SC, GA, and into FL. Depending on the time of day,
you might want to take I-295 around Jacksonville. Once you reach Fort
Pierce I-95 and the Florida's Turnpike run parallel to each other,
with I-95 (free) being on the coast and FT being inland. 95 has
multiple exits and is burdened with local traffic, FT has limited
exits, limited speed enforcement, and MUCH less traffic, but is toll.