alternate to 95 headed for vabeach?

[cruiserpop]

live in northern va w of dc. thinking of a few weekend trips to vabeach this year. are there any viable alternatives to the 95-64 beach traffic sthick?

[Gone-Camping]

The only alternative that I'm aware of is Rt-301 to Rt-17, and eventually dump you back out onto I-64 in the Newport News area. This is mostly 4 lane divided roadway, mostly 55mph but slows down as you go through several different small towns along the way. The biggest town you'll go through on Rt-17 would be Tappahannock, and that's not very big at all. Toll bridge in Gloucester Point cost $2 (without a trailer).
 
When I run to the DC area, I just use the interstate, it's easier and quicker. However, DC Outbound on a Friday afternoon is probably Satan's worst nightmare, so I can understand you're looking for alternative routes...

[mike4947]

I hate to say this but when I was stationed in DC the solution was 3 or 4 day weekends. Thursday night traffic is much better and that Sunday Crawl from about Fredricksburg north on Sunday Afternoon can ruin what was a beautiful weekend.

[whitestar505]

mike4947,
 
Try it now, It seems that it never is traffic free... I mean bumper to bumper.
 
I have found that taking 97 to 301 helps the nerves some. There is a lot of lights, but it seen to go by fast. Besides you have to take the Key bridge instead of the Harbor tunnel because of the bottle gas. Two weeks ago I took 17 to Newport and it was great.
 
 

I hate to say this but when I was stationed in DC the solution was 3 or 4 day weekends. Thursday night traffic is much better and that Sunday Crawl from about Fredricksburg north on Sunday Afternoon can ruin what was a beautiful weekend.

[AustinBoston]

Besides you have to take the Key bridge instead of the Harbor tunnel because of the bottle gas.

I may be mistaken, but I thought that in Virginia, if you had two or fewer 20# tanks, that the only tunnel requirement is that the LP needs to be shut off at the tank.  Does anyone know if this has changed?

Austin

[vjm1639]

We're in Northern Virginia too (Woodbridge area)...and Cliff has some good tips for part of the trip, however, the worst part of the nightmare for us is getting to that point!  LOL...There's not much other than 95 or Route 1 until you get into Fredericksburg...but then, it really depends on where you are West of DC..If you're towards Leesburg, then you could take 15 to 17 OR you could do 28 to 522 to 64....however, as I'm sure you know...there aren't many back roads around here that are much better than the main ones on a Friday afternoon!  We get nowhere quickly!

[cruiserpop]

i'm in sterling, n of the airport. i do the 15 to 95 or 7100 to 123 to 95 thing now to aviod as much of 95/495 as i can. the 301-17 alternate sounds interesting. it would take me about an hour to get to the md rt 4-301 interchannge. what kind of time would it take to get to 64.
/norfolk from there?

We're in Northern Virginia too (Woodbridge area)...and Cliff has some good tips for part of the trip, however, the worst part of the nightmare for us is getting to that point!  LOL...There's not much other than 95 or Route 1 until you get into Fredericksburg...but then, it really depends on where you are West of DC..If you're towards Leesburg, then you could take 15 to 17 OR you could do 28 to 522 to 64....however, as I'm sure you know...there aren't many back roads around here that are much better than the main ones on a Friday afternoon!  We get nowhere quickly!

[CampNfan]

I am in Northern Va. too.
Go to Frontier Town in Ocean City Md.
That way you can avoid all the traffic to Va. Beach. :p

[vjm1639]

I am in Northern Va. too.
Go to Frontier Town in Ocean City Md.
That way you can avoid all the traffic to Va. Beach. :p

LOL...Like the traffic going into Maryland from Virginia isn't almost as bad, if not worse, on a Friday afternoon?? :eyecrazy:
 
The trick is...LEAVE REALLY EARLY! (Thursday night? LOL)

[wynot]

We come down from Western MD and hop off near Winchester onto 17 and I personally like that route.  Don't forget to stop at the old restaurant in Tappahannock.  You even have a nice place to park your rig at nearby in their additional parking lot.  

Get the potato salad - it's orange.  And wonderful...
Anyhow, running 17 lets you avoid the heavy truck and speed of 95 and 64.

[vjm1639]

Which restaurant are you referring to in Tappahoannock, Wynot? We go down that way several times a year to another campground we go to a lot. I'm always up for a good spot to eat!  

 
 

We come down from Western MD and hop off near Winchester onto 17 and I personally like that route. Don't forget to stop at the old restaurant in Tappahannock. You even have a nice place to park your rig at nearby in their additional parking lot.
 
Get the potato salad - it's orange. And wonderful...
Anyhow, running 17 lets you avoid the heavy truck and speed of 95 and 64.

[Gone-Camping]

301-17 alternate sounds interesting. it would take me about an hour to get to the md rt 4-301 interchannge. what kind of time would it take to get to 64.
/norfolk from there?

It's been many years since I've done that trip, but if memory serves me correctly it's about 3 hours from the Md state line on 301. When my ship was in drydock in Baltimore, I used to run back and forth on weekends, and that was the quickest route I could find. Much of the road has been improved and widened since those days, so it's likely to be a bit faster than when I used to go this route. It is mostly back country, mildly rolling hills, and mostly 4 lane divided hiway @ 55mph. I'm not sure what the toll is on the big bridge on #301 over the Potmac River, but the Coleman bridge between Gloucester Point and Yorktown has a $2 per car toll on it (I think it's $3 with the trailer but don't quote me on that, and belive it's only one way toll).

[wynot]

Which restaurant are you referring to in Tappahoannock, Wynot? We go down that way several times a year to another campground we go to a lot. I'm always up for a good spot to eat!

I had to look it up on the internet.  Lowery's seafood restaurant.  Prices were good.  I didn't order it, but they had crabcake sandwiches that looked a couple of inches thick (the crabcake itself) in a roll.
 
It'll definitely be a must stop on our future trips.

[whitestar505]

Austin,
 
   Key bridge is in Maryland and it goes around the Harbor tunnel in Baltimore.
Don't know about Va.
 
 

I may be mistaken, but I thought that in Virginia, if you had two or fewer 20# tanks, that the only tunnel requirement is that the LP needs to be shut off at the tank. Does anyone know if this has changed?
 
Austin

[vjm1639]

Thanks Wynot!  We will have to put that one on our list of places to stop! DH is a huge seafood fan...and if it's a good crab cake  (he's from Baltimore so he is reallllllllly pickey about crab cakes!) he'll be in heaven.

 
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