Need Driving Directions from the NY and PA crowd

[starbkjrus]

Hail from Toronto! We are finally on the final leg of our Southern Ontario adventure. Thank goodness!

I finally have broadband internet access instead of dial-up (:eek but still limited internet time and we are visiting family and friends for the holidays. (It's about 1:Beer-thirty and I HAVE to get to bed).

We are leaving Toronto on Friday (12/29/06) to head back to Washington DC and need advice from the rabble in NY and PA. We have two sets of directions (google maps and mapquest).

One set takes us down through central NY and PA on some roads that I've never heard of and the other takes us (through Buffalo) and down I-90 (I think...it's the expressway that goes SW along Lake Erie) and then down to Pittsburgh, then Breezewood, then Fredrick and on down. The later route we know but the question is ....is there a better way? Is there something through central NY and PA that is better? Ideas on halfway stops? I'm not about spending 10 hrs on the road.. I prefer a nice happy hour and dinner rather than fast food in the car and keep on driving.

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

No help for you Dee, although the first route sounds like the one I have taken in the past. Through the Allegheny valley down route 15? 17? forget which. Beautiful drive through the mountains in the summer, but I might be a bit leery of it if there were snow in the forecast. Some pretty lonely roads if you have any problems.

And I will be looking to see what others suggest as I will be doing the same drive, except all the way back to FL, in a few weeks.

[possingk]

I travel from Buffalo to Harrisburg, PA all the time and I think think going through central PA will be a bit longer it is a solid 5 hours. But the directions are easy, once in Buffalo take I90 West to 390 South that will turn into 17/15/11 follow 11/15 south until you hit DC, there are more small towns on this journey than there are on the journey through Pittsburgh and such.

[Woodsheal]

I travel from Buffalo to Harrisburg, PA all the time and I think think going through central PA will be a bit longer it is a solid 5 hours. But the directions are easy, once in Buffalo take I90 West to 390 South that will turn into 17/15/11 follow 11/15 south until you hit DC, there are more small towns on this journey than there are on the journey through Pittsburgh and such.

NOT the way I would choose! 11/15 is two-lane most of the way and can slow you down to a crawl.

I'd take I-90 East to Syracuse, I-81 South to Harrisburg, I-83 South to Baltimore, take the Baltimore beltway around to south of that city, then I-95 South to D.C....

[mexpiper]

I'd take I-90 East to Syracuse, I-81 South to Harrisburg, I-83 South to Baltimore, take the Baltimore beltway around to south of that city, then I-95 South to D.C....

Thats the same way i would go, also. I-81S has been redone, and repaved, its a much easier way to go. Its also a bit safer.. more places to stop on I81. Just beware if there is snow,,, it could be a slow go...through out I-90 to Syracuse and beyond.

[Frank McGrath]

Having driven to Greene New York several times. I would get on 81 South to Harrisburg then take 15 south, because it goes right into Va around Leesburg. Plus there is a great diner in Dillsburg Pa. on the right side. Dont remember the name, but the food was good. Have a safe trip and a Happy New Year.

[Angus]

a great diner in Dillsburg Pa. on the right side.

Its not Wolfe's Diner is it?

[Wompet]

I'm familiar with the QEW - I-90 - I-79 - I-70 - I-270 route. It worked for me. And with the current forecast, the roads should be clear - not even black ice to worry about.
From Buffalo, that will be two hours to Erie, two hours to Pittsburgh, two and half/three to Frederick, and I forget what it was to D.C. - so ten hours, give or take. A couple of the rest stops in Pennsylvania have pretty good scenery, especially those down in the mountains south of Pittsburgh.
Of course, having said that, when some of my co-workers drove down to Frederick for training, they took the I-81 route.

[canawler]

I think I'll throw in my two cents. This choice totally depends on your personality. Are you a person that hates the drive and just wants to get it over with or do you enjoy travelling and seeing new places? Keep in mind, traffic will be insanely busy on the interstates this weekend. The route thru Pittsburgh seems pretty far out of the way. Rt.15 thru PA and MD is actually mostly 4 lane now after several years of improvements but there are still some very congested sections. Unfortunately the VA section is usually very bad on weekends so if you go this way you should consider I-270 from Frederick, MD to DC. I was on I-81, I-83, I-695, and I-95 from about 35 miles above Harrisburg, PA down to the south side of Baltimore in the last couple of days and can report no major construction projects to delay you on that stretch of highway. Either way, its still a long drive.

[Bob C]

NOT the way I would choose! 11/15 is two-lane most of the way and can slow you down to a crawl.

I'd take I-90 East to Syracuse, I-81 South to Harrisburg, I-83 South to Baltimore, take the Baltimore beltway around to south of that city, then I-95 South to D.C....

This is pretty good advice. If you don't mind a longer drive with much less traffic and probably better time, take I-81 all the way to Winchester, VA and Route 66 (I think) into D.C.

I-95 can be BRUTAL. I did that with my family last summer.