# Best Route To Orlando From Pa



## clarkely (Sep 15, 2008)

We are located 1/2 way between Philadelphia and Allentown (zip 19438).

I am looking for my best Route to Ft. Wilderness/Orlando.

We will be leaving sometime during the evening of 12/4/08 driving through the night. We are planning on stopping in southern Georgia and camping for the day and night of Friday (12/5) and continuing on to Orlando on Saturday (12/6).

I also need best route home........In the event one route is better than another for the way home.........

We plan on leaving Friday (12/12) early afternoon, stopping as far north as we can find a spot that is open to spend the night, then continuing home Saturday (12/13)

Thanks for your Help!!

By the way Feel free to join us down there!!!

There were a bunch of other families going that have canceled.....so there may be some sites available.....


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## 5th Time Around (Jul 8, 2008)

I do not know about north of Virginia, but from Virginia to Orlando is easy. Stay on I95 to the Bee Line Expressway in Fla - I think it is SR528.

Traffic gets congested around South Carolina because I95 is only 4 lanes (total) and opens up in Georgia.


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## Fire44 (Mar 6, 2005)

From where you are it looks like the shortest route would be 476 to I95, taking the beltways around Baltimore and Washington DC. If you are planning on driving at night you should have very few problems getting around the beltways.

The beltway around DC isn't too bad if you hit it at the right times.....we time it to be there before 6 am or after 10 am in the mornings or after 8 pm and have never had many problems.

Gary


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## webeopelas (Mar 11, 2006)

Fire44 said:


> From where you are it looks like the shortest route would be 476 to I95, taking the beltways around Baltimore and Washington DC. If you are planning on driving at night you should have very few problems getting around the beltways.
> 
> The beltway around DC isn't too bad if you hit it at the right times.....we time it to be there before 6 am or after 10 am in the mornings or after 8 pm and have never had many problems.
> 
> Gary


What he said. We always drove down on I-95 to I-4, but there may be better ways.

Phil


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## clarkely (Sep 15, 2008)

A lot talk of going down I-81 to I-77,to I-26 to I-95 to I-4.

This is the route most truckers take...........they say 95 has crazy's & accidents.......

I also was curious of the road conditions.......on 95


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## 5th Time Around (Jul 8, 2008)

I am corrected - I forgot about I4 cutting down to Orlando. I95 through South Carolina is a little bumpy if I remember correctly. Maybe Chuck-N-June will chime in as she just went to Virginia up I95. I have not taken a TT north of Amelia Island on I95 so I can't comment.

The last trip I took from Virginia to Florida in March, there was an accident on I95 that had up standing still for almost 3 hours. This is when a GPS would have come in handy. We didn't exit I95 because we had no idea the way around it.

I agree that we attempt to avoid Jacksonville around rush hour times. There is a bypass but I have never taken it.


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## Fire44 (Mar 6, 2005)

clarkely said:


> A lot talk of going down I-81 to I-77,to I-26 to I-95 to I-4.
> 
> This is the route most truckers take...........they say 95 has crazy's & accidents.......
> 
> I also was curious of the road conditions.......on 95


I did a Mapquest running you from Harleysville to Orlando using the I95 route.....16 hrs 17 mins and 1018 miles

Mapquest running you from Harleysville over to I81 to I26 to I95 to Orlando.......18 hrs 45 mins and 1165 miles

Just for fun...running from Harleysville to Norfolk (running the length of Delaware over the Bay Bridge Tunnel) and back on I95
17 hrs 14 mins and 1048 miles.

I have run the I95 route many times, is there rough spots....yes, can you get caught in a 3 or 4 hour accident back up....yes, but it is still the most direct route and most of it is good road. If you run I81 down or the Rt 1 through Delaware you still could get caught in a accident back up...and the roads aren't much better.

If it was me....I would get on I95 set the cruise at 60-65 mph and just be happy.

Gary


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## webeopelas (Mar 11, 2006)

Fire44 said:


> A lot talk of going down I-81 to I-77,to I-26 to I-95 to I-4.
> 
> This is the route most truckers take...........they say 95 has crazy's & accidents.......
> 
> I also was curious of the road conditions.......on 95


I did a Mapquest running you from Harleysville to Orlando using the I95 route.....16 hrs 17 mins and 1018 miles

Mapquest running you from Harleysville over to I81 to I26 to I95 to Orlando.......18 hrs 45 mins and 1165 miles

Just for fun...running from Harleysville to Norfolk (running the length of Delaware over the Bay Bridge Tunnel) and back on I95
17 hrs 14 mins and 1048 miles.

I have run the I95 route many times, is there rough spots....yes, can you get caught in a 3 or 4 hour accident back up....yes, but it is still the most direct route and most of it is good road. If you run I81 down or the Rt 1 through Delaware you still could get caught in a accident back up...and the roads aren't much better.

If it was me....I would get on I95 set the cruise at 60-65 mph and just be happy.

Gary
[/quote]

Again, what he said. We have gone down to Disney for the past 4 years in Feb. Only one time(the first time) did we hit a 2hr backup due to an accident. Also came home from Destin, FL this past June on I-95. Didn't really notice it being rough. Set the cruise of 68 and drove for 3-4 hours at a time.
Liked it much better than than going through Atlanta.


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## Rubrhammer (Nov 27, 2006)

You mentioned I 81 toI 77. That will expose you to as many trucks as you would see on I 95 and more hills. One BIG one in particular at Fancy Gap Va. I've been on both routes in the last yr and I say go for the I 95. Check on line to see how much the tolls are on I 95. There is an expensive toll to cross the Susquehanna River pulling a trailer. I think we paid $13.
Bob


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## prevish gang (Mar 19, 2006)

Once you get into Maryland on I-95, take the beltway on the west side of Baltimore. Slightly longer, but the roads are smooth. The east side beltway will beat you to death. Like Fire44 said, get through Washington DC before 6am and you will be fine. You will be driving against traffic from that point on. You can bypass Richmond VA by taking I-295 and pick up 95 again on the south side of Petersburg. Trucks were much worse on I-81 than 95. Also DO take the by pass around Jacksonville and avoid work time rush hours and you will be fine there. I-95 has plentiful campgrounds all the way to Florida. If you are wanting to stay in GA, you will have a ton of options. I wouldn't even book ahead that time of year since you are well before the Christmas rush. If you don't book ahead you won't HAVE to drive if you are too tired to go further. You can stay at South of the Border in SC for $25 a night. Just get there before 10pm. We drove with Webeopelas back from Destin, FL and stopped at South of the Border. I-95 is not bad at all. We had torrential downpours most of the way home and still had very little problem. Even with a little construction I learned that I will never take I-85 over I-95 ever again! Also, I have driven I-81 and I wouldn't do that over coming through DC again. The extra 2 hours on the road is not worth it. Have fun.

Darlene


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## rdvholtwood (Sep 18, 2008)

We were actually down in Orlando during 911. We ended up driving back to PA - it took us about a 1.5 days and the ride was great. From what I remember we drove through Virginia (61) through the Shenedoah mountains - it was beautiful! I believe we found that the most direct...


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