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mimi
Citizen
Username: Mimi
Post Number: 267
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 12, 2006 - 6:30 pm: | 
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we're leaving on friday at the crack of dawn and trying to plan our route. googlemaps suggests we go through delaware and across the big bridge (sounds fun) and notes the time at 10 hours 20 minutes. rand mcnalley suggests an alternate route through washington and richmond with a time of 9 hours 20 minutes. any experience/suggestions? thanks in advance. |
Pizzaz
Supporter
Username: Pizzaz
Post Number: 3940
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 12, 2006 - 6:54 pm: |
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The travel south on I95 to Richmond then cutting across on I64 is faster and less frustrating than traveling south on Highway 15 which starts in Delaware and gets real bad in Maryland and VA because of traffic lights along the way. I traveled both ways last month, going on I95 returning on Highway 15. The big bridge (Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel is a mavel to cross) if you haven't crossed it yet, you should - it's worth the extra time, or if you haven't crossed it in quite a few years - it's worth the extra time too!  |
melicious
Citizen
Username: Melicious
Post Number: 522
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 12, 2006 - 7:30 pm: |
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we stopped in williamsburg - midtrip, kinda - and had a blast.
where in the outer banks? we stayed at kill devil hills and they have a great restaurant if you have kids. great food, VERY child friendly (menus on the back of etch-a-sketches) and great service. have fun!!! i love the outer banks
Kill Devil Grill
2008 S. VDT Beach RD
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
(252) 449-8181 |
mimi
Citizen
Username: Mimi
Post Number: 269
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 12, 2006 - 7:41 pm: |
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pizzaz: thanks for the tip. i have to check a map, but let me get this straight. you suggest we head down 95 through dc to richmond, cut across on 64, and then take the bay bridge tunnel?
it's my first trip (my husband went every summer as a kid). and i can't wait. we're staying in whalehead. and, yes, melicious, we have a child. a 4-month-old. if we're close to the restaurant, we'll definitely check it out. |
SoOrLady
Citizen
Username: Soorlady
Post Number: 3414
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 12, 2006 - 7:46 pm: |
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We always take the Bay Bridge Tunnel route and have never found 15 to be bad - yes, there are traffic lights and you don't get to cruise at 75 mph, but for the most part it's a nice ride and there are some lovely old towns in MD. The Bay Bridge Tunnel is amazing. Immediately after you come out of the second tunnel you can stop and walk out on the pier and get a drink (I can't recommend the food though).
What part of the Outer Banks are you visiting? We're heading to Corolla at the end of the month. |
mimi
Citizen
Username: Mimi
Post Number: 270
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 12, 2006 - 7:59 pm: |
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what about this route? it is on one of the real estate web sites.
I-95 to Exit 4 in Delaware. Take DE. Rt. 1 South (This is not US 1.)Proceed south on Rt. 1 around Dover, DE to Exit 95 to US 13 South. Proceed south on US 13 to and through Maryland to Virginia. Continue south on US 13 to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel ($10.00 toll)toward Norfolk, VA. Proceed to I-64, the Norfolk-Hampton Roads Beltway at Exit 282. Take I-64 East toward Suffolk and Chesapeake, VA. Exit the Norfolk-Hampton Roads Beltway at Exit 291B toward Nags Head. Stay to the extreme LEFT for VA168. Follow the Chesapeake Expressway - pay $2.00 toll - and proceed to the Expressway end. Continue on VA 168 to and beyond the North Carolina border. VA/NC 168 joins US 158. Stay on US 158 East to the Wright Brothers Memorial Bridge from the mainland to the Outer Banks at Kitty Hawk. There is a junction of US 158 and NC 12 about one mile beyond the Bridge. Stay LEFT for NC 12 North to Duck and Corolla.
thanks. |
SoOrLady
Citizen
Username: Soorlady
Post Number: 3415
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 12, 2006 - 8:15 pm: |
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That route sounds right - if you're heading to Duck.. stop at the Duck Deli for hush puppies & crab cakes. This Maryland-raised SoOrLady is quite particular when it comes to crab cakes and they more than pass the taste test! If you don't mind traveling a bit south - drive through Kitty Hawk and over the causeway and into Manteo to the Weeping Radish - great microbrewed beer and authentic Bavarian food. |
Bailey
Citizen
Username: Baileymac
Post Number: 347
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 12, 2006 - 8:21 pm: |
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Mimi..
That sounds right. I've made that trip lots of times, love the Bay Bridge Tunnel.
The toll has been raised to 12.00 though, a couple years ago.
We sometimes stop for a night in Norfolk on the way down, because the rentals are often Sunday-Sunday, and we drive most of the way Saturday. Gets us close to Duck, and makes the Sunday drive very short.
What's your final destination?
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Pizzaz
Supporter
Username: Pizzaz
Post Number: 3941
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 12, 2006 - 8:40 pm: |
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mimi the I95 to I64 would avoid the bay bridge travel. You should know that this travel alternative is approx. 60 miles longer than traveling on Highway 13 (stand corrected), but faster in my experience. |
Eire
Citizen
Username: Eire
Post Number: 206
Registered: 7-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, July 13, 2006 - 12:18 am: |
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Sorry to get to this soo late, hope it's not too late - but just did this trip last week - left at 3am going and coming back and really glad we did - we did the trip Mimi mentions - and hit NO traffic (unlike others in my family who waited till later to leave, who got stuck just about everywhere)...
suggestions - high cotton bbq in Kitty Hawk - Kitty Hawk Kites, Kill Devil frozen custard... there are a million places to go -- have fun! |
Barbara
Citizen
Username: Blh
Post Number: 664
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, July 13, 2006 - 6:38 am: |
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Mimi -- that's the route -- time it right and stop at StingRays -- the restaurant in back of the Exxon Station on the left a town or two before the Bay Bridge Tunnel. Great seafood -- excellent ice cream, and a chatchka shop to die for!
Since we started down going down there 20 years ago, they've vastly improved the roads. Take your EZ pass -- though not good for the Bay Bridge Tunnel.
Enjoy. |
mimi
Citizen
Username: Mimi
Post Number: 271
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, July 13, 2006 - 7:29 am: |
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thanks, everyone! we were planning on leaving at 4 am. we'll need multiple stops since i'm nursing a 4-month-old and traveling with 2 dogs. and thanks for all the tips about places to go. we'll be up north, in whalehead (north of corolla). now i'm off for laundry, packing, and errands. |
Bailey
Citizen
Username: Baileymac
Post Number: 349
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, July 13, 2006 - 8:07 am: |
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Have fun..
We're going to Whalehead too, 1st week in August.
Let us know how you liked that area, it's our first time that far north. |
mrmaplewood
Citizen
Username: Mrmaplewood
Post Number: 368
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, July 13, 2006 - 1:44 pm: |
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Mimi -
I recommend the Rt 13 way. It has been heavily bypassed in the congested areas, with the bypass numbered as Rt 1, as mentioned above. There are some traffic lights, and they seem annoying, but are not too bad. I recently used this route and wondered if I should have used the I 95, I 64 combination, but other people were telling me of heavy delays on I 64 (2 hours). And as is common knowledge, I 95 is no picnic. In all, I was glad for the Rt 13 road, lights and all.
Only one trick to be aware of. Below Dover, Delaware you have to be very careful to switch back to 13, and it is NOT intuitively marked. If you continue too far on Rt 1 you will wind up at the Delaware beach area. (Believe me, you do not want to be on Rt 13 going through Dover.) |
Cedar
Citizen
Username: Cedar
Post Number: 195
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, July 13, 2006 - 5:06 pm: |
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I know I'm likely way too late...but want to chime in.
The route through Delaware is, in our opinion, defintely the way to go. You miss the unpredictably hellish Baltimore and DC traffic, and travel through lovely farm country through alot of MD and VA. As MrMaple commented, in certain areas, lights are present. They're far more bearable than creeping along an interstate for miles on end.
Enjoy your trip! |
mimi
Citizen
Username: Mimi
Post Number: 275
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, July 13, 2006 - 8:58 pm: |
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not too late at all, cedar. i'm just wrapping up the packing and the last minute emails. and we're defintely going the rt 13 way based on the great information shared here. whalehead here we come! |
Mplwdladee
Citizen
Username: Mplwdladee
Post Number: 152
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Friday, July 14, 2006 - 3:00 pm: |
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hope Im not too late also but here's the deal I go to chesapeake every month to visit my folks, you have to pass their house to get to outter banks where we also used to have a house.
because people in jersey, delaware and virginia are all heading to their repective beaches.
Its hard to roll out of bed at that hour but its the difference between a 10 hour trip or 6 thats just to the hampton roads area
Take the turnpike to delaware memorial bridge
If you hit traffic on turnpike take exit 7a to the delaware memorial bridge, otherwise stay on 95.
Get on route 1 toward baltimore instead of 13immediately this will slash 40 minutes off your trip.
Follow signs to virginia
follow signs to 64 toward outterbanks
good luck
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