Anyone with experience making this trip? Debating going through New York proper onto I-91N through Mass and Vermont vs. taking 87N through Catksill and Albany onto 7N. We will be traveling Memorial Day weekend, and not looking to make any stops between if that is of any help.
I noticed that google wants to take you through CT. doing this would enable you to hit up breweries like NEBCO and Treehouse depending on which day and time you travel up.
I drive Philly 'burbs to Eden, VT pretty regularly and usually take 287>87 and cut over @ Fort Ann to 4>22A. If I were going to Montpelier I would stay on 4 'til 100N and take 107>89N to Montpelier.
If you make the trip during off hours then the 87 route is solid.The only thing with 87 can be the timing of the trip. I have seen the northbound lanes of 87 turn into a parking lot as I'm headed south between Albany and Ramapo. Everyone is trying to escape NYC for the weekend and it can make for a congested and traffic laden ride. Same goes on the return trip. I have found that NJ turnpike> Palisades parkway>287>684>84>91 to be a good route. GW avoidance and general heavy traffic avoidance.
We are actually going to NEBCO, Treehouse and a few others on our trip back down. Thanks for all the input I`ll plug a few routes into google and see what is best, but the sense I get is to avoid NY/NJ turnpike? There may not be a good way to go about it on Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. We will probably be leaving Philadelphia around 9-10am.
Going anywhere near the shore on Memorial Day Weekend will be a pain. Going south may not be as bad since many will be heading back north but if its possible to travel at a weird time or avoid all together you may be better off.
On this route where am I going to pick up 287? Off of 95 in NJ? We are staying around Rittenhouse Square the night before.
Yeah, that's the problem with coming from our area. Coming from west of the city I take 276>202 which I prefer to 206 through Princeton. You could take 95 and cut back, but I have no idea if that would save you any time.
Heading North on the the NJ turnpike shouldn't be a real issue as most peeps will be heading southbound. 95>276 is pretty quick, although it can be a little tricky to navigate getting from 95 to 276 as it isn't a straight shot. I would however stay away from the AC expressway and Garden State Parkway that weekend.
This is the best I could come up with using google maps. Does it seem reasonable? 95N > 287N > 87N > 4N > 4E > 100N > 107E > 89N I believe that is basically the route you described GreenMtnMike
Yep, the only difference is I like to stay on 87 the extra little bit and take 149 over to 4. It probably doesn't make much difference but I always seem to have better luck that way.
It was already quoted once, but I'll quote it again. Drove BTV/Waterbury/Stowe <-> DC area more times than I care to think about it, and this is the way I go. If you go rt 107, you can still admire the damage Irene caused. 149 will allow you to bypass Glen Falls, NY. It is a small town but can still backup.
I take 87 all the way up to Ticonderoga exit, then cross over at Crowne Point. This minimizes your drive time on the thruway at 70 mph, while minimizing your drive time in Vermont - which while very scenic, can add time and frustration if you get stuck on one of those one lane roads behind a bunch of trucks. Route wise, it doesn't take any longer than driving up rt 4 - and you avoid Rutland and traffic lights for as long as possible. And once you're past Albany it's clear sailing. I've lived in Vermont for over 5 years and driven back home to Philly a bunch of times.
I've been making the trip from Philly suburbs to Montpelier "suburbs" for years, and apparently I've been driving the wrong way. My go-to route has always been: 476N > 276E > 95N > Garden St. N > 287S > Merritt E > 91N > 89N It's almost all highways, avoids the GW bridge, and, barring a big accident, mostly congestion-free. Good luck!
Getting on 84 Avoids a potentially congested area of the NY Thruway. Just an option. Comes out by Newburg, what exit is that, 7?
Used to drive Harrisburg > Burlington several times a year. Cant really help with your route coming from Philly, but I will say if you decide to take 87 thru NY, be extremely cautious with your speed, especially with out of state plates. Gotten 2 speeding tickets in my life, both on that highway, both times literally going with the flow of (fairly heavy) traffic. They are sneaky as to where they sit, and I swear the majority of the time I see people pulled over they are NJ / PA / Mass / Queb drivers.
