Hi Ellen!

This is what I would do:

I'd leave Orlando early. Scary early like 4AM to beat the traffic and drive I-95. I'd also keep current SC/NC/GA maps nearby so when traffic starts to snarl, you can figure out how to get off the interstate.

Last Easter Week one of my assistants was driving home from New England and I-95 traffic was at a standstill.

It was as simple as him exiting I-40 to SC 17 and was home within two hours.

Where would you pick up SR 129?

" anyone know of an alternate route(s) to avoid the inevitable backup and headache? Or are they equally as crowded? There must be a better way!!??"

AUTO TRAIN....

No good, Autotrain would let them off in Lorton South of DC. That is more than four hours from Wytheville.

I'm still missing the part where Ellen tells us this is the weekend after Easter. However I did see where she said that is USUALLY when they are going. In any case, if that is true, I-75 is just as bad. Half of Southwest Florida lines up on I-75 for the caravan back to Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and beyond!

Hi all, sorry about the delay in responding; i had to fly out immediately for a meeting. We did return again Easter weekend, via I 75, and it was much better than I95. GoTravel, last year we were likely in the same standstill as your assistant. It was miserable, truly a (slowly) moving parking lot. I'm happy to say we didn't encounter one similar situation this year on I75. This will definitely be our new way of returning home.