Hi-

What is the best route from NYC to Cape Cod? Thank you.

Depending on where you are beginning in NYC, I would take one of the parkways north to the Merritt Parkway, east to Milford. There you have no choice but to join I-95 as far as Providence.

In downtown Providence, join I-195, and follow the signs to Cape Cod.

In Bourne, you can go straight across the bridge for Woods Hole, Falmouth, and Martha's Vineyard or turn north on US 6 to the Sagamore bridge for Barnstable, Hyannis, and the outer Cape.

These roads are all very well marked.

I like the parkways out of NYC and across southern Connecticut because the truck traffic on I-95 is so horrible.

A couple clarifications on Ackislander's directions:
1. At Milford, CT, you actually have to take an exit off the Merritt Parkway (either 37 or 38, I forget the exact number--it'll direct to I-95, the Connecticut Turnpike).
2. When you get to Providence, you really aren't in downtown Providence when you reach I-195.
3. Exactly which road you take once you approach Cape Cod depends on what your actually destination on the cape is.

The traffic on I95 thru southern CT is horrible. You can avoid the first part by taking the parkways as described above. Unfortunately, there is no avoiding (at least we have not found it) the bottle neck in New Haven.
And yes I195 is in downtown Providence but after the stretch thru CT, it will seem like a "piece of cake".
Time of day makes a huge difference. If you are at rush hour the trip will be upwards of 5 hrs, if mid day, 4 or less.

I believe the above posters have gotten yout hru Providence, and on 195, very nicely. now- if you are going to the Vineyard, Falmouth, Woods Hole, or the Bourne side of Cape Cod, take the Bourne Bridge, over the canal.

If you are heading to Sandwich, Hyannis, Orleans, or the Outer Cape, take the Sagamore Bridge. It will be clearly marked.

Sorry- forgot to add- when we lived in the N.Y.C. area, we always came over the Tappan Zee Bridge, to 287-which will take you to The Merrit Parkway. Once on the Merrit, we would get on I95 at Stratford Ct.-easy on-and then just follow to just before downtown Providence to 195.

Safe trip!

Thanks all, we are taking a roadtrip and driving from Queens, NY to Hyannisport. Will be there for a week. We want to take daytrips to Newport,RI + Providence, RI and Mystic, CT. If we happen to pass those places along the way going or coming back, that would be fine. What do you suggest?

You can pass all those places to and from Hyannisport. Consider driving east from Queens to Port Jefferson, Long Island. Take the ferry from Port Jeff to Bridgeport, Ct. and you avoid a lot of the bad I 95 traffic. Mystic is due east of Bridgeport.
http://www.bpjferry.com/default.aspx
The ferry is not cheap ($60 for 2 with the car) nor does it shorten the trip, but it cuts at least an hr. of driving. Maybe take it in one direction and drive the other.