ellent

Looking for best way to get to Cape Cod, MA from Western PA. We would like to try to avoid big cities and busy interstates. Any help would be appriciated!

emalloy

That"s a tough one. I would guess that the fastest way would be using the interstates, perhaps 80 to 95 through CT to 195 near Providence to 24 to 6,probably about 10 - 12 hours. You could avoid NY city by going up to I-84 through CT and then picking your way from there over to the Cape by a variety of routes.

If you want a real slow ride try route 6 all the way. It does join with I 84 for a while in CT and probably one of the interstates in RI, but plan on a multi day trip for that one.

Best of luck

RoamsAround

You can get turn by turn directions on either Google Maps or Mapquest - both have "options" that will show you routes that avoid highways or Interstates (if you so wish) and you can also plot routes that by-pass the larger cities. Google Maps also allows you to "click and drag" the route if you want to avoid a certain area.

All in all, driving the Interstates will generally be the quickest way and in most instances there are spurs that by-pass any of the major cities - which aren't really that many between Western Pennsylvania and Cape Cod.

doug_stallings

If you can switch over to the Hutchinson River Parkway then the Merritt Parkway through NY and CT, that's a more pleasant ride, but at some point you have to get on a major interstate. And it's not like that isn't a busy road. But it's a more pleasant drive than I-95 and doesn't take that much longer. Though the speed limit is 55 miles per hour, you aren't choked by traffic so much and don't have to deal with the trucks. I think there's another parkway that goes across northern Westchester over to the Hutch, but I'm not familiar with that route.

doug_stallings

One key to doing this drive is to avoid driving on Friday and Sunday. That makes all the difference in the world, particularly as you approach the Cape.

tomfuller

Western PA is rather large. Could you tell us if you are north or south of I-80?
If you are north head directly for US Rt. 6 (Warren or Bradford). You will cross the Delaware River into Port Jervis New York. Rt. 6 will take you to Cape Cod through Hartford CT.
If you are south of I-80, either take I-80 or Rt. 22/522 to get on US 15 north to US 6 at Mansfield, PA.

caper64

I just want to add something that isn't obvious from Google Maps, or even if you have your travel route plotted for you by AAA.

When you use state routes or parallel roads in effort to avoid the interstates here in New England, sometimes, as they say, "the cure is worse than the disease".

For example, Route 1 (the coastal route) and Routes 6 and 44 (the inland routes) look like good alternatives to the interstates going through CT and RI.

In reality, some stretches of these roads are a nightmare. Road work, detours, poor signage, and in some spots they actually have you going right through the middle of a big city - although that doesn't become obvious until you look at the actual path of the route on a detailed street map of the city.

If you'd let us know what town in PA you're leaving from, how long you have to make the trip, and what your concerns are about traveling the interstates, it'll be helpful to us in suggesting the best route for you ...

emalloy

You also need to let us know what kind of vehicle you will be in because there are roads, mostly parkways that do not allow trucks or vehicles in tow. This could limit some of the alternative routes.

ellent

We are coming from Somerset,PA and we would be traveling by car. We would like to do the trip in 1 day. I did google, yahoo, & mapqust directions all which give me different travel times and routes (any where from 9.5 hours - 10.5 hours). We are not very keen on I-95, but we still want to make good time.

tomfuller

US 219 north to US 22 into Hollidaysburg and then the new I-99 to hook into I-80 north of State College. I-80 all the way to I-81. The worst traffic will be where you hook into I-84 east of Scranton. Still cross the Delaware River at Port Jervis.
Avoid the PA Turnpike and I-95.

caper64

My mom and her friend come to visit us on the Cape every summer. And they, too, dislike interstate driving.

They come from northeastern PA, so they're nearer to the Cape than you are. But, for whatever help it might be to you, here's the route they use:

I-84 East, to I-691 South, to Rt. 66 East, to I-195 South, to I-495 South, to Rt. 25 South, to the Bourne Bridge.

Going this route, it's about an 8 hour trip from the time they get on I-84 just outside Scranton, to the time they reach the Bourne Bridge on Cape Cod. That includes a short "pit stop" for lunch.

I understand your averson to I-95. I really do. But if you want to make decent time getting here, I'm afraid you're going to have to use interstates to some extent.

As you're mapping out your route, consider Doug's suggestion (above) about the Hutchinson River Parkway and the Merritt Parkway. They're soooooo much nicer to drive than I-95!

ellent

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I will pull my maps out this weekend and see how all of your directions take me. Thanks again!

tomfuller

It is 4.5 hours from Somerset to I-84 just east of Scranton.
I-80 seems to have about half the traffic of I-95.