jacquee4

I am driving to OBX, Corolla to be exact, from Northern NJ mid -July with my husband & 2 babies. We're thinking of doing the drive over 2 days, but I'd love to hear from anyone who has made this trip from the tri-state area. Should we go through DC, or go around it? What's a good mid-point? Should we try to plan ahead & reserve a room?
I love reading & posting on this board. I've found sooo much useful information. Thank you all in advance.

jacquee4

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Ackislander

Since the Delmarva peninsula is a glorious place in itself, don't even think about driving the Washington route. You can take the Cape May to Lewes, DE ferry at the end of the GS Parkway, spend the night in or around Rehoboth Beach, then drift south next day, crossing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. You will need ferry and room reservations at that time of year but the southern end of Delaware and Maryland and the Eastern Shore of Virginia are beautiful.

Or you can take the NJ Turnpike, cross the Delaware Memorial Bridge, and take US 301 south through Maryland, stopping somewhere around St Michael's. Then go south to the Bridge-Tunnel. Again, you will need a reservation at that time of year, but both the countryside and towns are very attractive EXCEPT for the first ten miles of 301, which are congested and unpleasant. Persist.

jacquee4

Thanks! That's very useful.

Budman

If you leave Northern NJ in the AM, you should have no probems going around DC (95/495) as long as you do it no later than 2pm. You might want to consider stopping around or between Fredericksburg/Richmond.

KathyK

Having been to the Outer Banks many times, the only advice I can offer you is to get there early on your arrival day, even if you can't get into your house until the afternoon. Many people sit many hours in traffic during the afternoon hours. We have always driven to the Norfolk area the first day, stayed in a hotel, and then we get up early the next day and drive the 1-2 hours to the Outer Banks, arriving around 10:00 a.m. with no traffic. We plop ourselves on the beach and wait for our house to be ready. It gives us an extra day at the beach and we aren't stuck in traffic, like everyone trying to arrive in the afternoon.

obxgirl

If you're travelling on a weekend and go the route through DC I very strongly suggest you end up further southeast than Fredericksburg or Richmond. You're still at least 4 hours from Corolla and congested traffic on I95 and I64 can be a nightmare on summer weekends.

I absolutely agree with KathyK about arriving on the Outer Banks mid morning on your check in day. The trek up to Corolla and the Northern Beaches between noon and 5 can be interminable (a 25 minute drive can last and hour and half).

massiek

We just returned from a trip to OBX. We left DC about 10 AM on Saturday, and the traffic was TERRIBLE. It was slow the entire way. Leave very early or leave late, but mid-day driving is killer.

And we were advised that you'd want to leave at 6 AM on Saturday to miss the rush. We did, but the rush caught up to us before Williamsburg and it was slow all the way to DC.

Be forewarned.

OBXBarb

This reply is past due, but may be helpful to future travelers.
My family traveled three times a year from Wilmington Delaware to the Outer Banks. The trip down the Eastern shore is definately shorter than 95/64 no matter what time of the year, even with small town speed limits. It is much more pleasant a drive as well. The exit for Rt 13 is right next to the Delaware Memorial Bridge.
Now I commute 64 on weekends in the off season and live right off 95 and 295. The traffic on 95/295 and backups on the weekends are horrendous every summer week. 64 is bad year-round Fridays and Sunday. Avoid if you possibly can 158/168 when everyone is coming in on Saturday (12-3)in the summer. Leaving at peak time is also not great on those roads.

disneynan

We used this website last year for our trip down to OBX from CT. and had a wonderful trip. We did overnight in Norfolk on Fri. evening to break up the ride and were over the bridge and at the visitor center before it opened at 9am..and this was the JUL4 holiday week...this is an excellant informative site:
http://www.obxroadconnections.homestead.com/index.html We followed all of the driving tips!

bagsarepacked

I so agree with the advise on staying in Rohoboth DE.
That is such a wonderful beach town with just enough to see and do.
Very family friendly.
If you can, eat at Just In Thyme on the way to Dewey Beach. Nice, not crowded. Great food.

sunbrat99

We always do Rte. 13 and do it in one day with frequent stops along the way. The trick is to leave very early in the morning (3:30 or so) to beat the insane traffic. We usually arrive before noon and spend the day on the beach before we can get into the house. It's like getting an extra day of vacation!!!