My husband and I are driving from the Toronto area to Fort Lauderdale for a cruise. We were thinking of doing a somewhat leisurely drive and thought it might be a chance to drive the Blue Ridge Mtn. Pkwy. Can anyone tell me if this is going to be alot out of our way? We normally drive to Florida via I-75 but thought this might be an opportunity to take a different and more scenic route, but perhaps I'm way off base. I'm having trouble finding maps that show the exact location of the BRMP (from the maps I have seen it doesn't appear to run directly north/south -- my apologies for my ignorance).
I'd really appreciate any information or advice. Thanks so much!

We researched this because we are doing a southern US trip in June. The Blue Ridge Parkway runs from just west of Washington DC to just beyond Asheville in west North Carolina. If you are comfortable with going 45 miles per hour (don't know what that is in kilometers per hour but it's slow) an driving way west of I-75 then it would be doable for you. If you took I-79 instead and hooked up with I-77 in Charlston, West Virginia, you could get on the Parkway in southwestern Virginia and take it to Asheville. Then take I-40 to I-81 to I-75 or I-26 to I-95 to Florida.

Hi from BARRIE!

Yes - it is out of your way - sort of goes east/west rather than north/south.

However - the other option that puts you in SAME AREA as Blue Ridge Pkwy and is MUCH more scenic than I-75 is to go through Buffalo rather than Detroit.

This puts you primarily using I-77 to I-95.

(I-90 to I-77 to I-95
OR I-90 to I-79 to I-77 to I-95)

Many many folks I know from here go that way now-a-days rather than the old standby I-75. It takes you through the Smoky Mountains area. Just as good of highways. Mileage/time same or less.


Have fun!

Sylvia

I assume you mean I-77, not I-75.

Well, if you're willing to add time and miles to your 1,500 mile trip, I think you could do it. You could get on the parkway just north of the VA border near mile marker 200 and take it to Blowing Rock (mile marker 290) or all the way to Asheville (mile marker 380) - both great places to spend a couple days. From Blowing Rock, you'd take 321 down to I-85 to rejoin 77 in Charlotte, or from Asheville take I-26 down to rejoin 77 in Columbia, SC.

The Parkway is a nice drive, but is slow going, and distances are further than they look on a map. Check out www.virtualblueridge.com if you haven't already.

Thanks for your replies Craig, Sylvia and Brian. This was exactly the kind of information I was hoping for. It sounds like this will be quite slow and take us out of our way. Perhaps we'll save this for another road trip, although we may do your suggestion Sylvia, and do the I-79/77 to I-95 route. After several trips south, I-75 does get rather boring although I guess that's part of the beauty of it -- you really don't have to pay much attention -- you can practically 'go on autopilot'.

Thanks again.

It really is too bad you cannot take the time to do at least some of the Parkway. True, the speed limit is 45 MPH but the scenery is wonderful. I hope you'll consider doing it another time, or perhaps when you return because I think you'll find it is well worth the (extra) time spent.

Brian has the best idea probably and there is certainly NO reason to go all the way back to I75. If you take I77 south through WVA you will also have a very lovely drive through the mountains there

Sorry, had to post too soon. I don't think you need to go to Buffalo--you can come diagonally across Ohio to reach I77. And with all due respect to Syv, those routes do not go through the Smokies. In order to go through the Smokies, and this would be a definite possibility, take I75 to Knoxville, I40 toward Asheville. Just outside Knoxville, go to Pigeon Forge (a town of outlets) and take the Smoky Mountain Parkway through the Smokies to Cherokee, then Dillsboro and back up to Asheville. Once through the Park you are on 4 lane parkways. At Asheville take I26 to Columbia and on toward Charleston where you can pick up I95 south. You aren't on the Blue Ridge Parkway but the Park is equally beautiful. Another thing about the Parkway, you can sometimes be above the clouds and see absolutely nothing--depending on the weather!
If you still wanted to do the Parkway south which I believe may be the highest part, you could access it at Cherokee and drive to near Brevard, take Route 64 east to intersect with I26 at Hendersonville. This part of the Pisgah National Forest is very beautiful with waterfalls, a sliding rock, and the Cradle of Forestry.
I believe you can drive through the GSMNP in about 2 hours (and get to Cherokee, for example)

This is slightly off-topic, but I just don't understand why so many Canadians keep taking 401/I-75 to Florida. The I-79/77/26/95 route is slightly shorter (except to Florida Panhandle), more scenic, and most importantly MUCH LESS TRAFFIC. I-75 is choked with trucks from Detroit to Atlanta with major traffic problem at Detroit, Cincinnati, Knoxville and Atlanta. In contrast, on I-79/77/95 route, you only see traffic in Charlotte and Jacksonville - smaller cities than those on I-75.

Therefore, even if you're not going to the mountains, you should not take I-75 unless you're going to the Florida Panhandle.

Forgot to mention. Take Exit 57 of I-79 in WV, and take US19 South to bypass Charleston. Shorter route, and you get to cross the New River Gorge Bridge, 2nd tallest bridge in the US, a beautiful structure. US19 is 4-lane all the way, and you save some toll on I-64/77 between Charleston and Beckley, WV.

Thanks very much for your message rkkwan. While I can't speak for other Canadians, the reason we use I-75 is simply that it's very direct. For those of us who live in southwestern Ontario, we either 'back-track' to Buffalo or Niagara Falls or cross at Windsor/Detroit. We have a place in Naples so have driven it many times and we find that I-75 is very straightforward -- and no need to worry about navigating. We've done the I-79/77/26/95 in the reverse coming home from Florida once and, maybe it was just us, but found it was much easier to miss a cut-off or exit. Also I believe the land along I-75 is flatter, so perhaps the driving is less treacherous during winter weather conditions.

Yes - that's why most of us Ontario folk take I-75. It's just overall easier and more straightforward.

However (no matter "what" the correct name of the "mountains/hills" are - since not the Smokies ... the I-79 way is definitely more scenic.

To the original poster, try it at least "one-way" & see.

Kiddo & Syv - From SW Ontario near Windsor, I-75 is shorter, but not from Toronto. And while there are more slopes on the eastern route, nothing is really that bad, with the exception of about a 8 mile climb on I-77 northbound just after you cross into Virginia from North Carolina. I can't remember any other long grade that really slowed me down on that route, even in a 80,000lb tractor-trailer.

I guess to some people, it's easier to stay on just one "route". Others like me, will find that switching 5-6 highways is absolutely no problem, somewhat fun, and make the travel less boring. That way, there's something to look forward to. You'll start paying attention to the map, the exit numbers, etc. And you get to stop at a few traffic lights on US19, at the New River Bridge, etc. On the other hand, I guess some just like to look at the "Interstate 75" signs for 1,300 miles, and the goal is just to get there without getting lost.

Just a different way of seeing things, a different way of travel.

I agree, rkkan. I-75 is NOT shorter from Toronto, just more "straightforward" (no need for a map).

Either way - it gets us to the sunny south! Have fun travelling folks.

I'm headed to Charleston, SC myself in another month. Just returned from Ireland in March. Other than that, no other plans till next year (sigh).

If you're headed to Charleston I assume you'll head to Asheville to pick up I26.

I have a similar question: My husband and I are interested in visiting Shenandoah over Labor Day weekend. We'd be flying from Chicago. Is it feasible to fly in and out of Washington Dulles and rent a car?

Thanks!

Sure. the northern most point of Shenandoah Nat'l Park and Skyline Drive is only about an hour west of Washington. And Dulles is already west of Washington, DC.

Do expect a lot of traffic and many travellers like yourself during the height of foliage season. If you want to avoid crowds, you may want to try to drive along (or across) the Appalachian range in West Virginia, west of the Blue Ridge and the Shenandoah Valley..