Leaving NYC at 6am and driving probably 12 hours. The following day will continue and finish the drive. Wondering what would be a good stop along the route to eat some "local" to the area food. Also, what is a good area to stop to get a hotel. I figure I'll be taking 95 down, but someone suggested a route thru PA that skips the NJ-Del-DC traffic. Any suggestions appreciated.

> Any suggestions appreciated

First of all, do NOT, under ANY circumstances, take I-95 through Washington DC. I don't even recommend taking 95 through Philly, and avoiding both is VERY easy to do.

I-95 and the New Jersey are the same as you go south from New York. But somewhere (not even the highway department is sure) the two branch apart. Just stay on the NJT all the way through Jersey, unless traffic gets bad OR you want to save a little money. If the latter, get off at Exit 7A and go west on 195 towards Trenton, then south on 295 towards Camden. No matter how you get to the Delaware Memorial Bridge, just go across it and hit the traffic jam just south of Wilmington.
Now you're headed towards Baltimore on I-95. You have three choices of getting south of here, and the best way for those wanting to avoid Washington is to take the I-895 tunnel. Once you exit there, follow the signs to I-97 towards Annapolis (they will also tell you that it's the way to Richmond -- WHICH IS CORRECT). Just as you're about to get to Annapolis, go west on US Hiway 50 towards Washington, which is also US Hiway 301 south. The key is to stay on US Hiway 301, which separates from US 50 at Exit 13. Stay on US 301 as it goes over the Potomac River and past Fort AP Hill. Just after that, at the town of Bowling Green, get on State Hiway 207 south towards Carmel Church and I-95. You'll pick up the latter at its Exit 307.
Take I-295 around Richmond.
If you're headed towards Savannah or the coast, just go south on I-95 from its Exit 46.
If you're headed towards Atlanta, a short backtrack will save you a lot of trouble. When 295 re-unites with I-95, go NORTH on the latter towards Petersburg for a few miles. When you reach Exit 51, go south on I-85.

Routing options depends on where you are going in GA - western more ourte makes sense if you are going to Atlanta, for example. Not so much if going to Savannah.

If you are going to Atlanta you would be well served to take the interstate across PA to I81, south to I77 and then I85 and bypass ALL the major metropolitan areas of the east coast.

Adding that approximately 12 hours from NYC you will be in Charlotte doing the above. There are some good fun eating spots--Mac's Speed Shop for the best BBQ in town.

Thank you for all the replies. We'll be heading to Athens, GA. Still not sure if that location is best served from 95 or I85. If we go through Charlotte we'll stop at Mac's.

Athens is much closer to I85. Lexington, NC, has (IMHO) the best barbeque ever. Make sure you stop there as well.

I live in the Washington Metro area and in terms of traffic and taking I-95 south THROUGH here and the "warning" you got...IMO it all depends on the timing and the day of the week

For example, rush hour starts early around here (as in 6:00 AM or even earlier) and lasts several hours; in the afternoon by 2PM things are getting jammed up, especially on the section of 95 south between the Beltway and F-burg.

What you might consider is taking 301 South from northern Delaware all the way into the Northern neck of Virginia or plan your timing around Washington very carefully.

Lexington IS BBQ town, but if they drive down I77 it is an hour east of Charlotte.
If you are going to Athens, PLEASE do the I81 route!! As I said in another thread about this, it is approximately the hypotenuse of a triangle (and therefore shorter) and going through NO major metropolitan areas until you get to charlotte. You are about 2.5 hours from Athens at Charlotte.