Driving to Daytona Beach from New Jersey
 

I am planning on driving from New jersey to Daytona Beach,Florida Friday Feb 27 or Saturday,Feb 28th.
This will be my 1st time driving to Florida.
I DREAD the Washington/Virginia Beltway.
I plan a One night stopover to rest. (Any recommendations of a safe hotel/motel to rest only, not interested in sight seeing, just relax & sleep)
Please, what routes can I take that will AVOID the "Beltway"?
I'm not in a rush, I just don't want to be in bumper to bumper traffic on my 1st ever driving trip to Florida.

Why not take 81 instead?
Use Google maps to see the route to Roanoke VA to Daytona.
Spend the night somewhere north of Statesville, NC - depending on how far you want to drive on the first day.

Drive on Saturday.

When I lived in central PA and traveled from there to Melbourne FL, I decided that I-81 and I-26 was a safer route than Baltimore and the Beltway. The last time I drove it, Melbourne to Mifflinburg I went straight through 1105 miles in 17 hours.
If you wanted to drive farther the first day you could stop at Charlotte.

We time it, after rush hour it is not that bad.

I've driven that general route four times now...I take the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and overnight the first night in Hampton Inn in Edenton, NC. Will return that way again in April.

We split our trip from Boston to Richmond with a night at Exit 5 on the NJTP. Next day, we are past Washington and in Richmond before lunch.

Adjust your departure time to get to the 95-495 junction between 9 AM and 3 PM, and you will be fine.

There are no easily accessible rest area toilets between Maryland (a few mikes before 495) and Fredericksburg. It is a long way. Be advised.

Saturdays and Sundays southbound are usually better than weekdays. Sunday northbound is not so good because people are coming back from weekends and doing mall and Big Box shopping.

On south side of Baltimore we usually pick up 295 - The Baltimore Washington Pkwy which seems less hectic than 95 and joins back up just before the Potomac.

The I-95 Exit Guide is a good resource and can tell you what motels are found at what exits along I-95.

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Vic's travels: http://my.flightmemory.com/vogilvie