weimarer you are awesome! check back to this thread on Saturday night (or Monday) and i'll let you all know how it went

From the intersection of 95, 495, and 395 to Quantico and beyond is a horrible nightmare in every month except perhaps the dead of winter. And that is without accidents.

Either follow weimarer's advice OR get off the road somewhere around Baltimore from 3 until 7. Go to a movie, get dinner, take a hike, then get back on the road.

I drive a great deal from Richmond to Boston. It is an easy one day trip northbound as long as I hit the GW or Tappan Zee by 3. Driving south, if I hit the Beltway at 3, I get to Richmond about 7:30 -- 4 1/2 hours for what should be a 2 1/2 hour drive.

Interesting

I can't comment on all the alternate routes given, but I can echo the remarks of all those saying I-95 is a nightmare esp on a Friday. Even on days other than a Friday traffic is awful on I-95. We have done the Rte 301 to and from Richmond and it's much more pleasureable then being stuck on I-95. If you like barbeque there are a couple good places u can stop around the Waldof, MD. I would give one of the alternative routes a try or delay your trip a few hours so u miss DC rush hour.

Echoing the sentiments that DC to Fredericksburg is its own special circle of hell, esp. on a summer Friday.

If I'm not leaving DC by 2:30 pm, then I do what Ackislander does...chill somewhere until 7 or 7:30 and then hit the road.

Great BBQ in Fredericksburg, btw. Allmans.

i'd like to buy a round of beers for the entire room, you people rule!!

That's it-I will leave you to your fate!

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AWESOME!! Yes, from the end of the Beltway back onto 95 South all the way to Fredricksburg was MURDER!!!!

Never do that at rush hour on a Friday in the summer

weimarer was right