ljv

Our family has reservations in CW beginning on Aug 6. We thought we'd leave home(NJ) on Aug 5 and drive to a stopover about 2 hours short of Williamsburg.

Orignal thoughts were to drive either to Alexandria or Fredericksburg. Have been giving some thought to going down the "eastern" shore and stopping in Chincoteague or Cape Charles. The next day we'd take the Chesapeake Bay bridge/tunnel to Norfolk, then continue to CW.

Any opinions/suggestions on either route are greatly appreciated, as are other stopover recommendations.

Thanks!

midlohokie

If you decide to stop overnight in Fredericksburg, consider taking 301 south (to 218) from Baltimore in order to avoid Washington traffic. The stacked up traffic on the beltway, and I-95 south between the beltway and Quantico is pretty aggravating.

I've always wanted to drive the eastern shore...did it as a little girl, but all I remember was that the air conditioning was broken! Not a great memory!

Have a great trip!

gail

The Fredericksburg and then Richmond areas have some interesting Civil War stuff to see. We stop in Fredericksburg several times/year on trip Boston-Savannah. If you just want a place to sleep there is a Comfort Inn in Fredericksburg that is inexpensive, clean, comfortable - have stayed there a couple of times/year for several years. They have a tolerable breakfast included and it is right off I95.

Birdie

Either way would be fine. If you go down the eastern shore you will avoid the DC I95 traffic but you will have to time it so that you don't hit rush hour or beach traffic coming through the Hampton Roads Bridge/Tunnel.

Alexandria is a cute, small city with good dining and interesting shops. The appeal of Chincoteague would be the natural setting.

The drive down the eastern shore would, for the most part, be leisurely with some areas with a lot of lights. The drive down I95 would be all interstate all the way.

obxgirl

Are you stopping en route from NJ because you are looking to add more to your journey or because you want a stopover from a long drive?

If it's the former I'd choose Alexandria for the reasons Birdie stated. I think it would appeal to your girls if I remember their ages correctly from another thread.

The trip from Alex to Wmbg on a Tues or Wed morning should be an easy one on I95 and I64, about 2.5 hours.

I'd consider taking the CBBT back to NJ especially if you're leaving Wmbg near or on the weekend when I64 and I95 (at least to the DC area) will be insane with beach traffic.