Please help me with one last thing, Washington, DC folk!!!
 

You guys have been very helpful, and I really appreciate it. But I have one final question. My husband and I will be driving to Arlington from up north tomorrow. We made this trip once before by car and the traffic from DC to Arlington was bad. Would you mind terribly looking at this map, and checking out our route through DC to Arlington? (You'll need to zoom in on the DC/VA area) I'm wondering if this is the best way to go, or if there is a better way for avoiding traffic. http://www.mapquest.com/directions/m...mp;2z=&r=f

Thank you so much for your help!!

Except during rush hour--which means there is no good way to get there--this would be my way of doing it. The only really tricky part is at Pennyslvania Ave, which I didn't realize was possible. Other than that, it's the way I would go.

I imagine people will ask you what time of day to help you better.

Your link is long. Try www.tinyurl.com next time. It is a really neat website and self-explanatory.

Thanks, Mike and Vjpb!!

The time we'll be going through DC/VA is probably around 4PM, basically the beginning of rush hour, I guess.

I live in Arlington and would never use that route - from 95 south take the Beltway to VA-267 to I-66 East to Ballston. You will hit traffic, but it will be much easier than cutting through DC. You might be able to beat most of the traffic using the GW-Parkway to 123 north to Glebe Rd, but signage is pretty confusing on that route.

Just to clarify the above:

Stay on 95 (don't do MD-295, aka the Baltimore-Washington Parkway))

Take the OUTER LOOP of the Beltway (495, counterclockwise direction). That is, unless they're reporting some serious trouble on 103.5 FM "traffic and weather on the 8s." Then you could do 267 to 66 or just go directly to 66 (267 to 66 is a bit of a shortcut).

SPQR and Eric do provide another option. For me, I'd never take their approach and I'm not convinced it's any easier.

The Mapquest approach is slightly more convoluted, but not much. And it is quicker.

I guess I should say that the "never" in my post was for someone like Katherine4 who does not know the roads and will be travelling around 4:00 pm on a weekday. IMHO, at that time of day, the beltway would be faster. Regardless of time, the route is easier to follow for someone who doesn't know the area roads. All in all it would probably be a difference of 5 to 10 minutes either way.

I also live in Arlington (not far from where you are trying to go) and there's no way that I would try to drive through Washington,DC using Mapquest's directions at 4pm (especially if I were like you and not familiar with the route). I think SPQR's suggested route would serve you best.

THank you very much, everyone, for your help with this. I followed the alternate route suggested by a few of you and it turned out well. Actually, 495 got a little bit congested, so i finished the trip via the George Washington Parkway.

Thanks again!! Your advice was very helpful!