Roanoke to Newton, MA
 

Hi All!

I'm moving from Roanoke, VA to Newton, MA (a suburb of Boston) in a couple of weeks. I'm breaking the trip up into two days and leaving around 2:00 on Friday. I'd like to avoid all major cities if at all possible, and know of a good point to stop driving on Friday.

Thanks, all!

If that's 2PM on a Friday, the traffic jam should be done through Harrisburg by the time you get there.
There are a couple good motels near Grantville along I-81.
Grantville is known for Penn National horse racing track.
Is this trip with a car or with a moving truck?

In general, I-81 to I-84 to I-90 (MassPike) to Newton, but the devil is in the details:

"A couple of weeks" doesn't mean Labor Day weekend, does it?

As tomfuller asks, car or truck?

Where are you going in Newton? There are at least two exits from the Pike and several significant exits from I-95/Rte 128.

Happy to help, but need more information.

Possible stops: Hershey or Lancaster, PA. If you want to go farther and are planning on doing the I-84 route -- to, as you say, avoid major cities -- you could go to Scranton, stay overnight and then pick up 84E there.

Hi everyone! Thanks for the replies. Yes, it will unfortunately be over the Friday of Labor Day. No, no trailer, and a car. I'm not sure exactly where in Newton. I believe it's Newton Corner. The zip code of where I'll be living is 02458, if that helps at all.

Okay, for Newton Corner stay on the PassPike (I-90) until Exit 17. It is the neighborhood just after you exit.

You have a double whammy traveling on Labor Day weekend:

1. Traffic will be heavy on Friday because of people going to the beach or the mountains. I-84 will be better than the alternatives because it isn't really on the way to the busiest vacation destinations and crosses the Hudson at an easier place than the Tappan Zee and an infinitely better place than the George Washington Bridge.

2. Most residential leases begin on September 1. Thousands of students, literally thousands of students, will be moving that weekend. Be really, really glad that you are not moving to the Fenway, Brighton, or Allston, where many of them will live. Be even happier that you have a car rather than a truck.

Once this is over, I hope you will find Boston a great place to live. We moved so my wife could go back to graduate school and have never left New England -- and that was 38 years ago this week!

A way I have driven is contrary to most mapping programs, longer in miles, shorter in time and aggravation. 81 to 78 to 87. Through Newburg, NY. Avoids GW Bridge and even Tappan Zee Bridge

I would decide how long you want to drive first day. Harrisburg is about 4 hours or you could go a bit further. Lots of cheap chain hotels along that route - just look at a a map and pick a city a comfortable distance for you

I would leave as early as possible Sat AM. From Newburg take 84 through Hartford to MassPike

Newton is a nice place. It is broken down into a zillion sub-parts (Newton Center, Corner, Ville - plus all sorts of other parts without the name Newton in them. Confusing at first)

For Labor Day Friday, you almost certainly want to stick with 81 and avoid the NYC area. Friday is generally a miserable travel day in the Northeast, and definitely more miserable on LD wknd.

Thanks for the advice everybody! I really appreciate it.

Yes, you've gotten advice...and no matter when or how there will be traffic. Welcome in advance to Newton where we attend church. Moved to Watertown from Missouri six years ago to be near family. Good luck. Are you familiar with the Boston area?

We live in Mass and daughter attended Virginia Tech so we are very familar with the trip. Our route was 81N to 84N to 90E. We always drove in one day. If you wanted to stop I would suggest Scranton. Plenty of chain hotels available and its about halfway.

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate the advice. We routed to Newburg and then stayed the night there. Hit traffic in CT a couple of times but noting too bad. We're at a rest stop on the Mass turnpike near Framingham right now.

Glad you have had a safe trip - and that you stayed ahead of the Hurricane.
traffic was weird this weekend due to impending tropical storm. Soon you will able to count yourself among the Boston-area posters who can give others advice on this area.

Thanks for reporting back. You must be "home" by now. Welcome to the Boston area.