What's the fastest way out of NYC to Catskills on Friday afternoon?
 

Taconic, 684 or NYS Thruway?

Leave Thursday.

Or Friday before 10 am. Anything from noon on will be mobbed.

In a helicopter with the word TRUMP on each side.

The other guys beat me to it ;)

Where are you starting and where are you actually going? The Taconic is the most out of the way. Thruway is the only one actually headed toward the Catskills, but you can pick it up in NJ going over the GWB , up the Palisades etc.
The biggest traffic issues will be on the parts of the road closest to NYC, so the Cross Bronx, Major Deegan, Bronx River, Saw Mill, but I'm not sure why you'd necessarily be on any of them if headed to the Catskills

I knew I was going to get smart alrc answers. Coming out of Queens, Throgs Neck Bridge, going to Catskills just off the NYS Thruway. I've done all of the above routes, was just hoping for someone more seasoned than me for an answer.

I'm just gonna check Google Traffic, avoiding CBE and GWB, it's either Taconic or Hutch/684, cross at TPZ or Newburgh bridge.

This won't exactly answer your question, but lately I've done surprisingly well leaving NYC via the Triboro/RFK bridge and I-87 on Friday afternoons. There has been some construction going on somewhere around Van Cortlandt Park, but even that doesn't seem to be much of a problem. I only go as far as the Cross County Parkway before heading east to New England, so I can't report personal experience past that point. However, I would think that the traffic on the Thruway would only get lighter as you go farther north to I-287. But continuing on the Thruway as it crosses the Hudson as the Tappan Zee Bridge is not likely to be fun. My inclination would be to take the Thruway to the Saw Mill to the Taconic, and then cross the Hudson as far north as possible.

In the past, on my way to Boston, I've tried taking 684 up to where it meets I-84 in Brewster, in order to beat the traffic on I-95 on the Merritt. 684 was nice and empty at first, but then I hit rush hour traffic in that Brewster/Danbury area. So in the end, I decided it wasn't worth it to me to go out of my way on 684 to avoid the traffic. 684 would be out of the way for you too, and I'd guess it wouldn't be worth it for you either.

Thanks hawksbill,

I've had success with the 684, but it is further out east and I didn't know about the Brewster traffic. I agree about crossing the Hudson as far north too. I'm leaning towards the Taconic too. It's a little hairy if you drive fast on some of those curvy hills, but a scenic drive.