tomfuller

Another reason to get a hotel near a Metro stop. Does Enterprise still pick you up?
Rent the car in downtown DC (several locations) drive west on I-66 and get on the Skyline Drive at Front Royal.
Get on I-64 East at Waynesboro if you have to go to Richmond-West if you want to go to Staunton to get on I-81 up through the beautiful Shenandoah Valley on I-81 and go back to DC to turn in the car.

joesorce

If you are from UK or AUS your best bet is to book through hertz.co.uk
All taxes and fees will be included in your quote, including both liability and collision insurances

Stargatesg30

Hi, Thanks for all help, A bit of confusion seems evident about our plans so I will explain further. We are staying in Washington Dc for 4 nights in Georgetown. I need to pick up a car in the morning for our drive via Skyline to Richmond. I thn need to take the car back to Dulles for our flight out at 9am on the morning, having stopped in Richmond (west) for 2 nights.
So far, the vote seems to be pick up a car in downtown washington dc and return it to Dulles on the evening before our flight out. I am from the UK so I do want to pre-book.
Tomfuller, you suggested driving back to Dulles via I-81, approx how long will this take?
Thanks

tomfuller

Waynesboro to Harrisonburg is 45 minutes. Harrisonburg to Dulles is exactly 2 hours.
You get off I-66 at Exit 53 onto VA 28 straight to Dulles. It is about 12 miles to the airport after you get off I-66.
If there is no real need to go to Richmond I would avoid I-95 and trying to rent in Richmond. See if you can rent at Reagan National and return the car to Dulles.
There is nearly always less traffic on I-81 than on I-95 at any given time.
If you wanted to drive the Skyline Drive northbound you could drive to Waynesboro and come out at Front Royal on I-66.
I used to drive from Harrisburg PA down I-81 getting back on I-95 in South Carolina on my way to Florida.
I like the S. Valley much better than driving through or around DC and Richmond.

Stargatesg30

Thanks. Think I will look at hiring car from Reagan and returning to Dulles. Intention is to drive south n skyline drive and then come off at waynesborough to richmong. We are staying west of Richmond. We want to visit Williamsburg whilst down there. So your suggestion would be to avoid I95 and drive back via I66 to Dulles?

tomfuller

Coming back from Williamsburg to avoid I-95 try US 17 north to US 1 which runs alongside I-95 to Dumfries and then Rt. 234 into Manassas to get on 26 which will take you to Dulles just north of Chantilly. There is a new branch of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum next to the airport if that interests you.
Sometimes the traffic flows nicely on I-95 between the Washington Beltway and Richmond. Quite often it does not.

mrwunrfl

vjpblovesitaly gave the best advice for renting a car: "I would just price your options and then decide". Those options being pickup in D.C. or DCA or IAD and dropoff at IAD.

I would take I-95 from Richmond to get to Dulles Airport. Going via the Shenandoah Valley is twice as far.

obxgirl

>>I would take I-95 from Richmond to get to Dulles Airport. Going via the Shenandoah Valley is twice as far.>Coming back from Williamsburg to avoid I-95 try US 17 north to US 1 which runs alongside I-95 to Dumfries and then Rt. 234 into Manassas to get on 26 which will take you to Dulles just north of Chantilly

FrankS

I would check

metro to DCA(Reagan Natl) pickup with a drop off at Dullas

mrwunrfl

Yogi Berra might say: "Nobody drives I-95 anymore, it's too crowded".

I-81 in Virginia is no picnic:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...073101958.html