[DP]

We've got an invitation from old friends to visit their sweet home in Washington, DC suburbs. I have an idea to spend 4 days total for that adventure. I have no experience though of such long road trips (Yahoo Maps says it's 890 km, 9h30m one way), so I would like to ask experts here some questions.

How much time could such a trip take reasonably (one way, all necessary stops included)?

Can I trust Yahoo Maps on selecting optimal path?

How exhausting it could be in Odyssey for driver and passengers, kids included?


[This message has been edited by DP (edited 07-30-2001).]

 

[ChadK]

Unless you have very young children I would think you could do 500+ miles in a day (one way. For us (before we had a newborn), we found that we could do 4 hours max for every 1 hour or 1.5 hr break. The kids would pretty much watch two movies before cries of boredom came from the rear of the vehicle. So we would usually leave early, drive four, break for lunch drive 4 hour and call it a day. That pretty much the max. Anything beyond that and we'd be asking for trouble.

As far as Yahoo maps, I don't know. I've had good luck with AAA maps and most recently been use a software program called Street Atlas Warrior Edition with Earthmate GPS with good results.

As far as exhausting, depends on ages of the kids, but generally it shouldn't be overwhelming - a little tiring and I would guess the last 100 or so miles will seem to never end.

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by DP:
We've got an invitation from old friends to visit their sweet home in Washington, DC suburbs. I have an idea to spend 4 days total for that adventure. I have no experience though of such long road trips (Yahoo Maps says it's 890 km, 9h30m one way), so I would like to ask experts here some questions.

How much time could such a trip take reasonably (one way, all necessary stops included)?

Can I trust Yahoo Maps on selecting optimal path?

How exhausting it could be in Odyssey for driver and passengers, kids included?


[This message has been edited by DP (edited 07-30-2001).]</font>

------------------
Future owner of a '02 Ody
Current owner of a '96 Grand Caravan & '98 Mazda 626

 

[Pigeon]

Heck, I can make that drive in my sleep, being from Buffalo and having lived in the DC area for 3+ years. Lemesee... get yourself to Buffalo, then take I90 East to I390 East/South (you'll be at Rochester and be headed away from the city). Follow this until you get to just outside Corning - it'll have turned into Rte. 11/15 at that point IIRC - take Rte. 11/15 South through Pennsylvania and Maryland until you get to the DC Beltway - from there you're on your own. If the directions from Yahoo! differ significantly try Mapquest.

As far as time, it's 7 hours door-to-door from my house near Buffalo to my Sister-in-law in the Leesburg, VA area, about 1/2 hr. outside DC, including 1 reasonable meal stop and one other short break. Add on the trip from TO and you're probably looking at 8+ hrs.

Enjoy the ride. There's some nice scenery and lots of porno shops(!) in rural PA but that's about all there is. Downtown Corning is about 10 minutes off the trip and a nice little place to stop and walk around if you or the kids need a break about then. If you're a baseball fan you pass right by the Little League hall of fame and museum in Williamsport, where the Little League World Series is held every year. You can also eat surprisingly well in the Wegmans just off the highway there - everything from subs to sushi. Also, regardless of what the map program says don't take the bypass to stay on the 4-lane highway at Williamsport but stay on 15 (this will take you past the Little League stuff, which will be on your left opposite McDonalds about 1/4 mile past the bridge). The bypass costs about 15 minutes but avoids one pretty steep mountain climb and decent - your call. Don't speed too much in PA - the cops are pretty ruthless and use VASCAR not RADAR so are very hard to spot. Also, gas is cheaper the further you get from Buffalo and significantly so in PA so you may want to plan accordingly.

Scott

 

[AA]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by DP:
We've got an invitation from old friends to visit their sweet home in Washington, DC suburbs. I have an idea to spend 4 days total for that adventure. I have no experience though of such long road trips (Yahoo Maps says it's 890 km, 9h30m one way), so I would like to ask experts here some questions.

How much time could such a trip take reasonably (one way, all necessary stops included)?

Can I trust Yahoo Maps on selecting optimal path?

How exhausting it could be in Odyssey for driver and passengers, kids included?


[This message has been edited by DP (edited 07-30-2001).]</font>

In my opinion the best way to go is to take the QEW south to the Peace Bridge, much easier crossing than the Rainbow bridge at Niagara Falls. Then take I-90 to Pittsburgh, I-76 east to I-70 south which becomes I-270 which will eventually hit I495 aka capital beltway. I drove up to Toronto and back a couple of months ago, I left the Courtyard Marriott at Toronto airport (on 27) at 10:30 am and was home (northern va.) by 8:30 pm, total time about 10 hours. I stopped twice for the kids and got gas at the same time. Did the trip in a rental van from Alamo, racked up 1400 miles in four days, good thing for unlimited mileage.

 

[Pigeon]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by AA:
In my opinion the best way to go is to take the QEW south to the Peace Bridge, much easier crossing than the Rainbow bridge at Niagara Falls. Then take I-90 to Pittsburgh, I-76 east to I-70 south which becomes I-270 which will eventually hit I495 aka capital beltway. I drove up to Toronto and back a couple of months ago, I left the Courtyard Marriott at Toronto airport (on 27) at 10:30 am and was home (northern va.) by 8:30 pm, total time about 10 hours. I stopped twice for the kids and got gas at the same time. Did the trip in a rental van from Alamo, racked up 1400 miles in four days, good thing for unlimited mileage. </font>

OK, now I get to totally disagree

The Peace Bridge is usually backed up much worse than the Rainbow Bridge and the Rainbow Bridge gives you better access to 90 East if you follow my route. I've driven the Buffalo-DC route by way of Pittsburgh a couple of times and it consistently cost me an additional hour of travel time.

Scott

 

[DP]

Thank you for the information. We already returned from Washington. Too bad I could not see your comments before the trip - Yahoo Maps suggested the route through Erie-Pittsburgh, which we followed. All was OK though, but one hour less would be nice to have By the way, we used Queenston Lewiston Bridge (from Hwy 405), which was suggested by Yahoo. No delays on Friday morning (to US), and about 40 min wait in a line on the way back, Monday night (it was the last day of Canada's long weekend).
By the way, Odyssey performed just perfectly. Smooth and comfortable ride, no any tiredness.


[This message has been edited by DP (edited 08-08-2001).]