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memi7206
LIF Adult

Member since 3/11 2355 total posts
Name: Due Dec 29th!!!!!
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how long is this drive?
we are doing a girls weekend next weekend with my girls to surprise one of our BFFs for her bday in NC. She moved down there in 2006 and, I went once and the other girls havent been at all yet. A year ago she had a baby who we havent met yet.
Her DH is planning a surprise party for her the day we arrive so we can surprise her at her surprise party (Im so excited)! He wants to know what time he should plan the party for.
If we leave the island at 6am, about what time should we expect to arrive in Charlotte?
We are driving....based on my drives to Hilton Head SC, which is 17 hours, Im guessing its like 10 or so, but I could be way off.
ROAD TRIP!
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Posted 4/8/11 11:16 PM |
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Long Island Weddings
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peanutbutter2
Carpe diem!

Member since 11/10 5287 total posts
Name:
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Re: how long is this drive?
My friends and I drove down to Topsail Island a few years ago, and it was almost exactly 12 hours each way.
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Posted 4/8/11 11:39 PM |
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SweetCin
My green-eyed boy

Member since 5/05 13499 total posts
Name: Cin
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Re: how long is this drive?
I was going to say between 11.5 and 12 hours. I think you'd be better off leaving middle of the night.
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Posted 4/9/11 6:49 AM |
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JennZ
MY LIFE!!
Member since 8/05 25463 total posts
Name:
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Re: how long is this drive?
Your going to hit silly traffic in dc, and deleware. Leave earlier. Its about 10-12 hours depending how fast you drive. I would go at 3 am, get there mid afternoon.
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Posted 4/9/11 7:29 AM |
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waterspout4
My loves

Member since 5/06 19150 total posts
Name: Kelly
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Re: how long is this drive?
Posted by JennZ
Your going to hit silly traffic in dc, and deleware. Leave earlier. Its about 10-12 hours depending how fast you drive. I would go at 3 am, get there mid afternoon.
I was about to say this. DC traffic is a nightmare.
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Posted 4/9/11 7:31 AM |
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MommaBear
Very much in love!

Member since 6/10 2864 total posts
Name: Angela
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Re: how long is this drive?
Posted by JennZ
Your going to hit silly traffic in dc, and deleware. Leave earlier. Its about 10-12 hours depending how fast you drive. I would go at 3 am, get there mid afternoon.
I agree but when we drive down to my sister we don't take 95 for that reason...we go a different way through PA and completely avoid DC all together. I forgot the name of the highway but i can ask for directions that way if you'd like. I think it's 81 or something like that.
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Posted 4/9/11 7:43 AM |
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mrsdukes
LIF Adult

Member since 1/09 943 total posts
Name: Liz
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Re: how long is this drive?
I go down there alot to visit family. As the previous posters have said, its anywhere between 10-12 hours depending on traffic, and stops. I will be making the trip down next weekend again. Not really too bad of a drive.
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Posted 4/9/11 8:07 AM |
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JennZ
MY LIFE!!
Member since 8/05 25463 total posts
Name:
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Re: how long is this drive?
Posted by MommaBear
Posted by JennZ
Your going to hit silly traffic in dc, and deleware. Leave earlier. Its about 10-12 hours depending how fast you drive. I would go at 3 am, get there mid afternoon.
I agree but when we drive down to my sister we don't take 95 for that reason...we go a different way through PA and completely avoid DC all together. I forgot the name of the highway but i can ask for directions that way if you'd like. I think it's 81 or something like that.
We did this oroute once. PA is a long asss state this way, almost out of the way.
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Posted 4/9/11 8:29 AM |
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Andrewz00
Look! I changed it!

Member since 4/10 1789 total posts
Name: Andrew
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Re: how long is this drive?
DW and I drive from NYC to VA (45 min west of DC)... and then from there to Banner Elk, NC....
we took 287 -> 78 -> 81 -> 77......
roughly 10-10.5 hrs... with 4 stops.
(banner elk, NC is about 2hrs north west of Charlotte)
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Posted 4/9/11 9:27 AM |
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memi7206
LIF Adult

Member since 3/11 2355 total posts
Name: Due Dec 29th!!!!!
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Re: how long is this drive?
Thanks everyone, maybe we should leave earlier! Thanks for the advice!!!!
How would you go to get around DC? Does it save time, or is it out of the way that it just save you from sitting in traffic but not really time?
Message edited 4/9/2011 9:42:00 AM.
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Posted 4/9/11 9:40 AM |
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Andrewz00
Look! I changed it!

Member since 4/10 1789 total posts
Name: Andrew
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Re: how long is this drive?
with NO traffic its faster to go through DC... however the traffic there depending on what time you hit it can be HOURS... so going around it can actually save time and frustration....
My directions above would send you west from NYC.... and stay west until NC... hence going around DC...
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Posted 4/10/11 4:16 PM |
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drpepper318
MIR MIR MIR!

Member since 6/07 8274 total posts
Name: me
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Re: how long is this drive?
Posted by Andrewz00
DW and I drive from NYC to VA (45 min west of DC)... and then from there to Banner Elk, NC....
we took 287 -> 78 -> 81 -> 77......
roughly 10-10.5 hrs... with 4 stops.
(banner elk, NC is about 2hrs north west of Charlotte)
I agree with this route!!! We made the mistake once of going through DC (on I-95 I think) and were stuck in traffic forever. We went the way above once & hit no traffic. Although the actual mileage is higher, you save yourself so much aggravation by keeping to the west.
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Posted 4/10/11 8:17 PM |
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acm1899
LIF Adult

Member since 1/11 1085 total posts
Name:
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Re: how long is this drive?
Posted by drpepper318
Posted by Andrewz00
DW and I drive from NYC to VA (45 min west of DC)... and then from there to Banner Elk, NC....
we took 287 -> 78 -> 81 -> 77......
roughly 10-10.5 hrs... with 4 stops.
(banner elk, NC is about 2hrs north west of Charlotte)
I agree with this route!!! We made the mistake once of going through DC (on I-95 I think) and were stuck in traffic forever. We went the way above once & hit no traffic. Although the actual mileage is higher, you save yourself so much aggravation by keeping to the west.
While I agree with everyone that you definitely want to avoid DC during rush hour, if you were to leave LI at 6am I don't think you'll be hitting the DC area anywhere near the morning or evening commuter rushes.
I would actually leave LI a little earlier than 6am to avoid the NYC morning rush hour commutes...especially the Belt Pkwy and SI Pkwy. That should bring you down to DC roughly late morning, depending on how many stops you make along the way.
The alternate route suggested above is also very good. It only increases your total mileage by about 30 miles but it goes through much quieter cities and almost no traffic at all. The portion of I-81 in VA also goes through some scenic areas of the Shenandoah Valley, if you're into that sorta thing.
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Posted 4/12/11 9:24 PM |
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smdl
I love Gary too..on a plate!
Member since 5/06 32461 total posts
Name: me
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Re: how long is this drive?
I would count 12 hours.
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Posted 4/12/11 9:35 PM |
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ali120206
2 Boys

Member since 7/06 17795 total posts
Name:
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Re: how long is this drive?
Posted by drpepper318
Posted by Andrewz00
DW and I drive from NYC to VA (45 min west of DC)... and then from there to Banner Elk, NC....
we took 287 -> 78 -> 81 -> 77......
roughly 10-10.5 hrs... with 4 stops.
(banner elk, NC is about 2hrs north west of Charlotte)
I agree with this route!!! We made the mistake once of going through DC (on I-95 I think) and were stuck in traffic forever. We went the way above once & hit no traffic. Although the actual mileage is higher, you save yourself so much aggravation by keeping to the west.
This route is also a lot cheaper - after you pay for the bridges in NY, there's only one toll on 78 in PA as opposed to all of the other tolls on 95. It is a bit of a boring ride though but, there is very seldomly traffic (I went to college in VA right off of 81 so I took that drive frequently).
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Posted 4/13/11 9:05 AM |
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Andrewz00
Look! I changed it!

Member since 4/10 1789 total posts
Name: Andrew
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Re: how long is this drive?
Posted by ali120206
This route is also a lot cheaper - after you pay for the bridges in NY, there's only one toll on 78 in PA as opposed to all of the other tolls on 95. It is a bit of a boring ride though but, there is very seldomly traffic (I went to college in VA right off of 81 so I took that drive frequently).
It can be boring.. but the scenery is so much nicer and much less of a headache...
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Posted 4/13/11 9:22 PM |
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