Do I want to drive to Cleveland?
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Anonymous
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Coming from Bethesda. We are going in mid April on a Tuesday night. I'd drive in a heartbeat, but we can't leave until 6:15 pm. How is that drive at night if you're not familiar with it?
The alternative is to fly and rent a car. Driving would make it easier on the return for me. |
Anonymous
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Much easier to drive by the time you take into account how early you have to arrive for flights and the hassle at airports and whatnot. My dad lived in Alexandria when I was a kid and would drive to get us in SW Michigan, which is much farther.
I don't worry about unfamiliar routes scaring me anymore nowadays with Waze/gps. |
Anonymous
| No. Because then you'd be in ... Cleveland. |
Anonymous
| I make the drive several times a year. It can get a little tiring in the mountains on the PA Turnpike if it is raining (or snowing) at night. You only make about 4 turns between downtown Bethesda and Cleveland - you should be able to handle it |
Anonymous
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The worst part is going to be getting out of DC rush hour traffic. 270 will be very slow. It takes about 6 hours without traffic, depending on what part of Cleveland. I would rather drive early the following morning, then 270 away from DC won't be so bad and you won’t be driving late at night. Flying to Cleveland is more of a pain than driving, and you would be figniting traffic to get to the airport (DCA, IAD or BWI).
The rest of the drive is fine. |
Anonymous
Agree with all of this. It can take as little as 5.5 hours in light traffic. I'd leave as late as you can stand it. |
Anonymous
This. Expect the weather to be gray and cold. |
Anonymous
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The worst part is Breezewood!
On the way home you will encounter traffic on 70 in Western Maryland, regardless of the time of day or year. Mark my words. |
Anonymous
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The hardest part of the drive is the boredom. It’s basically 2 roads. 270 and then 70/76 with nowhere to stop but Breezewood and no radio / spotty cell service between Breezewood and Pittsburgh.
I would drive if I had company or a decent playlist of podcasts lined up and I didn’t need to stop for a bathroom more then once every 3-4 hours. |
Anonymous
I’m the one who called it boring. I grew up in NE Ohio and live in Arlington. My mom is a total worry wart and I made the drive back and forth alone, in a crappy old car, several times in my early 20s and it didn’t even register on her worry-meter. Just download anything you want to listen to before you leave Breezewood because you will hit pockets of no cell service or 1 bar. |
Anonymous
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Unless you are accustomed to being awake overnight (like if you work the graveyard shift) I wouldn't try to do a long drive that late. With traffic and stops for gas/food/bathroom you probably won't arrive until 1 am or later, and driving while tired is dangerous.
But in general, yes I would drive vs. fly for that distance. |
Anonymous
| I've done it recently and had cell service most of the time. I don't like the place where you have to get off the road and go a block in the weird town and get back on the highway - otherwise find ithe drive very easy and i hate driving |
Anonymous
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We are about to make that drive next week. Any reason you can't wait until the next day to drive? I wouldn't want to start a long trip like that at 6:15 at night but that's just me - I prefer driving during hte day.
It didn't even cross my mind to fly to Cleveland. Just easier to drive. |
Anonymous
| If we had decent high speed rail service, this would be an easy 3 hour ride. |
Anonymous
| Easy drive. Frederick and Hagerstown get some traffic, but on a Tuesday it won't be as bad as a Friday afternoon/evening. Much better to drive than fly IMHO. |