Driving DC to NY: Pit stop recommendations?

[Anonymous]

Visiting NYC this weekend with our 1YO. Do those of you who make this trip regularly have favorite places to stop en route? Would like to break up the drive and give the baby a chance to blow off steam. TIA!

[Anonymous]

I have never found anything worth the extra time to get off the highway. Looking forward to hearing other responses.

[Anonymous]

Clara Barton Service Center? We always just stop at places on the NJTP. I wouldn't overthink it.

[Anonymous]

We just went to NY last weekend and the newly rebuilt rest stop in Delaware on I-95 is pretty nice. It's clean, big, bright, has lots of space for tables and the walkways are easily navigable. We stopped there both going and coming back. It's a standard rest area, but a nice one.

[Anonymous]

I have made this drive a million times. The only thing that jumps to mind might be Six Flags Great Adventure which is about 15 min off of exit 7a I believe. They have a pretty decent outlet mall, the theme park (obviously) and a safari. I don't know if that's necessarily what you are looking for though and it's almost all the way to NYC - I think an hour or so out, so not exactly in the middle.

You could also stop somewhere in Delaware without straying too far from your route, but I can't think of any place in particular that a 1 y/o would like.

[Anonymous]

When we went to NY, we timed it so our, then 1 yr old DS, would start napping. and he did for 2 hrs which took up half of the trip, the other two hrs he was ok. We stopped once to get something to eat, pee, change diapers, put in gas. To lounge around or hangout at a pit stop was the farthest thing on our mind.

[Anonymous]

We stop at the outlets at Perryville, which is a bit less than 1.5 hours away (exit 93 in Md) and about 1 mile from the exit. A handful of outlets, and a tiny playground that consists of the usual climbing structure/slide combo thing. Also a couple of coin operated carasouls/horse rides and the like for tots. Works better to stop on the way home as we don't usually need to stop that soon on the way north. Unfortunately, there aren't really any good food options at the outlets but right at the entrance when you drive in there is a subway/taco bell/dennys.

For when your 1 year old is older, here is a good link:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/09/AR2008120903059.html

[Anonymous]

i've stopped in maryland at the ikea to get fro yo for $1 for my son!

[Anonymous]

We also do the outlets at Perryville. You can see it from the raod and it has a playground. The outlets used to be good as well but no more..it has looked like it is about to close for many years now. I guess there is an Osh Gosh..

[Anonymous]

There is nothing worth stopping for. The delaware and nj stops are not bad for a quick meal and bathroom break.

Make sure you are fully gassed up before you hit NJ. NJ does not allow people to pump their own gas. This makes the wait for gas on the turnpike a lot longer so if there is traffic there could be a huge line and a 30 minute wait for gas.

[Anonymous]

Seriously? Six Flags? Outlet Malls? She is talking about a 1-year-old. If you want your baby to be able to get some fresh air and walk around, a rest stop will be just fine. One year olds don't need anything fancy. Or find a residential neighborhood that is just off the highway, and walk around with him.

[Anonymous]

The Christiana Mall is right off 95 in Delaware, before the split. There's a nice food court (with a ChickFilA), some sit down restaurants, a B&N, and a play area outside the Target. We usually aim to stop there. It's a bit closer to DC than to NY, but there really isn't anywhere decent to stop in south Jersey.

[Anonymous]

there's a small zoo in Delaware in Wilmington. Cheap, small, and a good hour stop.

Crayola factory tour is in Easton, PA, not too far off the beaten path depending on what the path is.

[Anonymous]

More important than the rest stop is to make sure you leave on an "off" day/hour - what is normally a 4.5 hour trip can easily balloon to 6.5 hrs northbound on 95 on a Friday ... We like to stop at Chesapeake House, the last rest stop in MD - it's not the halfway point, bt it has an outdoor picnic table area so lots of room for kids to run around outside to burn off some energy.

[Anonymous]

11:34..the point of the outlet mall was the playground.