Seeking Advice on Drive to Cape Cod

[Anonymous]

I go to the ISLANDS by car and plane between 15 and 20 times a year, every year, for 40 years.

This is what I have learned: leave by 4. Get going early.

Be as flexible and plugged in to up to date traffic reports as much as possible. There is no silver bullet other than flexibility so be ready to adjust.

Finally, never underestimate the pain of Connecticut. Just be ready for it to be bad and you will be better off.

Take my advice for what it’s worth but know that I have suffered on that trip and want nothing more for you to not feel the same pain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I go to the ISLANDS by car and plane between 15 and 20 times a year, every year, for 40 years.

This is what I have learned: leave by 4. Get going early.

Be as flexible and plugged in to up to date traffic reports as much as possible. There is no silver bullet other than flexibility so be ready to adjust.

Finally, never underestimate the pain of Connecticut. Just be ready for it to be bad and you will be better off.

Take my advice for what it’s worth but know that I have suffered on that trip and want nothing more for you to not feel the same pain.

CT is the worst. The absolute worst. I don’t think I’ve ever had a smooth drive through there. Even the time I drive back from the Cape in the overnight hours, there was night roadwork and lane shutdowns and it still took me forever to get through CT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I go to the ISLANDS by car and plane between 15 and 20 times a year, every year, for 40 years.

This is what I have learned: leave by 4. Get going early.

Be as flexible and plugged in to up to date traffic reports as much as possible. There is no silver bullet other than flexibility so be ready to adjust.

Finally, never underestimate the pain of Connecticut. Just be ready for it to be bad and you will be better off.

Take my advice for what it’s worth but know that I have suffered on that trip and want nothing more for you to not feel the same pain.

CT is the worst. The absolute worst. I don’t think I’ve ever had a smooth drive through there. Even the time I drive back from the Cape in the overnight hours, there was night roadwork and lane shutdowns and it still took me forever to get through CT.

May 2020. Roads were empty, even in CT! Fastest drive to the cape ever, never to be repeated.

[Anonymous]

Will second Waze recommendation, but strongly advise against ever going 95 thru CT when heading North. Either Merritt/91/84 or 684/84. But none of that mitigates getting on the Cape itself. If you're not to the Bourne or Sagamore by 2pm in the summer, you're screwed (except maybe Mon-Wed).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bumping this thread as we are about to attempt a 1 day drive from dc to mid cape. We have family in western CT so are used to going the tapped zee route, but are less familiar with 84 and the route past, say Danbury or Waterbury CT?

I would love to do the drive in two days, but spouse doesn’t have enough time off.

Any tips for the 2nd half of the trip? Also we will be on the roads by about 5 am

We have done this the past 2 years. It’s honestly not that bad if you just remain flexible. The world won’t end if you get there at 9 pm vs 7 PM. We don’t usually leave until about 8:30-9 AM because that’s the best we can do in the morning. Have snacks and know you will get there. It takes us even longer because we bring our dog so we have to stop more often.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bumping this thread as we are about to attempt a 1 day drive from dc to mid cape. We have family in western CT so are used to going the tapped zee route, but are less familiar with 84 and the route past, say Danbury or Waterbury CT?

I would love to do the drive in two days, but spouse doesn’t have enough time off.

Any tips for the 2nd half of the trip? Also we will be on the roads by about 5 am

We have done this the past 2 years. It’s honestly not that bad if you just remain flexible. The world won’t end if you get there at 9 pm vs 7 PM. We don’t usually leave until about 8:30-9 AM because that’s the best we can do in the morning. Have snacks and know you will get there. It takes us even longer because we bring our dog so we have to stop more often.

Thanks, I’m going to try to have this as my philosophy. I think if we leave around 5-6am we should get there around 5-6pm with stops. Fingers crossed!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I go to the ISLANDS by car and plane between 15 and 20 times a year, every year, for 40 years.

This is what I have learned: leave by 4. Get going early.

Be as flexible and plugged in to up to date traffic reports as much as possible. There is no silver bullet other than flexibility so be ready to adjust.

Finally, never underestimate the pain of Connecticut. Just be ready for it to be bad and you will be better off.

Take my advice for what it’s worth but know that I have suffered on that trip and want nothing more for you to not feel the same pain.

CT is the worst. The absolute worst. I don’t think I’ve ever had a smooth drive through there. Even the time I drive back from the Cape in the overnight hours, there was night roadwork and lane shutdowns and it still took me forever to get through CT.

May 2020. Roads were empty, even in CT! Fastest drive to the cape ever, never to be repeated.

We went in June 2020 and it was amazing! No traffic, such a stress free drive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do the drive to the ISLANDS (messing with a tool from the other thread) at least twice every summer. Drive up and drop off all the stuff and then pick it all up in late August.

IF you get out that early, go GW bridge and stay on 95 all the way as it is the quickest and most direct. That said, monitor the traffic from mid-Jersey up so that you don’t get clipped by something in the Bronx or up 95. You can also go through Westchester via various routes after the GW bridge if the cross Bronx and 95 are bad. Check WAZE.

IF you want to take the Cuomo Bridge (the name has changed), 95 to NJ Parkway to 287 to bridge is best.

All that said, I have gotten to Conn border from NW DC in less than 4 hours leaving that early only to get crushed by 95 or the Merritt in Conn. Plan for traffic to be awful there. It is always awful.

I do the drive all the time and agree with all of this including last part about CT. I actually hate CT traffic/construction more than the NY portion and I've tried EVERY route. I always joke that for such a small state, CT really is the biggest PINA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I go to the ISLANDS by car and plane between 15 and 20 times a year, every year, for 40 years.

This is what I have learned: leave by 4. Get going early.

Be as flexible and plugged in to up to date traffic reports as much as possible. There is no silver bullet other than flexibility so be ready to adjust.

Finally, never underestimate the pain of Connecticut. Just be ready for it to be bad and you will be better off.

Take my advice for what it’s worth but know that I have suffered on that trip and want nothing more for you to not feel the same pain.

CT is the worst. The absolute worst. I don’t think I’ve ever had a smooth drive through there. Even the time I drive back from the Cape in the overnight hours, there was night roadwork and lane shutdowns and it still took me forever to get through CT.

May 2020. Roads were empty, even in CT! Fastest drive to the cape ever, never to be repeated.

We went in June 2020 and it was amazing! No traffic, such a stress free drive.

We travel to and from often, and it takes us the same amount of time each time, not bad, you have to time NYC properly, then it is smooth sailing. Totally worth it.

[Anonymous]

So glad that people who have actually made the drive are posting their experience. Instead of just googling about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Will second Waze recommendation, but strongly advise against ever going 95 thru CT when heading North. Either Merritt/91/84 or 684/84. But none of that mitigates getting on the Cape itself. If you're not to the Bourne or Sagamore by 2pm in the summer, you're screwed (except maybe Mon-Wed).

That is really only a Friday issue. I go on and off the Cape all summer and really don't run into issues with the bridges onto the Cape other Fridays and occasional Saturday mornings. My DC comes down from Boston most weekends and just comes late on Friday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Will second Waze recommendation, but strongly advise against ever going 95 thru CT when heading North. Either Merritt/91/84 or 684/84. But none of that mitigates getting on the Cape itself. If you're not to the Bourne or Sagamore by 2pm in the summer, you're screwed (except maybe Mon-Wed).

That is really only a Friday issue. I go on and off the Cape all summer and really don't run into issues with the bridges onto the Cape other Fridays and occasional Saturday mornings. My DC comes down from Boston most weekends and just comes late on Friday.

We hit bridge traffic on Saturdays too, that is when the rentals tune over. Sundays usually aren’t bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Will second Waze recommendation, but strongly advise against ever going 95 thru CT when heading North. Either Merritt/91/84 or 684/84. But none of that mitigates getting on the Cape itself. If you're not to the Bourne or Sagamore by 2pm in the summer, you're screwed (except maybe Mon-Wed).

That is really only a Friday issue. I go on and off the Cape all summer and really don't run into issues with the bridges onto the Cape other Fridays and occasional Saturday mornings. My DC comes down from Boston most weekends and just comes late on Friday.

We hit bridge traffic on Saturdays too, that is when the rentals tune over. Sundays usually aren’t bad.

+1

We usually go on Saturdays and there is bridge traffic then.

[Anonymous]

My experience is (and I drive this route roughly 10-15x per year) is that if my route is going to change from the GW bridge to the Tapan Zee, then I know by exit 9 or 10 on the Turnpike. Because that's when the prompt comes up to take Exit 11, the Garden State Parkway, up to the Tapan Zee.

Regardless, I open Maps when I leave the house and keep it up until I get to my destination. The route suggestions may change more than once depending on what is happening ahead of you. Be flexible and fluid.

Be sure to gas up the car before Exit 15 or 16 or so, especially if you think there is a chance you'll be directed to Rt 15 (instead of 95) in CT. Getting back onto the road from those Service Areas on 15 is putting your life at risk because there is no merge area and CT drivers are bat-sh1t crazy a$$holes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My experience is (and I drive this route roughly 10-15x per year) is that if my route is going to change from the GW bridge to the Tapan Zee, then I know by exit 9 or 10 on the Turnpike. Because that's when the prompt comes up to take Exit 11, the Garden State Parkway, up to the Tapan Zee.

Regardless, I open Maps when I leave the house and keep it up until I get to my destination. The route suggestions may change more than once depending on what is happening ahead of you. Be flexible and fluid.

Be sure to gas up the car before Exit 15 or 16 or so, especially if you think there is a chance you'll be directed to Rt 15 (instead of 95) in CT. Getting back onto the road from those Service Areas on 15 is putting your life at risk because there is no merge area and CT drivers are bat-sh1t crazy a$$holes.

This is all very good advice.