Driving to VA Beach on a Saturday

[Anonymous]

Am I crazy if I try to leave Arlington at 11am? I know 95S will have traffic and that we won't just breeze there in 3.5 hours. But...how bad will it really be? Will the worst part be getting to Richmond? How long are the backups? Has anyone attempted this? I'd be ok if it takes us say, 5 hours instead of 3.5 hours. However not really sure if we can handle more than that since we have small kids.

The 301 route is possible too, but seems to guarantee a 5.5 hour or more ride.

The house we are renting doesn't allow check in before 4pm and killing time with a 20 month old and an almost-4 year old during the heat of the day and prime nap time is an issue, which is why I don't want to leave at 7am. Trying to keep them occupied between noon and 4pm, when normally they are sleeping from 1-3pm, seems daunting. Before the younger was born we did the zoo in Norfolk and it was SO HOT and miserable walking around.

Any thoughts? We may just wait until Sunday am and leave as early as possible. That way the rest of the group will have checked in and settled and we'll arrive before lunch. I just hate missing a day because of traffic!

[Anonymous]

You should get there in 5 hours. I’ve done this drive at all times of day and ultimately it seems to take 5 hours most of he time unless it’s extremely early or late at night.

[Anonymous]

YES.

If you take 95-S to Richmond, you will hit traffic there and when you get on to 64-E. You will sit on the bridge going into the Hampton Tunnel.

Just leave early. Go to the mall and let them loose in the play area. There's several to choose from. If I were you, I would want to be over the Hampton Bridge-Tunnel as early as possible.

-A VA Beach Native

[Anonymous]

I-95S to I-295S around Richmond to I-64E. Don't take I-95S all the way into downtown Richmond to connect to I-64. I-295 (no, it isn't the same as 295 in DC) is sort of like the Richmond version of the Beltway.

I think you're crazy to leave Arlington at 11AM because of how heavy traffic on I-95 will be, but that may make you late enough to miss the worst of the eastbound 64 traffic heading through Hampton and the tunnel the PP mentioned. Maybe. If you're really lucky.

Honestly, everything about 95 gets 10x worse during the summer.

- A Richmond Native

[Anonymous]

Stop in Hampton and have everyone go to the bathroom before getting onto the bridge tunnel. Invariably, no one in our family has to pee until we're in an 8 mile pile up and then all of a sudden it's an emergency! Not fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:YES.

If you take 95-S to Richmond, you will hit traffic there and when you get on to 64-E. You will sit on the bridge going into the Hampton Tunnel.

Just leave early. Go to the mall and let them loose in the play area. There's several to choose from. If I were you, I would want to be over the Hampton Bridge-Tunnel as early as possible.

-A VA Beach Native

This is OP.

Yes the mall is on my list of ideas. The main issue is the little one LOVES HIS NAP. Like sleeps for 3 hours 1-4pm in a crib. In the car he'll do an hour, which is fine, but we'd have to be driving around sometime between 1 and 3. Meaning my 4 year old is stuck in the car too. So we're just mulling all our options in an attempt to keep it from being too painful.

We have never had a big problem on 64-E going down the last few years, but lots of people talk about how bad it can get, so I think we've just been lucky....

We're going to Sandbridge, so in the past I've considered going 664. Do you have an opinion on that route around Norfolk to Sandbridge?

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I-95S to I-295S around Richmond to I-64E. Don't take I-95S all the way into downtown Richmond to connect to I-64. I-295 (no, it isn't the same as 295 in DC) is sort of like the Richmond version of the Beltway.

I think you're crazy to leave Arlington at 11AM because of how heavy traffic on I-95 will be, but that may make you late enough to miss the worst of the eastbound 64 traffic heading through Hampton and the tunnel the PP mentioned. Maybe. If you're really lucky.

Honestly, everything about 95 gets 10x worse during the summer.

- A Richmond Native

This is OP. Yes always do the 295 loop around. That part I do know! It's really the stretch leading into Fredericksburg that I know can be really painful. And I'm assuming later in the morning that extends towards Richmond.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I-95S to I-295S around Richmond to I-64E. Don't take I-95S all the way into downtown Richmond to connect to I-64. I-295 (no, it isn't the same as 295 in DC) is sort of like the Richmond version of the Beltway.

I think you're crazy to leave Arlington at 11AM because of how heavy traffic on I-95 will be, but that may make you late enough to miss the worst of the eastbound 64 traffic heading through Hampton and the tunnel the PP mentioned. Maybe. If you're really lucky.

Honestly, everything about 95 gets 10x worse during the summer.

- A Richmond Native

This is OP. Yes always do the 295 loop around. That part I do know! It's really the stretch leading into Fredericksburg that I know can be really painful. And I'm assuming later in the morning that extends towards Richmond.

Richmond Native PP here...in my experience, the worst of the I-95S traffic is actually the stretch between the Beltway and Fredericksburg. It is usually lighter from Fredericksburg to Richmond. Now, depending on when you're returning, northbound can be a disaster from Richmond all the way up.

[Anonymous]

Insane. I would wake up early and enjoy a nice tea and/or lunch by the beach. Leave the traffic to other fools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:YES.

If you take 95-S to Richmond, you will hit traffic there and when you get on to 64-E. You will sit on the bridge going into the Hampton Tunnel.

Just leave early. Go to the mall and let them loose in the play area. There's several to choose from. If I were you, I would want to be over the Hampton Bridge-Tunnel as early as possible.

-A VA Beach Native

This is OP.

Yes the mall is on my list of ideas. The main issue is the little one LOVES HIS NAP. Like sleeps for 3 hours 1-4pm in a crib. In the car he'll do an hour, which is fine, but we'd have to be driving around sometime between 1 and 3. Meaning my 4 year old is stuck in the car too. So we're just mulling all our options in an attempt to keep it from being too painful.

We have never had a big problem on 64-E going down the last few years, but lots of people talk about how bad it can get, so I think we've just been lucky....

We're going to Sandbridge, so in the past I've considered going 664. Do you have an opinion on that route around Norfolk to Sandbridge?

Thank you!

I sort of despise 664. It's always somehow worse than 64. Middle of the day it could be a toss up.

If it were me, I would contact the owner of the place you're staying at and ask if you could check in a little early. When you mention little kids, people are some times flexible. They might let you in at 1, which would work a lot better. Plus, you can stop and get a nice lunch.