Reply to When would you drive (Thanksgiving Edition)?

Forum Index » Infants, Toddlers, & Preschoolers

Reply to "When would you drive (Thanksgiving Edition)?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]As someone who has made the trek from DC to NJ many, many times to visit DH's family (and is against my better judgement doing it again) there are only a few times I would actually leave.  VERY early on Tues, Wed or Thurs (like 5-6am).  VERY LATE on Tues or Wed (like 9 or 10).  We are leaving at 5am on Wed this year.  It's also important to remember that Wilmington, Philly, Trenton, etc all have their regular rush hours on Tu and Wed in addition to holiday travel, so we try to be past them early or wait til later.

If you try to leave at bedtime, you will probably get stuck in traffic, which may be fine w/ you if he's actually sleeping.

If you leave at naptime and the trip takes 6 or 7 hours (our record from pre-kids), then he sleeps for max two hours and you are left to entertain him the rest of the trip.

I remember a trip around this age when the traffic was monstrous and so was my son, and I found a bag of Reese's pieces in my purse and was giving him one every few miles, praying they would last until we got near home!

Sometimes it works to go over the Bay Bridge and take 301 through Delaware to the Delaware Memorial Bridge, (depending on where you are leaving from and where you are going) rather than go through all the choke points in MD.  It probably takes as long or a bit longer, but at least you are moving (which can be helpful in keeping little ones asleep rather than jerky stop and go traffic).

Good luck![/quote]

This poster is right on the money. I am sad that others do the 301 route, too, tho. That's mine! Also, expect the trip to take 1.75 times its normal length. whatever you said you'd never do -- junk food, movies in the car -- you will do on this drive.

A few other things to think about: if you do not have easy pass, GET IT NOW. It will save you hours. Next, when are you coming home? We've found Saturday AM to be sane enough (leave NJ by 8 and watch the traffic). If you wait until later than that on Saturday or anytime after 7 am on Sunday, it will take you eight hours to get home. Don't know where you're going in NJ, but be aware of 295 to avoid the Turnpike and the Pennsylvania route to avoid NJ and the DelMemBr disaster entirely on your way home.

Good luck. [/quote]

Thanks for all of the tips much appreciated!  The longest it ever took me to get home was 7 hours but that was the day after Christmas.  I'm hoping for 4ish.

Does the 301 route really make things faster or just have you not sit in traffic.  I've been doing this drive for 10 years and have never gone that way.  I've gone some other route in recent years based on Waze but not that.  I am a true believer in that app and it has never taken me that way.

I'm not a mom that is anti much for my kid.  Everything in moderation.  I'll bring the snacks that my son gravitates towards and try a movie.  He just finally started paying attention to them a bit so maybe it will work.  My only concern is that he will throw the ipad into the back of the SUV.  He LOVES throwing things!

I totally agree with you that an EZPass is a must.  I can't believe everyone doesn't have one.  I've had mine since I got my drivers license!

We will be leaving Sunday around noon.  We like to leave to mesh up with my son's nap and also maximize time with my family.  We haven't had too much trouble getting back.  My guess is that it will take about 5 hours.  I'm still very curious about the routes you are suggesting.  I'd love to know more about them.  As I mentioned earlier I use Waze and google maps which both incorporate traffic into their route suggestions and have always had good results with them.  They have never steered me in some of the ways you have mentioned.  I'm very open and interested in other routes, if they are the fastest.  [/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics