Where in CT?

I used to drive from DC to upstate NW CT every year and I would go through small towns in the Hudson River Valley to avoid tolls. Amazing trip.

Anonymous wrote:The morning rush hour here in Friday's isn't so bad.

Slightly alternate route, avoids 95 in Ct and ny: take njtp to exit 11 garden state parkway to the tappen zee bridge, then take 287w to 684 and 84e, through west Chester county and Danbury ct. Or google saw mill parkway route from garden state to Hartford. Avoids going through the gw bridge and as close to nyc but is only 5-10 miles or off the standard google maps path. Do not go 81 or 83 through Pennsylvania, it is too far off track.

And leave by 7 or 8am here, you should be in Ct by 3-4 if so.

I am the one that posted about the backroads which includes what you are telling the OP not to do.

I got the Stamford in 5 1/2 hours going the way I suggested, and it doesn't add much, mileage wise. This was on a Friday as well, and I live south of the DC line.

Also we usually stop at Chesapeake house or Delaware rest stop for a pee break 2 hours in, and then again at the McDonald's that is around exit 145/150 of the garden state parkway.

The morning rush hour here in Friday's isn't so bad.

Slightly alternate route, avoids 95 in Ct and ny: take njtp to exit 11 garden state parkway to the tappen zee bridge, then take 287w to 684 and 84e, through west Chester county and Danbury ct. Or google saw mill parkway route from garden state to Hartford. Avoids going through the gw bridge and as close to nyc but is only 5-10 miles or off the standard google maps path. Do not go 81 or 83 through Pennsylvania, it is too far off track.

And leave by 7 or 8am here, you should be in Ct by 3-4 if so.

Anonymous wrote:We usually leave at 9 am to avoid Baltimore traffic. Typically works well.

I used to drive between CT and DC frequently and the reality is that you are bound to hit traffic somewhere. Leave early to miss DC/Baltimore morning rush, then hit the Philly morning rush. Leave later at 9 after the morning rush and you will probably hit an afternoon rush starting in Westchester or Greenwich. The reality is that there are not a lot of good times to be on 95 through CT.

Anonymous wrote:You need to be through the NYC/CT area for rush hour, which starts around 4pm. I would recommend past CT (Fairfield Cty) by 4pm

This definitely. Fridays going northbound are the worst in Fairfield county (I live in Stamford)

OP here. Thanks for all these tips! We are leaving from Silver Spring. Not too into fashion, but an outdoorsy stop sounds great.

Take I-83 from Baltimore into Harrisburg, then I-81 to I-78 to I-287. This will get you around a lot of traffic going north and saving money on tolls. It doesn't take as much longer as you would think (I have done a drive to CT before). I left at 7 AM and traffic was pretty much non existent.

If you want an outdoorsy place to stop, try Sherwood Island State Park in Westport.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g33979-d497819-Reviews-Sherwood_Island_State_Park-Westport_Connecticut.html

If you like very high end fashion, try Mitchell's in Westport. It makes Neiman Marcus look like it's for the proletariat.

You need to be through the NYC/CT area for rush hour, which starts around 4pm. I would recommend past CT (Fairfield Cty) by 4pm

Where are you leaving from? North of DC or south?

Both Westport CT and Greenwich CT are worth stopping at - if you can.

I think if you leave early around 6 you should be fine getting out of DC and going North.

Have a wonderful trip!

We usually leave at 9 am to avoid Baltimore traffic. Typically works well.

We are driving to Maine and stopping over for one night in Connecticut (Hartford area) on the way up, next Friday. I've never done this drive before and am trying to figure out the best time to leave DC to avoid the worst traffic in the metropolitan areas between here and Hartford. Any advice on timing (as well as good rest stops/places to stretch our legs along the way) would be great. Kids are 6, 9, 12.

Thanks!