Tidewater Trip

I need some advice to travel to the Portsmouth area for our summer get-together.

S&T tells me to drive down through Philly and head south on 1 and 13, over the bridge/tunnel to the Portsmouth area. The distance is about 514 miles.

I can also go down around Baltimore and DC, through the Richmond area and over to Portsmouth that way. The distance is about 580 miles.

It is clearly shorter on 1 and 13, but the roads seem to be more local. By going around DC, it appears that I would be on super-highways for the entire trip and it might be much quicker.

Any advice from our Southern travelers?

Trust me. Go the 1/13 route. It's local roads through Delmarva, but even so, it's a LOT shorter than going around DC. Delaware can be a little stop-and-go in stretches, but otherwise, it's not really that bad.

Don't forget, going around DC, you have DC traffic to deal with.

Every person we have met here on the OBX who is an "OBX Newbie" has taken the "Mapquest way," and gone through DC. The first thing they ask when they see that we are "veterans" is "what's a faster way?"

Plus, you can do a LOT of side lighthousing, if you so wish, though DE (pretty much every light is off 13/1) and VA (Assateague, etc.). Not much through MD, since you're only there for that little square stretch, and everything's on the bay or in other states to cover that coast.

Trust me...it looks better on paper, but after hours in the car, the coastal way looks nice.

Jim,

Having lived in the tidewater area of Virginia for 6 years and Delaware also about 6 years Greg is correct... 1/13 it is. As a bonus 1/13 is more 4 lane now than 2 lane as in years past. Having grown up in Richmond on my travel to see family from Delaware I often took 309 to Bowling green, VA and picked up 95 to avoid the northern, Va - DC traffic.

Along 1/13 in DE you can visit Liston Rear Range. You can see it from 13. If you wish to take a detour toward the coast at the DE, MD border, Ocean City, you can visit Fenwick Island light. As greg mentioned just over the border from MD into VA you can take in Assateague, VA and at the bay bridge on the Eastern Shore of VA you can see Cape Charles Light on a clear day from the toll plaza area look to your left. As you cross over the Bay bridge to the mainland you can see Cape Henry new when you cross the second tunnel Island just look to your left.

I am taking that very route myself for the Portsmouth event and on Sunday will make my way to Old point comfort again on route to Newport News and Richmond to visit freinds and family.

Do yourself a favor and listen to their advice.I went south a while back and made the mistake of going around DC. Never again. The next time I took the bridge/tunnel. Nicer more relaxing ride and didn't lose much time if any. If you've never been on the bridge tunnel it is a new experience and you should enjoy it. Thats the route we're taking from N.Y.

Jim, I don't know what day or what time you are going throught the DC area but you do not want to be on 495 the beltway or 395 south on Friday afternoons or early evening. It will be bumper to bumper all the way to Richmond. If you do come throught DC do it mid morning.

1/13 bridge & tunnel is by far the better route.
HCS