Road trip: Savannah (coastal or inland?)

Looks like I will be driving down to Savannah to take my daughter to school, then flying back. It was suggested I rent a car for the trip down and then return the car and fly back solo.

Although it's about an hour longer, I was thinking of taking the more western route, 78 to 81 down, to avoid potential traffic (and aggressive driving) on 95. I've never driven past the DC area, so I'm not sure how it compares to driving up here. I think I'd rather spend an extra hour or so on a scenic drive, where we might be able to stop off every few hours.

Any tips or suggestions? Once in Savannah I figured I'll spend a couple of days to help get her set up, buy any items we can't fit or forget, and explore the city as much as time permits.

Check the one way pricing for a car rental like this. It might be extremely high for a drop off charge.

I'd spend an extra hour driving if it's much more scenic for sure

Iv'e done 78 - 81 as far as N.C.

Nice ride. If you have time, go on Skyline Drive.

78 to 81 is a really gorgeous drive. I absolutely recommend it over 95

Particularly 81 in Virginia has stretches that are beautiful. Not so sure about N an S Carolina. Avoiding 95 around DC is very smart. My experience is that it is a nightmare.

A quick search for car rentals had a range of pricing, but it's less than the two flights and shipping all her stuff. Plus, it might give us a nice opportunity to spend quality time together and see part of the country we haven't seen (even if it is just a drive through)

I would definitely drive. And maybe even take a couple of days to drive back, so you won't need the rental.

Definitely take the 78 to 81 route to avoid the Philly/Baltimore/DC gauntlet. I'm not sure the best place to cut over to 95. I think a lot of people take 70/270 and loop around DC. The traffic between Philly and DC is terrible.

Once you get past Richmond, you don't see much when traveling on 95. It seems to hit every major city in the northeast but avoids cities completely in the south until you hit Jacksonville.

We just did the 78 to 81 drive (to Asheville) a few weeks ago and definitely recommend--you'll make up for however far out of the way it is by the amount of time you save getting around Baltimore/DC, as others have said.

We did the drive out-fly back thing taking our son to freshman year out west. The economics were less than fly+ship (especially there were 3 of us), plus we enjoyed the time together. Enjoy your trip!

If my husband can come, we will drive both ways. If not I don't know if I want to drive that far backalone.

You should hang out in Savannah for a couple of days. Lots to see and to eat.

I would like to. If my husband comes we will need to coordinate work and a few other things (kids!)

I'm about 3 hrs from savannah if you need a stopping point

If we leave around 5pm on Saturday, can we drive a few hours for a late dinner and maybe stay over so we can continue driving Sunday? Without getting home obscenely late? If we go to Richmond Virginia will it be too late for anything?

I'd love to spend an additional day but mr SHH wants to get back.

shh said:
If we leave around 5pm on Saturday, can we drive a few hours for a late dinner and maybe stay over so we can continue driving Sunday? Without getting home obscenely late? If we go to Richmond Virginia will it be too late for anything?
I'd love to spend an additional day but mr SHH wants to get back.

Are you talking about the trip down? If so, would you take 95? Traffic would be minimal at that hour. Leaving at 5 you'd get to Richmond 10:15 without traffic.

We drove to Myrtle Beach years ago when little dk was around 2. Chose Richmond as the stopping point both ways as it got us past DC going down and most of the trip done coming home. Richmond's a typical medium sized city, and there's sure to be places open. What stopped outside DC at dinner time because we had to, and I think got to Richmond around the time you would.

Going down stayed in Chester, just south. Small town just off 95. On way back stayed in Glen Allen, to the west. Built up suburban area with lots of restaurants. Downtown Richmond has lots to see, but we weren't in that mode.

Glad to answer any other questions I can.

I meant on the way back to NJ from Savannah. If we leave 5pm on a Saturday night, where can we stop within 4 or so hours for a late dinner and stay over so we can continue home Sunday?

doing this trip again, yet differently. 

Driving to Savannah and want to stop along the way for a nice meal, to relax, maybe do something fun and sleep for a few hours. We will be leaving late morning from Princeton due to another stop. 

Is Richmond our best bet on the way down? 

Our son is in Savannah with the 3rd Infantry Division (Blackhawk pilot) and we drove down 95. We were more intent on getting there so we left Sunday AM and got to NC/SC by late evening and stayed at a cheap hotel with really and truly awful coffee.

We got to Savannah mid-day on Monday and stayed at the beach and on one day watched Army Rangers bring dropped into the ocean off the beach from Chinooks and Blackhawks. 

We toured several SCAD buildings in Savannah. Cool stuff there -- even got some pricey T-shirts!

We went back through Greenville SC to see family then through to Gatlinburg TN for a few days. Then to Berkeley Springs WV for a couple days.  Took 81 to 78 from there.

At no time, down or back, did we have any delays. I95 is not scenic on the way down and in very long stretches the median is only grass with no real dividers. We did notice a lot of truck tire treads on 95!! 

Inland routes were much more scenic than 95. Using 95 the trip was a little under 900 miles. The return trip is a bit longer, but quite scenic. 

When we went a couple weeks ago we had no problem with traffic near DC on Sunday.

Jude - Hunter Army Airfield?  One of the better places to be stationed.

I have never had nothing but headaches on I-95--especially around D.C. I-81, especially in Virginia is beautiful. We love the Shennandoah Valley area. But it is not exactly close to Richmond. 

Yes, Hunter Army Airfield. 

The pilot in the pic below is my son  (CHS grad 2008).

 For a trip back to NJ from Savannah if you are planning to take 81 through VA and MD to 78, you will need to take 77 through NC. That is the north/south interstate that runs through central NC (Charlotte/Davidson/lake Norman, Statesville) and for a few miles of VA; 81 angles off the southerly path to southwest Va and is how you get to and from Asheville. We drove to and from Asheville that way recently. The drive on 81 in VA is lovely and mostly very rural;  driving north you pick it up from 77. You could angle over to Charlottesville and come up 95 eventually after a very pretty drive through north central VA on 29, but you would hit DC traffic eventually.  If you really want to stop in Richmond you are better off sticking with 95.

I have no insight into the travel question, but if your daughter is going to SCAD, I am jealous. 

She's enjoying school a lot! And really challenged! It seems like a great place. 

I've driven to Charleston, SC and Outer Banks, NC, alone, a few times.  Last time I drove home during hurricane Sandy, so I had to go inland.  I would do it again, but wife doesn't want be a passenger for that much time.  This year we're going to Charleston, SC for a wedding and vacation late sept.  Non-stop (2 hr)flight was/is $99 pp each way.  We will be renting a car IN TOWN not at airport- 2 hr drive to Savannah.  They really soak the air traveler w/ high rental + 2x taxes!  BTW I couldn't find a reasonable flight to Savannah and outrageously expensive!!!

Last time I drove down (alone) I took I-95 all the way; no problems.  Schedule departure time to avoid urban centers at peak commuter time.   Leave SO 9 AM should be OK past Phila, Balt and DC before PM rush hour.  I usually stop just over the VA/NC state line when going to SC.  Day 2 will be about 8 hrs.

Friends in Outer Banks swear by Bay-Bridge as their favorite way to bypass DC and Balti.  Their daughter still lives in CT, so they make the trip often.  I was unimpressed, but did get a chance to stop for crab cakes supper on Chesapeake.

flights to Savannah are crazy. Supposedly in the fall allegiant air will offer low rates. Last year we used frontier from Trenton-mercer a few times and that was much more reasonable.

whats crazy?  ($$) and when?

well, $600 RT a month out seems high to me.

well I would agree with that.