Going down this Thursday (July 4th) and coming back Sunday.

Does everyone generally take 95 / 295 / 64 / 664 /168?

Does the alternate route I've heard about 95/ 295 / 460 / 64 ... make any sense?

I've heard Saturday traffic can be horrendous, to play it safe we are considering leaving at 5 am out of Tysons... anyone think we could leave later and still be ok since it's not a Saturday?

And what time should we leave coming back, I've heard if you leave by 8AM on a Sunday it should be ok.

Any other tips appreciated. Thanks!

Tell me please leaving tomorrow!

Reeves Wrote:
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> Going down this Thursday (July 4th) and coming
> back Sunday.
>
> Does everyone generally take 95 / 295 / 64 / 664
> /168?
>
> Does the alternate route I've heard about 95/ 295
> / 460 / 64 ... make any sense?
>
> I've heard Saturday traffic can be horrendous, to
> play it safe we are considering leaving at 5 am
> out of Tysons... anyone think we could leave later
> and still be ok since it's not a Saturday?
>
> And what time should we leave coming back, I've
> heard if you leave by 8AM on a Sunday it should be
> ok.
>
> Any other tips appreciated. Thanks!


I like to cross the ww bridge into Maryland and take Indian head to 301 south about 40 miles then catch 17 south about 100 miles to I-64. From there pass through Hampton roads and pick up NC-168 southbound into OBX. You can make it in 6 hours with one pit stop.

The first is the most straight-forward and highest-speed route overall. Assuming no major traffic delays anyway (yeah, I know... good luck with that)

460 takes you through town and isn't worth doing unless maybe you have to as a bail-out around some major delay. That 64 tunnel handles all of the traffic into/out of Norfolk and headed to VA Beach so it backs up all the damn time, especially around local rush hours.

It's all about the same and just comes down to luck of the draw as far as whatever traffic you'll probably be sitting in somewhere along the line regardless due to some wreck. And 95 295 64 which you can't really avoid practically are likely places anyway so... There are some back roads at various points if you want to take the scenic route but they're not going to save time other than as last resorts.

Haven't been down this year so not sure what construction might be underway now but you might check that.

Doesnt matter what time you leave, what route you take, or how fast you drive. The trip will suck.

Only time I have had a easy ride to OBX was New Years Weekend. Not exactly beach weahter tho!

My trip to the Outer Banks goes through Manassas.

You all look like ants to me.
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Should we leave the night before? How bad will traffic be heading south on i95 on July 3rd at 7 or 9 pm?

Reeves Wrote:
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> Should we leave the night before? How bad will
> traffic be heading south on i95 on July 3rd at 7
> or 9 pm?


Are you new to this area? Trying to go via 95 on the 3rd is the worst possible plan. 5 AM on the 4th is better. Rolling that back to 4 or possibly 3 better still.

In any case, the 301 route will be much less stressful to you.

I personally stay put around most holidays, it's not worth the hassle to me.

You are in for hours of delays, so be sure to have drinks and snacks with you. The entire route is likely to be crawling traffic. Leave now if you can and stay until Monday if possible. Sunday will be just as bad.

Everyone I know who is going to OBX is going this week. Good luck. Too crowded for me. I will enjoy basking in my beach chair in my quiet neighborhood this week.

It took us SEVEN hours from Williamsburg yesterday. Too much...

Not new to the area but have learned to avoid 95 and now that I have to use it I'm clueless about its nuances. So thanks for the tips, thinking leaving 5am or earlier is the way to go.

What time should we come back? Is 8am on Sunday too late?

Use the WAZE app to see what alternate routes are good.

I'd leave by 7

I would wait and go in late september or early october!

Stabitha Wrote:
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> I would wait and go in late september or early
> october!


Yeah, that's the best time. You lose most of the knuckleheads by then, water's warm, waves are good, fishing picks up again, and prices drop although not as much as they used to.

Sometimes hurricanes can mess up those plans though. We'd look forward to them when I was living down there but if you're coming for vacation that's probably not what you want.

We came down Saturday, June 29. From Philadelphia, it took me 10 1/2 hours. It took my other family members 13 hours from Pittsburgh. This was traveling to Corolla. All I can tell you is never again. Really. The traffic was bumper to bumper for 15 miles before the bridge going into the OBX. Then once into the OBX, it gets worse as you wait to make a left turn to go north. This is unbearable. You think once you get through the light you will be fine, but then it is bumper to bumper the whole way to Duck. And I mean bumper to bumper when pedestrians are walking faster than you are driving. While it may be nice here, nothing is worth this effort. It's unfortunate.

Came home today from OBX. We had a Sunday -Sunday rental. Traffic was no problem going down or coming back. Saturday traffic is horrendous. Did that last year, never again.

Left Saturday morning at 5am sharp and was in Corolla by 11am with one 30 min. stop. Not that big of a deal. Same drive every year; same time arriving by Noon.

It is a shame what has happened to the Outer Banks over the last 10 years. Assholes running wild have ruined what was a wonderful place to R&R.

Stay away

For a first-timer, is it worth it?

I always end up at OC or VB or even Myrtle...but this time I want something different....tell me!!!

FYI- we are over our "24-hour party" days and just want some R&R, younger kids are fine just not packs of roving teens like you see @ OC....

OBX is a completely different experience than OC or VA Beach. Not even remotely the same. Ive been going there for years. It has gotten a lot more crowded in recent years, but it is definitely NOT a party beach.

The worst part about going this time of year is the traffic and having to wait to get something to eat at just about every restaurant (there really arent that many good ones) I do recommend Owens for dinner and Sam & Omies for breakfast. The Black Pelican is pretty good too but its kind of remote.

Youre usually better off just buying some fresh seafood and preparing it at your beach house.

Stabitha Wrote:
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>
> and Sam & Omies for breakfast.
>

They've been the best breakfast spot for 30+ years. When I first lived down there in the 80s it was 99 cents for your standard bacon and eggs, toast, juice and coffee breakfast. We'd hit is just about every day. lol


> Youre usually better off just buying some fresh
> seafood and preparing it at your beach house.

Yep. Run over to Wanchese where the shrimp and scallop boats come in. Get it fresh off of the boat.

Its going to be rough from rush hour Tues thru all day the 3rd.

Sun-Sun is better than Sat-Sat, but not by as much as one would hope. Fri-Fri works really well, but not a ton to pick from.

Corolla used to be nice, but as it built up, all the houses being built were/are McMansionish. Almost every house up there is jammed with 20-30 people even though the max occupancy of most is 14-16. The place is over-crowded like NOVA. Traffic is bad, restaurants have waits, beaches are crowded (by OBX standards). Stay south of Duck and the mix of different-sized houses leaves less room for over-crowding and better relaxation.

Better yet.......just keep heading south on 12 until you cant go any further!

Leaving nova by 5am seems the best bet. 15 years ago we usually leave around 7am.

Reeves -- Hope you got there OK. Next time, if there's traffic on 95 South (like a Fri. evening or Sat. morning), try:

If heading to OBX from western Fairfax/eastern Loudoun:

(1) South on 28 (or Ffx County Parkway) to I-66 West (sounds odd - trust me)
(2) South on VA29 to Warrenton
(3) East on 17 to I-95

That way you avoid I-95 all the way to the Rappahannock river (Falmouth area).

If heading to OBX from western Fairfax/eastern Loudoun and to avoid the Beltway:

(1a) South of Fairfax County Parkway to 123
(2a) South on 123 to Occoquan
(3a) Enter I-95 toward Richmond.

**IF** southbound traffic REALLY STINKS at Frederickburg...

(4) Stay on 17 (if following steps 1-3 above) or
(5) Exit I-95 on Rt. 1/Rt. 17 (Exit 126)
(6) Take 17 all the way to Gloucester

NOTE: Steps 4-6 add 35 miles and another hour to the trip *compared to no traffic on I-95,* so only go that route if you are sick of creeping in traffic or the road is blocked, and you just want to MOVE.

Comments/critiques/alternate suggestions welcome.

How many of you douchebags have OBX stickers on your SUVs? Be honest!

^ Just ignore Kilton. He has some "issues" that he's still trying to work out.

Kilton Wrote:
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> How many of you douchebags have OBX stickers on
> your SUVs? Be honest!

I was told you cant cross the bridge over the Pamlico Sound without one.

Kilton Wrote:
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> How many of you douchebags have OBX stickers on
> your SUVs? Be honest!


I have one on my hybrid. My partner and I think it is hip! What's the big deal? ;-)

Jim in Herndon Wrote:
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> Reeves -- Hope you got there OK. Next time, if
> there's traffic on 95 South (like a Fri. evening
> or Sat. morning), try:
>
> If heading to OBX from western Fairfax/eastern
> Loudoun:
>
> (1) South on 28 (or Ffx County Parkway) to I-66
> West (sounds odd - trust me)
> (2) South on VA29 to Warrenton
> (3) East on 17 to I-95
>
> That way you avoid I-95 all the way to the
> Rappahannock river (Falmouth area).
>
> If heading to OBX from western Fairfax/eastern
> Loudoun and to avoid the Beltway:
>
> (1a) South of Fairfax County Parkway to 123
> (2a) South on 123 to Occoquan
> (3a) Enter I-95 toward Richmond.
>
> **IF** southbound traffic REALLY STINKS at
> Frederickburg...
>
> (4) Stay on 17 (if following steps 1-3 above)
> or
> (5) Exit I-95 on Rt. 1/Rt. 17 (Exit 126)
> (6) Take 17 all the way to Gloucester
>
> NOTE: Steps 4-6 add 35 miles and another hour to
> the trip *compared to no traffic on I-95,* so only
> go that route if you are sick of creeping in
> traffic or the road is blocked, and you just want
> to MOVE.
>
> Comments/critiques/alternate suggestions welcome.

Watch your speed on 17. My brother-in-law is a VA State Trooper out of District 1 and they love to run speed traps on 17 during summer weekends. The speed limit is 55, but all those frustrated drivers get off 95 and do 75mph - 80mph to try and make up for lost time. Last Saturday he wrote 34 citations for speeding and charged 11 drivers with reckless during his shift. I could meet my monthly performance standards on one Saturday down there!

Jerome Wrote:
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> Kilton Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > How many of you douchebags have OBX stickers on
> > your SUVs? Be honest!
>
>
> I have one on my hybrid. My partner and I think
> it is hip! What's the big deal? ;-)


He's bitter because it would take 4 days in his Leaf.

When my girlfriend and I leave from Burke we do 95/295/64/168/158(it becomes 158 from 168 or vice versa).

We leave on Saturdays at 6 a.m. and it takes us exactly 4 hours. This is to mile post 9.5.

If you leave later, lets say at 8 a.m. YOU'RE FUCKED!!! Backup starts on the ramp getting on to 64 then really sucks just before getting into OBX because of people turning left to go North to Duck/Corolla. To avoid this mess just take 95S into North Carolina. From here I can't remember the route numbers but when you are in N.C. go East and take the route that will take you to Roanoke Island and then head up North or South after you cross over the bridge from Roanoke Island.

ENJOY OBX!!!! BEST DAMN PLACE TO GO TO!!! IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE LOST COLONY OUTDOOR PLAY THEN YOU NEED TO SEE IT!!! AWESOME OUTDOOR PLAY!!!

If you take the US-460 route between Petersburg and the Tidewater area, watch your speed. Several of the towns along that route are known for having strict enforcement. Also watch your speed on I-295 through the Hopewell area, as the cops there are quite eager to bust anyone exceeding 80 mph in the 70-mph zone (exceeding 80 is grounds for a reckless driving ticket).

We sleep a couple of hours in the evening and leave somewhere between 2 am and 4 am. The usual route is 495/95/295/64/664/64/168/158/12. About 5 hours towing a boat to get to the Wright Bridge, another hour or so to get to the middle of Hatteras Island.

From Fairfax, VA, the best route to avoid traffic is:

Take 495 S, cross the Wilson Bridge

Take Route 5 South / 301 South through La Plata, crossing back into VA, then work your way to 95 S at Ruther Glen and drive down 95 into NC

Take exit 138 for 64-E toward Rocky Mt, keep going, across the Virginia Dare Bridge, then the bridge to Nags Head.

Sure this route takes about 7 hours, but depending upon when you leave, the normal routes take about as long and this one is less frustrating.

i forgot to say: my ridiculous route helps you avoid the logjam from Springfield-Fredericksburg, then the clusterfuck from Hampton Roads-Outer Banks.

great route Wrote:
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> From Fairfax, VA, the best route to avoid traffic
> is:
>
> Take 495 S, cross the Wilson Bridge
>
> Take Route 5 South / 301 South through La Plata,
> crossing back into VA, then work your way to 95 S
> at Ruther Glen and drive down 95 into NC
>
> Take exit 138 for 64-E toward Rocky Mt, keep
> going, across the Virginia Dare Bridge, then the
> bridge to Nags Head.
>
> Sure this route takes about 7 hours, but depending
> upon when you leave, the normal routes take about
> as long and this one is less frustrating.


That's the route. Rocky Mount, NC. If you leave at 8 a.m. or later take this route. Leaving at 6 a.m. you can take the normal route that everyone takes.

OBX FOREVER Wrote:
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>
> That's the route. Rocky Mount, NC. If you leave
> at 8 a.m. or later take this route. Leaving at 6
> a.m. you can take the normal route that everyone
> takes.

Coming in from the Rocky Mount side does move a lot faster usually and you avoid the bottlenecks coming in from the North. Unfortunately, it's a long haul out of your way from here. I've done it a few times when I was dumb enough to be headed down on a holiday or something when I knew that it would be a clusterfuck but that's the only time that it might be worth it. And it's not necessarily guaranteed to be smooth sailing either.

Saw an OBXNEXT license plate the other day. Gayest thing I had ever seen, until this thread.

Gaydar Wrote:
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> Saw an OBXNEXT license plate the other day. Gayest
> thing I had ever seen, until this thread.


I thought I saw some gay things in my life but nothing compares to GAYDAR's post. He even makes fags say "Damn, I know we are gay but Gaydar makes us look like we are straight!"

jenny m Wrote:
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> We sleep a couple of hours in the evening and
> leave somewhere between 2 am and 4 am. The usual
> route is 495/95/295/64/664/64/168/158/12. About 5
> hours towing a boat to get to the Wright Bridge,
> another hour or so to get to the middle of
> Hatteras Island.


Great help everyone. This is the route we are going to try. We'll leave around 4:30 or 5 am Thursday.

Coming back on Sunday we'll probably leave around 7am.

OBX FOREVER Wrote:
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>
> That's the route. Rocky Mount, NC. If you leave
> at 8 a.m. or later take this route. Leaving at 6
> a.m. you can take the normal route that everyone
> takes.

A few years ago I was visiting friends in Charlotte NC and from there went on to vacation in Nags Head. That was the trip from hell! It took almost 8 hours to get from Charlotte to Nags Head. Not so much from traffic but the the roads on that route are terrible. At one point we were on a 2 lane country road for about 60 miles!!!!!!!

>At one point we were on a 2 lane country road for about 60 miles!!!!!!!

This is the problem with trying to fool about with back road NC. I kinda enjoy it cuz there's local color, but it's no way to get anywhere fast.

I've driven the NC route many times and here's what I know. The big story: take major roads but be ready with alternatives. Great route and OBX FOREVER are correct in their routes and they know what I know - traffic on 95 between Fredericksburg and 495 is madness, especially during holidays, and you should plan ahead to avoid it. I myself prefer to avoid it by using the roads to the west rather than the east. At the least, I go through Warrenton to 17 south and hop on 95 there. For real emergencies I stay west for a while longer, going through Culpeper, then cutting to 95 at the point where the traffic starts moving. This usually isn't a problem when you're headed south, but heading north on your way home - be ready to bail out as soon as you hit sincere backup. I NEVER go past 17 on the way home - if I'm lucky to make it that far without hitting bumper-to-bumper, I always get off there.

You can also expect traffic backups around Richmond but these tend to be pretty minor - I sometimes exit out and try to work my way around them, sometimes not. If you think the cause is an accident - get off ASAP, try to get around it and get back on 95 when you can.

After that, it's 64 all the way out. I've rarely had problems on this road and if you get fancy and start cutting corners, expect small-town cops and traffic lights all the way.

Since nobody has mentioned it - if you don't own a good GPS, you might want to buy one. The newer Garmins, while still over-priced, have come down lately and in the last couple of years have added traffic monitoring - very useful. Of course, the maps on your iphone do this too but my nuvi has proved pretty useful for navigating around traffic.

Safe travels.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/2013 01:18AM by abelard.

-

I could be wrong but I'm right 99% of the time
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Lloydster Wrote:
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> -


It isn't an Island

YOU CAN GO FUCK

abelard Wrote:
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> >At one point we were on a 2 lane country road for
> about 60 miles!!!!!!!
>
> This is the problem with trying to fool about with
> back road NC. I kinda enjoy it cuz there's local
> color, but it's no way to get anywhere fast.
>
>....

The problem with leaving on your trip to the OBX at 5:00 is that it is the equivalent of people leaving say Chesapeake, VA at about 8:30 - you're fucked either way. I can't believe the testimonies of people who say they leave at 5:00 and they're there by noon - not on a Saturday in the summer anyway.

If traffic is backed up crossing the bridge, there are "shortcuts" to Duck, taking a left into N. Dogwood Trail and winding through the neighborhoods, coming out just south of the Duck line. Problem is that this secret route isn't so secret anymore.

Rule of Thumb: When you get to the Border Station, if almost all of the parking slots are full, you're fucked. Turn around.

My advice: leave from NOVA at 3:00 am in your bathing suit and you'll be there by 8, have breakfast somewhere and go to the beach until your place opens up.

>My advice: leave from NOVA at 3:00 am in your bathing suit and you'll be there by 8, have breakfast somewhere and go to the beach until your place opens up.

Good advice. You'll actually enjoy the drive and you'll be well into NC before the kids wake up. I think there's a Starbucks near Roanoke Rapids - you'll be there right after it opens and right when you need it. Sam & Omies for a late-ish breakfast and bob's your uncle.

friday to friday or sunday to sunday. Sat is completely f'd.