I’ll be heading to the Outer Banks for the first time on August 11 for a week. I am concerned that if I just punch the destination in to my GPS and load the kids up at 9 AM that we will be sitting in an epic traffic jam.
Are there any tricks and tips to getting there with the least hassle? Should I leave at 4 AM to beat the rush? Or is that when the rush starts? Better to wait until afternoon? Should I take the mainline obvious route, or will I save time by veering off onto side roads?
I love being at the beach but I hate getting there.
You can hope there’s a hurricane going on. That might cut down on traffic going into NC.
Seriously, there’s probably not a good way.
We tend to go to the Jersey shore. Since it’s only 2-2.5 hours, we’ll sometimes leave at 9:00 PM. But, I’ve been down to VA beach before. There’s no way around it. . .you’re in a dense area of the country, and if there were a better way than 95, people would be using it.
The traffic seems to depend heavily on when the rentals flip over, but you’re probably tied into a day. Anyway, there definitely seems to be an advantage to leaving earlier 6:00am-ish if you can hack it.
I’m thinking if you leave at a reasonable time on Saturday (oh, between 9-11 am), you’ll have avoided the worst traffic (Fri. PM and Sat AM) down there. Since you’re going to be there a week, there’s no huge hurry. If you get caught up in traffic, stop and play some mini golf or get a bite to eat. I’m sure that by mid-afternoon, it won’t be too bad.
I’m assuming you’re going to the Nag’s Head end of the OBX. If you’re going further down, and you have the time, you might consider one of the ferries…
The big hassle is when taking the main route is getting into (I-64) and around (I-x64 beltways) Norfolk. I-64 is only two lanes wide in most places, and the drivers going to the beach have shitty lane discipline, poor following distance, and a “I’ll get my relaxing vacation if I have to kill each of you with my bare hands” mentality. I-64 sucks, no two ways about it. So look at a map, familiarize yourself with the several ways of getting it done in case there’s an accident or a jam, and be ready to take “the other route” – whichever way the herd isn’t driving – to avoid the tangle. Norfolk is much smaller than D.C. and their beltway is not like I-495.
Depending on where you are in D.C., you might consider US-50 to US-301 south – it avoids Interstate 64 altogether, and your kids will get to see the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (different from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge). If anyone in your car is vulnerable to motion sickness avoid the CBBT, because the spacing of the slabs combined with high volume summer traffic has given the soft part of the road bed a gently-oscillating profile that creates a great “old-time sailing-ship” motion at 60mph. (barf)
I-295 (from I-95S to I-64E) in Richmond is a beautiful smooth concrete-paved expressway that was probably paid for with speeding ticket revenues. Don’t be caught at the front of a pack of cars in the left lane, or you’ll end up with an expensive souvenir. US-301S is a crappier road manned by local/county cops with less mercy, but careful driving among the herd lowers your exposure.
Discuss the concept of “tourist traps” with your kids on the ride down, and then stop at the VA/NC border gas station for an extremely cheap fill-up and free bathroom break. Notice that bathroom access requires walking past aisles of cheaply made and overpriced toys. Use this as a teaching moment!
Once you get on the island there’s no good route; just suck it up and follow the line of cars going due north (or south) and drive 30mph to your beach house. Immediately visit the grocery store and stock up, because by Saturday night the store is picked-over and the lines are atrocious.
One word of advice that I didn’t see mentioned here. You only want to stay on 64 east until just past Williamsburg. Then you want to look for 664 south. Take that through the Monitor/Merrimack bridge tunnel and you’ll come at 168 from the opposite direction of a lot of the traffic. Note that the highway from Virginia to NC is now a toll road. Bad news is it costs a dollar, good news is that it’s now a four lane highway…much better than the “drive through every small little town” road that it used to be. I would strongly advise against trying to find any ‘back roads’ down there. I live in this area and still get lost. Just pack some good games, snacks and enjoy the traffic.
I don’t know about i-95 through Richmond, I don’t get that far North very often, but coming from Fayetteville, NC we take I95 to US 64 and follow that into Manteo where you will pick up US 12. US 12 will take you all the way to OBX. We almost never see traffic on US 64.
God I envy you. I love the Outer Banks and they are one of the reasons I chose Ft Bragg to call home. Stop by Bubbba’s Too for some BBQ, you can’t go wrong. Bubba’s Too is just South of Buxton.
I-95 to I-295 just north of Richmond
I-295 to I-64
I-64 to I-664 (Monitor/Merrimac Tunnel NOT the Hampton Tunnel)
Follow the signs from there
I-64 is two lanes (in both directions) from New Kent to Williamsburg and that’s where the traffic can slow down. It opens back up to multiple lanes just east of Williamsburg. I-664 exit is on the right in Hampton. Don’t worry, you can’t miss it. If you have an EZ Pass you’ll save a bunch of time at the toll. Stay to the left and you’ll have a lane dedicated for your use.
If you’re going to go down on Saturday, know that everyone and their brother is going as well and plan accordingly (check in is usually around 3:00, check out is around 11:00). I usually pack enough stuff to get us through the day on Saturday and we get there early and spend the day at the beach. Keep it simple and light. Wait until Sunday to go to the grocery store if you’re renting a house. The pickings may be a little slim, but you won’t be fighting the Saturday crowd.
Watch out for the undertow. The OBX are notorious for them.
Next year, go to Ocracoke. A little longer trip (but it includes a ferry ride) but nowhere near the crowds. Plus, you can go naked.
Is there any way you can wait until Sunday morning? Because that’s what I’d do. Saturdays are traffic hell on the Outer Banks. Either that, or if you can go a day early, book a hotel for Friday and go then. When DH & I used to go there, we wouldn’t bother with one of the Saturday-to-Saturday rentals - we’d book a hotel room and go down mid-week.
I just sold my beach house in Corolla (northern OB) so I’ve made the trip quite a few times.
You presumably know the DC area if that’s where you are starting. 95 is crowded but not standstill on weekends, usually.
295 beltway around Richmond.
Busy again in the Hampton Roads area but OK on a Sat. I agree with taking 664 then don’t miss 64 again then exit 291 to 158 and follow signs…you will be OK til the Wright Memorial Bridge that goes over the Sound to the OB and then it will suck most of the day on Saturday, esp afternoon. This is the ONLY way short of flying to get to the northern OB (they closed off the beach road at the Virginia line at Corova) and it is too far out of your way to come in from Manteo in the south.
Saturday is turn-over day for renters, so I avoided it at all costs, esp for going North once you get to 12. There is a back-way cut-off that avoids taking the left (north) turn on 12 up toward Duck. Google a map and see how it works; take the map with you.
If your times are flexible, very early Sat and very late Sat are better than 10a-6p if you are going north; 12 is basically two lanes north of 158. The WalMart and Food Lion just past the Wright Memorial Bridge are going to be horrible, as well as the Food Lions at each end. If possible get enough stuff to get through the first day and go shopping for the week early Sunday.
Patience and air-conditioning in the car. Have a ball.
At the point where I-664 meets I-64, it also turns into I-264. Once you get to Exit 13 on 664, you’re best bet is to get into one of the two right lanes. You will have to bear right onto I-64 anyway about two miles down the road, and this will keep you from heading into downtown Norfolk.
Timing: Avoid the Hampton Roads area (east of Williamsburg to the VA-NC border by this route) Friday between 4 to 7 p.m. This will easily add 3 hours to your drive.
