Maryland Travel Info Please

[AB3L]

Hello,
I will be making a trip from Pittsburgh to Virginia Beach in three weeks. I am pondering going 68 across Maryland and then using 522 thru Berkley Springs to Winchester, which is a Google map directions suggestion. AAA tells me to go 68 to 81 south to Winchester.

522 looks like a no- brainer on the map but also could be too good to be true.

Any suggestions out there from a local? My whole aim is to miss the D C Beltway, don't have the stomach for it anymore

Thank you,

Bob

[Steve - K4HX]

That's the route I take. US522 is pretty good. It's slow through Berkley Springs but after that it's clear sailing.Take it to VA37 and the on to I81S (this keeps you out of Winchester). Then you can take I66 to US17. US17 connects to I95 a little south of Fredericksburg, VA. You'll miss the DC mess but I95 and I64 can get pretty busy this time of the year.

Have a safe trip.

[kb3ouk]

Just drove that exact same stretch of 522 last Saturday to hit 81 in Winchester to go to Luray, VA. If you're getting off 68 at Hancock, MD, it's about 45 minutes to an hour to Winchester from there. There weren't any road closures to deal with, and the only real slow going part was going through Berkeley Springs, but once you get past there it's pretty smooth going. Once you hit the VA-WV border, 522 turns into 4 lanes all the way to Winchester, then you take VA route 37 around town to hit 81 south. Sounds like AAA is wanting you to take 68 to where it joins 70 in Hancock, then take 70 to Hagerstown where it interchanges with 81, then take 81 south, which I don't feel is going to make the trip any shorter time wise, and I'm pretty sure it's a longer distance then just taking 522. I live only about 25ish miles north of Hancock so I'm pretty familiar with that area.

[kb3ouk]

I see Steve pretty much said the exact same thing while I was slowly typing all of that out on this phone.

[AB3L]

Two exact replies tells me all I need to know. 

20 years ago or more I had the bright idea that driving back from the Outer Banks, I would do 64 to Charlottesville and then 250 to 79 and home instead of the Beltway. What a mistake, it looked like a bright idea.  I had a shorty Chevy van that couldn't handle the hairpin curves thru WVa. I was exhausted by the time I finally made it home and a few hours over due.

I should have asked someone first!

Thanks for the help.

Bob

[Steve - K4HX]

Enjoy the beach!