Which is the best route to take from Nashville to Washington, D.C.?
In June, 2012, my son is graduating with his Masters Degree. He has a 4.0 average and is graduating with honors. I would not miss this for anything. Since I have never been north, beyond Indiana, which Interstates should I take and what is the traffic like in Washington, D.C.? And, are the people as cordial in Washington as those of the south? I have a GPS that I am going to rely on, but my GPS does not tell me what to expect from the people. And, is June a good time to go to Washington? Question: i am relying on my fellow Fluterers for some good information, so can you be of help?
Observing members:
0
Composing members:
0
6 Answers
You must time you trip so you do not hit rush hour near DC. Rush hour is 6:30am-9:30am and 3:00pm-7:00pm, the VA side is very bad. Most interstates and even other highways have HOV lanes, so if you are two people it will help. Some HOV’s are three people minimum so read the signs. I need to look at the map to give you a suggested route.
Oh, and congratulations! How exciting for your son and your family,
Hi, @john65pennington, I live in the Washington, D.C. area. In June. it is usually sunny and in the low 80s. People here are used to tourists, but are not as friendly as they are in the South. The traffic around DC is considered the worst in the nation.
The best route to come (we drive back and forth to the Crossville area) is to take I40 to I81 north. That will take you through much of Virginia along the Blue Ridge. It is very scenic and the traffic is not bad. Then you would take I66 across to Washington, D.C.
@marinelife Are parts of I66 an all HOV road during rush hour still?
Oh, that’s good. When I worked there many years ago 66 was the best way into Arlington for me, and it was HOV during rush hour. Luckily, I did not usually commute during rush hour. I think it was route 66 back then and is I66 now?
DC’s ‘home’ to me… Where in DC? That can make a difference.
I used to drive from Fort Payne, AL to DC once a month, round trip, for 3 years. I’d take I-59 to I-81 to 66 straight onto Constitution Ave. (Same route Marine’s referring to, but from Ala) That route can easily take you to streets leading to George Mason U, American U, Georgetown U, Catholic U, and Gallaudet U. Some other Univs are probably better accessed by 495, which has an exit off 66 as well.
LIke the others said—avoid, avoid, avoid rush hour. The best time to drive into DC, IMO, is after 9 PM. Not as many cars.
People are cordial-to-friendly, but you’re going to run into tourists from all 50 states and X number of countries, so there are too many cultures to say what’s “normal.”
If you are driving around downtown DC, be prepared for 2 things: narrow streets (suggestion, leave the Yukon at home) and pedestrians popping out between cars at any time. They jaywalk something terrible from unexpected spots and don’t stop to check to see if you saw them first.
Congratulations to your son—that’s a remarkable accomplishment!
Answer this question 
This question is in the General Section. Responses must be helpful and on-topic.
Composing members:
0
