Best driving route from NJ to Lexington? (Ashland, Morgantown: rent, construction)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
11,974 posts, read 25,462,489 times
Reputation: 12187
Advertisements
I have an aunt that lives in suburban Philadelphia and the preferred route we take is I-64 to I-79 through West Virginia. Traffic in Cincinnati can get really bad, otherwise taking I-75 to 71 to 70 would be best. The WV route means no stop and go traffic all the way from Lexington to Philly
The northern way through MD is VERY mountainous and windy compared to the southern 81 to 64 way!! And, it can be snowy when every place else is seeing rain.
The southern way is only about 15 minutes or so longer, depending on how often you stopp and for how long. We are on a mission to get to KY, so we know just where we have to stop for gas and eats(twice) and we don't dawdle much except to walk the dog!! However that cafe resembling a RCC bottlecap sounds really interesting!!
Tamarack is far more than a cafe (though the food is great as well as reasonable- it was catered by The Greenbriar when I was there a few years ago; not sure if that's changed with the other Greenbriar changes). It has galleries, arts and crafts studios and demonstrations, a large auditorium/theater, gardens, books and recordings, and sells the very best of the wide variety of arts and crafts created in WVa. It's doughnut shaped, with a garden in the open middle. Very cool place.
But I'd leave the dog outside...
Yes, I'd recommend the southern route, though the Valley of Virginia to avoid at least some of the mountains. Lewisburg, WVa might be a good stopping place, if you get past Lexington, VA. Both are very historic, scenic towns in beautiful countryside.
Late March should be early spring in Kentucky, though winter is likely to be hanging on in high elevations of the mountains.
Yes, I'd recommend the southern route, though the Valley of Virginia to avoid at least some of the mountains. Lewisburg, WVa might be a good stopping place, if you get past Lexington, VA. Both are very historic, scenic towns in beautiful countryside.
What exactly is the " southern " route and what states would I be traveling through? Is it going through VA instead of WV? And your saying its a bit safer and nicer looking but longer?
Well, you have to go through both Virginia AND West Virginia if you take the "southern route". No way to get to Kentucky otherwise, unless you loop way down into Tennessee and enter through Cumberland Gap, which I don't recommend, as you're coming from New Jersey. There is also no easy way to avoid mountain driving, but some roads are better than others. In your place, I'd take the southern route:
Get a good road atlas, or go online - look at Virginia. There's a major Interstate, I-81, which goes through the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. It is heavily traveled, but is a valley road and straight and level for the most part. It also follows the same path as did the historic Great Valley Road, aka the Philadelphia Wagon Road, which played a major role in early American history. It picks up the additional designation of I-64 (along with I081) at Staunton, VA, (pro. "Stanton").
Continue south, then turn west at Lexington, VA, still on I-64 but no longer on I-81. Continue on I-64 through West Virginia - it's a good road, but inevitably mountainous - to Kentucky. Part of this route, from Beckley (where you can take a break and visit Tamarack!) to Charleston, is the curvy West Virginia Turnpike, which is an inexpensive toll road, though it also bears the designation of I-64.
The toll road designation ends at Charleston and the rest of I-64 will take you straight to Lexington, Ky. Once in central Kentucky, the Bluegrass Parkway will take you directly to Bardstown. The BGP is reached from Lexington via a short, extremely scenic drive on Versailles Road, U.S. 60.
All of the roads through Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky are very scenic and historic, with much to see and do along the way, perhaps something to consider for later trips rather than this one. I'm told the southern route takes about 15 minutes longer than the northern route, but have never taken the northern route so can't confirm this. But it seems to me that 15 minutes is very insignificant.
So this is me pretty much getting on 81 in PA going through MD and down VA where Ill catch 64 at the bottom of WV. I calculated its about 800 miles one way. So Im wondering what the best half way point ON the interstate is. I want to stay right there on the interstate.Maybe a second trip around Id visit Tamarack but for this visit we are stopping just to sleep so we can hurry up and spend most our time in KY. So my main concern is finding a clean hotel lol!
There are big-chain motels at every major Interstate intersection, all along the way. It sounds as if a "known quality" is what you're going to need - are you in need of one double, or two adjoining rooms?
Look around Lexington, Virginia. Covington might also work, if you are making good time, but I expect Lexington, the larger town, would have more choices.
I looked into Lexington and only 3 hotels take dogs. Alll three had a bed bug incident. I looked in Staunton and had much better luck there, they take pets, are clean and good ratings
Alicia- Morgantown would be about half way or a little more if you take the northern route through MD. Maybe Lexington, VIRGINIA would be about halfway on the southern route. That is where you'd pick up 64 from 81.
The problem you're going to have with Morgantown is that it is 10 miles one way off the interstate. The many times I have driven it, I didn't feel like wanderng that far one way. Really, if weather is not a factor going through Western MD to WV and south to Charleston and West to Lexington is the best route. Otherwise, you have to deal with the turnpike and the tolls. You won't pay a single toll going I-95 to MD and west. You will pay one coming back across the bridge in MD and that is it.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
