Best Driving Route From Massachusetts to Florida (RV, Scenic)
This is a very complicated area to navigate due to the many large metropolises in the region. Finding the best routes can be difficult as there are a lot of interstates you can take, as well as many different directions to go in.
Some RVers take I-95 from Boston and go through New York at night. They find that to be the easiest path to take. However, after New York, you still have Washington, DC, and other large cities to get around or go through, and daytime traffic may be more of a nightmare.
To find the best route to take to Florida, just continue to read our article. It delves into the topic to make sure you have some of the best information to help you navigate your way south. The hardest part will be in the New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland areas of the country.
Driving From MA to FL
Best Driving Route From Massachusetts To Florida
The best road to take SOUTH of Washington, DC, and possibly Richmond, Virginia, would be I 95. It is the most direct route you can take, and the road goes right to Miami.
Until you get to Jacksonville, this is the road that avoids most major cities south of Washington, DC. But in the northern section of the country, it may be difficult to get to the I-95.
The highway system in the northeast around New York and other major cities is a nightmare of bypasses, interstates, and lesser highways. One option would be to use I 95 out of Boston if you are coming from that city, go through New York on that highway at night, then at Wilmington, turn off I 95, and use state highway 13 till you get to Norfolk.
After reaching that city, use state Highway 58 to return to the I-95 and use that interstate all the way to Miami. Instead of state highway 58, you can take I-64 back to I-95, then turn south again.
This route will avoid Baltimore, Washington, DC., and Richmond, but it will not help you avoid Philadelphia. You may have to take the 295 bypass when approaching that city to avoid traffic and make it to Highway 13 easier.
Best RV Route From Massachusetts To Florida
What will complicate any best RV route will be construction. Any list of roads for you to take may be the best route unless there is construction taking place at the time.
The time it takes to travel from, say, Boston to Orlando is about 22 hours, including stops. The mileage reaches approx 1300 miles, and you should be able to drive it with one overnight stay along the way.
Everyone will have the best routes you can take. The difficulty is deciding which of the routes you are given will be the best for you. You may have planned stops along the way, and the best RV route is one that takes you to all those stops.
But if you are not stopping and you are starting in Boston, then this is a good route that should avoid most of the traffic:
Take I-90 out of Boston towards Albany, NY. Once you reach the I-87 Interchange, head south till you reach the I-84 interchange. Follow the I-84 till you reach I-81 and turn south once again.
Stay on I-81 through Harrisburg and continue south till you connect with I-64. Follow I-64 till you connect to I-95, and follow that highway all the way to Florida.
This route should have you missing all the traffic surrounding New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, DC, not to mention those high-traffic areas of Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Raleigh.
If you want to go a little slower and follow the coastline south, there are a variety of state highways that will do that but for short distances. You may be doing a lot of turning to follow the coast.
Once you reach North Carolina, the coastal roads, like state highway 70, may be crowded with a lot of traffic.
Truckers Route From Massachusetts To Florida
We used one trucker’s app to see if we could get the best trucker’s route from Boston to Miami. It is doable, but there are a lot of turns involved, which makes placing those directions here a bit impossible.
You may be able to see our results at this link. If not, then type in Boston or your starting location in the top box. A selection list will appear, so choose the right one. Then place your destination in the bottom box, and then click on the filters you want the route locator to use.
You will get the distance as well as the time the route will take to drive, and following that is a long list of directions. Another option to get the best truck route would be to use this trucking app.
We did not use it, as you have to sign up for a free account to access all features. These types of apps will be your best source for the best trucker’s route. Or you can just plan a route using the Interstate system.
Many truckers take the easiest way possible, which is the interstate system because the constant up-and-down shifting uses more fuel than straight driving the Interstates provide.
Scenic Route From Florida To Massachusetts
The scenic route will start after you get past the major metropolises in the region. There are nice things to see around those large cities, but traffic and expenses may not make going through those cities worth it.
If you take the I-95 from Boston through New York and then the I-295 past Philadelphia, then the scenic route will begin about Wilmington. You need to get off either I-295 or I-95 at state highway 1 and head south through Smyrna.
When you reach Dover and Camden, then you have a variety of state highways to choose from to find the best scenery. Hwy. 1 continues to the coast and follows it to Ocean City, where you would have to turn inland and connect with Highway 113.
Or you can stay inland and take either Highway 13 or 113 south from Camden to see some nice rural areas in the state. Highway 113 will connect with Highway 13 at Pocomoke City, and you will follow the latter down to Norfolk.
At Norfolk, you will again have to decide on which highway to use to keep getting the scenery you want. You can continue to use Highway 13 till it turns into Highway 17 and follow that road to Jacksonville, NC.
Or you can take Highways 17 and 168 out of Norfolk and follow the coastline further. From Jacksonville, NC, you will have a variety of roads to choose from, including Highway 17, which eventually ends up winding its way to Jacksonville, FL.
The route you take will depend a lot on your interests and the amount of time you have to drive these lesser highways.
How Long Does It Take To Drive To Florida From Massachusetts?
The time it takes for you to make this drive will depend on two very important factors. The first factor will be the route you decide to take, and the second factor will be how many stops you have to make.
If you are seeing all the sights in the different cities, it could take several days to make this trip. But if you have already seen those sites, then the average time is almost 23 hours, including a few stops for gas and food.
Most people break the travel time up into two parts, and they take two days to reach their destination. Of course, if you are not heading to Miami, it may take you 15 to 20 hours to reach your destination.
The key will be traffic and construction that may be on your route. Those will cause delays and may make the travel time a lot longer than it should be. If you can avoid the larger cities and the construction, you should shave some time off from your trip.
Do some research and check the different states' DOT websites to find out if there are any traffic problems or construction detours along the way. Once you get this information, you can plan your route better. If you have kids, then these decisions get a lot more difficult to make.
Where do You Stop Driving From Massachusetts To Florida?
This is a difficult question to answer as the stops will depend on your travel deadline if you have seen the main tourist sites before, and if you have kids. Also, your stops will depend on everyone’s interests.
For example, if you like to look at mansions, then a brief stop in Newport, RI, is in order. There are many great mansions to look at in this city as well as a wide food selection.
If you want to see the Statue of Liberty or the Manhattan Skyline, then stopping in New York City is in order. Of course, no trip is complete without seeing the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall in Philadelphia.
After this city, a stop in Washington DC is in order with the White House, Washington Monument, and other monuments and buildings to see in the country’s capital city.
But, if you have done all of this, do not want to face the traffic, or do not care for cities, then a perfect stop would be Cape Hatteras National Seashore, North Carolina. Or Charleston, with its historic district and charming horse-drawn carriages.
You have a myriad of locations that will be great to stop at and either stretch your legs or spend a night or two. All the major cities will have different tourist and entertainment locations to plan your trip around.
What is The Best Time To Leave Massachusetts To Drive To Florida?
We will set aside any construction spots as those issues make no time the perfect time to leave Massachusetts. If you want to avoid traffic in New York City, there are three good times to leave the state.
One is at 7 in the morning, which will help you miss some traffic when you get to that city. The second is at noon. This departure time will get you to New York City around ten at night.
You should miss a lot of traffic in this city then. In both cases, those departure times may not help you if you are going through Philadelphia or Washington, DC.
The third option may be the best time of all. If you leave early on Saturday and possibly Sunday mornings, pick one, you should not encounter too much traffic anywhere along your route.
You should be able to sail through the major cities without too much difficulty and may even avoid the dreaded construction areas as they won’t be backed up as much on the weekend.
One of the key areas you need to be concerned about is the Tappen Zee Bridge and the Garden State Parkway, Both get clogged with traffic around three in the afternoon approx and remain clogged till roughly seven at night.
10 in the morning on weekdays may be the best time to leave Massachusetts as that will help you miss most of the Connecticut morning commute traffic as well as the afternoon New York commute traffic and get you on the tail end of the Washington commute traffic.
Some Additional Words
Traveling in your RV from the northeast region of the country to Florida is always going to be tricky. There are too many people. Large cities as well as Interstates to navigate.
But once you get past that congested area, the rest of your trip should be smooth sailing. Then it is a matter of where you want to stop, what you want to see, and which roads will be the most direct route for you. The best we can say is to do your research well.
