Philadelphia to Ogunquit, Maine

[elle78]

Hello everyone!

This is my first time on this website and I need serious help!
I live in Philly and plan on taking a weekend trip to southern Maine, specifically Ogunquit.
I have been told don't take 95 all the way, take the back way over which adds another 100 miles to my trip.
I've never driven longer than 3 hours and so I am kinda worried if Im gonna freak out!!
There will be two of us.
I can leave Thursday night or anytime Friday.

Please tell me which route to take as I have heard it can range from 8 hrs to 12! As detailed as possible since I am the worst with directions :(
I thank any and everyone in advance who helps me out with any insider info
:)

[glc]

Welcome!

Via shortest route, that's 375 miles. That's going to be 7 hours minimum.

I would not leave Thursday night unless you plan on spending a night in a hotel. Leave Friday morning.

The route I would take is this:

Take the NJ Turnpike north to Exit 10, then take I-287 all the way around the NYC metro area. At the NY State line, get on the NY Thruway SOUTH across the Tappan Zee Bridge, then at Exit 8, take I-287 (Cross Westchester) to Exit 9, take I-684 north to I-84. Take I-84 east through Waterbury, then take Exit 28 (I-691) to I-91 north. Just south of Hartford (after you pass the Brainard Airport), take Exit 29 (CT-15/US-5) across the Charter Oak Bridge to I-84. Take that east to the Mass Turnpike (I-90). Take that east to Exit 11A and take I-495 north around the Boston metro to I-95. Take that north into Maine.

[elle78]

Hey! Thanks for responding. Ive heard that's the best route to avoid major traffic. Should I leave at 5am or earlier?
The only difference ive heard is to stay on route 1n towards the backend.
Your directions seem thorough enough that I will print them and follow directly! Thanks again.

[AZBuck]

There are many slight variations on the basic trip between the Chesapeake Bay Area (I include Philadelphia in that) and the southern coast of Maine. I used to 'commute' between roughly those same two points for many years as I lived in York, ME and my family lived in the Wilmington area. I would always make the trip between 11:00 pm and 6:00 am to avoid the traffic, especially in the tri-state area around New York. But those were my normal working hours and so it was perfectly normal for me to be awake in the very small hours of the morning. I would drive straight through New York City at around 2:00 to 3:00 am. On those occasions when I had to make the drive during the day, I would use a slightly different route than the one glc suggested, going a bit farther north and through Harriman State Park, across the Bear Mountain Bridge, and use the Bear Mountain Parkway and other local roads to hook into I-64 around Brewster, While that route is very scenic and eminently more relaxed than just skirting NYC on I-287, it requires quite a bit of navigation, and so I won't recommend it here. What I will recommend is that you get a good night's sleep and rise at your normal time (or even a bit later) and just take what traffic you find. I-287 around MYC is a typical 'beltway' type road, plenty of traffic but multiple lanes. Nothing you haven't experienced driving around Philly. Just settle down in the penultimate left hand lane (leave a lane for people to pass you, leave a lane or two for traffic entering and exiting) and just cruise along with traffic for the time it takes you to get around NYC. After that it's not bad. Then the only other thing you have to worry about is where to exit I-95 in Maine. You're going to want the York exit. This should be clearly marked as the last exit before the toll and will come up about 7 miles after you cross the 'High' bridge from New Hampshire into Maine. From there follow US-1 north to Ogunquit (another 7 or so miles.

AZBuck

[glc]

I would balance your departure time to consider rush hours in Philly, NYC, Hartford, and Boston.

The York exit is exit 7, and is the correct exit for Ogunquit. This takes you to US-1 north.

There is another option which is modified from Buck's suggestion - take 287 around NYC (no real way to avoid this without going many miles out of your way or going right through the city) but at the NJ/NY line, take the Thruway *north* to Newburgh and pick up I-84 there. Take that east through Waterbury and rejoin my previously posted route. This will avoid the Tappan Zee and Cross Westchester, which can get pretty congested.

If you want to avoid NYC completely, your only real option - which adds quite a few miles - is the PA Turnpike Northeast Extension to Scranton to pick up I-84.