East Coast Road Trip - 1st time travelllers!

[19ninety]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

And thanks for the compliment! This post describes what I'd recommend as a relaxing, scenic, and interesting drive between Washington and Niagara Falls. If you're going from Toronto to NYC, then you might as well continue east from Toronto and complete a circuit of Lake Ontario. At its eastern end you'll cross back into the US in the Thousand Islands region. If you then use NY-12 between Watertown and Utica, you'll be skirting the edge of the Adirondacks and then be set up to run parallel to the old Erie Canal, now known more prosaically as the New York State Barge Canal. From Albany down to New York, The New York State Thruway offers the fastest route, but there is a toll (~ $5.35). The Taconic State Parkway, on the east side of the Hudson River offers a more relaxed, and free, alternative. For the remainder of your trip you'll be on I-95 for the most part. This is the main transportation corridor for the east coast of the US, connecting the major cities of the northeast, so it will be heavily travelled and most of the sections that you'll be on are also toll roads (~ $19 between NYC and DC).

$3/gal gas must look pretty cheap. I was listening to a report this morning that petrol in the UK is approaching $10/gal! Overall, your budget looks reasonable, and by all means, bring some reserve.

AZBuck

Thanks AZBuck.
Well, I've stuck your DC - Niagara route (from another post) onto G/Earth and it looks pretty good! I feel a bit easier now as I can see some points to work from in terms of driving/stopping/sleeping etc.Still waiting a ersponse from Alamo with regards to being able to drive into canada, hopefully the news will be 'ok to go'. If its bad news I may look at using that mileage to head to Massachusetts/Boston then down to NY and on, will read your other post on that journey later today.
The drive around Lake Ontario is a great idea ... as a kid I always wanted to see Lake Erie - however this trip it takes us the wrong direction and too many miles more, so I'm sure Lake Ontario will be a more then adequate alternative. My mum will be pleased if I can get some good photos of the lake areas as shes always dreamed of visiting Canada.

Well still early days of planning, will get the other half of the trip marked up and then post a plan of action for some more advise from you guys.

I forgot to mention before that the car is already paid for, so that gives us some extra cash in the pot.

Its kinda good and, well, I'm not sure of the word, but its handy I suppose that someones already made and great write up on pretty much the same route as we were aiming for!!! It'll certainly make our 1st time alot less stressfull!

G.