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Best driving route: Columbus to Northern Outer Banks?

Home ▸ Archive ▸ Serious Business ▸ Best driving route: Columbus to Northern Outer Banks?
fiction's avatar

fiction

USA American

347 posts
Jul 8, 2010 5:20 PM
google maps comes up with 3 routes, all within 15 minutes of each other. anyone made the drive?
Jul 8, 2010 5:20pm
se-alum's avatar

se-alum

The Biggest Boss

13,948 posts
Jul 8, 2010 5:29 PM
PM vdubb, he could tell ya.
Jul 8, 2010 5:29pm
ts1227's avatar

ts1227

Senior Member

12,319 posts
Jul 8, 2010 6:43 PM
Is 64 really easier than 40?
Jul 8, 2010 6:43pm
M

Manhattan Buckeye

Senior Member

7,566 posts
Jul 8, 2010 6:43 PM
Often

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?1c=Columbus&1s=OH&1y=US&1l=39.961102&1g=-82.998901&1v=CITY&2c=Kitty+Hawk&2s=NC&2y=US&2l=36.0644&2g=-75.7061&2v=CITY

This is by far the best route. Just take 33 into WV to Charleston until you hit I-64. Take I-64 east...have your radio on to see if any bridges are backed up. If you are driving on a weekday not during rush hours drive straight through Richmond (despite the signs). If you are driving during rush hours take 295 (northern beltway).
Jul 8, 2010 6:43pm
M

Manhattan Buckeye

Senior Member

7,566 posts
Jul 8, 2010 6:59 PM
Yes, in terms of distance and traffic.

The worst part of 64 is when I-81 joins at Lexington, VA up to Staunton, VA....a lot of truck traffic. You can see in the mapquest link how it goes out of your way. The other issue with that route is the bridge traffic in Hampton Roads.

40 is further down...much further down, it is miles out of the way and 40 between Greensboro and the Triangle area can be backed up.....and once you're past the Triangle you are in God's country for the last leg of the trip. If nothing else, the 64 route has plenty of exits and hotels in the event something unforeseen happens.
Jul 8, 2010 6:59pm
Ytowngirlinfla's avatar

Ytowngirlinfla

I wear real chevrons!

2,295 posts
Jul 8, 2010 7:15 PM
Traffic in Hampton Roads area is crazy during rush hour times. I'm down here in Norfolk and it take about 50 mins to get to/from the Navy base in the mornings/evenings living about 20 miles away.
Jul 8, 2010 7:15pm
M

Manhattan Buckeye

Senior Member

7,566 posts
Jul 8, 2010 7:27 PM
^^^^

Indeed, being backed up on the bridge is no fun. Last time I was in Norfolk there was a bad storm and traffic was stopped, water was actually lapping on to the bridge...I nearly peed myself. But if fiction is driving at night or in the middle of the day, traffic shouldn't be an issue.
Jul 8, 2010 7:27pm
se-alum's avatar

se-alum

The Biggest Boss

13,948 posts
Jul 8, 2010 7:47 PM
Manhattan Buckeye;416409 wrote:Yes, in terms of distance and traffic.

The worst part of 64 is when I-81 joins at Lexington, VA up to Staunton, VA....a lot of truck traffic. You can see in the mapquest link how it goes out of your way. The other issue with that route is the bridge traffic in Hampton Roads.

40 is further down...much further down, it is miles out of the way and 40 between Greensboro and the Triangle area can be backed up.....and once you're past the Triangle you are in God's country for the last leg of the trip. If nothing else, the 64 route has plenty of exits and hotels in the event something unforeseen happens.
I agree that the stretch from Durham to the OBX is a boring ass, desolate drive.
Jul 8, 2010 7:47pm
M

mattinctown

Jul 9, 2010 12:40 AM
We always went 35 to 77 to 52 at Mt. Airy, then picked up 40 to 64. However, I could see where the other route is better, mostly freeways.
Jul 9, 2010 12:40am
killdeer's avatar

killdeer

Hat Trick

1,538 posts
Jul 9, 2010 12:52 AM
I am jealous.....Have done this drive most summers for the past 15 except for this year....
64 is fine until you hit Hampton Roads...
the goal is to hit that stuff at an afternoon weekend, or late at night.

Everything around Williamsburg is crazy during regular weekday hours.

I once waited in a jam there for three hours.

i said ONCE.

I got smarter as I got older...Williamsburg at 2am is much much nicer.
Jul 9, 2010 12:52am
S

Sonofanump

Jul 9, 2010 12:52 AM
We have always gone 77 to 52 to 64. This from northern Ohio to Emerald Isle.
Jul 9, 2010 12:52am
Jughead's avatar

Jughead

Senior Member

1,261 posts
Jul 9, 2010 1:21 AM
What a long trip...well it depends what part of Columbus you are starting from.

Every time I ever made the trip was from just south of Circleville, so US 35 was always the shorter drive. 35 in West Virginia is a pain in the ass due to truck traffic, but a new 4 lane highway is being built, some of which is already completed and some is very near complete (if not already.) We would then get on I-64 and follow that all the way to I-295 to the north side of Richmond. Then we would get back on I-64 down to I-664 in the Hampton/Newport News area and back on to I-64 for a little while to VA 168. Follow to US 158 which takes you to NC 12 and your destination.

Note this was done in a RV several times, so the routes around major cities can be bypassed.
Jul 9, 2010 1:21am
redfalcon's avatar

redfalcon

Senior Member

1,088 posts
Jul 9, 2010 1:23 AM
My grandma lives on the Outer Banks, and the traffic around Hampton Road (Norfolk, VA Beach) area can be treacherous. Go into Richmond, then hop on I-95 south for a few miles, then take US-460 over. It is four lanes the entire time and you can bypass the entire Hampton Roads area yet still arrive right at the bridges onto the Outer Banks. And take US-33 to West Virginia.
Jul 9, 2010 1:23am
swamisez's avatar

swamisez

Senior Member

1,990 posts
Jul 9, 2010 9:25 AM
If any road weary travelers are up for wings and beer Burlington NC is a quick pitstop on the way to OBX.
Jul 9, 2010 9:25am
-Society-'s avatar

-Society-

Senior Member

1,348 posts
Jul 9, 2010 10:26 AM
Ytowngirlinfla;416427 wrote:Traffic in Hampton Roads area is crazy during rush hour times. I'm down here in Norfolk and it take about 50 mins to get to/from the Navy base in the mornings/evenings living about 20 miles away.

I forgot you were down here. Traffic is lovely isn't it? During the summer all day is rush hour getting through the tunnels.
Jul 9, 2010 10:26am
-Society-'s avatar

-Society-

Senior Member

1,348 posts
Jul 9, 2010 10:28 AM
What part of the area are you living?
Jul 9, 2010 10:28am
Ytowngirlinfla's avatar

Ytowngirlinfla

I wear real chevrons!

2,295 posts
Jul 9, 2010 10:33 AM
-Society-;417721 wrote:What part of the area are you living?

Virginia Beach for a month till I head out to San Diego...I'm kinda glad I'm not stationed down here. It's HOT and HUMID and not really much to do around the base. But I haven't explored much, just don't have time.
Jul 9, 2010 10:33am