Next week I am driving from Mass. to Ft. Lauderdale. Hoping to leave around 6pm Wed., and need to be down there by around midday on Friday. Haven't driven down there before, so I am looking to find the best way there. Any tips with NYC and DC? Heard the rest is pretty much is RT 95, but any advice would be appreciated. Also I am crazy to leave Wed eve, and hoping to be down there by Friday midday (don't want to drive all day/night)?

avoid the cross bronx expressway in NY like the plague. It can be bad at any hour but during rush hour its worse than sitting through a barbara streisand movie

Jay,

I've made the trip countless times. I just stay on 95 the entire way. By leaving at 6:00 you will pass right through NYC and if you keep on truckin' You'll fly through Washington DC around 1:00 am.

Once you are past DC, the ride is a breeze.

Kurt

Biggus is absolutly correct. If your not trailering stay in the left lane on the cross Bronx. Once on the NJ Tpke (I-95) do not get confused when you get to Trenton. The NJ Tpke runs straight down to the Delaware Memorial bridge, I-95 will run you through Trenton and down through Phili eventually to the Del Mem bridge. STAY ON THE NJ TPKE. When you approach Dc, you'll follow the signs i-95/495 south around the city. Try to stick with it and get rest on the south side of Richmond, Va. All the major citys (Phili,Baltimore,DC,Richmond) really suck during rush hour. When the speed limit drops to 55 through the citys, watch yourself. If you can not make it to the south side of Richmond, try to make it on the south side of any of the major citys mentioned. When I drove tractor trailers I shut down to rest at truck stops NOT at the roadside "pickle parks" namely rest areas. The best truck stops would be Petro's or Flyin J. Great food and secure parking unless your moteling it.
Also, do yourself a favor and purchase an atlas available at any book store or truck stop.
Good Luck and have a safe trip. Stan.

PS, On the way up north when you get to Delaware it may be confusing with the I-95/NJ TPKE thing. Just follow the signs to NJ TPKE. Otherwise you'll trek through Phili.

You won't be hitting any traffic on 95 in Philly late at night. But the construction has cut 95 from 4 lanes down to 2 in just 1 small section. at the worst traffice times you can drive right through Philly on 95 in about 45 mins so with no traffic it would be a breeze

Ditto on the above and get an atlas. Be sure to take "295' (it circles around the city on the west side and then rejoins I-95 south of the city) around Jacksonville. That will save you time and hassle with a WHOLE lot of less traffic to deal with.

If you gas up on the NJ turnpike, be sure not to touch the pumps, they go ballistic if you do that there. Guess NJ figures anybody who drives a vehicle is to stupid to pump gas.

So driving through NYC at night is the best way to go, or should I take the Tappan Zee bridge?

You'll be fine as long as it's after 9:00 or so.

Heading out this afternoon, possibly at little earlier, which may put us down in NYC around 7-8 o'clock.

Any last tips?

dont get pulled over.... 8-)