Anybody here ever driven from SLC to Virginia?

[Itacoatiara22]

Moving to Virginia for a few months and am planning to drive. Anyone have any preferred routes? Time isn’t really an issue, although quicker the better.

[AlohaUte]

Yep, more or less anyway. Quickest or easiest I believe is I-80 to I-25 to Denver then I70 across the country. That drive through Kansas sucks, but its the most direct route. Once in St Louis either work tour way to Nashville then into VA or go more north through Kentucky or West VA.  

[Utesbyfive]

Or take 80 all the way into Chicago, and then figure out where to go from there.

[Uteusmc]

Yes. I would suggest you take I-80 all the way to Indiana and then cut across northern Indiana and northern Ohio until you hit Pennsylvania.  Then take the Pennsylvania Turnpike down through Pittsburgh and Maryland and through DC first time that I had seen the Pennsylvania Turnpike and it’s a really pretty part of the country. 

[Itacoatiara22]

deleted

[Itacoatiara22]

Thanks, I really appreciate it!

[UTE Stuck in VA]

I’ve made the trip several times. It’s about sixes on whether you take I-80 all the way then go down to VA, or take I-70 all the way and go up to VA. We’ve done both, just to see different things. Seems like it’s about 30-32 hours, which we did in 3 days of about 10 hours per day.  I’ve always wanted to do the trip slowly and take our time to see and do things along the way, but never had the time to do it.

[Itacoatiara22]

Thanks, I really appreciate it!

[PlainsUte]

In the winter you might stay away from I-80 after Wyoming due to higher liklihood of snow storms, especially Chicago and east.  Arguably further south areas might be less well equipped to handle snow if it does occur.  That is probably more true of I-40 than I-70 and north.

[chinngiskhaan]

plot twist… Ute Stuck in VA is Itacoatiara22 from the future.

[UTE Stuck in VA]

That made me laugh

[PhiladelphiaUte]

I’ve made that drive as well, but you’ll need to be more specific.  Are you going to northern VA/Washington, D.C. metro?  Or are you headed to southern VA/Hampton Roads metro?  Do you want to visit the most historical sites?  Do you prefer a more scenic route?  What time of year will you be making that trip?

[Itacoatiara22]

Thanks for taking the time. I have to be in northeast Virginia (Quantico area) on February 13th (not an ideal time to be driving, I know). I’m not planning on taking a scenic route for historical sites.

[PhiladelphiaUte]

If you’re traveling in February, I would definitely NOT recommend the I-80 route.  Too icy.  I-70 will be fairly icy as well between SLC and DEN, but you’d be better off on that road once you get past Denver.

If you’re either traveling alone, or with someone, but planning on stopping for the night anyway, your best bet would be leave SLC early in the morning, and drive straight thru to Denver.  Then leave early in the morning again, and stop in Kansas City (MO or KS, doesn’t matter).  For the next leg of your trip, aim for Lexington, KY, and the last leg would be to Quantico.

What brings you there?  Marine Corps OCS?  FBI?  DEA?  NCIS?  CID?  AFOSI?  I went to high school out there (Lake Braddock; Burke, VA) my freshman and sophomore year, while my dad was stationed at the Pentagon.  I don’t know if you’ve ever been there before, but it not, apart from the cost of living index, you will LOVE it there!

[Itacoatiara22]

Sent you a DM.

[UTE98]

Yes, did the move to VA in 2002, and the move back to Denver in 2011. I can’t recall where we stayed on the way out. I think somewhere in Nebraska at a hotel in the middle of a corn field. That’s how it felt. Then stayed with a friend in Iowa, then down I think we may have stayed in Peoria, IL, after Indianapolis I can’t remember where we stayed before getting to VA but we did it in August.

Coming back in 2011 we came out through WVA to Louisville, then finished up across Kansas using 70 into Denver. IMO the worst part of the drive is going to be getting out of Utah and East of the Rocky Mountains, after that things should be okay until you either hit weather from the Great Lakes coming down or through the hills of WVA. Yes, i know there is some decent grades, but they’re still hills. And once you get in VA be careful of freezing rain, black ice, etc. I’ve never had weather in Idaho, Utah or Colorado as harsh as Virginia in the winter. One day i came out to my car to 3/4 inch of frozen rain on my windshield. That sucked, and is one of the main reasons i have a garage. 

What nobody has asked is what part of VA are you moving to? That may have an impact on which way you want to go. If you’re looking at Northern VA close to DC probably staying north until Iowa/Indiana isn’t a bad idea. If you’re heading south Charlottesville, Hampden Roads I’d recommend dropping down on the 64 from the 70 at St. Louis.

Coming back on the 70 I think we stayed in Louisville, St. Louis, Salina, KS then across to Denver. Luckily we had four days to make the trip. It is only about 21-22 hours from Denver. 

Message me if you have any more questions. But first what part of VA are you moving to?

[Itacoatiara22]

Thanks!

[GameForAnyFuss]

No, I’ve never done a driving trip that long. But I did walk from the passenger dropoff to a B gate at SLC airport once…

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