"A Different way to Historicon from the Northeast" Topic

I realize that this topic has been covered in several different threads under several different topics. I thought that conveying some information on this route from the NE to Fredericksburg VA to those who are not very familiar with it might be of assistance. I'm sure many people already know of this route and this thread is really not intended for them.
From the New York City area take I 78 West thru Pennsylvania. You will probably hit some congested traffic around Allentown PA. When you get to Harrisburg PA several Interstate highways come together. They are I 78, I 81, and I 83. The area around Harrisburg is usually congested. From Harrisburg follow I 81 South. This takes you past Hagerstown MD. Continue on I 81 South past the I 70 interchange. You will hit congested traffic in the Winchester VA area. Continue to the interchange with I 66 East. Follow I 66 East for a short distance until you get to the interchange with US Highway 17. Take US Highway 17 South through Warrenton, VA. In this area several US Highways join together. US 15, US 17, and US 29 all follow the same path for a relatively short distance. You can continue on US Highway 17 at the point where it branches off. This will lead you along the North side of the Rappahannock River. You will eventually come to I 95 just on the North side of Fredericksburg. You can follow I 95 south or continue to follow US 17 Business East. This will take you a couple of miles East of I 95 to Falmouth VA. The highway goes down a hill and at the bottom of the hill is the intersection with US 1. You have to take a right at this intersection. US 1 and US 17 Business join together here to take you across one of the few bridges over the river. As others have indicated you will go thru a strip mall area that is west of downtown Fredericksburg. There is a road called Fall Hill Ave. where you can turn right and follow this road up to the Carl D Silver Pkwy area where the convention center is located. You can also continue to follow US 1 farther South to Cowan Blvd which will take you to the same place.
Returning to the area where US 15, US 17, and US 29 are located (Warrenton VA), you have the option of following US 15 / US 29 farther South towards Culpepper VA. Along this route you will pass Brandy Station (of ACW fame). In the vicinity of Culpepper VA you will turn on VA Route 3 East. This is also called the Plank Road. It leads you along the South side of the Rappahannock River. This takes you through the Chancellorsville's Battlefield Park. You can continue on VA 3 to the intersection with Carl D Silver PKWY or you can turn left onto VA Route 618 – River Road – and follow this route past the Motts Run Reservoir Recreation Area till it intersects with VA Route 639. Turn left onto VA Route 639 go a few hundred feet and then turn right onto Carl D Silver PKWY. You are there.
With all these directions I know I sound like a bad GPS travel routing system. I'm sure others can give you more exact information about the routes I've described. So this is out there if you are interested. Or not. ;)

Thanks for the information.
Frankly, at 65 years young, the drive is a "haul" from northern N.E. no matter how it is done :(

Heading down from Maine on Thursday.

Fortunately, for my family and I, Amtrak is your friend. About 9 1/2 hours from RI.

Thanks for the effort, 49mountain.

FYI, some of us are old enough to remember when the HMGS conventions were located in Harrisburg. Driving to PA just to start the southern leg of the journey to Historicon in VA is probably a non-starter for many of those old timers (like me).

But thanks for trying.

We start the final leg of our trip today after two nice days in DC. Intel reports the traffic south of DC to be a killer.

We'll see this afternoon.

The traffic south of DC is not too bad in the morning during the week. The last two years I drove from Alexandria to the FCC on Thursday morning and it took about 50 minutes each time. Friday afternoon and Saturday can be a problem.

Much like GW, I issued the above and immediately determined that I needed an errata sheet.
On I 81 South you will also find congestion around Martinsburg WVA. You will also find congestion on I 66 East around Front Royal VA. VA Route 3 starts out as Germanna HWY at Culpepper. It turns into Plank Road at about Wilderness VA. The Brandy Station Battlefield is adjacent to the Culpepper Airport. To reach it you must turn right off of US 15 / 29 onto VA state route 676 (at Elkwood VA) to reach the Battlefield. Following VA route 618 will take you to VA route 639 turn left onto 639 and turn LEFT (not right as I stated before) onto Carl D Silver PKWY. The Fredericksburg Convention Center is at the North end of the Carl D Silver PKWY, along with several Hotels. I wish I could take the train.

Well, that seems like a reasonable way to get there. LOL

Thanks for the driving information, that is the way I came down on Tuesday and it was a breeze, no traffic at all to speak of.

Dealers I spoke to today while setting up said they came down 95 and it wasn't bad at all.

Traffic is a fact of life; if you choose to come due to traffic, that's on you, it's the biggest convention in the US, come on down and have some fun and stop with the complaining, life is too short………………

As you pass thru central PA, near Harrisburg, wave, m'kay?

3 of us in the car on the way down, we had about 5 devices capable of showing instant traffic updates.

Going home two years ago the traffic updates got us around the soccer traffic by Baltimore.

PA traffic site:
511pa.com/Traffic.aspx

Maryland traffic site:
chart.state.md.us/map

Virginia traffic site:
511virginia.org

Have a safe and pleasant journey, and a great time at H-con!