Best Rout to Myrtle Beach

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
H

Hutch68

Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2024
Posts
6
Location
Ontario
We are relativley new to rving. This will be our 4th summer. Up to now, we have stayed relativley close to home with our camping. We live in Southern Ontario. This April/2024, we have a plan to travel to Myrtle Beach. My question is..... what is the best route to take, given we are pulling a 26 foot trailer. I appreciate any help with this.
Thanks so much
 
It is a long way from Windsor to Cornwall, so the question of the best route could vary depending on where in ON you live. However, the main routes south would be I75 from Windsor/Sarnia, or I90 & then I79. You will hit some hills toward the Shenandoah Valley (I81) but the interstate system allows reasonable grades. Once past Charlotte, the grades are fine.

Ed
 
Hfx_Cdn said:
It is a long way from Windsor to Cornwall, so the question of the best route could vary depending on where in ON you live. However, the main routes south would be I75 from Windsor/Sarnia, or I90 & then I79. You will hit some hills toward the Shenandoah Valley (I81) but the interstate system allows reasonable grades. Once past Charlotte, the grades are fine.

Ed
Click to expand...
We are about the middle. Near London. So we could go either way. Would I75 or I90 be better in your mind. Thanks so much for your rely.
 
Hutch68 said:
We are about the middle. Near London. So we could go either way. Would I75 or I90 be better in your mind. Thanks so much for your rely.
Click to expand...
Well, were I making that drive, I'd head east, and cross at Niagara Falls (I've found that to be the best crossing in and out of Ontario.) Pick up I-90 out of Buffalo Eastbound to Syracuse, and then straight down I-81. Near Fort Chiswell, you can pick up I-77 south to Charlotte, and from Charlotte there are a number of routes. We've run I-74/US 74 to Wilmington, and then down US 17 to Myrtle.
 
LarsMac said:
Well, were I making that drive, I'd head east, and cross at Niagara Falls (I've found that to be the best crossing in and out of Ontario.) Pick up I-90 out of Buffalo Eastbound to Syracuse, and then straight down I-81. Near Fort Chiswell, you can pick up I-77 south to Charlotte, and from Charlotte there are a number of routes. We've run I-74/US 74 to Wilmington, and then down US 17 to Myrtle.
Click to expand...
Thank you for this.

Is I-81 a better road than I-79 ?
 
I would say yes, to that question. I-81 would be a better route than I-79.

I-81 parallels the Appalachian Mountain Range ridges and runs through a long valley between the ridges from NE to SW. It has some grades, but they are not steep. The downside to I-81 is that because it is such a nice route, it is often very busy.
 
A Traveler said:
I would say yes, to that question. I-81 would be a better route than I-79.

I-81 parallels the Appalachian Mountain Range ridges and runs through a long valley between the ridges from NE to SW. It has some grades, but they are not steep. The downside to I-81 is that because it is such a nice route, it is often very busy.
Click to expand...
This is great information.

Thank you so much
 
A Traveler said:
I would say yes, to that question. I-81 would be a better route than I-79.

I-81 parallels the Appalachian Mountain Range ridges and runs through a long valley between the ridges from NE to SW. It has some grades, but they are not steep. The downside to I-81 is that because it is such a nice route, it is often very busy.
Click to expand...
And it can be a beautiful drive in the Spring.
 
Going 81 to 77 will have one long grade on I77 between 81 and Charlotte, but it won't be too bad if you take it slowly. And the other problem is that 81 has a lot of truck traffic and the are not courteous, so you will get tied up in long lines of 18 wheelers.

Ed
 
LarsMac said:
Well, were I making that drive, I'd head east, and cross at Niagara Falls (I've found that to be the best crossing in and out of Ontario.) Pick up I-90 out of Buffalo Eastbound to Syracuse, and then straight down I-81. Near Fort Chiswell, you can pick up I-77 south to Charlotte, and from Charlotte there are a number of routes. We've run I-74/US 74 to Wilmington, and then down US 17 to Myrtle.
Click to expand...
I am curious on why you would not suggest either I64 or I66 off I81 to I95 South to South Carolina.
 
Hfx_Cdn said:
Going 81 to 77 will have one long grade on I77 between 81 and Charlotte, but it won't be too bad if you take it slowly. And the other problem is that 81 has a lot of truck traffic and the are not courteous, so you will get tied up in long lines of 18 wheelers.

Ed
Click to expand...
So given your reply, which I thank you for, would there not be a better route? or are the grades just too steep. We are pulling a 28 foot trailer
 
Babe2201 said:
I am curious on why you would not suggest either I64 or I66 off I81 to I95 South to South Carolina.
Click to expand...
That route was my take on a fairly direct route to Myrtle Beach.

I-66 and I-64 are both great for side trips. They are not the easiest and/or quickest for going to Myrtle Beach.

66 to DC area is good, and there are a lot of things to do, that way. I could recommend going around DC, and taking US-50 across to the Eastern Shore and down the coast , and across the Chesapeake to Norfolk via the Bridge Tunnel, and south from there.
I-64 is great, if you trip includes a visit to the Norfolk/Va Beach, area. And if it does, then I recommend taking the side trip to Kitty Hawk. And if that works for you, I recommend, from there go back to US-17, and follow it the rest of the way down to Myrtle Beach. That is a nice drive, if you're not in a hurry. I'd even recommend finding out if your rig can fit on the Ferries at Hatteras and Ocracoke, and take that route.
Those are fantastic side trips. You could spend all Spring and summer just going to Myrtle Beach that way. If you have the time, by all means, Go for it. You will not likely be disappointed. I kinda wish I could go along. And I haven't even touched on all the side trips, like the Colonial and Revolutionary war historical sites, or the American Civil war Historical side, or the amazing Fishing opportunities, and some of the finest beaches in the US.
 
My apologies, that I spaced the grade coming down 77 at Fancy Gap.
It's a 1500 ft drop at about 5% from Fancy Gap to Lambsburg (about 8-9 miles) It is not a really bad drop, with few curves, but it can lull you into a false sense of security. IF you have little to no experience with long grades, it can be a bit of a problem, as you can easily get bored and let your vehicle pick up way too much speed.
IF you relax and keep the tranny in a lower gear, it's easily manageable.
If it seems formidable, then you may prefer taking I-64 over to Richmond, and take I-95.
I tend to avoid I-95, myself. it has a lot of fairly hectic traffic, and is generally unpleasant, IMNSHO.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 833 (members: 11, guests: 822)

Forum statistics

Threads
131,990
Posts
1,388,724
Members
137,736
Latest member
Savysoaker
Back
Top Bottom