Car Trip from Wash. DC to Houston TX

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I'll be traveling soon to Houston from Washington DC. I plan to drive about six hours a day. What route should I take and where should I stop?

Thanks!
 
Drive mostly southwest and a little bit more south near the end of the trip. ;)

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Thanks for the replies. Any suggestions on where to stop, places to see?
 
If you go S on I-81 there's a place easily within earshot of the highway north of Abington called "Dip-Dogs".
While not the pinnacle of nutritional excellence we're all used to it is an authentic, totally American roadside stand.
You WANT the bumper sticker.
And please, do record and post your fuel mileage.
 
81 through Virginia is usually busy and accident and construction packed especially on the bad curve there is always truck accidents. But you can get through it. And they will stop out of state cars too. You could also go I-85 through VA or I think there is another one that’s like I-95 through VA. All very busy roads out of all of them 81 would probably be the least “packed”.
 
There is a I-40 bridge problem crossing between TN and AR.
The detour (I-55 bridge) is jammed during the day.

You are better off going down from Nashville using I-65 to I-20.
 
Google Maps shows a lot of construction along the 66-81-75-59-10 route, and very little on 95-85-65-10.

I would probably take the 85 route, since I've traveled it from VA to Atlanta and the Gulf coast quite a bit. Traffic isn't awful once you get past Richmond. The other route is a lot more hilly, and more frustrating, especially through Eastern Tennessee. It's a constant battle of slow trucks trying to pass slower trucks, so you can't pay attention to the scenery.

There are some decent places to stay north of Charlotte, near the race track at Kannapolis/Concord. That should be around 6 hours depending on DC and NOVA traffic. You can get peaches in season and spicy local ginger ale at a roadside market or two in the South Carolina stretch of 85. I would start looking for oyster po' boys around Mobile.

Edit: It looks like this weekend--May 28-30--is a race weekend at Charlotte. Consider that if you're traveling soon.
 
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