Best Route from Pennsylvania on July 2

I know everyone has advice about the best/fastest route to take to MB, but I%26#39;m wondering what%26#39;s best from Pennsylvania, after you get through N. Carolina. We are staying in North Myrtle Beach. Any advice will be greatly appreciated! We%26#39;re driving halfway on Saturday, then the rest of the way on Sunday.

Best Route from Pennsylvania on July 2

Are you coming down I77 or I81?

From I 77 there%26#39;s several routes people take. Approx. 40 miles difference between longest and shortest. Longest is all interstate. Shortest cuts across the state through a number of small towns.

Figuring the difference in average mph there is little if any difference in driving times.

Best route depends on type of drive you like.

Best Route from Pennsylvania on July 2

We always take I-95, which gets extremely congested between Alexandria/Arlington and Richmond. Beyond Richmond it opens up. I think this is due to the junction with I-64 heading to VA Beach.

We stay on I-95 into SC and then take 501 towards Dillon. This eventually connects with 17. This allows us to avoid heavier traffic. Other option, which I would not advise, is to pick up 17 in NC near Wilmington. Depending on which route you%26#39;re taking south, connecting to coastal NC from the interstates involves driving on local, two-lane roads.

Well this way may seem strange and out of the way but it will get you directly to North Myrtle Beach fast.

Once you enter into North Carolina about 45 mins. from Rocky Mount, you can take the exit for ';Highway 701';. This is the exit for Newton Grove/Battlefield. Go south on 701 for 2 hours at the most. My grandma lives in Clinton, NC which is the first and only ';MAJOR'; city you will go through driving this way other than maybe a few other small towns. There are some lights but once you get in Garland/White Lake NC you will start seeing signs for Myrtle Beach/North Myrtle Beach.

Then stay straight on 701 Business. Until you get through Clinton, NC, start taking the 701 Bypass, the difference is the lights. Business you will see everything and have lights. Bypass is exactly that you bypass everything.

Once you get to I can%26#39;t remember the name you will see signs for Interstate/Route 9 for Dillon, SC. 9 which will end directly at Cherry Grove, SC which is technically the beginning of North Myrtle Beach.

When we leave from Maryland/DC area we go this route and it cuts about 1 hour out of our drive. It%26#39;s a 5 hour drive to grandmas house this way and then just about 1.5 hours from there to Myrlte Beach.

17 can be a little crowded and Rt. 40 is so long and out of the way. You could go that way however.

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701 South

9 East toward Dillon/Myrtle Beach

You will get out right at the Cherry Grove Beach area. Hope this helps

Thanks to all...I%26#39;m going to have to study the maps and familarize myself with these suggested routes! Anything to cut down on time and traffic, especially since it%26#39;s 4th of July weekend!

Are you in eastern or western PA? Those directions are for coming down I95. If you%26#39;re in western PA you%26#39;ll be coming down I79-Rt19-I77.

We run I 77 into SC.

Hop off at Ridgeway and run Rt34 over to Lugoff and hit I20.

I20 to Florence.

I95 north to Rt 327.

RT327 to RT76.

Rt76 to Marion where you merge into Rt501.

Rt 501 to Aynor and pick up Rt 22.

For Windy Hill and Crescent Beach we run Rt 22 to Rt 17 and then north to NMB.

For Cherry Grove and Ocean Drive we would take Rt 31 to Little River and take Rt 9 into NMB.

500 miles from here to Cherry Grove. 475 miles of it is four lane. Two stoplights between here and Florence.( Ridgeway and Lugoff)Smooth sailing.........

If you are driving from the Harrisburg area central PA) as I will be doing on MY trib to MB in mid-August.... take US 15 south - thru Gettysburg and Frederick, MD and thru Leesburg, VA - pick up I-95 south of there (you avoid the major, trust me, traffic headaches around the DC/Baltimore metro areas). Once you get into SC - consider cutting over onto the two-lane roads south of Fayetteville or at Lumberton. Avoid Rt. 9 in SC - that is the main Route that most folks take to the MB area from I-95 and it can be horribly slow. My favorite route is south of Lumberton... 74 to 410 to 9 - there are other options... just look at Mapquest. Enjoy!

We are actually driving from Central PA--State College, to be exact. The 74 East to 410, to 701 South, then to Rte 9 South is a route friends of ours also recommended. I%26#39;ll take a look at the maps! Anything to avoid the congested highways on that weekend--thanks!

yep, that%26#39;s the best way, especially for NMB. Also, we just stay on 95 right thru Richmond unless traffic is heavy. Mapquest will send you on 295, but it only adds about 6 miles to your trip.

You didn%26#39;t say where you were stopping, but Emporium (VA) is about halfway %26amp; has cheap accommodations.