New ways to get to Florida

David, the only things I know about US1 is that it runs from Key West up to Fort Kent, Maine. It's a coastal road on the Atlantic side, scenic in some spots but goes through many many towns and cities. I don't think US 1 will get you to St Petersburg (if that's where you mean) I75 will get you to St Pete which is on the Gulf of Mexico side.

You should consider 17S. Mostly 4 lane 55mph non-interstate highway. I live in Norfolk and will be going 15 and 17. 17 goes down the middle neck of Virginia and then through coastal Carolina.  Only tough area is Tidewater VA, where I live. You just have to avoid rush hour tunnel traffic through Hampton Roads bridge tunnel crossing mouth of James River. You can even stop in Yorktown for a little history lesson. 

I am confused.  Are you coming through Florida?

To all...thanks for your responses. I like to put miles on my car. My Wife will fly to Daytona and I'll pick her up there. Three days earlier, I'll drive from Ottawa Canada to Daytona. Done it dozens of times, several times in the Speedster.

I'm looking for alternative routes to I 95 from Fredricksburg, VA down to the Santee, South Carolina area. Petersburg is on that route, Nolan...not to be confused with St. Pete's on the West coast of Fl.

From Daytona we'll stay at a friend's place in Ft. Myers, Fl and then up to Carlisle Via Cocoa Beach / St. Augustine, Fl, Blue Ridge Parkway,  then home.

Thanks for clarifying.  You will be coming right past my house off 95 in St Johns (basically st Augustine). If you need a pit stop let me know!

Dave:  Take I-95 to I-40 to Wilmington, NC and pick up US 17 south along the coast.

Rt 1, after Washington DC, goes way inland through Aiken, SC and Augusta, Ga over towards Atlanta and comes back out on the coast near Jacksonville, going through every podunk town along the way and the roads, while flat, are straight for hour after hour.  I've traveled a lot of it and it's not all that scenic.  

US-17, OTOH, starts in Fredricksburg and travels along the coast through Norfolk, VA (the only busy area until you reach Charleston, SC) and lots of salt marsh areas, through New Bern (you could visit Nicholas Sparks, who lives there), Myrtle Beach, Charleston, bypassing Beaufort, SC (but worth the detour to pick up SC-170 past Hilton Head and into Savannah), then on down through Savannah but switch over to GA-25 out of south Savannah all the way to Brunswick, Georgia.  RT-25 is one of THE most scenic marshland routes along the entire East Coast and everyone who travels inland on I-95 misses it.  From Brunswick you can either stay on 25 to connect with 17 all the way to Jacksonville (but I have not traveled that stretch) OR hop over to I-95 and blast down to J'ville that way - either way, you pick up A1A and then RT-1 south of J'Ville.

Most of RT-17 and all of RT-25 travel through marsh-side or coast-side villages except for the stretch through Mt. Pleasant (stop and see Lane and go for BBQ or seafood) and Charleston, SC.  Make sure you stop in Darien, GA, on the coast - it's a fishing village like those in Nova Scotia, but on the Georgia coast - VERY picturesque and worth the trip right there, just for the three local restaurants.

How's that sound? 

17

Thanks for that nice route, Gordon but I've only got 3..maybe 3.5 days to get from home to Daytona. Sounds like a nice jog if I had more time.

Todd...thanks for the invite and I'd appreciate a phone number to be used for emerg calls to you if need be. If able and willing, pls. email a number to dstroud  at  xplornet.com   pls. check the spelling of   xplornet.

We'll be wasting some time at the "World Famous Oasis" in St. Aug beach too. Might be time for a brew....?

Just shot you an email...

Daytona is my stopping ground. Great car shows coming up.

Here's a twist on avoidin I95 when going all way to/from FL.  Book passage for you and your car on the Auto Train.  Leaves Lorton, VA just off I95 and arrives in Sanford, FL.  Not sure how far in advance you have to book.  Speedster is probably too low for the train too.