Easiest Way to BWI?

[awpitt]

Rt 2/4 > Rt 2 > Left onto Rt 424 (Birdsville Rd) > Rt 50 East > I-97 > BWI. This avoids all the stop & go on 301.

 

[dave1959]

by plane...???

 

[stgislander]

From Tall Timbers I always use Rt 4 to US 301, but instead of using Rt 3, I shoot east on US 50 and catch I-97 North.

 

[Bean Machine]

I always go up 235 to Waldorf, then get on 301. Take 301 to Bowie, then get on 50 towards Annapolis. Take 50 to I-97, then I-97 to the BWI turn off. I go down 50 to avoid the traffic lights and inevitable delays on 3. It's longer, but faster.

 

[GWguy]

I always go up 235 to Waldorf, then get on 301. Take 301 to Bowie, then get on 50 towards Annapolis. Take 50 to I-97, then I-97 to the BWI turn off. I go down 50 to avoid the traffic lights and inevitable delays on 3. It's longer, but faster.

A few of you seem to like that route. I've done it a few times and it just seems to take much longer than the 97/3/301 route. Might be my imagination, but it just seems to take forever. Also seems counter-intuitive to travel further due east rather than north/northeast.

 

[BernieP]

301 to 3 to 97, IMO

Route 2 to Annapolis where you pick up 665 (I think, Arris Allen Blvd.) to 97 to BWI. Follow the signs.

Not sure what the third option is, but I know what the map searches say and I won't touch the cluster that is the beltway

As someone else said, 6 of one, half dozen the other.
301/3 does provide multiple lanes to hopefully allow you to get around slow traffic, but week day, not rush hour it should not be bad. Just the damn lights.
Rt. 2 is hit or miss, all it takes is grandma out for her morning drive and it will seem like an eternity, traffic in Edgewater can be a biatch as well

I've been taking my chances with the later and haven't had any serious issues.
At the end of the day, you are on I-97

 

[coppersmith]

Not sure what the third option is, but I know what the map searches say and I won't touch the cluster that is the beltway

As someone else said, 6 of one, half dozen the other.
301/3 does provide multiple lanes to hopefully allow you to get around slow traffic, but week day, not rush hour it should not be bad. Just the damn lights.
Rt. 2 is hit or miss, all it takes is grandma out for her morning drive and it will seem like an eternity, traffic in Edgewater can be a biatch as well

I've been taking my chances with the later and haven't had any serious issues.
At the end of the day, you are on I-97

I've heard the grandma story once or twice but have never encountered it.

 

[TPD]

No one mentioned the Aquasco/Croom route.

I personally would never consider the beltway/parkway.

 

[NorthBeachPerso]

I've heard the grandma story once or twice but have never encountered it.

Speed limit on 2 is 50. Most go it or a bit faster. You will occasionally get behind someone who is doing just 50 (a tractor trailer, something else). Can that be annoying if you're used to driving faster? Yes. But except for the truck it's unusual.

There are a couple school zones on 2 that are somewhat problematic. The one near the traffic circle that has two schools and a firehouse is a speed trap. Going north the speed limit doesn't increase until you're through the circle and up the road a bit.

 

[SEABREEZE 1957]

From Tall Timbers I always use Rt 4 to US 301, but instead of using Rt 3, I shoot east on US 50 and catch I-97 North.

This the route I use too.

 

[desertrat]

I used to go up after traffic, stay in a hotel by BWI , and catch an
early fight. Free shuttle free parking. Go back to the hotel after we got back, which was usually late. Drove home the next AM.

 

[RoseRed]

I used to go up after traffic, stay in a hotel by BWI , and catch an
early fight. Free shuttle free parking. Go back to the hotel after we got back, which was usually late. Drove home the next AM.

I've done that, too. I was also left once by a shuttle service up there and had to rent a car to get home.

 

[General Lee]

I make this drive nearly daily. 301 to 97 hands down. That time of day, traffic should be easy. You will also deal with construction on beltway/I-95/295 during the day using the interstates. In actuality, both routes are relatively similar time wise. But I drive it nearly daily and I always use 301 as I am coming out of Waldorf.

Exactly. I drove it daily for a few years. Every time I decided to change it up and take the beltway, I got jammed up on the beltway for one reason or another.

 

[BOP]

I have to pick our daughter up at BWI tomorrow around noon. There are several different ways to go. Which way do you prefer - up around the beltway or going 301?

I haven't driven up there in years so I forget. The GPS sometimes picks the weirdest ways to go so I thought I would ask you fine folks!

Thanks!

Depends on where you're starting from and how many pit stops you think you might need (and what time of day).

Wife and I usually run up 2/4 from Lusby, through Annapolis, stop at the Wawa or the Burger King in Edgewater, drive a little further to 665W to 97. Actually, 665W merges onto 301/50 for a short ways, but you don't even notice it. That's because people lose their minds right in that area and you need to keep an eye on them.

Takes about an hour and a half, depending on traffic.

 

[BOP]

The few times I have flown anywhere, when I was growing up, we would leave at O'dark thirty....."just in case."
It usually meant getting up at 3:30.....4 a.m. and heading out to the airport.....that whole, 'it's better to be WAY early' thing.

Been there, done that, no damn way. Wife and I stay at the airport Sheraton overnight and take the shuttle over in the morning after breakfast. Lots less stress on the both of us.

 

[Hijinx]

I stay off Rt. 2 if I can. That Tractor Trailer or dump truck always seems to be in front of me when I go that way, and there are few places where you can pass due to the line of cars stuck behind the truck. It is definitely the most scenic route however.

 

[BernieP]

I've done that, too. I was also left once by a shuttle service up there and had to rent a car to get home.

It's hard to find a shuttle service from St. Mary's to any airport so it comes as no surprise that if you found one, it would forget to pick you op.
Have used the hotel parking but most often I just make the drive and park. Typically I'm out on a Monday and back on Friday so I just used the daily garage. I can drive it in my sleep.

BWI is far easier than Dulles or DCA. Done those drives too. Dulles the bitch is 495, usually on the return trip. Once came in at 1AM thinking easy peasy only to find 495 down to one lane (because of construction) and that one lane packed with commercial truck traffic.

If I use DCA I prefer going up Suitland and over the 14th Street Bridge - easier to get there than going thru Alexandria. BUT they had to start construction by the Navy Yard and it hosed up traffic so haven't taken that route lately.

 

[glhs837]

That was going to be my advice, just fly out of Reagan Only a couple ways to get there. I just go through Alexandria, and work my flights to avoid rush hours. Unless I'm going to Seattle, then I use Dulles because a non-stop flight far outweighs any amount of traffic.

Another thing in Reagans favor is onsite rental return. I hate riding a damn shuttle to and from remote rental places.

 

[BernieP]

That was going to be my advice, just fly out of Reagan Only a couple ways to get there. I just go through Alexandria, and work my flights to avoid rush hours. Unless I'm going to Seattle, then I use Dulles because a non-stop flight far outweighs any amount of traffic.

Another thing in Reagans favor is onsite rental return. I hate riding a damn shuttle to and from remote rental places.

Two words if you are going to SEA TAC - Air Alaska. They use to have a direct flight out of DCA and were one of the few "full service" airlines with reasonable prices.

 

[Hijinx]

You can fly out of Richmond almost as easy, and it isn't much farther.