Best driving route from Upstate NY to Englewood,FL

Question

Can anyone suggest the best driving route from Upstate NY to Englewood? We'd like to avoid the Washington/Maryland traffic. There will be three drivers but any suggestions about where to stop along the way would also be appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Answer

Driving from Upstate New York to Englewood, Florida is a long trip, roughly 1,200–1,300 miles depending on the route, so planning for traffic, rest stops, and driver changes is key. Since you want to avoid the typical Washington D.C./Maryland bottlenecks, an alternative route slightly west of the I-95 corridor is recommended.

Here’s a suggested route:

Start on I-81 South through Pennsylvania. This avoids much of the I-95 congestion along the East Coast.
Near Harrisburg or York, consider connecting to I-70 West briefly and then I-68 East through Maryland’s scenic Appalachian region, which is usually less congested than the Baltimore/Washington corridor.
Merge onto I-79 South in West Virginia and then onto I-77 South through Virginia toward Charlotte, NC.
From Charlotte, pick up I-95 South or I-75 South in Georgia to continue down into Florida. For Englewood specifically, I-75 South (the Florida Turnpike’s parallel route via Alligator Alley if coming from the east) is usually more direct.
Exit toward Sarasota/Port Charlotte area and continue west toward Englewood via local roads.

Key stops for overnight or breaks:

Harrisburg or Carlisle, PA: Good first leg stop if leaving early morning from Upstate NY. Plenty of hotels and food options.
Charleston, WV or Wytheville, VA: Midway through the trip for a second driver change, refuel, and rest.
Charlotte, NC: Optional overnight stop depending on pace; good hotel options and food.
Gainesville or Ocala, FL: Possible final overnight before reaching Englewood, especially if traveling at a relaxed pace.

Tips:

Plan to rotate drivers every 3–4 hours to reduce fatigue. With three drivers, you can maintain longer driving legs with breaks every 2–3 hours for food and fuel.
Use apps like Google Maps or Waze to monitor real-time traffic. Even the I-81/I-77 corridor can have construction delays in summer.
Consider packing snacks and drinks to minimize stops, especially in rural stretches.
Check local hotel availability in advance if planning overnight stays, particularly in popular areas like Charlotte or Gainesville.

This route balances avoiding major metro congestion while still being efficient and provides plenty of opportunities for safe rest stops along the way.