Thanksgiving Traffic

[Cappy]

Heading to Richmond for Thanksgiving, should we leave Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning? How bad does the traffic get for the holiday?

[Winston]

Thursday morning will be much better, Wednesday afternoon will be horrible. We take 15 to 29 to 17 (or to 3 if we hear traffic is real bad on 95) to 95.

On the return trip, if you don't leave until Sunday, be prepared for lots of traffic.

[T8erman]

Either day, avoid 95 as much as possible, especially between NoVa and Fredricksburg. I would suggest taking 17 to 95 or maybe even 522/33 if you leave Weds afternoon.

[kmjtt]

Wednesday will be crazy...I'd leave Thursday morning if you can, you will be practically alone in comparison. Although this year the schools are all getting out on Tuesday instead of a half day on Wednesday. May help, but I still wouldn't do 95 on Wednesday, unless you are looking for lots of "family time" in the car.

[pamD]

We're going there too -- and leaving Thursday morning. No way I would get on 95 on Weds. We've always had good luck with the DC beltway and 50E to the Eastern Shore on Thursday; hope 95 is the same. I am thinking of doing 28 to 234 to get to 95.

[Sasquatch519]

Wednesday is usually a complete disaster. I do my best to do my driving after midnight (although I have been parked in the baltimore tunnel at 1am on thanksgiving in a volume delay before.)

When I've gone to Richmond in past years for thanksgiving on thursday morning, I've found it takes around 3 to 3.5 hours from Ashburn.

I've attached a picture I took last thanksgiving at around 5pm on wednesday as I was getting ready to drive up to Philly.

[loudgrowler]

...and throw in a rainy Wednesday forecast...ugh!