<p>I’m doing another trip out east in late April/early May to see both daughters, and am using a combination of transportation modes to do so. </p>
<p>A couple of questions for east coasters:</p>
<p>I will be driving from Allentown out to Port Jefferson Station, NY on a Sunday to spend a few hours with my niece. It seems like every search engine I use suggests a little bit different route. How would those in the know suggest one travel from Allentown out to Port Jefferson Station on a Sunday. After the visit, I have two ferry options to get me over to Connecticut so that I can continue my drive up to Boston. Do any of you have any experience with either the Bridgeport/Port Jefferson ferry, or the Cross Sound ferry from Orient Point to New London? When I look at a map, it seems like to get out to Orient Point, you can take the LI Expressway most of the way, but then it might be slow going where it ends, and until you get to the ferry. They’re both about the same costs, and about the same crossing time. I’d appreciate any insights anyone can offer.</p>
<p>Not familiar with the route on LI, but either ferry is ok. The New London ferry puts you an hour closer to Boston, but without backtracking, you’ll have to run 95 north to Boston. If you do want to backtrack from New London to the I395 junction that runs into the Mass Pike, it’s a 15-30 minute add on. I’m not a fan of the I95 run through RI that cuts right through the major cities Cranston/Warwick/Providence, but the I295 cut off avoids that.
I395 to Mass Pike is the prettier route.</p>
<p>If you ferry to Bridgeport, you’ll be on I95n till East Lyme/Waterford, then can pick up I395 to Mass Pike. I’ve done it both ways, often for nothing more than variety and a change of scenery.</p>
<p>Six of one, half dozen of the other. Depends if you want to do an hour of driving in CT or LI.</p>
<p>VeryHappy - you probably remember my thread back in December when I made this trip between Allentown and Boston and the return. On my way to Boston, I took the Tappan Zee bridge, but on the way back, a nasty ice storm was coming through western MA and northern CT, so I took I-95 back (which was the best advice ever). But I prefered the route that took me through Hartford and up through Worcester better, just because it avoided I-95 and all the truck traffic (I went through a set of windshield wiper blades that day!). </p>
<p>If I take the ferry to Bridgeport, I can still head up through Hartford, so that is appealing.
But for all I know, there could be next to no traffic from Port Jefferson out to Orient Point… I just don’t know LI well enough.</p>
<p>Onto LI from Allentown … if it was me I would stay off the island, drive to Bridgeport, park my car, take the ferry over and back! Your niece could meet you at the ferry in Port Jeff and you could spend some pleasant hours together lunching and shopping in town.</p>
<p>YMMV on this one, but it’s probably the least stress version!</p>
<p>Bridgeport Ferry is right in town (Port Jeff) right on Main Street. Hope you have some time with your neice to eat in town.Great new spot called the Fifth Season,or lobster on a paper plate right across from the Ferry at the SteamRoom.I love Port Jeff, used to live nearby and would love to return. The idea of parking in Conneticut and taking the ferry over and then back as a walk on is interesting I think.
The drive to the Orient Point ferry is longer than a half hour from Port Jeff and not on the LIE.You leave the LIE and take a much smaller road up to the ferry spot. Its scenic…through some lovely North Fork towns but its one or two lanes at most and stoplights all the way.</p>
<p>I’ve driven from New London to Tufts (just outside of Boston) many times when D1 and her fiance were students (he’s from Long Island.) I’d opt for the I395/Mass Pike route over I 95 N. I find I 95 stressful–lot and lots of traffic and trucks. While the I395/Mass Pike route may add a bit of mileage, it’s a much easier drive IMO.</p>