The best driving directions from Greater Boston to Annapolis

You will save time with these directions because:  You avoid the congestion of New York City and northern New Jersey, you avoid most of the New Jersey Turnpike, and you miss the congestion around Baltimore.

  1. Mass Pike West
  2. Take exit 9 onto I-84 West ("I-" means Interstate in these directions)
  3. Take left exit 57 onto I-91 South (if you miss it, keep going, take exit 50 onto I-91 South, and go to step 5)
  4. In about 2 miles, take 86 exit onto I-91 South
  5. After about 17 miles, take exit 17 onto Rte. 15 South, the W. Cross Parkway, which changes name to the Merritt Parkway

    (After about 30 miles, you'll take a long, high bridge over the Connecticut River -- you might see Blackhawk helicopters at the Sikorsky plant that builds them across the river on your right.)

  6. After entering New York state (where Rte. 15 changes name to the Hutchinson Parkway), take exit 26W and then the left ramp onto I-287 West
  7. Staying on I-287, cross the Hudson River on the Tappen Zee Bridge
  8. About 8 miles after the bridge, take exit 14A onto the Garden State Parkway -- this is the start, so it only goes South

    (If you have EZ-Pass or Fast Lane, take the express lane on the left without slowing down at the first toll booth -- they are adding express lanes on the Garden State, so you may see more.)

  9. After about 40 miles, take exit 129 onto the New Jersey Turnpike South
  10. Take exit 7A from the NJ Turnpike onto I-195 West toward Trenton
  11. At the end of I-195 in about 5 miles, exit onto I-295 South, which takes you to the Delaware Memorial Bridge in about 60 miles

    (There are a lot of choices for food and gas on I-295.  Gas prices in NJ are low, even though all gas stations are full-serve.)

  12. Entering Delaware, you are on I-95 South -- stay on I-95 South toward Baltimore
  13. Take exit 4A onto Rte. 1 South -- the sign says "Christiana/Mall Road"

    (After going over a cable-stay bridge [like the Zakim Bridge], you will approach a toll booth.  If you have EZ-Pass or Fast Lane, take the express lane on the left without slowing down.)

  14. Take exit 136 onto Rte 299 West -- this is maybe 10 miles after the toll
  15. Follow Rte 299 for about three miles through the centers of Odessa and Middletown -- this is slow, but it will speed up soon after you get onto Rte. 301 (next).
  16. Turn left onto Rte 301 South, and follow this all the way to Annapolis

    (There is a truck stop a mile or two from here that has the best gas prices on the trip.  There are only one or two gas stations in the next 40 miles or so through farm land.  About a mile after the truck stop, you cross into Maryland where the road goes from two to four lanes.)

  17. You will merge with Rte. 50 and cross the Bay Bridge on Rte. 50/301
  18. About 7 miles after crossing the Bay Bridge (which is about 10 miles after the merge with Rte 50), take exit 27 for the Naval Academy.

If you have suggestions such as restaurants or gas stations to use (or to avoid!), click here.

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