Hello everyone quick question...What is the best way to get to USMA driving from Philadelphia or South of it. Don't really want to go through New York City but would like a nice scenic drive. Any advice or must stops would be great. Just your opinions Thanks.
Driving Directions....
- Thread starter sgtski
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Honestly, nothing is too scenic when driving from Philadelphia through NJ. I would suggest to take I-95 North to New Jersey Turnpike North to Palisades Intersate Parkway. You will take that right to Bear Mountain and veer off to West Point.
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Agree with this post, and from Maryland the above is the way we usually go. This is a link to the MD, DC, VA parents club site where the members have discussed their favorite ways to travel to WP. There are some options.
http://www.west-point.org/parent/wppc-mddcva/driving_routes.html
No love from WPPCMDDCVA for the route I used to take from the DC-Baltimore metro area -- it was 300 miles door-to-door for me, and I did it probably 20 times in 5 years, including several up-and-back on same day, so...
...went to google maps, put Philly as starting point, WP as ending point and then dragged the route to force it to follow the end portion of my former regularly-traveled route: http://goo.gl/maps/G5wH
google maps says it is 2 minutes shorter than the Turnpike-to-Palisades route
my experience says that traffic will be less of an issue, but I have zero knowledge of the first part of that route (the Philly to 287 portion)
...went to google maps, put Philly as starting point, WP as ending point and then dragged the route to force it to follow the end portion of my former regularly-traveled route: http://goo.gl/maps/G5wH
google maps says it is 2 minutes shorter than the Turnpike-to-Palisades route
my experience says that traffic will be less of an issue, but I have zero knowledge of the first part of that route (the Philly to 287 portion)
Just_A_Mom
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Yep - def go up I-287 if you want a less stress ride, its alot easier than the NJ Tpke and no tolls.
If you don't want to go up the thruway then just stay on 287 into NY State and take the Palasaides Pky up to Highland Falls. In good weather I think it's a little bit quicker. In the summer the toll booth on the thruway used to get backed up awful but they have reworked it now so maybe the traffic moves through quicker.
There is NO reason to go through the city -- unless you feel *adventurous* - LOL.
If you don't want to go up the thruway then just stay on 287 into NY State and take the Palasaides Pky up to Highland Falls. In good weather I think it's a little bit quicker. In the summer the toll booth on the thruway used to get backed up awful but they have reworked it now so maybe the traffic moves through quicker.
There is NO reason to go through the city -- unless you feel *adventurous* - LOL.
Question for you guys - Did anyone here get really lost around West Point for their first time visiting? Me and my dad took about 5 wrong turns and we eventually we hit some checkpoint that was near Michie Stadium. 
One of the wrong turns made us lose half an hour because there was no exit.
One of the wrong turns made us lose half an hour because there was no exit.