By: SoundEscape
8/29/2024 9:48 PM
My wife is very ill and can't make the trip from Pittsburgh to Hatteras in one day. We need a dog friendly motel halfway down. We also need directions to and from the motel,I'm old and don't have a gps. Thank you
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By: craicncrabs
8/30/2024 12:10 AM
It's 5 1/2 hours from Pitt to Richmond. And it's a little over 4 hours from there to Hatteras. Lots of options in the Richmond area. Triple A or your car insurance should be able to help with directions to a good motel.
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By: johnbt
8/30/2024 7:00 AM
Looking at the area just north of Richmond. Going south on I-95 there are a large number of hotels at the Ashland exit. The sign says Ashland Hanover Exit 92. The cross street is Route 54. Take the first ramp and the hotels are on your right. You can see a number of them from the exit ramp.
The first two I checked say they are pet friendly. Tru by Hilton Ashland and Quality Inn & Suites Ashland.
I checked a third one, but it is a block-and-a-half west of the I-95 instead of next to it.
Days Inn by Wyndham Ashland also says pet friendly.
There appear to be 9 hotels in that half mile stretch of Route 54 between I-95 and U.S. Route 1.
I picked I-95 because that's the way my wife goes to Pittsburgh. I've never stayed in any of those hotels, I live here.
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By: dandjw2
8/30/2024 7:27 AM
On route 17 where it meets route 95 (Fredericksburg, VA) there are several motels. We've used the Quality Inn and the Clarion Inn over the years and both are pet friendly. From here it is about 4 hours to OBX.
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By: exvile
8/30/2024 7:28 AM
There are a lot of them at many exits off I95 that wouldn't even need GPS for. Exit 118 Thornburg, and exit 104 Carmel Church, will be easiest. Literally pull off 95 and hotels right there. Exit 126 Massapponax and as previous poster noted exit 92 Ashland have more options. Getting on and off 95 should be easiest at 118 or 104. I live off exit 110 so drive there often. If it matters gas will be cheapest at carmel church also. This is a shot of Quality Inn and comfort inn at exit 104, literally get off exit, exit right take first right after exit and hotels are right there.
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By: KHbiker
8/30/2024 7:38 AM
We also need directions to and from the motel,I'm old and don't have a gps.
Well, before GPS's there was paper maps! I'm 67 and a AAA member. I use both maps and GPS's. When I plan a trip I open my maps on the kitchen table and plan my route. Then I use the GPS (and maps) to drive the trip. Just do it the Ole fashioned way!
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By: SoundEscape
8/31/2024 12:17 AM
Thank you everyone its great help.
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By: KDHBreeze
8/31/2024 8:11 AM
There are a lot of them at many exits off I95 that wouldn't even need GPS for. Exit 118 Thornburg, and exit 104 Carmel Church, will be easiest. Literally pull off 95 and hotels right there. Exit 126 Massapponax and as previous poster noted exit 92 Ashland have more options. Getting on and off 95 should be easiest at 118 or 104. I live off exit 110 so drive there often. If it matters gas will be cheapest at carmel church also. This is a shot of Quality Inn and comfort inn at exit 104, literally get off exit, exit right take first right after exit and hotels are right there.
Thornburg is also a good place to get cheaper gas.
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By: fjaco68
9/3/2024 7:51 AM
Thornburg exit is a mess right now. Lots of road work for the Kalahari water park making the area a mess and confusing. I live in the area and avoid this exit.
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By: Leon
9/3/2024 4:39 PM
If you are willing to go a more "southern" route, here is what we do from SE Ohio. We go 77 south thru W. Virginia into Virginia and the go across NC on 74/52/40, then around Raleigh on 540 (slightly longer but less stressful bypass of Raleigh) and then 64 to the Outer Banks. So much less stressful than the northern route thru Virginia. We sometimes stay overnight near Wyethville VA. There is a great state park on 77 named Camp Creek in WVa that we also like to stop and have lunch at the picnic shelter. There are two tunnels, 3 tolls and the bridges from the mainland to Roanoke Island and then bridge/causeway to Nags Head, but we still prefer it over the other routes.
When we used to do this with our dogs, we would stay in hotels in the Hillsville VA area several times with good results with the dogs, kids and grandparents. I have noticed over the years that the names change, but the hotels are generally good along this area directly off the highway. We stayed at what is now the Quality Inn there when it was a Comfort Suites(?). Nice and good location. I think we also stayed at what is now the Hampton Hillsville once. It was a late check in, get 6 hrs sleep and leave, but I think it was ok. Several are pet friendly, the Quality Inn was ok. Now that the kids are older and the dogs stay home, we haven't stayed in a hotel along the way for a few years.
Overall, this is a bit longer mileage wise, but we found it to be a superior route of all the ones we have tried. Especially with kids or dogs. Plenty of places to stop to take breaks, eat, hotels, etc.
Even though I use a GPS (yes, an actual Garmin GPS, not my phone) I still bring a paper road atlas with the route highlighted. If you want to try a phone app, my daughter swears by the WAZE app.
Good luck, safe travels and hope the trip is relaxing.
Leon
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By: exvile
9/3/2024 4:55 PM
Thornburg exit is a mess right now. Lots of road work for the Kalahari water park making the area a mess and confusing. I live in the area and avoid this exit.
Yeah, ugh. Can't wait to see the disaster on weekends once that thing is open. I go up to Massapponax on occasion using route 1 on Saturday or Sunday, but will likely not once that nonsense is open.
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