NJ is an interesting place for sure. many things to do and see.

The Atlantic City Expressway is operated by the South Jersey Transportation Authority. It is a 42 mile toll road running from Rte 42 in West Jersey to Atlantic City. It has two highway tolls and other tolls at various exits.
Atlantic City Expressway

The NJ Turpike and the Garden State Parkway are now both operated by the New jersey Turnpike Authority.
New Jersey Turnpike Authority

When the Expressway first opened in the mid 60's the speed limit was 70 mph. It stayed there until the gas crunch & lower national limits took effect in the early/mid 70's, then as stated, it dropped to 55. It's now 65, but not a lot of folks stick to it. Ditto for the GSP & Turnpike. The police pretty much give you the low 70's. You might be pushing it as you get to 80. Depends on traffic flow. The NJ State Police is down on manpower these days, I've been told by a neighbor/retired State Trooper.

Lots of tolls to pay as well and it stinks.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

So there is no easy way to get from Castle Garden to Philadelphia?

This is all good information you all, as tempted to go to an event in the Northeast in June with the Mercedes and like to make a loop through it.

__________________
Current fleet:

1985 Mercedes-Benz 280TE - Waiting for heart surgery.

1985 Mercedes-Benz 300TDT - Rear ended 23 September 2016 and now looking for a new home.

1979 Mercedes-Benz 300TD - Parted out.

1964 Volkswgen Beetle - Vater's since September 1968 and undergoing a restoration.

1971 Volkswagen Sunroof Squareback with F.I. - in need of full restoration.

1971 Volkswagen Squareback automatic with F.I. - Vacationing with her caretaker until he is in better health.

Depends what you mean by "good". Going at the right time of day will save you many hours of traffic, if you doing a day trip up to the northeast, I'd suggest bypassing NYC and taking the Bear Mountain Bridge or the Newburgh bridge. Much nicer drive (more scenic) and less city traffic. Bear Mountain is a great place to stop for a lunch picnic too, you can drive to the summit.

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

I'm confused. Castle Garden == Castle Clinton == the old naval gun battery at the lower end of Manhattan. Why would one go north to Bear Mountain to get to Philly from Lower Manhattan?

Not really driving in the northeast sucks. NYC is a parking lot during rush hour, same as Philly.

My buddy in a moment of stupidly once tried to go from LI to NJ via the Lincoln tunnel on a holiday weekend Friday afternoon....took him like 4 hours...

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

FWIW, I find NYC to be much less bad than (say) DC, because a large proportion of people uses transit. You haven't lived till you're stuck in "rush hour" traffic on the DC Beltway AT 10:30 AM!!!!!!!!! (and really need to "leak" since you just drank two cups of coffee)

I dislike cities in general, except for Philly once in awhile.

NYC sucks, only go once a year for the car show. DC is a ghetto, outside of the government districts, and Boston would be nice except its in MA which is the worst state in the union.

I take the train into NYC once a year, get lunch and dinner at a couple expensive places, walk around the car show all day and leave. That's plenty of NYC for me.

My two favorite cities right now are Philly and Havana, although I hear Chicago is nice. Omaha is a zombie ghost town and in the middle of nowhere, San Diego is in the wrong state and to expensive.


Also I have noticed in the US the further away from the Northeast you get the worst the food selection gets. Out in the midwest you have three food groups beef, chicken and corn.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I have a lot of (good and bad) experience with DC. Have family down there, dated someone there long-distance and "commuted" every other weekend for a while, even occasionally go there for work.

DC has changed a lot in the past 10-15 years -- it's about 50% horrible ghetto, but there are a lot of nice areas outside of the immediate governmental districts these days.

San Diego is lovely, reasonably cheap if you're willing to live in an apartment (I've seen studios in Pac Beach for like $800-900/mo within a mile of the beach), and there's some great food to be had as well. Proximity to Mexico has its disadvantages but doesn't hurt either in some ways.

Chicago has depressed me the few times I've been there, but maybe I don't know the right places to do. Havana I'll have to wait till they open up travel or till I get my second passport. I've heard Buenos Aires is an interesting and beautiful place...

I guess I was confused. I thought he was going to the Northeast and making a trip down to Battery Park for a day trip or something. Anyways, the worst part of the trip from Philly will be the Holland Tunnel. Turnpike isn't too bad unless you're on a holiday weekend or a bit after rush hour. Going north, hit the Henry Hudson and Merritt through CT, depending on how far/direction you're going.

__________________
TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

Wow! Thank you all for the help!

I am in Mesa Arizona and there is an event in Fairport/Rochester New York. I wasn't planning to go because of the distance, but found out a fellow I know from England is going and most likely this be my only chance to meet him it seems. It has been a very long dream to drive through the Northeast., so plan on doing both. I have a wagen, so the plan is to sleep in the back when possible/safe. But this time, know that most likely will not happen, as the last summer trip rained every night, however that was six years ago in a sedan.

Here is my plan. Rochester to Riviere-de-Loup, but not sure yet if that is where I will stay (forgot to get the books), just a point where there is two options for travel. From there, camp at Kouchibouguac. Stop into Summerside to say I have been to Prince Edward Island, then spend the night at Cape Breton. This is where things become fuzzy, but have several states to say I have been to. So thinking from there to St. Johnsbury Vermont and down to Boston area. In Boston, the only place I have in mind is the U.S.S. Constitution. I also have a dinner invitation by a fellow Mercedes diesel owner, which is more than I could ask for! Thank you so very much! Then onto Philip Johnson's estate and Castle Garden.

I have no desire to see the Statue of Liberty as can't go inside, so what is the point? I rather go to Castle Garden where my great great grandfather and his large family came into the U.S.A. in 187? from Russia (Mennonite Brethren). The plan is to get heck out of New York, as scared to death of getting into an accident...

From Castle Garden, next stop is Independence Hall. This is where local help be much appreciated, as know only roads are tolls. I have no clue how much or how to pay, let alone which is the better route.

Next point is just driving the scenic route through the northern part of Delaware to cross that off. Plus, trying to avoid toll roads to keep costs down.

I have been all over South (except sadly the Florida (Everglades)), so plan on jogging through West Virginia to cross that off. Not sure if I will cut through Pennsylvania or not.

In short, if there is some place on the way or not too far off that I have to see, please let me know and will look into it. Thank you all so very much!

__________________
Current fleet:

1985 Mercedes-Benz 280TE - Waiting for heart surgery.

1985 Mercedes-Benz 300TDT - Rear ended 23 September 2016 and now looking for a new home.

1979 Mercedes-Benz 300TD - Parted out.

1964 Volkswgen Beetle - Vater's since September 1968 and undergoing a restoration.

1971 Volkswagen Sunroof Squareback with F.I. - in need of full restoration.

1971 Volkswagen Squareback automatic with F.I. - Vacationing with her caretaker until he is in better health.

While I do not discount the driving characteristics you apply to New Englanders (the term M@$$hole exists for a reason-it's tougher to come up with a quick and witty term for CT and RI drivers who are just as bad), NY and NJ are NOT New England. Northeast is all encompassing, however.

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

I disagree. Masshoie does exist for a reason. There is absolutely no doubt that they are far worse than CT and RI drivers. If you're getting nearly run off the road by a DB who must go 80 in a 55, odds are that that red and white plate will be a distinguishing characteristic on the back of the vehicle.

So far MA is the only state where ive been passed by a dually stakebody in the breakdown lane doing what must have been 60-70mph while I was going about 50 in the slow lane during traffic. So close he nearly took my mirror off

I freaked out at first, until I read the sign that breakdown lane driving is ok during rush hour on some of the beltways around Boston, and the stakebody had 3 or 4 cars glued to his a$$ flashing him. God forbid you actually have a reason to be sitting in the breakdown lane though. Then its chaos of people swerving into the slow lane and maintaining their speed around your stricken car.

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