Drive Time Between DC Area Parks

I'm planning on visiting a friend in Washington DC in mid-April. On the agenda is a trip to SFA. However, I realized that they are only open to 6 on Saturday, so we are tossing around the idea of perhaps leaving early (we hopefully will be able to hit all of SFA's coasters in a few hours if its not busy) and heading to PKD, who is open till 10 that night. Crazy idea and not a whole lot of time to experience either park, yes I know, but we've done crazier. These are the same two people who hit Michigan's Adventure and Indiana Beach (each 4 and a half hours away from each other and 4 and a half hours away from home) in the same day! So my question is this? How far of a drive can we expect between SFA and PKD?

Also, in case we decide to 2 parks are not enough and decide to hit BGW Sunday, about how far is that from PKD. Also, how far from Washington DC (estimate is OK because I realize Washington is a big place!) This most likely will not happen but I'd still like to have the info.

Thanks.

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I get the feeling there's a conspiracy over at King's Island to remove anything that has "K" or "C" in its initials.

OK. SFa is 15 minutes from DC. PKD is about 2 hours 45 minutes south of SFA. Bush gardens is about an hour and 20 minutes south of PKD. Hey , if your gonna hit these parks you might want to hit VA beach too, and mabye even tour the white house. Just kidding. Have fun.

Hmmmm.... 2h45 is a bit steep. I'd say it would work perfect if we did PKD Saturday and then SFA Sunday, but seeing I'm only going to be there for the weekend, I want to do more than just hit amusement parks. There's lots more to do in DC than roller coasters.

Thanks

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I get the feeling there's a conspiracy over at King's Island to remove anything that has "K" or "C" in its initials.

2:45? What where you driving? My Grandma's walker?

Seriously though, from my house (in SE DC) to SFA takes roughly 20 minutes. From my house to PKD takes 1 hour 10 minutes. That puts you at about an hour and a half. Take in to account that there is a *MUCH* more direct route between the two parks when you dont have to stop by my house and you can *easily* make it under two hours.

Now as for BGW, I got home from BGW in two hours 10 minutes. Since you go right past PKD, I'd estimate that BGW is about an hour south of PKD.

Oh and as a little bit of geographical relationship, taking the same road to PKD, I'm seven minutes upstream of the National Mall.
jeremy
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"Nobody writes about the planes that land." Steve Salerno Washington Times 7-10-01

There are 2 main ways that you can take from SFA to get to PKD. Coming out of SFA, you can take a right on 214 and hit I-95 south to PKD. You can also take a left onto 214 out of SFA and hit 301 south to PKD (PKD is on Rt 30 west off of 301). If you don't mind more intense traffic (might not be bad on a Saturday), then take I-95, but if you'd like a more scenic and less hectic route, then take 301. PKd is roughly 95 or so miles from SFA, so expect a 1-1.5 hour drive, which isn't nearly as long as your 4-hour jaunt between those other 2 parks that you mentioned!

Ben
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"So ya want thrills? Get God and your life will NEVER be the same!"--Ben Ashley

Hey,

I wanted to hit SFA when I went to DC, but the guy at the Hotel we stayed at (Comfort Inn Alexandria, for the record) said that it was 1.5 hour drive from there, so we didn't go. :( Just as an addition tip, be sure to hit the FBI tour when your in DC.....highlight of my trip.....oh, I liked the White House too. :)

Jeff

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Jeff Walker
Future Cedar Point Employee
www.coastingohio.cjb.net

1-1.5 hours sounds much more reasonable. Ok, next question. Am I nuts or is it possible to do SFA and PKD in one day? Keep in mind this is a Saturday afternoon in April.

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I get the feeling there's a conspiracy over at King's Island to remove anything that has "K" or "C" in its initials.

They can be done in the same day, I think. It depends on the circumstances.

Last season, I was at SFA for the Frightfest Photo Shoot, so I had an advantage as far as riding some of the rides were concerned. Also, it was freezing, and both SFA were very lightly attended.

But, I think, with the extended park hours, it can be done easily. We were lucky, in that we rode everything SFA had to offer and everything PKD had to offer in about 8 hours.

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~~~ M ~~~
In life you start the same as when you're done. If you lose, you're just where you've begun. If you win, remember what I said, don't quit while you're ahead. Who cares?

They can be done in the same day. I would put the drive time at 1.5 to 2 hours depending on traffic. Crowds are usually light that early in the season. If you show up at SFA 30-45 minutes before opening time, you should be able to hit all of the coasters there in 2-3 hours depending on the line for Batwing. Two Face can also be a bit slow due to low capacity. I doubt that Typhoon Seacoster will be open which is the most interesting non-coaster there.You should be able to make it to PKD by 3:00 and can probably ride all of the coasters there as well, though the lines can be rough for Volcano and FOF even that early in the season.

I would recommend that you avoid taking the DC Beltway to 95 South. The Springfield Virginia area can be a major parking lot on a Saturday afternoon. You can go down 301 to Bowling Green VA and then cut over to 95, or you can try my preferred route. Follow the DC Beltway until about 100 yards past the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. Follow the signs for the Mount Vernon Parkway. The parkway will lead you to George's front door along a very scenic road. Bear right at Mount Vernon and follow the road to Route 1. Turn left on Route 1 and follow 1 until you see a sign driecting you to I-95. Then follow I-95 the rest of the way to PKD.

It's very possible. We met someone last year in June at PKD who had just made the hour & some change drive from SFA. He had been on all of SFA's coasters, except Batwing, & decided to get on over to PKD to see if he could get a few rides in before night & spend the next whole day at PKD. We met him around 5 in a LONG Hypersonic line, & we rode most of PKD's coasters with him after that before closing, with some feet dragging tossed in there.

I agree with Jim's advice to avoid the "mixing bowl" at all cost right now. This is where 395, 495, and 95 come together. When I passed over 95 yesterday, traffic was at a standstill. If you do take 301, you'll be rewarded with the Harry Nice bridge, one of the steepest, scariest two-lane bridges I've ever been on.
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The word "definitely" is definitely the most misspelled word on the buzz.

Yea, for those of us with a fear the heights, the Harry Nice is almost as scarry as a 200 foot lift hill.

You thought traffic on I- 95 was bad yesterday?well you should've seen I-66 eastbound on the way to SFA when I went yesterday to get my season pass processed.We left Manassas around 1:30 pm and didn't get to SFA until around 2:30 - 3:00 pm.once there it was another half hour or so to actually get the photo's done and then to make matters worse when we hit I-66 westbound we were caught up in yet another traffic jam,BTW from what I saw while at SFA it looks like Mind Eraser finally got a much needed paintjob.

Lets hope that while they were painting it, they cleaned up the creek and put up some screens of whatever to keep prople from trashing it again.