Route tips: I’ve done NY to SC and NC and vice-verse at least 20 times along with some other longer trips. I95 from NY all the way through Richmond, VA is a complete crapshoot any time of day, not just rush hour, but I do find the risk of traffic in this corridor is diminished at night. If I were you, I’d aim to hit the NY/NJ area around 7-8PM and plan on rolling through all the trouble spots at night. This would put you in DC sometime after midnight and Richmond around 2-3AM. South of Richmond to the northern end of Florida it should be relatively clear sailing. The 295 spur around Richmond is almost mandatory during the day, but at night I feel it actually takes longer than going straight through.
***VA loves to give out speeding tickets, Emporia area in particular. Also, 80MPH and above in VA can be written as a criminal offense or misdemeanor(can’t remember-someone chime in), not just a traffic infraction. Keep it under 80MPH in VA.
General tips:
Gym clothes and running sneakers seem to work best for me. They’re comfortable and aren’t bulky. Bulk gets uncomfortable.
Coffee is a double edged sword. Depends how you handle caffeine. I’ll drink some with food stops otherwise I prefer some sort of vitamin water. Coffee also tends to increase frequency and necessity for pit stops…
and on that note, try to combine your stops. Food/fuel/bathroom. There are tons of travel centers like Pilot/TA/Flying J that can service all of these in one stop as well as places like Sheetz (which actually has decent food). These can also make great places to grab some shut eye. If at night, just park in a well lit area near the front entrance to avoid any trouble.
If only a bathroom is needed I try my best to wait for a rest area as it is much faster than getting off the highway and looking for a gas/food place. You’d be amazed how much time is lost to a light or stop sign, getting into parking lots etc.
Satellite radio, CD or hooking up an MP3/Cellphone will save you constantly changing stations. If you have Bluetooth, I like to take the time to reconnect with people I haven’t talked to in a while or call those few friends who seem to always want to talk for an hour. It breaks up the ride.
I used to travel at warp speed when I was younger, but now I find 75MPH on cruise is much easier as I don’t have to constantly scan for cops. Let’s face it, unless it is a workzone they will not waste any time on someone doing 75MPH on an interstate.
Bring some snacks like trail mix, Cliff bars etc. Avoid chips and junk food that will make you thirsty.
EZ-Pass is a life saver. South of DC to FL there should not be any tolls.
Make a quick note of your route, the major roads and direction, as your GPS will lose signal or freeze up in some tunnels and cities.
I try to run 3hrs between short (10-15min) breaks and 12-14hrs total travel time between actual sleep/overnight stops. More than 12-14hrs is dangerous IMHO.
Good luck!