Use this easy OBX to Pittsburgh route and stop taking the overcrowded highways to get from the OBX to Pittsburgh. We’ve taken this route over and over – it’s easy, scenic, and adds another bit of adventure before you totally kiss vacation goodbye.
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Everything Is Good Until It’s Time To Drive Your Old OBX To Pittsburgh Route
If you’re an OBX fanatic like me, driving back and forth to the Outer Banks each year, you’ll understand the longing for a drive that mirrors the fun, carefree spirit of your vacation, minus the traffic-packed highways. Fear not, I’ve got you covered!
After a few years of following the typical Google-mapped routes for the OBX to Pittsburgh route, I needed a change, especially one year when I had to evacuate due to severe coastal flooding and storms.
My aversion to crowded highways led me to discover a gem of a route for traveling from the OBX to Pittsburgh, which has since become my go-to.
Though this OBX to Pittsburgh route includes brief stints on highways for efficient transitions, it primarily winds through back roads and less-traveled paths, offering a serene, picturesque journey.
I hope this drive lets your time in the car be as relaxing and uncomplicated (packing up aside!) as your vacation. Consider this your premium OBX to Pittsburgh route – from a Pittsburgh local to my fellow OBX travelers!
Discovering the Road Less Traveled: 1 Easy OBX to Pittsburgh Route
There’s something inherently adventurous about charting a course through the less-trodden paths of our vast country. The travel I’m sharing with you today is more than just a means to get from OBX to Pittsburgh; it’s a journey through the heart of scenic beauty and local culture, offering a delightful respite from the often frenetic pace of highway travel. ( I really consider this my own secret OBX to Pittsburgh Route, it is the road less traveled and less congested)
For those of you who find joy in the journey itself, who revel in the allure of back roads, this route is a true gem. It’s a chance to immerse yourself in the landscapes and stories of the places you pass through, a way to connect more deeply with the spirit of travel.
I’ll also share that the highways on the way home during the summer are crowded, miserable, and a brake-light festival and once I am in motion to get home, I just want to drive, not stop.
I took into consideration the typical Outer Banks to Pittsburgh travel, weighing out the timing of slower-than-normal highway travel when during peak summer trips, and then I decided that the OBX to Pittsburgh route was far more efficient. It is backgrounds sometimes one-lane with passing privileges but I was always moving and that was NOT the case on the highways.
Outer Banks To Pittsburgh: Old School Map Reading Skills
Navigating this path requires a bit of old-school charm – a comfort with map reading and following road signs. It’s a throwback to the days of road atlas adventures, where half the fun is in charting your course. But don’t worry if you’re not a seasoned map enthusiast.
Modern technology comes to the rescue! I highly recommend using a GPS navigation system, with this route as your framework. It offers the perfect blend of guidance and flexibility, allowing you to explore with confidence and peace of mind.
Each segment of this journey is meticulously described to provide you with a clear understanding of what to expect and the sights you won’t want to miss.
From the rolling dunes of the Outer Banks to the lush landscapes of West Virginia, this route is speckled with unique scenic vistas and charming towns – snapshots of Americana waiting to be discovered and cherished.
Whether you’re a veteran road tripper or a curious explorer, this route from OBX to Pittsburgh promises to add an extra layer of excitement and discovery to your travels. Happy driving!
Ready? OBX to Pittsburgh Route
Pack up the car, make sure you have coffee in hand, and hope that the kids pass out for the ride home and drive, baby drive! This is the time for you and your partner to enjoy the scenery and a more relaxed drive.
The goal of this OBX to Pittsburgh route is to stay off the highways, keep moving, and have a hassle-free trip home while using backroads, and less traveled paths and save yourself the headaches of those braking drivers on the highway.
2.5 Hours On The First Leg Of the OBX to Pittsburgh Route
This stretch offers a mix of coastal scenery and rural North Carolina landscapes, perfect for easing out of your beach mindset.
Overview: Leave Corolla on US-158 W, then connect with US-64 W.
1. Corolla to Rocky Mount, NC
- Distance: About 140 miles
- Journey Time: Approximately 2.5 hours
- Scenic Highlight: Coastal plains transitioning to inland North Carolina
- Route:
- Start on NC-12 S through the Outer Banks.
- Transition onto US-158 W towards Powells Point.
- Continue on US-158 W through Barco, Coinjock, and Sligo.
- In Camden, take a slight right onto US-158 W/US-17 S, following signs for Elizabeth City.
- In Elizabeth City, continue to follow US-17 S/US-158 W.
- Take the US-17 S exit toward Edenton and continue on US-17 S.
- In Edenton, turn left onto US-17 BR S/E Queen St.
- Continue to follow US-17 S.
- In Williamston, take the US-64 W ramp to Rocky Mount.
- Merge onto US-64 W and continue to Rocky Mount.
Virginia Countryside Eases Your Drive: The OBX To Pittsburgh Route
You will travel through peaceful rural areas and charming small towns of Virginia, a testament to the serene beauty of this state.
2. Rocky Mount to Roanoke, VA
- Distance: Around 170 miles
- Journey Time: About 3 hours
- Scenic Highlight: Virginia countryside
- From Rocky Mount, head northwest on US-64 W toward Nashville and Spring Hope.
- Continue on US-64 W, passing through Zebulon and Knightdale.
- Take the exit onto I-87/US-64 W toward Raleigh/Durham.
- Near Raleigh, merge onto I-440 W/US-1 N.
- Take exit 16 to merge onto I-40 W toward Durham.
- Near Greensboro, take exit 131 to merge onto I-85 N/US-29 N/US-70 W.
- Continue on US-29 N past Reidsville and into Virginia.
- In Danville, continue on US-29 N/US-58 W.
- Near Chatham, take the US-29 N exit toward Lynchburg.
- Continue on US-29 N to Altavista and then to Lynchburg.
- In Lynchburg, take the US-460 W/US-501 N ramp to Roanoke.
- Continue on US-460 W to Roanoke.
Appalachian Landscapes Keep You Moving On the OBX To Pittsburgh Route
Transitioning from I-81 N to US-219 N, this leg introduces you to the majestic Appalachian Mountains and the untamed nature of West Virginia.
3. Roanoke to Morgantown, WV
- Distance: Approximately 200 miles
- Journey Time: Around 3.5 hours
- Scenic Highlight: Appalachian landscapes
Route:
- In Roanoke, take I-581 N/US-220 N to I-81 N.
- Follow I-81 N toward Salem and Christiansburg.
- Near Cloverdale, take exit 150B to merge onto US-220 N toward Daleville.
- Continue on US-220 N to Fincastle and then to Eagle Rock.
- In Clifton Forge, take the I-64 W/US-60 W exit.
- Follow I-64 W to US-60 W in Crawley, WV.
- Take exit 156 from I-64 W onto US-60 W.
- In Rainelle, turn left onto US-19 N.
- Follow US-19 N to Summersville, then take the WV-55 W ramp.
- Continue on WV-55 W/WV-39 W.
- Turn right onto US-19 N toward Sutton.
- Near Flatwoods, merge onto I-79 N toward Clarksburg.
- Continue on I-79 N to Morgantown, WV.
Yeah! Your OBX to Pittsburgh Trip Is Almost Done!
Finally, I-79 N brings you home. This part of the drive, with its rolling hills and lush landscapes, serves as a gentle re-introduction to urban life.
4. Morgantown to Pittsburgh, PA
- Distance: About 75 miles
- Journey Time: Approximately 1.5 hours
- Scenic Highlight: Rolling hills of Northern West Virginia and Southern Pennsylvania
- Route:
- From Morgantown, continue on I-79 N toward Washington, PA.
- Cross into Pennsylvania and continue on I-79 N.
- Near Bridgeville, take the exit onto I-376 E toward Pittsburgh.
- Follow I-376 E into downtown Pittsburgh.
You Did It! You Completed The Outer Banks To Pittsburgh Route
There’s indeed nothing like going away, but there is also nothing like coming home. Your total journey time on this route is roughly 10 1/2 hours – 12 hours depending on traffic and your driving skills and you’ll cover 585 miles.
What you will find using this route of backroads, the gorgeous landscape is a beautiful blend of efficiency and scenic wonder, and some small towns you would otherwise never have seen.
Always check your road conditions, stay buckled, don’t text and drive, and enjoy your trip back home on the OBX to Pittsburgh route.
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