There really isn't that much "city" driving. You'll have to go through Columbus, Richmond, and the outskirts of DC. I've been on the roads in PA, WV, and Maryland and they're not too bad.

Mostly Bethy, you'll need to plan accordingly. Don't plan to hit the Columbus, Richmond, or NoVA areas during rush hour (6-8AM, 4-6PM). Otherwise, the roads are easy and it's beautiful country. Hubby and I made it to Richmond when the weather wasn't so hot without a problem.

As for flying, the closest airport is Richmond or Norfolk which means you'd have to rent a car which is a whole new issue.

Like I said Bethy, you're welcome to take a side trip here and stay with us overnight. It's about 8 hours for you to come here and we're 4 hours from the beach. Plus, from our place to the beach, you skip most of the DC met. area. It was easy when we went to Richmond.