Best route for Orlando to Goshen

[tmmar]

I will be in Disney World with my family and will be heading to the FROG International Rally in Goshen from there. Has anyone made that trip and if so, what is the best route?
Thanks.

[conceptumator]

We live in Orlando and have family in Nashville, so we've driven part of this route many, many times. In fact, we're driving it tomorrow in the car to pick up our grandsons for a couple of weeks with us.

I checked the maps and it looks like the best way to get where you're going is I65, which you can hit in Nashville. That in mind, here's what I would suggest since you're leaving from Disney:

1. Get to the Florida turnpike and head north; make sure you have quarters for toll money as some of the booths may be unattended. Believe me, it's worth the cost to stay off of I4!

2. The turnpike will end into I75 just north of Orlando. Stay on I75 until you get to Chattanooga. Depending on the time of day, you may want to take the loop around Atlanta or you may opt to drive straight through town. I've done both in our RV with toad and without any issues. Both ways are quite a bit of traffic, but the loop around town is a bit easier to drive, just a little bit farther. Just follow the signs that point you to Chattanooga or Nashville.

3. When you get to Chattanooga, you want to get on to I24 North and follow it to Nashville.

4. In Nashville, you'll want to follow the signs to I65 North, then on to the north lands.

Good luck - drive safe. The fools on I75 can be total idiots, so set your speed and keep to the right side. If you have problems, get as far off the roadway as possible. For some reason, it seems like every time someone pulls off on the shoulder on I75, some moron comes along and plows into them full throttle.

[Phil57]

Tom that's the way we go also. From Indy we will take 31 N but it's risky as the construction has been going on for a couple of years. I'm not sure if it's done yet. Maybe someone will know. If it's done it's a pleasant drive with a mix of freeway and divided highway.

[Paulie Boy]

Just last month we drove from Lexington KY to Elkhart FR plant. We took 75 to just south of Cincinnati, took the bypass to 65 to Indy where we picked up 31. The construction was ongoing but no delays. 31 was fine, a little bumpy at times but fine.
Safe travels!

[Phil57]

Good to know. They are making 31 from Indy a great way to save miles and time getting to the South Bend area. The bi pass around Kokomo is great.

[Maggiewaggie]

The 3rd week in June the intersection of US 31 and I-465 on the N side of Indy was a mess and lasted for abt 4 miles going north. 31 is a bit rough but I have been on worse. There is some construction in Louisville, check KYDOT. Lots of flooding up here.

[mcjohnson74]

The way noted in one of the earlier threads, using I24 from Chattanooga to Nashville, is the way I have gone in the past. However... there is a lot of construction on I24 & I65 in multiple places. Family members took that route within the past month and all experienced multiple slow downs and delays.

Based on their experience I took I75 north all the way to Cincinnati. It is about 50 miles further, but there was virtually no construction and another plus is there are fewer mountains to go over this way.


I grew up about 30 miles from Goshen and here is the route I would take from Cincinnati to Goshen...

Take I74 to 465 in Indianapolis. Then take that north to US 31 north. There will be some construction on 31 for about 10 miles, but nothing that should slow you down too much.

Following US 31 north take it to US 6 and then head east to State Road 15 (a very good road). Take 15 north right into Goshen.

There are a few slightly shorter routes, but this will be the quickest.

[tmmar]

I wanted to thank everyone for the route suggestions. I have given the info to my navigator and she compiling it and mapping our route as we speak!

[NV245]

When getting to the North side of Indy you may want to exit off I465 to Keystone parkway to get to 31 North. Fewer stoplights. Just get to the left 2 lanes. Safe travels.


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[tmmar]

NV.
Can I go on Keystone Parkway with my 40' Berkshire? Around here in New York, I can't go on any parkways due to the very low overpasses.
Thanks,
Tom

[Ronsc]

Does anyone know many mountains are there going from Atlanta, through Nashville to Goshen, using 75, 24 and 65, verses going up 75 through Cincy ?

[purduepete97]

Originally Posted by tmmar

NV.
Can I go on Keystone Parkway with my 40' Berkshire? Around here in New York, I can't go on any parkways due to the very low overpasses.
Thanks,
Tom

You'll be fine. Keystone is actually Keystone Avenue and has no clearance issues. It curves into 31 a few miles north of 465 and saves you from a bit of the construction and lights.

[F.R.O.G.]

Originally Posted by Ronsc

Does anyone know many mountains are there going from Atlanta, through Nashville to Goshen, using 75, 24 and 65, verses going up 75 through Cincy ?

Once you get to Chattanooga on 75, if you take 24 west toward Nashville the only really significant mountain is Monteagle (Mount Eagle), about 4-5 miles of 6% grade up and down. You'll hit much more significant grades taking 75 north out of Chattanooga and again near the KY/TN line north of Knoxville (Jellico Hill).

[NV245]

Originally Posted by tmmar

NV.
Can I go on Keystone Parkway with my 40' Berkshire? Around here in New York, I can't go on any parkways due to the very low overpasses.
Thanks,
Tom

Tom, purduepete has it right, Keystone has had the stoplights removed by having traffic roundabouts put overhead. Clearance is not a problem, stop and go is minimized if you are passing through. After exiting from 465, just get to the left two lanes, the right lanes become exits until finally merging to one lane to join 31. There has been major construction in the Westfield area and has been in the "finishing up" stage, and I haven't been in the area in 2 weeks, or I would go check the progress. Safe travels and enjoy the rally.


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[Reb Kitt]

We live north of Atlanta and in my opinion, you don't want to take I75 through Atlanta. The traffic is bad almost any time of the day. The lanes are not as wide going through Atlanta because through tractor trailers are not allowed. If you are not familiar with going through down town, picking the proper lane to stay on I75 can cause problems. Traffic is bad almost 24 hours a day through Atlanta

Take I285 North on the west side of Atlanta. The best times to avoid Atlanta Traffic are any time from 8:00PM through 6:00AM, from 10:30AM through 11:00AM and 2:30PM through 3:00PM. I commuted through Atlanta Traffic for 20 years and speak from experience.

[tmmar]

Reb,
Thanks for the heads up on I285.
Tom

[conceptumator]

Tamar: Normally I would agree with Reb Kitt about the west 285 loop but check for construction. We were through there last Saturday on our way to Nashville and took 285. There were multiple areas where two or more lanes were closed down - a real mess! Thank goodness we were in the wife's Explorer and not the RV. At 1:00 PM on a Saturday afternoon, it took us 3-1/2 hours to get through Atlanta. Bumper to bumper and creeping all the way. Not sure how long it will last, but worth checking. We'll be through there again next Wednesday to take the grandsons home and I'm thinking I may check out 75 instead of the loop.

[tmmar]

conceptumator,
If you could, please let me know how it goes next Wednesday.
Thanks,
Tom

[conceptumator]

Will do. Our biggest issue last week was when they closed down a four lane portion to only two lanes. Even coming in on 75 at McDonough we had issues, too, though. At one point I had a wide load truck sitting next to me and kept playing tag in the stop and go traffic. Had the GPS route us around it and come back in, so off we go on a merry jaunt through the countryside for a few miles (along with everyone else who did the same thing). When we climbed back on 75, I looked in the rear view mirror and merged into traffic..........right in front of the same truck! Could have just been an off day, but it was really terrible!

[BamaBob]

My only comment is a potential re-route suggestion (this is the way we go from Huntsville, AL to GA):

Take I75 to I285W then I20W to I65N (In Brimingham)

Yes, there is construction in Birmingham but avoiding the traffic in/around Atlanta will be worth it!

Also, I24 to Nashville is under a lot of construction. It's going to be bad enough going through Nashville (sorry!) why add to the aggrivation.

I65-I40 is pretty open now that the bridge work has been completed.

Here is the TDOT interactive map - if you bookmark it on a portable device you can check conditions out in real time:

https://smartway.tn.gov/traffic
=================

Following is based on our I65 travel 3 weeks ago:

From @ Mammouth Cave to Elizabethtown, KY there is a lot of construction & sections of I65 where there are split lanes. MAKE SURE you take the 2 lane section or you will be driving several miles in a one lane concrete canyon.

Louisville is a mess, so try to go through it when traffic is low

Kentucky 511 Travel Information

There are sections of I65 in IN under construction and delays are possible.

Indiana Traveler Information

Once you get to Indianapolis, you may want to consider this route to Goshen (it was suggested to us by S&H Campground, where we are staying enroute):

https://www.google.com/maps/place/S+...104d51b59a671f

Drive safe and we'll see you in Goshen!