Best route to take to Florida

[tlaugh]

I'm leaving Illinois for Florida in the morning. I hate going through Atlanta on 75 so I plan on taking 24 at Nashville. My first stop is at Texas T campground at Cornersville, TN. From there I get confused on which way to go. I see I can take a route south all the way down to 10 and then over to 75. Another shows taking 20 over to Atlanta (which I'm trying to avoid). Can someone advise the best route to take to avoid traffic and other congested areas. I'm planning on making my second stop at Jennings, FL at the KOA. Thanks in advance, TJ

[CAT-RN]

Nashville to Birmingham to Jennings bypasses Atlanta. Probably 25 mile farther. Roads are better thru Atlanta

Russell

[formerFR]

go DIRECTLY to I75 via Chattanooga, and don't 'avoid' Atlanta, just try to go thru between 10am and 2pm, or anytime on the weekends, and stay in the HOV lane the WHOLE WAY THRU... you'll never have to stop or turn or exit all the way to Florida : )

Thousands of us do this same route every week : )

[rsdata]

I-75 to I-285 west around Atlanta proper, then rejoin 75 south of the city...

adds 6 miles I think according to google maps

did this about a month ago...

a nice stop over is the rest area one mile north of the Macon, Ga I-475 cutoff... it has a dedicated RV area away from trucks which is about an hour drive from Atlanta

[Teetime]

Originally Posted by formerFR

go DIRECTLY to I75 via Chattanooga, and don't 'avoid' Atlanta, just try to go thru between 10am and 2pm, or anytime on the weekends, and stay in the HOV lane the WHOLE WAY THRU... you'll never have to stop or turn or exit all the way to Florida : )

Thousands of us do this same route every week : )

6 A.M. on a Sunday morning is the best. It's almost as bad as I580 around Oakland and the Bay area.

Seriously, I take my time and watch all the license plates go by. With an RV, no one expects you to keep up with the hot rods. Letting traffic go by gives you opportunities to change lanes and follow your route.

Enjoy the drive and be safe.

[SailorSam20500]

Last March, I made the trip down from Michigan. I also wanted to avoid Atlanta - easy times didn't fit my schedule. This is how I avoided Atlanta - roads were very good, had to go thru 3 smaller towns but had no issues in them. Much of the ride was 65 mph on 4 lane divided roads (2 lanes each way). Often, there wasn't another car a block ahead or behind me - very light traffic.
I-75 to 140 near Adairsville (spent the night at Harvest Moon RV park). 140 to Hwy 153 thru Rome. Pick up 411/US 27. US 27 to I-185 just past LaGrange. I-185 to US 280 just past Columbus. US 280 to GA 520 in Richland. 520 to US 82 in Dawson. US 82 to I-75 at Tifton.

FWIW, for the last section, I took US 82 to US 19 to GA 133, GA 33, GA 37 because I wanted to spend the night at Reed Bingham State Park which was a nice spot. GA 37 was the only section of road that wasn't extremely good, just ok. Reed Bingham was about 300 miles from Harvest Moon, which is my daily distance.

If I head for Florida again, I will take this same route. Bottom line it is a relaxed, easy route. The towns I hit were all mid-day and easily transited.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by formerFR

go DIRECTLY to I75 via Chattanooga, and don't 'avoid' Atlanta, just try to go thru between 10am and 2pm, or anytime on the weekends, and stay in the HOV lane the WHOLE WAY THRU... you'll never have to stop or turn or exit all the way to Florida : )

Thousands of us do this same route every week : )

Just did that yesterday. Left Nashville at 11am central time and got to Gainesville, FL at midnight eastern time. Spent the night at Bass Pro Shops. 620 miles took 12 hours!

[007matman]

C'mon down Y'all . We don't bite here in the ATL. Agree with the advise about rolling through during rush hour. Best to avoid us then.

Otherwise, you shouldn't have issues.

[packrat48]

I prefer staying on I75 thru Atlanta don't like the by pass. Sunday is best if not middle of day during the week. Will be making my way down I75 around middle pf Jan.

[k9jkfham]

Never a good time through Atlanta with all the construction. I always use I 65 south from Nashville to Montgomery Alabama, then US 231 South to I 10 to I75 then south on I 75. Or you can take I 65 S to Montgomery the US 231 S to US 82 east to Tifton, GA and then south.

Last week we were not in any hurray so we took I 75 S from Chattanooga to Adairsville, GA, then West on Hwy 140 to Hwy 53 S to US 27 and followed US 27 s to ALT 27 and worked our way back to Tifton and then south on I 75. Nice easy very good roads.

Everybody has their best favorite road. I just get tried of seeing the backs of semis and we are not in a hurray most of the time.,

[Spaceace]

If you on I-75, I would recommend that you have the Along I-75 book by Dave Hunter.

It is not camping specific but has logs of great info. Makes the ride more enjoyable and easy to plan ahead for stops (gas, food, rest, etc...)

Check it out !

[dalford]

Originally Posted by formerFR

go DIRECTLY to I75 via Chattanooga, and don't 'avoid' Atlanta, just try to go thru between 10am and 2pm, or anytime on the weekends, and stay in the HOV lane the WHOLE WAY THRU... you'll never have to stop or turn or exit all the way to Florida : )

Thousands of us do this same route every week : )

What ^^ said... I pull my 37’ 5th wheel thru all the time.. HOV lane, 10am-2pm. You will have no problem unless someone does something stupid but that can happen anywhere on the interstate system... safe travels and welcome to Florida!

[gmann32]

We take 69 to 65 south of Indy and 65 all the way to Montgomery and then 231 to 10 to 75 south! Little traffic in Louisville and kind of heavy thru Nashville! Don’t like 75 until we hit it in Florida!

[FLBrutus]

We took 27 out of Tallahassee last fall when heading north for Christmas. We jumped on I185/ 85 until Peachtree City, then back on 27 to Chattanooga. 4 lane most of the way, and hardly anyone else on the road! Enjoyed the scenery, too! You could reverse the route, and don't be afraid of coastal 98 if you are going further south.

[aceinspp]

Yep just timing your arrival into Atlanta makes all the difference. As mentioned best times during week are 10am till 2pm and then on weekends is pretty good. And yep there are idiots out there no matter what city you travel though and it will screw up traffic. Just drive safe take your time and don't try to keep up with traffic as I see some do. No need to be in a hurry towing. Later RJD

[RudysWorld]

Originally Posted by gmann55

We take 69 to 65 south of Indy and 65 all the way to Montgomery and then 231 to 10 to 75 south! Little traffic in Louisville and kind of heavy thru Nashville! Don’t like 75 until we hit it in Florida!

This is the way I go. South of Montgomery mostly is 4 lane divided but you do go through towns. I have been through Atlanta on I20, I75 and taken the 285 bypass all are bad at best, IMHO. Good Luck!

[jimmiejim]

Birmingham take I 20 to Pell City 231 to 280 hit 82 to Tiftin Ga. Great rout 4 lane My way to Fl.


Jim

[bzac1954]

Originally Posted by tlaugh

I'm leaving Illinois for Florida in the morning. I hate going through Atlanta on 75 so I plan on taking 24 at Nashville. My first stop is at Texas T campground at Cornersville, TN. From there I get confused on which way to go. I see I can take a route south all the way down to 10 and then over to 75. Another shows taking 20 over to Atlanta (which I'm trying to avoid). Can someone advise the best route to take to avoid traffic and other congested areas. I'm planning on making my second stop at Jennings, FL at the KOA. Thanks in advance, TJ

I am a believer in using U.S. routes and staying off the Interstates unless of course they are one in the same or you are in a hurry to get to or get back from your destination. U.S. highway system is a much less traveled route and many are divided thus avoiding having to pass or be passed.

[oldsmasma]

Whenever we've travelled to Florida we've crossed the border at Windsor and headed due south. We've never understood the "fear" of Atlanta. We have been in far worse traffic in Cincinnati. Safe travels.

[No-Fish]

A couple of yrs ago it took me 3 hrs to get thru Atlanta, We planning on another trip to Orlando Fl, this Dec, I live in Memphis , Ive been on 22, 20, 285 to 75. This yr I'm heading south quicker, hwy 72 to I65
to Montgomery Al, pickup 231 south, down to I10 then east to I75..All 4 lane hwy, plus small towns ( I'll be driving mostly at night) shut down for the after I get on I10. I do agree its not too bad during the day around 11am to 3pm going thru Atlanta, we try to do it going to Myrtle Beach and back home

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