Any Chicago drivers getting read for the trip?

[HHSTigerFan]

We are now 100 days out, starting to think about the drive. We are picking up our daughter at school and driving straight through, spending 1 night at Regal Sun and then 11 nights at AKL.. Going to take 57/24/75..

 

[Funwith4kids]

Yes, but we are driving to Bloomington and flying this year.

We usually take 57, too, when we drive. If we leave right after school, we usually stay just outside of Nashville in Smyrna (7-8 hrs) so we are fresh when we arrive at WDW. However, in way back..straight through..........

 

[HHSTigerFan]

We always do the opposite, straight thru on the way down and two days on the way back.. We flew once, just hated it and hopefully never do that again, drove me nuts not being able to be flexible..

 

[hearts8701]

we drive from chicago o'hare area several times a year we were just there in feb.and planning our next drive in april we drive all the time we usually stop in canton GA. on the way down and straight thru on the way back for several years we took 57 and have now started taking 65 i don't know if its shorter but in my mind it seems like it is especially when i see the sign welcome to Illinois and i'm almost home when we take 57 and see the welcome to Illinois sign home is still 5 hours away

 

[PoohsFan1]

We always do the opposite, straight thru on the way down and two days on the way back

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We used to drive, and did it exactly like this, but now we always fly only because we would much rather spend 3 hours in a plane than 20+ hours in a car. I can understand about not liking to fly because of the whole schedule thing but we always get the first and last non-stop flights. This gives us a full day on either end to play and do whatever we want to.

 

[backyardponder]

I was thinking of driving for our trip in August, then Southwest fares went to $75 each way.

Since there are only the 2 of us, it is a lot cheaper to fly at that fare than drive.

 

[HHSTigerFan]

We tried 65 once, but since we live 10 minutes from I-57 in the far southern suburbs, just seems like more of a pain in the rear..

So we will leave around 3:30, this year we are trying something new and stop at a rest area near Salem (about 6:30), Il for a dinner we pack, this way the kids can play while we eat and then when we get back in the car they can eat their sandwiches.. Should be to Paducah before 9:00 and into Georgia by 1:00 AM est and if all goes well to Valdosta or Lake City for breakfast..

 

[PoohsFan1]

We tried 65 once, but since we live 10 minutes from I-57 in the far southern suburbs, just seems like more of a pain in the rear..

So we will leave around 3:30, this year we are trying something new and stop at a rest area near Salem (about 6:30), Il for a dinner we pack, this way the kids can play while we eat and then when we get back in the car they can eat their sandwiches.. Should be to Paducah before 9:00 and into Georgia by 1:00 AM est and if all goes well to Valdosta or Lake City for breakfast..

Just curious what town you are from because we live 10 minutes from I-57 in the far Southern Suburbs too

 

[HHSTigerFan]

We live in the country west of Peotone..

 

[spfldfan]

There is a rest area just past Rend Lake on 57 that is nice and right on the lake your kids might like. It is about 45 minuteslonger than Salem.

 

[HHSTigerFan]

Thank you very much, IF our kids can make it, might gun for that one...

 

[kathie610]

My daughter and I are planning this trip to Orlando in the next few weeks - driving from northwest suburbs of chicago. We are planning on doing this trip with two overnight stops to break up the driving more. Any suggestions on good stopping points? Looking for safe and easy highway access areas
Thanks for the help

 

[HHSTigerFan]

I have always thought of this has a long day/short day trip.. looking back at this thread, we have changed our plan, taking DD6 out of school the last day, so leaving at about 2AM and driving until dinner, should be into Florida.. have a hotel booked in Lake City next Friday night, see what happens..

Personally, 3 days down there would drive me crazy..

 

[JBurke]

We are headed to WDW at the end of July. This will be our first road trip there. Leaving from western suburbs.
Debating whether to take 57 or 65.
Every map I order only gives me the 65 option.
Which way do people prefer?

 

[FINFAN]

We are headed to WDW at the end of July. This will be our first road trip there. Leaving from western suburbs.
Debating whether to take 57 or 65.
Every map I order only gives me the 65 option.
Which way do people prefer?

We prefer 57, hands down...especially in the winter months. The trucks on 65, more stress than I can handle.

 

[cruisingkat]

We drive to and from FL several times a year. We have taken both 65 through IN (our Nuvi recommended route) and 57 through IL (family member recommended).
It actually takes a much shorter time to do 57 through IL - much less truck traffic.
We usually leave between 9 and 10 in the morning (Chicago time) and make it south of Atlanta around 9pm Atlanta time. We stop in McDonough, GA.
On the way home, we make it just northwest of Chattanooga - Kimball, TN - as we usually leave Disney around between 11 and noon.

 

[kathie610]

Taking 57/24/75 from Chicago - are there areas in this route that are difficult? Also - how is the drive through the mountains. Any areas that are confusing and/or not clearly marked? Thanks so much everyone for your help!

 

[FINFAN]

The mountains are fine, no perilous cliff hanger sides like in the movies...but there are signs to be aware of falling rock, and we have never witnessed it in 30 years of driving ( since I was a kid) but we do like to get thru the mountains ahead of nightfall, by dusk is the latest I like to do it, so if traveling in summer that gives you a later start. winter, not so much. To me,the most stressful part of thatroute is the Nashville area, not a lot of time for merging etc., it just always makes me nervous, but you will do fine, DH always does, I just make him drive that portion!

 

[mdsouth]

My daughter and I are planning this trip to Orlando in the next few weeks - driving from northwest suburbs of chicago. We are planning on doing this trip with two overnight stops to break up the driving more. Any suggestions on good stopping points? Looking for safe and easy highway access areas
Thanks for the help

Marietta, Georgia, just north of Atlanta, is a good area to stop. There are lots of chain hotels and restaurants there, right off the interstate. It also has outlet shopping malls. We typically leave on a Friday or Saturday so we stay in Marietta and then get up early the next day and cruise right through Atlanta. The traffic is very low on a Saturday or Sunday.

Taking 57/24/75 from Chicago - are there areas in this route that are difficult? Also - how is the drive through the mountains. Any areas that are confusing and/or not clearly marked? Thanks so much everyone for your help!

[/I]

I would have to agree with a previous poster that the mountains are not bad. As the previous poster stated, it is best to travel through the mountains during the daylight hours. Chattanooga, TN is a bit confusing the first time through since the interstate splits and there are others merging there. The split is near the Lookout Mountain turnoff. So just watch for those and the interstate signs.

 

[cruisingkat]

I would have to agree with a previous poster that the mountains are not bad. As the previous poster stated, it is best to travel through the mountains during the daylight hours. Chattanooga, TN is a bit confusing the first time through since the interstate splits and there are others merging there. The split is near the Lookout Mountain turnoff. So just watch for those and the interstate signs.

Even worse than Chattanooga is 24 through Nashville - that to us is the worst part of the drive. 3 or 4 interstates merge and de-merge there and you have to keep switching from left lane to right lane to stay on I24. After that any other interstate merger is a piece of cake! If you have a GPS, make sure that you listen to the and then keep left or then keep right. If you don't have a GPS, stay in the middle lane so that you can follow 24 a little easier when you have to go left or right.
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