driving from chgo 65 or 57?

[hearts8701]

we have drive at least 5 times a year depending on what time we leave that is how i pick a route of either 65 or 57 and o'course constuction we are leaving again on friday
but i was wondering which highway do u prefer & why?

 

[WDWLVR]

We prefer 57 simply because it is a nicer quieter drive than 65. We leave very early in the morning (like 4 am) and usually make it to Macon, GA by nightfall.

Once we get out of Chicago we really don't hit heavy traffic until Nashville which is nice.

 

[FINFAN]

57....no contest. I know technically it is more miles, but timewise/stress wise and dare I even say fuel wise I think better. The trucks on 65 stress me out and the stop/go is infuriating. There are many rest stops along 57 and while Il is on loooooooong state, once you hit the end then KY na TN are quick! Ga is loooooong again, but you'll have that no matter which you take of 57 or 65...Just watch for cops, it is easy to inch up in speed along 57..and they are out there.

 

[Alice Sr.]

We always take 65 because IL is soooo long but I agree the truck traffic on 65 is really annoying (my appologies to any truck drivers out there). What is the condition of 57 and is the limit 65 mph the whole way? I think 65 is 70 mph for part of the way isn't it?

Thanks,
Alice

 

[drinkme]

We've driven only twice to WDW from Chicago (twice was enough...lol). We drove 65 the first time and 57 the second time. We preferred 57. One reason was a snow storm we were driving home to. 57 was clear of snow and the salt trucks were out. Obviously we didn't take 65 home that night, but we heard on the news the next day of all of the accidents and fatalities on 65. Not sure how Indiana is on clearing their roads and salting them.

 

[HHSTigerFan]

We always take 57, but we also live south of 80 and west of 57, so taking 65 wouldn't save us any miles..

We usually leave around 2AM and will get to either Lake City or Gainesville by dinner..

 

[Gr8t Fan]

We prefer 57 too. It may be a few miles more, but it's a lot less stressful.

 

[cruisingkat]

We drive down to FL several times a year and have done both routes - we prefer taking 57 through IL to 24. The truck traffic on 65 is miserable and it actually takes us longer to go that route - even though IL has a lower speed limit than IN.
We live in the western burbs.

 

[kathie610]

can anyone recommend good safe stops/hotels along the way on Rt 57. Coming from Chicago and looking to take about 3 -4 days to drive down to Orlando.
Thanks for the help.

 

[FINFAN]

I can't help you too much as we only stop once, but we like the Comfort Inn $ Suites in Dalton GA, north of Marietta, and the LaQuinta in Valdosta, Ga. Both are easy on/off access to the highway, clean, free breakfast, near gas stations. Are you stopping to see various sights/locations? That may help with hotel info.

 

[cruisingkat]

can anyone recommend good safe stops/hotels along the way on Rt 57. Coming from Chicago and looking to take about 3 -4 days to drive down to Orlando.
Thanks for the help.

Unless you are leaving late at night, you should be out of IL and onto 24 before you need to stop for the night.
We do the drive in two days and hubby is the only driver - but we have no children. We leave around 9 or 10 am and make it south of Atlanta before 9pm Eastern time.

 

[JBurke]

We are driving from western suburbs the end of July. First time driving to WDW.
Debating on whether to take 65 or 57.
Every map website I try only gives me the 65 option.
Anyone know of site I can use to map my own route so i can chose 57?

 

[smiller]

We are driving from western suburbs the end of July. First time driving to WDW.
Debating on whether to take 65 or 57.
Every map website I try only gives me the 65 option.
Anyone know of site I can use to map my own route so i can chose 57?

I know on Google Maps you can drag the route line towards 57 and it will refigure your route with that highway. I do that a lot when researching directions and know I want to take a certain road.

 

[cruisingkat]

We are driving from western suburbs the end of July. First time driving to WDW.
Debating on whether to take 65 or 57.
Every map website I try only gives me the 65 option.
Anyone know of site I can use to map my own route so i can chose 57?

You really don't need a map - if you take 57 you just need to remember I57 to I24 to I75 to Florida Turnpike. You pick up I24 south of Marion and it is clearly marked. The 65 route takes you to I24 around Nashville, so you can use the rest of that map driving directions to get you past that point.
If you put in Urbana as your starting point on Mapquest, it will give you the 57 route. Or you can map out inserting I57 & I72 intersection in Champaign, IL (location B) as your first destination and adding Disney World (location C) as another destination where it says "add another location".

 

[WDWLVR]

We are driving from western suburbs the end of July. First time driving to WDW.
Debating on whether to take 65 or 57.
Every map website I try only gives me the 65 option.
Anyone know of site I can use to map my own route so i can chose 57?

Easiest way to do it is make Metropolis, IL either a "stop" or a "via". That will take you down 57.

 

[hearts8701]

i live in the O'hare area i take 294 south to 80 to 57
i don't turn on my GPS because it still tries turning me around to 65 until i'm pretty far south on 57

 

[sbgb]

For the people who have driven from Chicago since the start of construction season. Does everyone still think 57 is the better choice?

 

[maroman]

We drove in April this year and took I-65. I wish I would have thought about I-57 sooner. I couldn't stand being in that traffic from I-80 to I-65. I'm most certainly taking I-57 next time.

 

[smidgy]

with the construction on 290, lst trip we took 294 straight to 80 . avoid 290!

which ever way we take (and we vascillate from trip to trip), we like the 155 Briley parkway around nashville. a little longer, but avoids downtown, less stress (it does turn into a state route for a little while, with a couple stoplights, but so much better,IMO

 

[hearts8701]

i don't know why the last few trips traffic in nashville has been terrible it was faster when it was under construction!