Driving from Chicago to Orlando - Where to stop for overnight?

[DVCKennyD]

Just curious.. Why???

To be honest with you, I really think it dates back to my college days and my memories associated with the 5+ hour rides down I57 to Carbondale ... Great times at school, but man did I hate that ride

Seriously, it appears, to me at least, that the I57 route appears to be a bit longer mileage wise as well as taking the driver a little to far Westward before heading East.

Ken

 

[MrMarv]

I'd also make it a point to spend the night south of Atlanta on the way down.

For the trip home, it depends on what time you'd leave Orlando, but I'd also shoot for anywhere north of Atlanta, with Chattanooga or Nashville in mind.

 

[JonS99]

We live in Kankakee County, so we can be on 57 in just a few minutes, for us to get to 65 we need to take two lane highways for 60 miles and that seems to cancel out any extra miles.. We have taken that route once, but we got nailed in a winter storm so couldn't make a comparison, thought about doing it again for a little variety, but not if its going to take us extra time..

 

[yooperfan]

Wednesday is your best day!

We're expecting snow on Tuesday and a storm on Thursday!

http://www.weatherunderground.com/US/IL/Chicago-O'Hare_International.html

Thanks for taking the time to let me know. I've been losing it since the weather reports for our area started getting nasty. I was already freaked about the 35 min. layover. Not much time to get from our small plane to the Orlando flight. Just printed our boarding passes and we're supposed to start boarding 5 min. after our first plane lands. Yeh, right! Okay, positive thinking and pixie dust!

 

[DVCKennyD]

We live in Kankakee County, so we can be on 57 in just a few minutes, for us to get to 65 we need to take two lane highways for 60 miles and that seems to cancel out any extra miles.. We have taken that route once, but we got nailed in a winter storm so couldn't make a comparison, thought about doing it again for a little variety, but not if its going to take us extra time..

Jon,

That makes perfect sense to me In your shoes, I would definitely take the I57 route.

I am literally five minutes from I80 so we just head out on I80 to 65 etc...

Ken

 

[JonS99]

Anyone driven these routes lately and have road construction reports?

 

[TyRy]

We're driving from Milwaukee area this year. We are thinking of leaving about4:30 PM on Thursday before Easter and driving as far as we can before stopping. Hoping we won't run into a ton of Chicago traffic as we are heading into the city. Is this wishful thinking? We haven't driven in about 6 yrs. DH thinks we can drive straight through. I think he's nuts! I'm sure we'll end of stopping for a few hours of sleep south of Chatanooga and hit the road again early the next morning.

Just wondering... when you leave at 3AM--are you able to sleep before you leave? I think I would be too hyped up.

I drive Chicago traffic everyday and I think you'll probably hit traffic. People will be travelling for a long Easter weekend, and some of the expressways could get pretty backed up. What route were you going to take?

 

[MarthaJr.]

We'll be taking the I-90 through Chicago towards Indiana and then the
I65/I24/I75 route. (This is recommended route per mapquest) Any other suggestions???

 

[BCV23]

Jon,

That makes perfect sense to me In your shoes, I would definitely take the I57 route.

I am literally five minutes from I80 so we just head out on I80 to 65 etc...

Ken

We've only driven twice...actually the second time I drove solo. Anyway, 57 is a bit longer but easier and almost certainly faster. That's the route I used on my solo drive. You miss those possible delays around Gary as well as Indianapolis. I tried mapquest before my drive and it recommended the 65 route some years back but the last I checked it switched to 57 also. We're in the Western burbs so now would just head down 355 to 80 to 57.

On my drive back from WDW, I stopped at a Country Inn and Suites in Dalton. Very clean, careful about giving keys to a woman traveling alone and interior corridors. Exterior ones give me the creeps!

 

[BCV23]

We'll be taking the I-90 through Chicago towards Indiana and then the
I65/I24/I75 route. (This is recommended route per mapquest) Any other suggestions???

I'd take 57 instead of 65.

 

[MrMarv]

It's approximately 780 miles from Kankakee to Macon via Mt. Vernon, Louisville & Nashville, and another 350+ miles from Macon to WDW.

But I'd try very hard not to spend the night north of Atlanta when heading southbound, as others have said.

 

[preschoolmom]

I'd take 57 instead of 65.

57 to where? I'm not seeing a place where it merges back up?

 

[SuziQZee]

We've driven down to WDW from the Elgin area for the last 3 years and counting. We leave on a Sat and get there Sun afternoon so we really don't have to worry too much about rush-hour traffic. As long as we get to Atlanta, either right before or right after, we're good. Honestly, we really enjoy staying at the County Inn and Suites and depending on where we are, we stop so we can stay there. They are always clean. They have a great continental breakfast, which has a lot more than cereal and toast. It also saves us a lot of time from having to make another stop. We allow $100 for each hotel room on the road and we feel this is a good value at these hotels. (anything less and you never know what you're gonna get)

 

[DVCKennyD]

57 to where? I'm not seeing a place where it merges back up?

Hello,

I have never taken this route myself as I prefer the I65 route, but if you follow I57 down through Illinois, you can hook up with I24 and head into Kentucky. Continue on I24 through Nashville and down to Georgia where you tie into I75.

Ken

 

[preschoolmom]

We're planning the 65/24/75 route...

Now, I'm most concerned about 65 - and snow! Let's hope it is clear next Wednesday!

 

[julezdisney]

We're driving from Rockford-area-ish and I'm wondering how the trek is. Anyone?

 

[Nicole721]

We're driving from Rockford-area-ish and I'm wondering how the trek is. Anyone?

We drove to Disney from just north of Chicago in mid- August.

We left around 12:30 am and hit Atlanta around 3:30 (Atlanta time). We stayed at the Intercontinental in Buckhead (we got it off Priceline for around $80/night...very nice hotel). We did the remaining eight hours the next day (we stopped at Lane Peach Farm along the way on the way to and from Florida for some fresh peaches, fresh pecans, and some ice cream). The first day's driving went by much quicker than the second day.

We stayed at the Intercontinental again on the way home (we've driven to Florida many times and the 12 hours from ATL to home go by so much quicker than the 8 hours from FL to ATL)...maybe because there's more scenery). On the way home from WDW, we left the Grand Floridian around 9 am and were back in Atlanta around 6:00 pm (lots of construction was going on in Atlanta...plus another stop at the peach farm). We settled into the hotel, went to Maggianos for dinner, grabbed snacks from Publix. We left the next morning around 7:30 (Atlanta time) and were into Tennessee by noon. We got home around 6:00 pm (Chicago time).

 

[crazydad]

I am planning on heading out around 5-6pm after the kids trick or treat. Our goal is to drive straight through. My question is on a route. Google maps and mapquest suggest to take 80-65-24-75. Some friends have said to get to SR41 in Indiania and get to I65 then to I24 to I75. While I have others have said to take I-57 and take I24 east to I75. Any current opinions and reasons for one over the other?