Driving from Detroit area...any tips?

[MaggieMollyMom]

Does anyone have any tips....where is a good point to stop for the night (about 2/3 of the way there), any good places to eat etc. I've heard to avoid Atlanta traffic at all cost....so we will try to either stop just before and leave again really early, or go past at a non-super-busy time! any advice?

 

[Poohs Pal]

I am a big fan of Dave Hunters book "Along I75. Can be purchased on line or any book store. When going thru Atlanta i always avoid the bypass and just drive the HOV lane. Normally when driving with DD or Dsis we like to drive to Perry Ga or Tifton the first day. We start out about 4am. Have also stopped in Dalton Ga. When you decide on an area you plan to stop for the night stop at one of the larger rest stops close by and pick up the flyers with discount coupon books for hotel stays. We always stop and get out of the car for meals. We seem to actually be able to drive futher if we get out and take at least 30 minutes to just relax. If we have Dniece and her girls we will stop somewhere that has a play place and let them play and have lunch. Usually give them anywhere from 45-60 minutes to unwind. Susan

 

[Macprincess]

I live in FL but just drove up to Michigan and back last week. I also avoid the Atlanta bypass & use the HOV lane but try to make sure we drive through between 11am-3 or after 9 pm. Atlanta traffic is the worst if you get stuck. I try to avoid Friday afternoons/evenings and the day before or last day of a Holiday/Holiday weekend if you can avoid it. This trip I was the only driver so we did it over two days. When we have two drives we often drive straight through.

We hit minor traffic between KY and Knoxville (about a 10 min delay both ways) as the road is down to one lane on each side right now. I have heard that this area can get bad but really we didn't find it too bad. The road was damaged and being rebuilt so I would assume this might take a while so I would expect this delay if your going soon.

The only other issue we had was going south on 75 out of Detroit with all the detours but I would assume being from the area you would know how to avoid that.

If it helps at all we left Houghton Lake, MI area around noon on a Sunday and made it to Florance, KY around 6:30pm. With one stop only for gas. We made it from KY to the Sarasota, FL area in 16 hours the next day. Stopping once for lunch for 1/2 hour,did a drive thru dinner and then just for gas a bathroom breaks.

On the way there we left at 5am. Made it through Atlanta around noon. Timed this great as we zipped right through. Had a quick fastfood lunch. Then only stopped for gas and about a hour for dinner. We made it to Bowling Green, Ohio around 11pm before I had to call it quits. It took us about 3 1/2 hours the next day to get to Sterling Heights, MI.

 

[grimley1968]

We hit minor traffic between KY and Knoxville (about a 10 min delay both ways) as the road is down to one lane on each side right now. I have heard that this area can get bad but really we didn't find it too bad. The road was damaged and being rebuilt so I would assume this might take a while so I would expect this delay if your going soon.

Part of the road was washed out near Jellico Mountain (on the Kentucky/Tennessee border). It'll probably take several months to restore all lanes of traffic. However, I've heard varying reports that go from what you describe as a wait, down to nothing but having to merge into 1 lane and not much of a slowdown. It's a very rural area, so there's not much local traffic there to compound the problem. It's a pretty major repair, though.

As for Atlanta, even if it's during rush hour, I still think taking 75 straight through is the best bet. Atlanta overbuilt along their bypass. But if you can avoid rush hour, I've found driving through Atlanta a piece of cake.

 

[MaggieMollyMom]

thanks so much!