Driving from Illinois

[bmorr1963]

Has anyone driven from the Chicago area to Orlando lately? Once into Indiana, I generally take highway 65 south through the state into Kentucky/Tennessee. However, I have been reading a lot about construction that could be severe not only in Indiana but south of Louisville, KY on Highway 65. Any updates?

Has anyone driven Highway/Route 41 (southbound) in Indiana as a southbound alternative to get into the Kentucky/Tennessee region?

Thanks in advance of your replies.

 

[chipndaleluver]

I'm from IL., around the O'Hare area. We have never driven so I don't know about the construction. I hope we can do the drive one day. Need a newer car first and the extra days of vacation to add on to the trip. I heard that it's not a bad drive.

 

[joannamet]

I live in Atlanta and drive to Louisville several times a year. Construction on I65 south of Lou is miserable but it's also unpredictable. Last trip in April we left Lou at noon on Sun and sailed right through the construction with no delays at all. Other times I've sat in traffic there for an extra hour or more.

You also have potential delays in Nashville and Chattanooga, which can be very slow, not to mention horrific traffic in Atlanta. Sorry but there's no way around it. Your route is frought with peril.

 

[Goofyseven]

We live in Gurnee Il and take the 41 route all the time. I hate 65 and 57 is longer and boring. We go 395, cut over to 41 and get on 24 E at exit 81. Having driven both 65 and 41 from Gurnee, 41 is 30 miles shorter to Nashville, but 10 minutes longer. You do go thru Terre Haute, Vincennes, and Evansville. Its a pleasant ride. In Kentucky, the Pennyrile Parkway is a four lane road with little traffic, but watch out, I have seen cars pulled over for speeding. Let me know if you want more information

 

[disneydotlee]

I live in Northwest Indiana and I second going US 41 to the Pennyrile Parkway in Kentucky which connotes to I24. You have stop lights and go through towns but you don't have the truck traffic you have on I65. Much more enjoyable trip.

 

[patches07]

We live in Joliet IL, we drove to Disney in November 2014 and there was no construction on 65 at that time we always take 65 south, and stop off in Macon GA for the night .

 

[Jenna319]

Just drove down to Pigeon Forge, TN on I-65 from Chicago last week - left on a Thursday around 4p (central time), arrived in Louisville around 11:45p (eastern time). Traffic was AWFUL. Standstill for much of the way. Granted, we did leave at rush hour traffic time so I was expecting it, but even at 9-10pm at night, it was very bad. Coming home from Tennessee on I-65 was perfect, no traffic at all, and we hit Louisville area around 10am on a Tuesday.