Driving from Wisconsin to Knoxville TN

[sksjasams]

DS11's Destination Imagination team made it to the Global Finals in Tennessee! So we will be taking a road trip! Leaving Tues 5/25, returning Sun 5/30.

We are thinking of leaving Tuesday afternoon and driving about 8 hours to maybe the Louisville area, staying the night, and then continuing on the next day. We will be staying in Sevierville TN during the competition.

Can anyone please recommend a clean, but budget friendly hotel along the way, that would be easy on/easy off of our route? Maybe somewhere near Louisville.

I have never tried hotwire, but would be open to that if I could pinpoint an area to choose that would allow us to stay close to our route.

Thanks for your help!!!!

 

[ICF]

We stayed at a Hampton Inn in downtown L'vill last summer and it was nice. They had a free shuttle to take you to some of their downtown attactactions. It was not right off of the interstate, but wasnt too bad. That's the only place we've stayed down there. There are lots of places off of I-65 in S. Indiana just before you cross over the river as well you may want to check out.

I would guess it's about 3 1/2 - 4 hrs depending on stops and driving speds from L'ville to Sevierville. It's take us about 5 1/2 hours to go from Indy to Knoxville (2 hours to L'ville) and then Sevierville is about 20 mins east of Knoxville.

If you have the time, you should check out the Smokey Mtns which will only be 15 - 20 mins from where you'll be at.

 

[GoofyBaseballMom26]

I don't have a recommendation but want to give you an advance welcome to Knoxville. Ya'll are usually in the building I work in for at least part of the event!!!

 

[Pei4ever]

Congratulations to your son's team!!! No recommendations for hotel just wanted to say CONGRATS!! What challenge will they be in? My DS13 will be competing there in Breaking News.....this is our 1st year and I am so excited!! Perhaps we will see you while pin-trading or competing!!

 

[kydisneyfans]

If you do Hotwire, you would want the eastside. Hurstbourne Ln and Blankenbaker Parkway are exits 15 and 17 off I64. There are tons of hotels at those exits. Downtown is also very nice, but would be more pricey.

From exit 17 to exit 53 along I64, there is next to nothing, then you would find a few hotels in Frankfort. Lexington also has many hotels along the route if you want to come that far day 1.

If you have some extra time, the Louisville Slugger Museum is top notch, especially for children that age.

Downtown Louisville to the northside of Knoxville is 3 1/2 hours with a smooth ride and no stops. I would figure at least 4 hours with a stop or 2 to Sevierville. There is major road construction just outside the Louisville outerbelt on 64 which will slow you down.

 

[sksjasams]

Congratulations to your son's team!!! No recommendations for hotel just wanted to say CONGRATS!! What challenge will they be in? My DS13 will be competing there in Breaking News.....this is our 1st year and I am so excited!! Perhaps we will see you while pin-trading or competing!!

Congratulations to your son's team too!! It is very exciting! DS11's team is competing in Do or DI. Best of luck to your son's team!

If you do Hotwire, you would want the eastside. Hurstbourne Ln and Blankenbaker Parkway are exits 15 and 17 off I64. There are tons of hotels at those exits. Downtown is also very nice, but would be more pricey.

Thanks for the tips! What if we wanted to stop north of Louisville, just before the Ohio River, like Clarkstown, Jeffersonville? Or do you think it would be better to stop after Louisville?

Any other recommendations? Thank you!

 

[kydisneyfans]

Congratulations to your son's team too!! It is very exciting! DS11's team is competing in Do or DI. Best of luck to your son's team!



Thanks for the tips! What if we wanted to stop north of Louisville, just before the Ohio River, like Clarkstown, Jeffersonville? Or do you think it would be better to stop after Louisville?

Any other recommendations? Thank you!

I would not want to give any bad recommendation as I travel from the Lexington to Louisville areas weekly, but have only been on 65 north of the Ohio River 3 times. It seems to me that there are several hotels between exits 1 and 5, but not much north of that for awhile, I may be wrong.

 

[ICF]

Thanks for the tips! What if we wanted to stop north of Louisville, just before the Ohio River, like Clarkstown, Jeffersonville? Or do you think it would be better to stop after Louisville?

Any other recommendations? Thank you!

It's been awhile since I've driven south of L'ville, but if memory serves there isnt much there once you get through town.

I'd think driving from WI, you're going to be ready to stop and would suggest you stay in the S. Indiana / Downtown L'ville area.

 

[kydisneyfans]

Take the time of day into consideration also-the Kennedy Bridge over the Ohio River is Louisville can be a nightmare at rush hour. If you want to leave during the morning rush, get through Louisville the day before. Leaving downtown or the eastside during the morning rush would be easier than trying to cross the bridge.

 

[sksjasams]

I think that's part of the dilemma. Around Louisville, what time would morning rush be and what time would afternoon rush be?

I would think if we leave here about 9am, we would get there about 5pm (6pm est), so would it be better to stop before or after the bridge?

And then the next morning, how long does the morning rush hour last? Would it be over by say 9 or 10am?

On hotwire, there seems to be more choices for 3 star hotels after the bridge than before, so that factors into the decision too...

Thanks for your continued help!

 

[kydisneyfans]

7-8:30 ish in the AM, 4 to 6 PM. The real problem with Louisville traffic is no bridge anywhere NE of the city, forcing all the traffic onto just a few bridges.

Unless you have your heart set on Louisville, you may want to map out I74 from Indy to I75 in Cincinnati, using 275 around Cincinnati. When mapping out our Chicago trip, it was only .2 miles further to take 74/75 to Indy than 65/64. I found that way to be much quicker.

I live very close to the 75/64 split just NW of Lexington for mapping purposes.

I'm not sure that you would want the delay in the evening crossing the bridge after 8-9 hours on the road. On the other hand, a 4 hour drive could be 5 the next morning.

 

[clh2]

sksjasams:

Congrats to your son's team

also - congrats to Pei4ever DS's team

I am a team manager for a secondary level team (also from Wisconsin) in Breaking Di News. I will have the pleasure of a 14 hour bus ride with 8 other teams from our district, and the opportunity to experience dorm life again.Not to mention dorm food.

My accomodations are all set...so I don't need to worry about any hotels.

Good luck with all your fundraising, and safe travels!

Edited to add: Be sure to check out the bookstore on campus...last year, there wear fabulous deals - on UT stuff. Like 75-90% off so they could make room for the incoming merchandise!

And I wish your teams well. Globals is a FUN, FUN, FUN experience! I've been down there as a "parent" 2 years ago, and as a "team manager" last year. I'm glad our team qulaified for globals again...I love the Knoxville area at that time of year.

If either of you have additional questions - I might be able to help...just let me know!

 

[sksjasams]

clh - thanks for your words of encouragement and tips- we are very excited! You must be an expert on the drive down from Wisconsin! Which way do you head down?

The standard directions from Madison indicate a route thru Rockford, and then around the Chicago area into Indiana.

The AAA rep recommended I drive straight down to Bloomington to avoid the Chicago area altogether and then cut over to Indiana.

Mapquest says I can avoid toll roads by taking I94 over to Milwaukee and then cutting down into Illinois. It would be nice not to have to listen to DH complain at every single toll booth!

What do think would be the best way? Thanks again and good luck to your DI team too!!

 

[Pei4ever]

clh2----thanks!! Have either you decided on how much to budget for pin trading while there for each child? We usually don't pin trade at Disney but everyone that has been to Globals tell me that the kids will be very disappointed if they don't pin trade there.....I might even be more excited for the kids than they are

 

[sksjasams]

clh2----thanks!! Have either you decided on how much to budget for pin trading while there for each child? We usually don't pin trade at Disney but everyone that has been to Globals tell me that the kids will be very disappointed if they don't pin trade there.....I might even be more excited for the kids than they are

I've heard that pin trading is huge and a big part of the experience. It allows kids to have a reason to meet and interact with kids from other countries. We've been told our school will be giving each DI kids 15-20 pins to get started. Wisconsin DI Pins are 3 for $5. They are having hand towels embroidered at a local shop to fasten the pins to when trading.

Good luck and have fun!!

 

[sharbear]

I've been to Global Finals 3 times. Twice as a team manager and once as an official. It was great fun.

I have no idea about stopping in Louisville but I do know that my sister stops there (my parents live in Knoxville) and she always gets a hotel from Priceline. I know they are always happy with what they have got.

Is the whole team staying in Sevierville? I'm not sure but I think it's quite a way from UT campus to Sevierville. If the team can swing it I really recommend staying in the dorms. They kids love it, they love meeting people from different states, they love the pin trading and they love seeing other teams perform. It is a completely different experience staying "off campus" rather than on. I do know that parents are not always keen on staying on campus but it's really a once in a lifetime experience.

If I can suggest, the Turkey Creek section of Knoxville is a good place to stay. It's easy on and off the expressway and there are tons of places to eat. Global Finals has a lot of things to experience and it's really really fun.

Now about pin trading. Depending on the ages of the kids and gender it vary's. My D loved pin trading. She could have pin traded all the time. She was very shy and it really helped her engage with other people. She is in college and still has her pins and still remembers what happened when and likes to look at them. We had teen boys in our group also and they were too cool to trade pins. But then they were too cool to do just about anything. But I advise to buy as many pins as you can afford to. Most kids will love to trade and it is THE activity to do there.

 

[clh2]

clh - thanks for your words of encouragement and tips- we are very excited! You must be an expert on the drive down from Wisconsin! Which way do you head down?

The standard directions from Madison indicate a route thru Rockford, and then around the Chicago area into Indiana.

The AAA rep recommended I drive straight down to Bloomington to avoid the Chicago area altogether and then cut over to Indiana.

Mapquest says I can avoid toll roads by taking I94 over to Milwaukee and then cutting down into Illinois. It would be nice not to have to listen to DH complain at every single toll booth!

What do think would be the best way? Thanks again and good luck to your DI team too!!

Sorry I can't help with the directions as I had to fly down the first year so I could attend a wedding the day after globals ended in Chicago, and last year and this year I'll be on the bus. I tried to sleep the whole way down, didn't work, but I tried!

 

[clh2]

I've heard that pin trading is huge and a big part of the experience. It allows kids to have a reason to meet and interact with kids from other countries. We've been told our school will be giving each DI kids 15-20 pins to get started. Wisconsin DI Pins are 3 for $5. They are having hand towels embroidered at a local shop to fasten the pins to when trading.

Good luck and have fun!!

Have you seen the sheet of pins from Jean F? It has the dragons and shields/daggers and moons? The moons are new, the dragons come out every year, but in different colors. Her pins trade extremely well, at closing ceremonies last year, there were seveal people comign to the WIsconsin section to see if people had extra daggers and dragons to trade.

Pin trading is HUGE. My DD has had a ball with it, and we give her about $100 for pins, she spends additional money of her own. DD even got to trade a pin with Dr. Frank one year - which she will never, ever forget. Dr. Frank is almost iconic at DI, and is a real-life doctor (a urologist, actually) and actually used to work at the hospital system I work at.

Anyway - if you would like to see the sheet of pins that you can order (above and beyond the Wis. DI pins), let me know just send me your e-mail address through a private message.


Please, please put your name/city or team number on your pin trading towels. If you accidentally lose it, it will be easier to find if someone turns it in.

 

[sharbear]

I was in a hurry last night but I hate to admit it but we spent $100 on pins too! :/

The dragons are big as are anything that is a set to trade.

Good luck and have fun! It's a great time!

 

[Drew Sailbum]

What do think would be the best way? Thanks again and good luck to your DI team too!!

I drove most of this route many times going to/from UW-Madison.

From Madison, WI drop straight south past Rockford, Il and go all the way to Bloomington, IL. Then turn east towards Indianapolis, IN. You will more than make up for the extra miles by avoiding Chicago area traffic altogether.

From Indianpolis, head east to Cincinatti, OH. It is easier driving going around Cincy than Louisville. Pick up I-75 at Cincinatti and that will take you all the way to Knoxville, TN.

You can look for a hotel somewhere near the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky airport which is on the south side of the Ohio River in Covington, Kentucky. You should miss all the traffic in the morning.