Good place to stay as we pass through Atlanta??

[Tink n Poohbear]

We're driving this time (airfare way to high for a family of 7!) from the Chicago area, and we'd like to stop for the night in Atlanta. Can anyone recommend a hotel in a safe neighborhood?

Being from Chicago, I know there are certain neighborhoods off the expressway that I wouldn't want to stay in, and I'm guessing the same applies to every big city. I don't want to make reservations just based off what I see on the hotel's website, just to pull up and find there's no way I'm letting my babies out of the car!

 

[DC7800]

I'd suggest driving a short distance past Atlanta, or stopping a half hour or so north of the area. Locust Grove, Georgia is about 25 miles south of Atlanta and the first point southbound after the city I'd personally consider stopping (that doesn't mean that aren't plenty of nice areas in Atlanta itself, of course). There is a fairly new Comfort Suites, a La Quinta, and a new interior-corridor Red Roof Inn (supposedly a prototype for the chain or something) there along with other lodging and a large outlet mall shopping center.

North of Atlanta try Calhoun or maybe Cartersville, Georgia, but I've never stayed there.

 

[HHSTigerFan]

With kids you will be plenty happy if you drive much further than Atlanta on day #1, we usually make it to either Lake City or Gainesville without much problem..

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I would highly recommend staying in Valdosta, Georiga. It's about 3 - 4 hours past Atlanta and from there you are 15 minutes away from the Florida State Line and 4 hours away from WDW.

 

[cemeb4dk]

We are from Chicago also. I would suggest going further as thre others have stated. Atl is still about 8 hours away. The driving experience we had was our last one, we left about 9:30 at night. Drove to ruby Falls got there about 7:30 or so, ate breakfast and then did Ruby Falls tour. Great way to break up the drive. Then got to Atl about lunchtime. We decided to go all the way and stay at an offsite downtown disney hotel and arrived about 7:30 or so. If thats to far I would push til at least Valdosta or Lake City. Then you onlyhave a 3-3 1/2 hour drive.

 

[HHSTigerFan]

Our best trip ever with the kids was the time we left at 1:00AM, went down 57 and were into TN when the kids woke up and we then stopped for breakfast, stopped in Macon for lunch and then Orlando for a fairly late dinner (8ish)..

 

[kfigment]

We have stayed at the Fairfield Inn in Cartersville GA. This is about 20 miles north of Atlanta. Very nice new hotel.

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

No specifics, but a few thoughts...............

If the next morning is a Monday through Friday for your travels, stop a little south of ATL so you don't have any rush hour to deal with. Ours is ugly.

The trip from ATL to WDW going "with the flow of traffic" is about 7-7.5 hours.

If you stop a little south of ATL, that means you last leg will most likely be between 6-7 hours.

The drive from just south of ATL to WDW is a pretty easy one. Even the construction zones are not as bad as they used to be. Large stretches of the trip are downright boring...............but the destination makes it all worthwhile.