I-75 hotel suggestions in Georgia - help!

[striker3636]

Hi. We have driven down to WDW via I-75 before and have stopped at Sweetwater, TN which is about halfway for us. This trip, we are leaving earlier (1am), and hope to get a longer day in the first day as we are bringing our camper down and want to make sure we have lots of daylight to set up and explore FW once we get there on day 2. Does anyone have any suggestions on hotels to stop at in Georgia? We have the 2005 version of "Along the I75", so I can pick something from it, but I am hoping for some feedback on any positive or negative experiences....The only real must we are looking for is that it is affordable and has a pool to let the kids wear off some energy. Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[DisneyDVClover]

Fairfield INN Valdosta Georgia exit number 18.

 

[LoriLea]

We stayed at a Jameson Inn in Perry Georgia. It was clean, reasonably priced, had a pool and included breakfast. I believe we paid around $55 a night using our CAA discount.

 

[pkitty]

Hey we drive to the Best Western in Macon or the Best Western just south of Macon by about 1 hour. Definately a good Idea to get south of Atlanta so as to not hit rush hour traffic first thing in the morning. might save you an hour easy. good luck and have a safe trip.

 

[Skywalker]

When we went last year we stayed at the Red Roof Inn in Locust Grove, Georgia. It was nice and had a pool. Our little guys had a lot of energy to burn off too! It also has one of those typical free breakfasts in the morning. I think it was $69.00.

 

[talicskai]

We always stay at the Holiday Inn Express - Cordele Georgia. It is 18 hours for us (from Brantford area). The pool is extremely warm which allows DD5, DS7 and myself some fun while DH sleeps. We leave @ 8pm and drive straight there while the kids sleep for the majority of it. Once we left Cordele it was only 5.5 hours to WDW with stops for lunch and gas. DH has a bit of a lead foot though.
The hotel is fairly new and the rooms big. We paid $69 but it was really worth to have such a warm pool for the kids to burn off some energy! :jumping4:

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

A driving tip - despite what CAA will tell you DO NOT take the Atlanta by pass (I-285) go right through the city using I-75 and the HOV lane. It's the far left lane and is to be used by 2+ people only. Even if it is rush hour, you can usually sail right through the city.
There are very few trucks on I-75 through the city, as they are required to use I-285.
Just make sure you have plenty of gas. You probably don't want to get off the interstate at that time.
Also try to keep up with traffic. The speed limit is 55mph, but most cruise at 70-75mph through Atlanta. If not you might just get run over (it's a lot like the 401 through Toronto) Just watch near Macon, or follow the speed traps in the Along I-75 book
If you need traffic info - (or good talk radio) when in Atlanta, tune into AM 750.
Have a great trip

 

[striker3636]

Thank you everyone for all the suggestions and tips! Now, we have to decide on how far we're going to try to get on the first day and whether we should make reservations for the hotel. If we can't make it that far (translation: the kids are bouncing off the roof of the car even in booster seats), then we'll take our chances finding a vacancy before then.

Yzma and Kronk...thanks for the tips on driving thru Atlanta...we were unsure of where to stop as we didn't want to get into rush hour just after heading out on day 2. Do the HOV lanes allow vehicles that tow? We'll have 4 in the truck so that's ok, but we'll being towing our camper. Are there any other restrictions other than number of occupants?

Thanks again everyone...

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

Yzma and Kronk...thanks for the tips on driving thru Atlanta...we were unsure of where to stop as we didn't want to get into rush hour just after heading out on day 2. Do the HOV lanes allow vehicles that tow? We'll have 4 in the truck so that's ok, but we'll being towing our camper. Are there any other restrictions other than number of occupants?

Good question! Sorry I wasn't able to find the answer. I checked the website www.dot.state.ga.us and found all kinds of info on the HOV, but couldn't find anything about towing. If you try to avoid ATL during rush (6:30am - 10:00am or so and 4:00-6:30pm) you should be OK in the regular lanes. I would still advise going I-75 through the city. If I can find the answer, I'll post.
Have a great trip!

 

[MaryannF]

Yzma and Kronk...thanks for the tips on driving thru Atlanta...we were unsure of where to stop as we didn't want to get into rush hour just after heading out on day 2. Do the HOV lanes allow vehicles that tow? We'll have 4 in the truck so that's ok, but we'll being towing our camper. Are there any other restrictions other than number of occupants?

Look in the Along I-75 book, I think Dave Hunter talks about the HOV lane and what the restrictions are.

 

[HemiCanuck]

We live in southern Ontario ad are thinking of towing our RV down in a month or so. I would like to know the best border crossings, time to leave, where the first camp on route we can stay at is etc. I'll do some more reading but looks like a great forums folks.

 

[spewey]

The wife and I just drove through Atlanta last week on our way to Universal Orlando; as she has lived in the "ATL" in the past, and I have, um, suffered through its world-famous traffic jams on more than one occassion (words cannot describe how bad they get - for you T.O. residents, think Friday afternoon, summer long-weekend cottage country traffic; now add a transport truck rollover blocking every lane in both directions. Got that? That's a good day in Atlanta), we were a little concerned. We made sure to hit the metro area in the middle of the day, avoiding their four-hour long rush "hours"; filled up on gas well before the city (echoing the above - DO NOT GET OFF THE HIGHWAY IN THE CITY); and, based on both our past experiences, stayed on 75, avoiding the "bypass".

We sailed through that town, all the way in the HOV lane, averaging a good 70 MPH. That thing is a God-send. And, for what it's worth, although I do not know all the "fine print", there was certainly nothing posted that I can recall limiting RVs or trailers, and saw several vehicles of that type using the lane ...