My wife and I are planning a road trip for next year that would take us to Orlando as the farthest point. There will be several overnight stops to break up the trip including one at approximately the halfway point on I-75 between Bowling Green, KY and Orlando. That puts us a bit south of Atlanta for one of the nights. I don't need any nightlife and won't be out looking for trouble, but also want a decent place to park my vehicle and have it still be there in the morning. The exact halfway isn't critical, so +- and hour's drive is fine.

Any particular cities to look at or avoid?

Thanks

Mike

I believe Forsyth would suit you. They are always touting their dining there. Plenty of hotels right on I-75. Near Macon but not Macon is a plus.

Get passed Macon/Warner Robins. I would stop near Tifton or Valdosta. If you left Bowling Green at say 9am that would get you in Atlanta at about 2pm which is what I would shoot for

Bowling Green to Valdosta is 8.5 hours, Valdosta to Orlando is just over 3 hrs

BTW there are two Buc-ees on I75 in GA

Tifton area is good as is Forsyth, if it's early enough, once you get to Valdosta you might as well keep rolling south and get into FL and head to Gainesville to stay.

We usually cannonball from North GA to Orlando on Motorcycles, and we'll stay off the interstate, opting for back roads, way less traffic, adds a bit of time but it's a less stressful trip if we are not on a deadline.

quote:

Originally posted by 9x18:
Near Macon but not Macon is a plus.

Not a Georgian, but I've spent a whole lot of time down there, and this made me smile as it was going to be my comment...avoid Macon.

One of my favorite places in this country is Savannah. I can't say if it is the weather, the history, the food, the scenery, the pralines, ..., I don't know, but I've always loved it there and I've always steered people towards it who were traveling in that area. If you're able to head a few hours east of your route, you won't regret it. It really is a remarkable place to spend some time.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
One of my favorite places in this country is Savannah. I can't say if it is the weather, the history, the food, the scenery, the pralines, ..., I don't know, but I've always loved it there and I've always steered people towards it who were traveling in that area. If you're able to head a few hours east of your route, you won't regret it. It really is a remarkable place to spend some time.

We are looking at going through Savannah on our return trip which includes Great Smokey Mountains NP.

quote:

Originally posted by BigSwede:

there are two Buc-ees on I75 in GA

And another on I-95 at Daytona Beach, about an hour before arriving Orlando area.

Forsyth, Cordele, Tifton, Valdosta. I drive through there six times a year. I usually stop in Dalton, but I'm usually starting from Bowling Green, OH on that portion of the trip.

Reading this, Tifton was my first choice, too. If you want to add a stop, the Georgia Museum of Agriculture in Tifton was really interesting when we visited some years ago. Of course, that last part is in the eyes of a former farm boy....

Safe travels!

quote:

Originally posted by MNSIG:
... There will be several overnight stops to break up the trip including one at approximately the halfway point on I-75 between Bowling Green, KY and Orlando. That puts us a bit south of Atlanta for one of the nights...

Any particular cities to look at or avoid?

Thanks

Mike

Mike, you and your wife are welcome to stay with us. We live in Fayetteville which is not quite an hour south of Atlanta. I can promise lots of loving with curley headed dogs, quiet nights' sleep, and if you like we can fish for large mouth bass in the lake out back. The wife loves to entertain, so the grub is on us! If you have dogs bring 'um. The Wife loves them all!

Otherwise, from here you can be back on I-75 in 30 minutes headed to Orlando.

^^^^^

Wow! That's a generous offer. The plan is in the very early stages with dates TBD, but I'll keep it in mind.

I concur with the previous comments where to stay, the Fayetteville option sounds the best. Otherwise farther south you can get from Atlanta the better. Coming into Atlanta its usually way faster to take the West side of 285 than to go thru the connector or the East side. If you do end up in Fayetteville you can jump off on SR85 at the airport and head south thru Riverdale, that time of day should not be to bad.

Bowling Green, KY is I-65, not I-75.

My advice would be to skip Georgia. Traffic is awful and Atlanta traffic is worse than awful unless you are driving through it overnight. Lots of cops sit on the entrance ramps looking for revenue.

Stay on I-65 from Bowling Green, KY through Nashville, TN (lots of cool stops there if you like food, music and guitars) and go to Montgomery, AL. From Montgomery, catch US 231 south to I-10 in Florida. Take the panhandle to I-75 south to the turnpike to Orlando.

Depending on where you're trying to end up in Orlando, you might want to skip the turnpike and keep on I-75 south to SR 50 east. It will avoid tolls and be a much more peaceful drive versus Mad Max on the turnpike.

The best thing to ever come out of Atlanta is I-75.

Macon has a good Air Force Museum.

quote:

We are looking at going through Savannah on our return trip which includes Great Smokey Mountains NP.

^^^^^^^^^^^
The most visited park. I used to go every weekend when I lived in the area. If you just drive through you miss everything. The most crowded season is the Fall. I loved the winter because it was beautiful and most tourists were gone.

We here in Atlanta share all y’all’s wishes that you stay out of Atlanta. Traffic has gotten worse on saturdays than rush hour workdays bc of out of towners.

If you must, Jackson or Forsyth have the most options. There’s a Candlewood and HIE at Jackson. A bunch of budget hotels in Forsyth. Anything better than that I would go just south of Macon to the Byron exit and there’s a Courtyard and a Home2.

FWIW, Tifton is 3 hours south of Atlanta, at least. The traffic in Henry County (from 285 to Locust Grove) is the worst in the city and it doesn’t really matter what time of day it is. In fact, I would probably suggest spending the night north of there and driving through Henry Co at 5-6 am.

I have to second Edmond the Walrus's advice and have used the same routing he outlined. I have made the trip from the farm in KY to the house in Tampa frequently dragging a trailer and have pretty much tried every realistic routing I could come up with. I avoid Atlanta like the plague.

Thanks for all the tips! Now, you have me considering heading south through AL to Pensacola with a day there to visit the aviation museum before heading to Orlando.

quote:

Originally posted by MNSIG:
Thanks for all the tips! Now, you have me considering heading south through AL to Pensacola with a day there to visit the aviation museum before heading to Orlando.

Well, if you are going that way. The USS Alabama, USS Drum and the aviation museum in Mobile are definitely worth a look. I have been on several Battle ship museums and this one is the best.

quote:

Originally posted by BigSwede:

quote:

Originally posted by MNSIG:
Thanks for all the tips! Now, you have me considering heading south through AL to Pensacola with a day there to visit the aviation museum before heading to Orlando.

Well, if you are going that way. The USS Alabama, USS Drum and the aviation museum in Mobile are definitely worth a look. I have been on several Battle ship museums and this one is the best.

And, there is a Buc-ee's on I10 just east of Mobile

I'd opt for I-65 to Montgomery, then US231 to I-10 in Tallahassee, at that point you can take I-10 E to I-75 S or, take the back roads down south until you have to get on the interstates.

We do this when go when riding motorcycles up into AL and GA from Orlando, out of Tallahassee, take 19 south to Perry, then 19/98 to Chiefland, then 27 East to Ocala, it's all 4 lane state highways, lightly travelled, lightly patrolled plenty of FL country towns and scenery, lots of places to fuel up.

This will be a much less stressful drive than the interstates, as the traffic on 75 south around Ocala where it splits off on to the turnpike is crazy.

27 to Ocala is horse country in some parts, very nice places to see, and, you avoid the lunatics on I-75.

After you hit 75 you will only go a few miles to the FL Turnpike to Orlando.

You could skip 27 and take 98 to Crystal River, pick up 44 east to Wildwood and right on to the Turnpike.

Depends on where you want to end up, North side of Orlando or south to the Mouse House.




Just remember when you are getting to the Turnpike on 75, the exit you want is on the left, you have to be on the left side of 75, and crossing over at the last miniute is impossible, well dangerously impossible.