Quote:
Originally Posted by kschwi
We had terrible luck heading north from the Villages on April 6th. We left at 6:30 am and didn't get through Atlanta until around 4pm. It must have taken close to 5 hours to get through that metropolitan area.
Therefore, we are trying to decide when would be the most desirable time to drive through Atlanta and where would be a safe place to stop if we need a bathroom break.
One option would be to avoid Atlanta altogether. My son flew down last March to visit and rented a car and drove through Alabama instead. Google maps says that is out of the way and will add an hour to our trip although it assumes Atlanta is not a mess. However, I wouldn't think Alabama has the potential for major traffic delays that are possible in Atlanta.
Last year on our way down to the Villages, we lucked out. We made it to the Atlanta are around 5:30 on Dec 31st and stayed in a hotel in McDonough GA and then left early on New Year's Day. We could do something similar this year but we might have a different experience since it won't be Sunday Dec 31st.
Any suggestions? Are there any roads closed due to the hurricane?
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It's a crappy trip no matter how you drive it. You don't mention which part of Illinois but allow 2 days to Florida. Start very early first day and bed down in Dalton, Ga. as soon as you arrive. Hit the road at 3:00 AM from Dalton and that will get you through Atlanta about 5:00 AM which is much better traffic. If there are 2 of you, use the HOV lane if that is still a thing. Cruise the rest of the way to Florida, unload essentials when you arrive at your destination. Wind down for an hour and crawl into bed. The next day, work like the devil to set everything up again.
In time, you'll probably decide to fly down like many of us. Traffic behavior is getting worse and worse.