Columbus, Oh to TV

[philnpat]

We're from upstate NY and have used I-95 as our escape route to TV. i HATE I-95!...This year we're visiting friends in Columbus, OH and then heading down. The GPS has us using I-75. What can we expect? Any advice on 75? We'll be stopping near Atlanta to visit my sister-in-law. After our trip down last year, I-75 has GOT to be better. :laugh:

[graciegirl]

That is the big snafu on the trip...ATLANTA...Going straight through...delay, delay...Going around..sometimes delay.

Hope you enjoy Columbus, Ohio, our native land!

[kb8tpw]

Goodness, goodness Gracie, I found something you and I differ on. We have been traveling I-75 for 15 plus years, thanks to grandkids in Perry GA and we now residing in TV. Last summer we ran into a resurfacing in mid-downtown Atlanta and were slowed down a bit, but only remember one other instance of bumper to bumper in all those years of many, many trips. The HOV lane however must be an option for you to experience any haste in getting thru. The key is timing your travel thru town. Last month I had to take the east loop to stop by a business and make a purchase and found it to not be much difference. Always go straight thru the middle, just like Sherman.

Having said all of that I'll admit I don't like I-75, but can't compare with I-95. Stop by German Village in Columbus and eat a schnitzel for me.

[mitchbr47]

Atlanta traffic on I 75 is heavy, but take advantage of the HOV lane for 2 or more passengers. It really helps. It starts near Marietta and ends south of the airport.

[graciegirl]

Goodness, goodness Gracie, I found something you and I differ on. We have been traveling I-75 for 15 plus years, thanks to grandkids in Perry GA and we now residing in TV. Last summer we ran into a resurfacing in mid-downtown Atlanta and were slowed down a bit, but only remember one other instance of bumper to bumper in all those years of many, many trips. The HOV lane however must be an option for you to experience any haste in getting thru. The key is timing your travel thru town. Last month I had to take the east loop to stop by a business and make a purchase and found it to not be much difference. Always go straight thru the middle, just like Sherman.

Having said all of that I'll admit I don't like I-75, but can't compare with I-95. Stop by German Village in Columbus and eat a schnitzel for me.

German Village is where I grew up....before it became fashionable!

[philnpat]

German Village is where I grew up....before it became fashionable!

German Village is one of the attractions that our friends are taking us to see...and taste!
BTW...my sister-in-law's home is in Griffen, Ga. (directly south of Atlanta)
The GPS has traffic alerts...hopefully there won't be many!

[Jim Straz]

We're from upstate NY and have used I-95 as our escape route to TV. i HATE I-95!...This year we're visiting friends in Columbus, OH and then heading down. The GPS has us using I-75. What can we expect? Any advice on 75? We'll be stopping near Atlanta to visit my sister-in-law. After our trip down last year, I-75 has GOT to be better. :laugh:
I live North of Atlanta and use I75 all the time to TV. You must pass through Atlanta no later that 6:30AM or after 7PM in order to avoid heavy traffic. 75's a great route from there South, and almost exactly a six hour ride from Atlanta. Don't go over seven miles an hour from the posted speed limit and it'll be a good safe drive for you.

[Freeda]

Two of our sons live in Columbus, so we have driven from there to TV a few times. I would definitely take I75 as you will have interstate all the way here. Just avoid rush hour at Atlanta but stay on I75 there, and take the I475 bypass for 15 miles at Macon Georgia, as it is a more direct route than staying on I75 at Macon, and it merges back onto I75 south of Macon. I don't love long car trips, but this is a nice interstate and it has always been an enjoyable drive.

[jdsl1998]

We are in The Villages home now but we live in Ohio and travel that route regularly. Are you leaving during the week or weekend? Do you have a pet with you? Where are you coming from in Columbus and what part of Atlanta are you going to spend the night? I will give you more information based on these answers.

[Trish Crocker]

I have driven to Florida from Michigan more time than I can count and have never found Atlanta to be a problem. I have by-passed it a couple of times but didn't find it that helpful. As Kb8tbw said, just go straight through. The first thing I would do though is try to adjust my timing so you don't hit Atlanta during rush hour. Other than that, the trip up 75 is a breeze. Have fun!

[Ohiogirl]

We have been driving back and forth from Columbus to TV for 5 years now. Much prefer going Rt. 33 to Ravenswood, WV where we get on I-77 thru Charlotte to to I-26 to I-95. This avoids Cincinnati AND Atlanta. We've done it both ways and hands down like the I-77 way, no really big cities to get thru, except for Columbus (we live in the north end) and Charlotte - and the traffic in these doesn't compare to Cincinnati (crossing the river on I-75) and Atlanta (can be a nightmare at any time). Stop in Nelsonville, OH for an Egg McMuffin and a restroom break.

Charlotte, NC is about halfway, total drive about 15 hours, without a lot of stopping. We used to do it in one day when we were working, to save a vacation day. Our best time ever was 14.5 hours. At Jacksonville, you have a choice of I-10 to 301 or go further south on I-95 and thru the Ocala National Forest (nicer drive, but not at the end of a 15 hour trip if you do it in one day - more route changes to look for, but no bad speed trips as on 301 either).

[philnpat]

We are in The Villages home now but we live in Ohio and travel that route regularly. Are you leaving during the week or weekend? Do you have a pet with you? Where are you coming from in Columbus and what part of Atlanta are you going to spend the night? I will give you more information based on these answers.

We're leaving Columbus Monday morning. No pets.
We're staying in the northwest section just south of Worthington...then we're heading out to stay with relatives due south of Atlanta in Griffen Ga.
Griffen is 25 miles due souh of Atlanta and 5 miles west of I75.
And THANKS to all who gave such helpful advice. :bigbow:

[Ohiogirl]

I didn't note you were stopping en route in Georgia! Guess you really don't want to go via I-77, but for those of you leaving from Columbus or thereabouts, check it out. Maybe 10 miles further, but much less traffic hassles, at least IMO.

[Pturner]

Two of our sons live in Columbus, so we have driven from there to TV a few times. I would definitely take I75 as you will have interstate all the way here. Just avoid rush hour at Atlanta but stay on I75 there, and take the I475 bypass for 15 miles at Macon Georgia, as it is a more direct route than staying on I75 at Macon, and it merges back onto I75 south of Macon. I don't love long car trips, but this is a nice interstate and it has always been an enjoyable drive.

I-475 at Macon is definitely a shortcut. I-285 to bypass ATL is definitely not. You should do fine coming straight thru ATL if you avoid 6:30-8:30 a.m and 4- 7p.m. and use HOV lane.

Have a safe and wonderful trip!

[Bill-n-Brillo]

We have been driving back and forth from Columbus to TV for 5 years now. Much prefer going Rt. 33 to Ravenswood, WV where we get on I-77 thru Charlotte to to I-26 to I-95. This avoids Cincinnati AND Atlanta. We've done it both ways and hands down like the I-77 way, no really big cities to get thru, except for Columbus (we live in the north end) and Charlotte - and the traffic in these doesn't compare to Cincinnati (crossing the river on I-75) and Atlanta (can be a nightmare at any time). Stop in Nelsonville, OH for an Egg McMuffin and a restroom break.

Charlotte, NC is about halfway, total drive about 15 hours, without a lot of stopping. We used to do it in one day when we were working, to save a vacation day. Our best time ever was 14.5 hours. At Jacksonville, you have a choice of I-10 to 301 or go further south on I-95 and thru the Ocala National Forest (nicer drive, but not at the end of a 15 hour trip if you do it in one day - more route changes to look for, but no bad speed trips as on 301 either).

I concur. But as has already been covered, this won't work given your stop in Griffin, GA. However, for anybody heading down to TV via central OH, this is a nice route. No need to contend with the traffic in Cincy, Knoxville, and Atlanta - just Charlotte.....and the bypass that goes around the west side of Charlotte is great and only adds a couple of miles to the trip. Less truck traffic via this route as well. A variety of options to get to to TV once you hit Jacksonville - gives you the opportunity to try different ways/change up the route occasionally.

Bill :)

[lightworker888]

from the north, what time does the morning rush hour start and when is it heaviest, and is the traffic heavier moving into Atlanta from the north or south, or are both directions heavy? We are staying over in Kennesaw on our way to TV and wondered what the best strategy would be to minimize the delay through Atlanta.

Also wondering the same thing about Cincinnati as we are staying over in Sharonville and will be hitting morning traffic coming down. When is the heaviest morning traffic going south?

Also does the HOV lane stay parallel to the main highway? At one point it looked to me like it veered off so I was reluctant to follow it last time,as I didn't know where it would take us.

Other than these concerns, we love using I-75. The road is good, the rest areas are clean and well spaced out and the signage for food and gas is clear and plentiful. Makes our 3 day trip from Canada easy and comfortable.

Thanks for any info.

LW888

[gingin410]

We still have our house just north-west of Atlanta and make the trip down about once a month. Depending on where in the ATL area you will be staying will decide the time of day to travel. Since we have to go through ATL which makes weekday rush-hour a problem, we try and leave about 9 am which will get us to our house in Hadley mid-afternoon (about 6 hrs 45 minutes trip time). We make one restroom stop, one meal stop and to fill up our gas tank in the Valdosta area.

As to I-75 veering in an odd direction, that is actually just to bring you in on the far left side of the southbound lanes where I-85 and 75 merge. Iy's great because you do not have to cut all the way across 6 lanes of traffic to regain use of the HOV lane. If you are traveling when traffic is fairly light, it's not necessary to use the HOV lane anyway.

We have had a few really long trips...due to major road work in the past, most of which is now completed. And, if there's been an accident along your way you may have a long wait to get through.