Moving to The Villages
 

We are moving from michigan and question on route to take, We will be on 75 all the way however the map show's it going thru Atlanta. Is that the best route or better to take the beltway around atlanta (285) Thank you. less then 2 weeks we arrive at our new home :)

Our experience has been that it depends on the time of day. Avoid rush hour. We sometimes made the determination last minute by checking traffic reports. Sometimes we have gone thru Atlanta while the bypass was backed up and sometimes the bypass. BTW....where are you from? We’re Michiganders.

These days with most people working from home traffic should not be an issue.

285 is a zoo! Avoid it! Hit Atlanta around noon or so, get in the HOV lane for 75 (if 2 or more in car). It takes me about 25 minutes from where 285 leaves 75 to where it rejoins.

Go thru Atlanta get in the HOV lane, its like a speedway but we have never had an issue.

we are from Kalamazoo, MI. My mom always told me if I didn't behave she was going to ship me to Kalamazoo. Guess i was bad lol

thank you for all your reply's. Hov it is

I go thru Birmingham to avoid Atlanta. It probably takes longer, but thats ok.

My recommendation is to check GOOGLE Maps using the "Traffic" function just before Marietta. Like many of the other people have indicated, the HOV lane is a quick way to get through Atlanta. But we check to see if GOOGLE Maps is showing heavy red, either on 75 through town or the west side of 285, and make our decision then. By checking when we are in Marietta, we can make the decision and know what lane to get into as we approach the 285 junction.

Over the years we concluded going through Atlanta is the best/easiest route.
Best times are mid morning (before lunch) and mid afternoon (before 3:30).

I use WAZE when I'm driving anywhere by car outside the Villages. It is up to date, usually within a few minutes. It'll tell you that there's a vehicle stopped on the road up ahead - and 20 seconds later there's the car, on the side of the road. Often it's just a construction crew but at least you know, when traffic is slowed, WHY it's slowed.

It will also take you off the highway through detours if it detects traffic stops or significant slow-downs.

It's an app you can download to your cell phone; you can get the free version or the paid version. I've seen no reason to get the paid version so I just use the free one. It has "in-app ads" but I don't spend time watching the app while I'm driving, so it's not an inconvenience for me.

Your google voice will sync with it, and you can set it up to give you the current prices of gas along the route, which exits to look for, which rest areas are congested, etc. etc. It's pretty awesome.

Driving Directions, Traffic Reports & Carpool Rideshares by Waze

We have traveled this route dozens of times to Battle Creek (near Kzoo). Take I-65 at Marshall, Mi to Montgomery, Al. There you pickup limited access four lane state highways (think freeway) east then south to the panhandle to I-10. It is 30 to 45 minutes longer in reality. It can even out if there is a delay in Atlanta.

Edit to add:. Since someone might point out this is further, I know. This route avoids the metro areas known for bad traffic.

We make the trip north to Nashville TN area 5 or 6 times a year. The route you described is how we go. The route to Atlanta is quicker until the time (about 1 in 5) that traffic backs up to a crawl for 30 miles.

We always use the HOV with our car. Are their vehicle restrictions for the HOV? For example, can a truck pulling a camper use the HOV or a large RV?

I don't know what these fine Michiganders will be driving. Just want to help them out.

Moving to Villages
 

We too live in Kalamazoo, husband says jf you will be going through Atlanta during heavy traffic times we take the Beltway or you will be sitting in a mess. We bought in Villages last Jan! Love it!,