Florida to Wisconsin via I-65,your thoughts and recs.

[radarboy]

Heading up to Wisconsin this summer from the Gulf Coast. Don't want to go the Atlanta route so was thinking traveling I-65. Is this a decent way or is there a better alternative? Thanks in advance for all your advice.

[rk911]

Originally Posted by radarboy

Heading up to Wisconsin this summer from the Gulf Coast. Don't want to go the Atlanta route so was thinking traveling I-65. Is this a decent way or is there a better alternative? Thanks in advance for all your advice.

we always go to/from Florida via I-65 after one trip thru HotLanta took 3-hrs to go from the south side of town to get to Macon, normally a 90-minute trip. that was the last straw for I-75.

we reside in west suburban Chicago and our now-usual route from home is I-57 south to I-24 east to Nashville where we pick up I-65 south all the way to Montgomery, AL. in Montgomery we take I-85 east to exit 9 which is US 271. We take 271 south for 6-7 miles to where it dead ends at US 231. you can get to US231 off of I-65 but you'll encounter loads of traffic and stop lights. getting to 231 via I-85/US 271 will save you at least 30-45 minutes.

then US 231 south towards Dothan. 231 is a good 4-lane road but you will go thru a few towns...Troy, then Ozark and finally Dothan. Total time between Dothan and the US 231/US 271 intersection is about 90-minutes give or take at the posted speed. Dothan is a very large town but 231 is multi-laned through town. Worst case you'll spend 20-25 minutes getting thru town. We then follow 231 south to I-10 east to I-75 south.

you'd be reversing that route and likely staying on I-65 but be advised that the last time we were through Indianapolis (last year) I-65 thru town was a horrible road. I-465 around town is a better choice. and if you're thinking of going thru Chicago please think again. if it were me I'd take I-24 west in Nashville to I-57 north. follow I-57 north to I-74 in Champaign, IL then to I-39 in Bloomington. follow I-39 north to Wisconsin. if you think Atlanta traffic is bad you're really going to hate Chicago traffic.

this is a very nice no-stress, certainly a lot less stress, route. Nashville can be a character builder at rush hour but not to the extent Atlanta is. We usually time it to pass through before or after but unless a wreck is blocking the road it shouldn't take more than 20-minutes to get thru town during rush hour. and our experiences with Birmingham and Montgomery have been good in terms of traffic.

Please ask if you have any specific questions about this route.

[radarboy]

Thanks for your info. Looking at the map it looks like a nice route thru Alabama.Once we're on 65 its looks like clear sailing. We've made that trip plenty of times being from Chicago.i think we'll probably take 294 as we're going to the Door County area. Any convenient places right off the highway for a one nighter?

[rk911]

Originally Posted by radarboy

Thanks for your info. Looking at the map it looks like a nice route thru Alabama.Once we're on 65 its looks like clear sailing. We've made that trip plenty of times being from Chicago.i think we'll probably take 294 as we're going to the Door County area. Any convenient places right off the highway for a one nighter?

off which highway in which area?

[radarboy]

Going to be looking to lay over in Alabama at some point. We're pretty familiar with the rest of the trip.

[THenman]

We stopped at a nice place just North of Troy on the way down to FL then one just a bit into AL and again one just before TN on the way home. All 3 were right off the road. We based the stops on where we were around lunch time. Anyhow the park just North of Troy was nicest, the one just south of TN the quietest, and the one just North of FL was just ok.

Dear Run RV Park just N of Troy
Cherry Blossom RV park just N of FL
North Gate Travel RV Park just south of TN

BTW I hope they are fixed but on trip home on 65 just leaving TN we hit 2 very bad pot holes in right lane. (Knocked wire loose to our satellite radio.)

Tom

[rk911]

Originally Posted by radarboy

Going to be looking to lay over in Alabama at some point. We're pretty familiar with the rest of the trip.

well, the KOA in Ozark is right on US 231. nice park, clean and quiet. Mr. D's is also right on US 231 a bit east of the KOA. if satellite coverage is a consideration Mr. D's is more friendly than the KOA. The Deer Run RV Park is off 231 between Troy and Ozark. very nice park. we've been to all of these.

there's a park just south of Montgomery on I-65 that we've used called "The Woods" which is odd since there aren't many trees. but it's clean and quiet. it's off of I-65 @ US 80. won't be out of your way as you can take US 80 east to US 231. we stopped here last year and would stop again.

in northern Alabama outside of Athens just a few miles from the TN line is a very nice overnite park called Northgate RV Park. it's right off I-65. not much to it...all level, gravel pull thru, FHU, sat. friendly. we stop there each time we head to florida and back.

hope that helps.