Driving from Chicago to Orlando

[Mahakal]

Hello Everyone,
We planning to visit Orlando in a week. I am taking 65 south to Nashville to Chattanooga to Atlanta to Orlando. This is my first longest trip. Will be traveling with wife, mom and 3 kids ( 13, 7 and 4months). Is this the right route. No mountain experiences. Planning to stay overnite at rest area or pilot. I need suggestion from you guys. Little nervous as this is the first long trip in MH. Thank you very Much


Sent from my iPad using iRV2 - RV Forum

[fbh31118]

The route sounds right. Just take your time and don't get in a hurry and you'll do fine. Sounds like you've got your planning all done and just need to get under way. Going through the mountains and hills aren't too bad just read up on your owners manual with regard to grade braking(ie. don't ride your brakes going down hills).

Best of luck on your trip! Be safe!

[Bobb.25]

Well, my snowbird migration takes me up and down i-65 each year. There is usually a stop somewhere around Nashville. Then to avoid hills and avoid Atlanta we stay on I-65 to Montgomery, Al, and take US 231 down to I-10 from there. It's a good road, and there is a convenient stop at a nice KOA in Ozark.
Bob

[Doctor Don]

I drive that exact same route several times a year. You should have no problems at all. The only mountain you will encounter is the pass at monteagle, and it is not bad at all. Take your time,and dont ride the brakes is all you need to know and you will do fine!

[Mahakal]

Thank you Guys very much.


Sent from my iPad using iRV2 - RV Forum

[NRR]

I will second “I-65 to Montgomery, Al, and take US 231 down to I-10”. A more pleasant drive with no grades.

[Clayobx]

Originally Posted by NRR

I will second “I-65 to Montgomery, Al, and take US 231 down to I-10”. A more pleasant drive with no grades.

I'll third that route! I 4 in Orlando is not fun!

[Triker56]

I-65 to Montgomery, Al, and take US 231 down to I-10 adds 57 miles to the trip over I65, I24, I75

[Stan.Birch]

Most truck stops don't have a dedicated RV area, so will probably be safer and more comfortable staying at WalMarts along the way.

We usually stay at WalMarts. WalMart used to sell a road atlas that had a listing for all of their stores, but since GPS has taken over, I don't believe they are available now.

We regard a GPS as an essential tool for finding an overnight spot for a trip like that. We have the cheapest GPS Garmin makes: a Nuvi 50, and it has a list all the WalMarts. Just type in WalMart, and it will provide you with a complete list of WalMarts in the direction you are going, along with the distance to each one of them. The Nuvi 50 also provides VERY clear turn-by-turn voice instuctions, loud enough be heard easily in a motorhome.

[Lovin2Camp]

Just got back from a trip to southern Indiana, I-65 south thru the entire state of Indiana has a lot of road construction with some really bad roads from the harsh winter, never seen that stretch of road quite so rough and bumpy.

[JMonroe]

During our working life we did that route many times on our way to Disney World. You'll have some grades in Tennessee, but nothing any of our RVs had a problem with.

I'd check the difference in mileage/time on the alternate route others have suggested. You'll avoid the grades in Tennessee, but I don't remember if there was a time penalty. I'm sure we took that route a couple of times either down or back, but only because one of our destinations would have been in the Florida panhandle. Assuming you're used to Chicago area traffic, Atlanta won't be any worse, in fact I'd argue it is better - no toll booths. We did discover, some years ago, that it was better to stay off the bypasses and go right through the city. Our only traffic snarls would always be where the bypass meets back up with the main highway.

[Mahakal]

Hello Everyone,
First off thanks everyone for help.
Update. Last month when I went to Florida I took my SUV instead of my MH. I was bit nervous of the hills. I know. This month again went to Florida and back today. I don't know why I was nervous of hills. This was my first 1k plus miles trip. I had no problems climbing monteagle pass or road. As some had mentioned keeps rpm 1500-2000 while climbing. Just did that. I used cruise control @45 miles. Going down again put on cruise @40 with exhaust brake on. No problem. I was really glad I drove my MH to Florida. Once again thank you everyone.




Sent from my iPad using iRV2 - RV Forum

[Stan.Birch]

Originally Posted by Mahakal

Last month when I went to Florida I took my SUV instead of my MH.

So . . . in retrospect, if you had to do it all again, would you again do it with your SUV, or would you do it with your MH??

[Mahakal]

I would with MH. Now I need to learn how to tow.