Got a question. I noticed that the direct route for me from OKC, would be to hit I-40 to Memphis, take I-22 to Birmingham, I-20 to Atlanta. Would it be quicker to take the I-285 that looks like it skirts the outside of Atlanta and the reconnect with I-75 south of the airport? Or does it really matter? Looks like I-20 goes right through the heart of Atlanta. I just don't know.
Planning on driving from Okla. to Hilton Head S.C.
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I did from Virginia (multiple locations) to Dallas while in the Air Force.
I typically drove south through Atlanta then across, less zig zags and country roads to get lost on. Try to time it so that you won't hit rush hours around city's and you should be fine.
BTW, I found that starting late was better than starting early. If you start early you have to be up with the truckers at 4am to beat traffic. If you get out the door late, say 9 or 10am, and have had a good nights sleep, you can drive till after midnight and miss the rush on both ends of the spectrum.
I typically stop after 2 hours of driving, refill my gas (even though I will have quite a bit left) and stretch my legs. It slows me down, but I can pull more hours driving before I find myself nodding off to sleep or daydreaming and missing exits (both dangerous).
Overall I'd say take your time. Things that are bad typically happen when you are in a rush.
I typically drove south through Atlanta then across, less zig zags and country roads to get lost on. Try to time it so that you won't hit rush hours around city's and you should be fine.
BTW, I found that starting late was better than starting early. If you start early you have to be up with the truckers at 4am to beat traffic. If you get out the door late, say 9 or 10am, and have had a good nights sleep, you can drive till after midnight and miss the rush on both ends of the spectrum.
I typically stop after 2 hours of driving, refill my gas (even though I will have quite a bit left) and stretch my legs. It slows me down, but I can pull more hours driving before I find myself nodding off to sleep or daydreaming and missing exits (both dangerous).
Overall I'd say take your time. Things that are bad typically happen when you are in a rush.
JHZR2
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Originally Posted By: SuperDave456
BTW, I found that starting late was better than starting early. If you start early you have to be up with the truckers at 4am to beat traffic. If you get out the door late, say 9 or 10am, and have had a good nights sleep, you can drive till after midnight and miss the rush on both ends of the spectrum.
I typically stop after 2 hours of driving, refill my gas (even though I will have quite a bit left) and stretch my legs. It slows me down, but I can pull more hours driving before I find myself nodding off to sleep or daydreaming and missing exits (both dangerous).
Overall I'd say take your time. Things that are bad typically happen when you are in a rush.
Great advice. I too would select a route based upon what you want to see. If nothing, then go shortest to keep the miles down and just time it right. Worst case get some barbecue and a coke in Atlanta for dinner and wait the trafic out.
If you have a smartphone, seeing realtime traffic can be a huge help.
BTW, I found that starting late was better than starting early. If you start early you have to be up with the truckers at 4am to beat traffic. If you get out the door late, say 9 or 10am, and have had a good nights sleep, you can drive till after midnight and miss the rush on both ends of the spectrum.
I typically stop after 2 hours of driving, refill my gas (even though I will have quite a bit left) and stretch my legs. It slows me down, but I can pull more hours driving before I find myself nodding off to sleep or daydreaming and missing exits (both dangerous).
Overall I'd say take your time. Things that are bad typically happen when you are in a rush.
Great advice. I too would select a route based upon what you want to see. If nothing, then go shortest to keep the miles down and just time it right. Worst case get some barbecue and a coke in Atlanta for dinner and wait the trafic out.
If you have a smartphone, seeing realtime traffic can be a huge help.
Figure out your stops, food, gas etc, One stop off the highway. My son and I started doing this and we ate better and wasted less time.
Depending on time of day ie. morning and evening rush hours i20 and I285 is a crash course and parking lot. When my wife and i visit Tybee island/Hilton Head yearly we always head to Macon, GA and head to Savanaha then up to Hilton Head from their via i95 or seine route. I know this might be somewhat out of your way but your coming from OK. I20 is a road rash course too. Alabama and Georgia don't do quite a great job picking up stones, litter and rubber aligators and the front of our subies take a beating. I will try to post a google maps link our routes for you via pm if you are interested. I20 does go through the heart of atl but its a cluster f*&ck. Are you looking for fastest time or maybe a little scenic routing to avoid atl all together?
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A totally personal opinion: Minimize the time spent on I-40 anywhere east of Little Rock. It just plain stinks to drive that road anywhere east of Tulsa, but it really ramps up between, say, Little Rock and Memphis. Way too much traffic for my taste.
I live in Newnan, GA. This might be a little out of your way but it only adds according to google maps from ok city 15 min or so. It takes you through Newnan which is a great place tons of places to eat and stay we have a lot of hotels to choose from. So depending. But as you see if you take this route you will get off at carrolton, ga and head for newnan, ga drive through it and head right to griffin, ga which is right off i75. Its pretty quick very little slow downs other than the two cities but that is all great place to gas up and eat/sleep. Traffic is medium and nice views.
http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Oklahoma+City,+OK&daddr=33.5298227,-84.9907288+to:Hilton+Head+Island,+SC&hl=en&ll=33.263379,-84.399719&spn=0.118417,0.264187&sll=33.622339,-84.990578&sspn=0.235856,0.528374&geocode=FSgxHQIddAQw-imB0vh-VIqthzGdOk_RdBKiMw%3BFd6f_wEd-CTv-ilvEbaPmi2LiDE55L04t09bog%3BFfyU6wEdINAv-ymtGdOO3Hn8iDE9KKLreqblLA&vpsrc=6&mra=dpe&mrsp=1&sz=12&via=1&t=m&z=13
Either way there really isnt any way to avoid i16 which is just really a hurricane evac route. Very little to no exits and towns in between with no option for gas. Its just once straight piece of asphalt. Thats going to be your most boring part of the trip.
http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Oklahoma+City,+OK&daddr=33.5298227,-84.9907288+to:Hilton+Head+Island,+SC&hl=en&ll=33.263379,-84.399719&spn=0.118417,0.264187&sll=33.622339,-84.990578&sspn=0.235856,0.528374&geocode=FSgxHQIddAQw-imB0vh-VIqthzGdOk_RdBKiMw%3BFd6f_wEd-CTv-ilvEbaPmi2LiDE55L04t09bog%3BFfyU6wEdINAv-ymtGdOO3Hn8iDE9KKLreqblLA&vpsrc=6&mra=dpe&mrsp=1&sz=12&via=1&t=m&z=13
Either way there really isnt any way to avoid i16 which is just really a hurricane evac route. Very little to no exits and towns in between with no option for gas. Its just once straight piece of asphalt. Thats going to be your most boring part of the trip.
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Make it an adventure.
Feb 1, If you go south on I-35E you can catch the Thunder at the Mavericks in Dallas, then roll south to pick up I-20. Get a 4-star room at one of the casinos in Shreveport/Bossier area for less than a 4 star price. Maybe let the casino get a little of their money back at the slots or tables. Just don't bring more than you can afford to lose. Tip your server and drink otherwise for free. Hit the breakfast buffet and then back on the road to Savannah. Probably stay in Savannah cheaper than Hilton Head. Then cross the Savannah River and down the road a bit to Hilton Head.
Make sure you take I-35E. I-35W looks faster in Denton but at Alliance airport it backs up as bad as I-35E does and it does not clear up until you get past I-30.
Feb 1, If you go south on I-35E you can catch the Thunder at the Mavericks in Dallas, then roll south to pick up I-20. Get a 4-star room at one of the casinos in Shreveport/Bossier area for less than a 4 star price. Maybe let the casino get a little of their money back at the slots or tables. Just don't bring more than you can afford to lose. Tip your server and drink otherwise for free. Hit the breakfast buffet and then back on the road to Savannah. Probably stay in Savannah cheaper than Hilton Head. Then cross the Savannah River and down the road a bit to Hilton Head.
Make sure you take I-35E. I-35W looks faster in Denton but at Alliance airport it backs up as bad as I-35E does and it does not clear up until you get past I-30.
I say avoid the Atlanta traffic at all costs, no matter what. You are taking your life in your own hands driving anywhere in Atlanta, and nowhere in the city is that more true than on 285. Stay off of 285. It will preserve both your safety and your sanity. People on 285 drive like wild crazed idiots that have absolutely nothing to live for and they have no regard for anyone else's safety either, and they are some of the rudest drivers I have ever seen.
That being said, if it were me I would go ahead and come on into Georgia on I-20, it does run through part of the extreme southern side of Atlanta near the airport, but you should be OK there. Then take I-75 south to Macon, about 75 miles away, then head through Macon itself, do not take I-475 and go around Macon, then I-75 will split off and you take the I-16 fork that will take you all the way to Savannah, it dead-ends into I-95, take I-95 north just about 15 miles or so and take the second Hilton Head exit, Highway 278 and it will lead you straight onto the island, about 30 miles away.
I have driven in Atlanta on 285 and the other interstates there a lot. I used to live there and I go up there to visit my family fairly often. Each time I drive on 285, 685, 85, 75, or any of the other interstates there it is worse than the time before. A friend of mine once said, "You better get right with God before you go driving anywhere in Atlanta". And he was right. Taking I-75 to Macon and I-16 to Savannah is much safer and a lot more peaceful. I-16 is downright boring. Not much there to look at and really not that many exits, either. But it will get you to Savannah and I-95 alive and in one piece.
Have a safe trip and enjoy your time on the island. Be sure to check out Harbor Town, South Beach and have dinner at the Crazy Crab at least once. Also have lunch at the Salty Dog. Hilton Head is a very nice place to take a vacation, this time of year especially since it is not so crowded and the weatehr is comfortable. I have been to HHI a lot, some of my family have time shares there. Reading this post makes me want to go back. Have fun on the island.
That being said, if it were me I would go ahead and come on into Georgia on I-20, it does run through part of the extreme southern side of Atlanta near the airport, but you should be OK there. Then take I-75 south to Macon, about 75 miles away, then head through Macon itself, do not take I-475 and go around Macon, then I-75 will split off and you take the I-16 fork that will take you all the way to Savannah, it dead-ends into I-95, take I-95 north just about 15 miles or so and take the second Hilton Head exit, Highway 278 and it will lead you straight onto the island, about 30 miles away.
I have driven in Atlanta on 285 and the other interstates there a lot. I used to live there and I go up there to visit my family fairly often. Each time I drive on 285, 685, 85, 75, or any of the other interstates there it is worse than the time before. A friend of mine once said, "You better get right with God before you go driving anywhere in Atlanta". And he was right. Taking I-75 to Macon and I-16 to Savannah is much safer and a lot more peaceful. I-16 is downright boring. Not much there to look at and really not that many exits, either. But it will get you to Savannah and I-95 alive and in one piece.
Have a safe trip and enjoy your time on the island. Be sure to check out Harbor Town, South Beach and have dinner at the Crazy Crab at least once. Also have lunch at the Salty Dog. Hilton Head is a very nice place to take a vacation, this time of year especially since it is not so crowded and the weatehr is comfortable. I have been to HHI a lot, some of my family have time shares there. Reading this post makes me want to go back. Have fun on the island.
285 is used by truckers a lot, so it is not faster than I-20. I've driven both ways, and they are about the same.
Use carpool lanes if you can (2+ people in the car). Might be worthwhile to get the PeachPass ahead of time. It will allow you to use the express lanes.
Downtown Atlanta can be difficult as far as exits and merges, but traffic is nowhere near LA bad. I've driven in LA many times, and I will take ATL any time.
GA has two kind of drivers: those going 10-15 miles UNDER the speed limit and those going 15 miles above. Speed limit on I20 drops down to 55 closer to ATL, but people would still be going 70. Took me a while to adjust.
Use carpool lanes if you can (2+ people in the car). Might be worthwhile to get the PeachPass ahead of time. It will allow you to use the express lanes.
Downtown Atlanta can be difficult as far as exits and merges, but traffic is nowhere near LA bad. I've driven in LA many times, and I will take ATL any time.
GA has two kind of drivers: those going 10-15 miles UNDER the speed limit and those going 15 miles above. Speed limit on I20 drops down to 55 closer to ATL, but people would still be going 70. Took me a while to adjust.
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Thanks. Not planning on going until the end of June and stay for a week. With the wife getting laid off in 08, then re-tooling herself for a new career, then breast cancer, then nursing school, and all through that time, my daughter starting pre-K and then up to second grade and now she should graduate as an RN in May, I NEED A VACATION. One week in HHI should do the trick. Found a nice condo rental just off the beach that should foot the bill I hope. Then off to Fayetteville NC to see old relatives, then off to Clarksville TN to see newer relatives, then back to Oklahoma. Road trip. Oil I may use you may ask??? M1 EP 5W-30 with Purolator One filter.
Thanks for the road advice, might look at the totally around Atlanta route or plan the trip so that I hit the ATL around 0300 or so.
Thanks for the road advice, might look at the totally around Atlanta route or plan the trip so that I hit the ATL around 0300 or so.
Carrollton and Griffin would be your only concern as they are medium sized and you go right through the heart of these but there really aren't alot of light. Newnan route part just skirts through the town. You would have to deviate a tiny bit to get to the main drag where all the hotels and eateries are at.
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