Michigan - Florida trip best driving route

[Klutch9]

This winter I'll likely drive down to Florida with my wife to visit her parents. I live in the Metro-Detroit area and have driven to Florida several times before. I live a stones-throw from I-75, so I've always taken that straight through to Florida, the only deviation from I-75 being the I-475 bypass near Macon, GA., as it's a little short cut. We'll also be driving with my BIL and SIL, the former of which is a photographer and likes to take pictures while traveling. Any other good yet direct ways down to FL that anyone has tried from my general area? I know of several other ways I can take, I'm just curious if one way is more scenic, fun, etc.

 

[TallPaul]

I do this same trip about mid January for 1.5 wks in Lakeland Florida. I am curious about the alternate routes, but am afraid they are many more miles, and I am pretty much in a hurry. Last year got stuck in Cinci for the first night because of snow and cars going off the road, no way going into Kentucky in those conditions.

 

[JHZR2]

We enjoyed driving the panhandle and down by taking the west-coast US highways from Panama City to Tampa.

I prefer 4-lane divided US highways.

 

[A_Harman]

I'm traveling to Sebring, Florida this week. Maybe I-75, maybe I-65, maybe I-77. I'm planning to go whichever way looks to have less weather when I start out. I-77 is most scenic through West Virginia, but it is more mountainous and the road is more curvy. It also misses Atlanta. I-65 has the advantage of missing Cincinnati, and has the lowest hills, but may take you too far west. I-75 is the most direct, but has the most traffic.

 

[dwcopple]

Allegiant Air. Seriously cheaper than gas. Look into it.

 

[Klutch9]

Originally Posted By: dwcopple
Allegiant Air. Seriously cheaper than gas. Look into it.

But driving is fun! Plus, we have 4 people to split the cost of fuel in a car that will get over 30 mpg.

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

For scenic, exit I-75 around Knoxville and head east to the big hills, or do the same around Chattanooga but the hills aren't as big.

 

[Rhymingmechanic]

It's a good bit out of your way, but I have traveled between Grand Rapids and Atlanta using I-69 to Indy, I-65 to Nashville, and then I-24 over to 75 at Chattanooga.

On one trip, I decided to take 75 back to GR, thinking it would be a scenic drive. It was awful in comparison to the other route--trucks backing up traffic through the hills and then congestion from Lexington all the way to northern Ohio. I don't know if the extra miles from Rochester would be worth a little calmer trip, or if that even matters to you. I can't say much about scenic, because my version of that is a couple thousand miles farther west. If you're willing to spend the extra time on secondary roads there would probably be more for your photographer.

 

[dwcopple]

Originally Posted By: Klutch9
Originally Posted By: dwcopple
Allegiant Air. Seriously cheaper than gas. Look into it.

But driving is fun! Plus, we have 4 people to split the cost of fuel in a car that will get over 30 mpg.
Sorry, 22 hours in a subcompact sounds like [censored] on Earth to me.

 

[Klutch9]

Originally Posted By: dwcopple
Originally Posted By: Klutch9
Originally Posted By: dwcopple
Allegiant Air. Seriously cheaper than gas. Look into it.

But driving is fun! Plus, we have 4 people to split the cost of fuel in a car that will get over 30 mpg.
Sorry, 22 hours in a subcompact sounds like [censored] on Earth to me.


No subcompact on this trip. Our midsize Fusion gets well over 30 mpg highway.

 

[TallPaul]

I can handle the I-75 route, but going through Atlanta sucks!

 

[A_Harman]

Atlanta is bad whether you go through downtown or around the outer belt. Blech!

 

[Klutch9]

The last time we drove through Atlanta on I-75, it wasn't slow at all. We were able to travel just below posted speeds IIRC. I think we passed through at about 4 A.M. Actually, on our way down, we drove straight through and went through Cincinatti just after evening rush hour, and through Atlanta just before morning rush hour. Perfect timing.

 

[TallPaul]

Yes, timing is the critical component, and going stright through the downtown is the fastest. Of course if you go the long, long way around to the east you can visit Stone Mountain park. Then may as well shoot up north and east to the smokies from there (if heading north, else the reverse)