Ivan K Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 We are going to spend Christmas with our daughter just south of Atlanta, McDonough and will stay there for few days at High Falls SP, on I-75 towards Macon. Any advice or tricks to get from west on I-20 to south I-75 without going through the city? Any comments on the route from DFW in general? We have never been east past Louisiana with this rig. From there we go to near Tallahassee and then south FL. Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slaterson1 Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 Hey Ivan, my wife and I are from Birmingham AL and lived in DFW for a long time so we are experts on this route by necessity. The interstate, in general, is pretty good. There are some rough spots in Shreveport, Monroe and Jackson MS but for the most part it's an easy drive. I will say going through Birmingham, make sure you aren't hitting rush hour and go I-459 and bypass the city, traffic can be seriously bad. As far as Atlanta? All bets are off, traffic is a nightmare at all times, and there is not really a good way to get to I-75 south without going either I-285 or to I-75/85 south off I-20. If you are dead set on avoiding Atlanta I guess you could go I-65 South to Montgomery AL and then I-85 east to I-75 South although this is a pretty long detour. Hope this helps. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyinhy Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 21 minutes ago, Ivan K said: We are going to spend Christmas with our daughter just south of Atlanta, McDonough and will stay there for few days at High Falls SP, on I-75 towards Macon. Any advice or tricks to get from west on I-20 to south I-75 without going through the city? Any comments on the route from DFW in general? We have never been east past Louisiana with this rig. From there we go to near Tallahassee and then south FL. Thanks in I have a house just west of Atlanta and the traffic is awful at certain times. If it were me....I would try and get to 285 on 20 around 11 am.....usually smooth sailing from there south to 75 south......then down to Tallahassee, no question I take 27 ....4 lane all the way with 0 traffic.......I have a small place in panacea and make that drive once a month.....safe travels! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve P Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 34 minutes ago, Ivan K said: We are going to spend Christmas with our daughter just south of Atlanta, McDonough and will stay there for few days at High Falls SP, on I-75 towards Macon. Any advice or tricks to get from west on I-20 to south I-75 without going through the city? Any comments on the route from DFW in general? We have never been east past Louisiana with this rig. From there we go to near Tallahassee and then south FL. Thanks in advance. Ivan, We stopped one afternoon last year at High Falls SP in our 41 ft 2008 Monaco. We were seriously unimpressed with the condition of the park (dirty bathhouses, dirt daubers everywhere, foot tall grass, bad paint everywhere). The campground was overrun with ants. The roads were in bad condition (deep potholes, wide cracks, rough roads, tight turns, overhanging branches). I would never stay there. If you can find any alternative campground, you will have a much merrier Christmas. Sorry to throw a damper on things. Steve P 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan K Posted November 30, 2021 Author Share Posted November 30, 2021 Wow, thank you all for the advice for our route! I'll keep that all in mind and mark it on the map.. The park review is disappointing, there isn't really anything else close beside an other SP away from the hwy. And I felt so lucky to book the last large enough 50amp site for those few days... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Jones Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 I can tell you that we stay AWAY from Dallas traffic. Here's our route... https://tinyurl.com/2jzs5ea4 to Jackson, MS. From there, we head south to Florida. So between DFW and Jackson, ours is a good route. Some things... Mineola, TX has a municipal RV Park downtown. A bit pricy but convenient. Exit 571A off I-20 in Texas is America's Best Smokehouse. We stop there and get Texas BBQ to go for dinner that night. Good food, (great ribs) good sides and salads. Third, Shreveport, LA is ROUGH driving BOTH through the city AND the bypass. Plan to slow down. You can boondock at SOME of the Casinos there but you MUST call and ask. Atlanta is LOTS of traffic. We have made this trip at least 8-10 times. Good luck. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan K Posted November 30, 2021 Author Share Posted November 30, 2021 Thanks Ron. We live east of DFW so that part won't be our problem this time. Prior years we always went west and I get through DFW before morning rush hour, then take a nap ahead of Abilene 🙂. Since we will likely only have 2 days to get close to Atlanta, I'll have to overnight somewhere around Vicksburg and a Cracker Barrel or WM parking lot would do if nothing else. If we make it to Bremen, GA the next day, I can follow Charles' advice and get through 285 just before noon, hopefully. These should be the only days to rush things. Plenty of time to take it easy coming back from Everglades, where ever we find a spot to stay. Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Jones Posted December 1, 2021 Share Posted December 1, 2021 Not trying to be totally negative but we have searched (numerous times) for some place to boondock around Vicksburg. I finally just gave up and we have stayed in the RV Park closest to I-20. Ameristar I think!!! It was just fine but pricy. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyinhy Posted December 1, 2021 Share Posted December 1, 2021 (edited) Ivan.... Just thinking about your trip a little and my travels through Mississippi I've stayed at several places with cranes and counterweight trucks and trailers. I don't know how you feel about casinos, but the Riverwalk in Vicksburg has a huge.....huge parking lot! It's not too far off 20 but plenty of space and the food isn't too bad. Plus, it's a casino.....nothing wrong with a few hands of blackjack for entertainment purposes. Then.....after you visit in McDonough head south on US 19.....that also is a 4 lane all the way to Tallahassee......27 is a little bit out of your way. 19 has a few more towns and a little more traffic but still a nice ride away from the interstate. 300 is another option further south on 75 near Cordele.....4 lane...about the same. Funny you say you're staying in Bremen...my house is about 10 miles from that cracker barrel and that exit is the 27 I'm talking about......straight shot to Tallahassee. Also, the only rv park I know of in McDonough is off Jodeco rd. ......Mt. Olive.....never been there but I've driven past it. Maybe they have a spot because High Falls isn't a nice place. A better option would be indian springs in Jackson Edited December 1, 2021 by Flyinhy Added comment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan K Posted December 1, 2021 Author Share Posted December 1, 2021 Thank you gentlemen, good to have options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbr046 Posted December 1, 2021 Share Posted December 1, 2021 You COULD pick up US 80 just East of Meridian MS. Take that into Montgomery AL. Pick up US 82 East of Montgomery to Eufala and pick up US 27 after entering GA. Depending on your adventure level you can add some secondary roads and save a few more miles. ~OR~ pick up US231 South of Montgomery to Dothan AL, then US 84 to Bainbridge GA and US 27 into Tallahassee. US 231 might be 4-lane with few lights / towns. Dothan has a bypass but not sure if it's limited access or just big ring road. These are just ideas, but I live outside of ATL and have come home on I-20 more than once to face a barrage of cars and trucks trying to get on I-285. Many times I'll go downtown and pick up I-85 from there (I live NE of ATL). Even I-75 is usually slow - even stop and go - where I-675 joins in on the South side. It doesn't clear up for several exits. Google suggests heading out of Jackson MS on US 49 down to Mobile AL and picking up I-10. Overnighting in Jackson or Hattiesburg might be some good places (not a fan of Walmart, but Cracker Barrel is ok if you can find an open spot). Where to stop . . . . I've stayed in small office parks. Nice and quiet and 'probably' secure if you pick a good part of town. I've thought about softball complexes also but not tried one yet. I'm usually back on the road by 7am. Anything but Atlanta! Good luck, - bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan K Posted December 1, 2021 Author Share Posted December 1, 2021 Thanks for the ideas, Bob. Unfortunately we just have to get into the south Atlanta area first, visiting with our daughter who just recently moved there is the whole reason for us to go east from TX. Maybe taking I-285 at 3am would work? All the rest of the trip is an afterthought since we will be that way already and lot of it will be a hunt for random open spaces here and there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbr046 Posted December 1, 2021 Share Posted December 1, 2021 (edited) When I leave on a trip I try to hit I-285 before 6:00 am. It'll still be busy, but it will flow (unless there's a wreck). When returning home I'll drive until I get home or plan on a 10 am entry into metro. Even at 2 am it's surprisingly busy. I wouldn't spend the night closer than Douglasville and definitely not closer than Thornton Rd. https://spotcrime.com/ga/atlanta - bob Edited December 1, 2021 by cbr046 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyinhy Posted December 1, 2021 Share Posted December 1, 2021 20 minutes ago, cbr046 said: I wouldn't spend the night closer than Douglasville and definitely not closer than Thornton Rd Wise words......lol ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivan K Posted December 1, 2021 Author Share Posted December 1, 2021 Thanks for that info, appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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