Class A travel to Destin,Fl

I generally will always take the interstate or four lane roads.

I think it is safer...less chance of a head-on collision, I'm not blocking traffic and I can pass those who are blocking traffic.

The on ramps allow others to merge as opposed to people pulling out from their driveways, etc.

In case of engine or tire problems I can get off the road far enough for others to pass by me.

As time goes on I see more and more people texting and not paying attention to their driving...hence I want to give myself every bit of an edge to get out of their way.

So, my answer is...stay with the four lanes. For those who claim the scenery is bad on a four lane...I disagree. I've hit all the lower 48 states and found beauty everywhere we've gone.

The real question to me is where in Destin are you staying? Because there are a couple of routes in and just moving 5-10 miles in either direction can change the recommended route.

If you are staying on the eastern side of Destin, then my recommendation is...
1. I-85 south from Atlanta
2. I-185 south
3. Exit on hwy 80 west to Alabama
4. Left on 431 south (make sure to follow 431 all the way to Dothan)
5. 231 south out of Dothan
6. Turn right on 273 at Campbellton
7. Turn left in Chipley at hwy 77
8. Follow to I-10 west
9. Exit on hwy 331 south
10. Right on 98 to Destin

If you are closer in to Destin, you might want to avoid 98 some and take the Mid-Bay Bridge in.

In that case pick up at 9 above...
10. Turn right at hwy 20 off 331 south at Freeport.
11. Turn left on 293 and cross the bridge in to Destin.

BTW, I was on I-85/I-65 through Montgomery last summer twice to go to Pensacola and I had no issues with the roads.

We like to exit 65 at Georgiana (south of Montgomery) and take 55 down through Andalusia to Florala. Nice smooth 4-lanes and very little traffic.

Besides, you can see the town that Hank Williams was born in.....just lock your doors and keep moving. :-)

Tom

DutchmenSport wrote:
Stay away from Montgomery, Alabama. If you are traveling I65, you will probably NOT be able to get over 35 mph, the roads are horrible. Avoid Montgomery! Detour, go California if you if have to! You'll kick yourself if you drive through Montgomery! You'll get beat to death and your camper will shake every thing loose!

By-pass it, go around it, take some other roads, but avoid Montgomery!

Oh boy! You hit my worst nerve, my worst driving experience ever mentioning that city! And I thought Indiana interstates were horrible!

Thanks for the laugh! We will be headed east soon, so thanks to your advice we WILL avoid I-65 and Montgomery. Word on the street is that I-40 in Arkansas is also terrible.

DutchmenSport wrote:

rk911 wrote:
... I'd normally roll into Dothan around 6pm so that means I'd be hitting Montgomery between 3p and 4p. traffic was there but it usually flowed at the posted speed limits.

Traffic was not the problem. It was the EXTREMELY rough road that had everyone slowing down. I traveled through Montgomery twice in December 2013 on our way from Indiana to Panama City and back for Christmas vacaion. It was bumpy and threw us for a surprise considering the rest of I65 was very good through Alabama.

In December 2014 we did the same route back to Panama City for Christmas vacation. This time, I thought the trailer would disconnect from the truck it was so bouncy and rough. I don't mean gentle ocean waves bounces. I mean pot hole, gouging-swallow a car type pot hole bounces.. only not holes, rises in the road! One after another after another after another. At one point, I thought I was loosing control of the rig, and that's when I slowed to 35, and noticed not much was passing me either. Traffic was no problem. We traveled through during a non-rush hour time, it was the actual road.

Returning home, in December, we avoided I65 and came up I75 to I74 instead, through the edge of Cincinnati and back to central Indiana. There were NO rough spots at all on this route.

I also posted this comment..."The interstates thru Montgomery were no better or worse than any I've been on." That was my experience.

I drive from outside Atlanta to FL several times a year and have always enjoyed the back roads - more scenic, shorter and an easier drive. Negative is you have to plan your stops a bit. US highways are generally better (wider, smoother)than state routes.

I don't drive to the panhandle so can't help you there.

Spring Break might be going on, but that's more Panama City than Destin.

Best,
- bob

rk911 wrote:
... I'd normally roll into Dothan around 6pm so that means I'd be hitting Montgomery between 3p and 4p. traffic was there but it usually flowed at the posted speed limits.

Traffic was not the problem. It was the EXTREMELY rough road that had everyone slowing down. I traveled through Montgomery twice in December 2013 on our way from Indiana to Panama City and back for Christmas vacaion. It was bumpy and threw us for a surprise considering the rest of I65 was very good through Alabama.

In December 2014 we did the same route back to Panama City for Christmas vacation. This time, I thought the trailer would disconnect from the truck it was so bouncy and rough. I don't mean gentle ocean waves bounces. I mean pot hole, gouging-swallow a car type pot hole bounces.. only not holes, rises in the road! One after another after another after another. At one point, I thought I was loosing control of the rig, and that's when I slowed to 35, and noticed not much was passing me either. Traffic was no problem. We traveled through during a non-rush hour time, it was the actual road.

Returning home, in December, we avoided I65 and came up I75 to I74 instead, through the edge of Cincinnati and back to central Indiana. There were NO rough spots at all on this route.

americanrascal wrote:

sdianel wrote:
from Atlanta, I would take I-85 S to I-185 S at Columbus. Then US80 s to US431S
to US231 S to I-10W. There is a Love's Travel Stop just past I-10 at Cottondale AL if you need fuel. There is a Flying J in Dothan AL but it's a bit tight to get into.

X2

X3. We make that drive several times a year and that's the best way. (I hadn't noticed that the Flying J in Dothan is "tight"--maybe I'm just oblivious.)

Skip

DutchmenSport wrote:
Stay away from Montgomery, Alabama. If you are traveling I65, you will probably NOT be able to get over 35 mph, the roads are horrible. Avoid Montgomery! Detour, go California if you if have to! You'll kick yourself if you drive through Montgomery! You'll get beat to death and your camper will shake every thing loose!

By-pass it, go around it, take some other roads, but avoid Montgomery!

Oh boy! You hit my worst nerve, my worst driving experience ever mentioning that city! And I thought Indiana interstates were horrible!

disagree. when my mom was alive I traveled from Chicago to SW Florida in a 35ft Class A pulling a Jeep wrangler at least once a year, the last trip in December 2013. combined length was roughly 55-feet.

my route was I-65 south from Nashville to I-85 in Montgomery then to US231 thru Troy, Ozark and Dothan. The interstates thru Montgomery were no better or worse than any I've been on. I always planned to overnight in Dothan which is roughly 2+ hours from Montgomery. I'd normally roll into Dothan around 6pm so that means I'd be hitting Montgomery between 3p and 4p. traffic was there but it usually flowed at the posted speed limits.

sdianel wrote:
from Atlanta, I would take I-85 S to I-185 S at Columbus. Then US80 s to US431S
to US231 S to I-10W. There is a Love's Travel Stop just past I-10 at Cottondale AL if you need fuel. There is a Flying J in Dothan AL but it's a bit tight to get into.

X2