So, I have a place to live when I get to Atlanta and a job when I get there. Hooray!
Now I need to actually make the move. I’m going to be driving solo, so I will be stopping at night. I’m looking to leave Tucson on either 6/17 or 6/18 (depending on how long it takes me to get out things finished up - my last day of work here is 6/15). Either way, I’ll hit the major TX cities on either route on either Saturday or Sunday.
I’ll start on I-10 but once in TX can either get on I-20 and go through DFW, Shreveport and so on straight into Atlanta, or I can stay on 10 and go through San Antonio, Houston, New Orleans over to I-65, to I-85 and up into Atlanta from there.
There is only about 100 miles difference in the route, and at 1800ish miles, that extra 100 miles doesn’t really matter. I’ve never driven either of these routes (coming west, I was leaving Ohio, so came across on I-40 through OK). So, have you driven one or both? Any preference? I won’t be hauling any kind of trailer or driving a truck, just in a regular passenger car, if that makes a difference.
I-20 will probably have less traffic, I-10 will have more interesting places to see–New Orleans, Mississippi Coast, Mobile rather than Shreveport-Jackson-Birmingham.
You also have the option to go I-10 to New Orleans, then I-59 to Birmingham (probably shorter than going to Mobile and then up I-65).
Whatever route you take, once you hit Birmingham, you want I-20 in to Hotlanta. Dunno where you’ll find I-85–maybe right outside Atlanta? I’m not familiar with it.
In my experience in coming from Texas and Oklahoma several times over the years is that I’d agree with Oakminster. I-20 is a somewhat boring but very easy drive. If you’re intent on getting here with no frills take I 20. Set your cruise control and go back and make a sandwich while your car does all the work.
You pick up 85 around Montgomery. It’s also been pointed out to me that the I-40 route is also in the same mileage route (slightly shorter than the I-10 route, slightly longer than the I-20 one), which would potentially cut some hotel expense because at least one night there are people I could stay with - but I’m still leaning slightly toward the more direct-seeming I-20 route at this point.
If you’re doing the southern route, San Antonio to Houston on 10 is pretty boring. Deviating through the Hill Country north of S.A. like to Fredericksburg, Johnson City, Dripping Springs and following 290 through Bastrop and Brenham should give you a little more topography and scenery.
I’d invite you to stay the night in Birmingham with us, but I have a newborn! If you’re around, and you want to go have a beer, let me know. Congratulations on the job!
I-85 from Montgomery or I-20 from Birmingham are both easy drives to Atlanta, although, depending on the time of day, both can have hairy traffic (on both ends!)
I-40 would be my least preferred option. Little Rock to Memphis has lots of traffic, including more 18 wheelers per mile than any interstate I’ve ever driven, plus you have to navigate Memphis and Nashville. Then again, those places might prepare you for the traffic hell that is Atlanta.
I’m a country boy. Driving in Atlanta scares me. Umpteen lanes of traffic in one direction, exits to the right, left, AND center. Insane speeds in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Did it at rush hour once. Never again. Now, I will drive an extra hundred miles to avoid driving through Atlanta if possible. Kinda sad, because there’s a restaurant in Atlanta I’d really like to visit: Abdullah the Butcher’s House of Ribs. Always wanted to meet Abby, and they say if he is there, he’ll let you get a picture with him holding you in a headlock and gouging you with a fork…ok, maybe you have to be an old school wrestling fan to appreciate that part.
Come on I-20, stop in Jackson and I’ll buy you lunch or dinner.
ETA: I’d rather take a beating than drive through Memphis. Trust me, I grew up in North Miss. and we went to Memphis a lot. Second worse is Atlanta.
In other words, Oakminster is correct about the route.
I’ve driven to Atlanta a couple of times from New Orleans, and always taken I-59 up to I-20. But it’s actually over 40 miles shorter to take I-10 to Mobile and then I-65 north.
The latter would be a little more interesting because it would take you along the Mississippi Coast.
To Lsura: If you want to see New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, don’t take I-12 (bypasses the entire New Orleans metro area) and when you’re nearing New Orleans, don’t take 610 (bypasses the Central Business District). You’ll go right through the middle of the city.
Later, when you cross the border into Mississippi on I-10, take the first exit and make a right (it’s about a mile or two into Mississippi, MS-607). Just keep going straight and you’ll be on US-90 (no turns, it merges in). This will take you into Bay St. Louis and once you cross the bay, Hwy 90 runs along the beach all the way to Biloxi. You’ll get to see some nice beaches and motels and casinos and lots of empty lots where buildings stood up until 4 1/2 years ago.
When you get to Biloxi, you can get on I-110 and drive a few miles north and get back on I-10 and head east.
When I drove to Houston (from the Nashville area) over the Christmas holidays, they were still doing a lot of construction on I-10 between I-55 and Houston. Same with the last four trips (spanning three years).
I’m with the others about using I-40 (and I use it daily), especially if you’re unaccustomed to metropolitan interstate driving. There are still a couple of spots just west of Nashville that are being repaired from the flood and the splits here can catch anyone not paying close attention offgaurd. Going that route, you’d want to take I-24 from Nashville to Chattanooga to catch I-75. They are having sinkhole issues on I-24 (did I mention the flood? it did some infrastructure damage).
I concur with the majority, in that I-20 will be your easiest route.
Oh, if I took 40, from Memphis I’d take 78 out of Memphis down through Birmingham - there’s no reason to head ENE to Nashville then Chattanooga unless I was way ahead of schedule and needed to crash with the parents in Chattanooga for a day or so. Also, yes, well aware of the flood damage/sinkhole issue, so that was just another reason.
Apart from I-40 from OKC to Memphis, I’ve actually driven all of these highways at some point in time except for 40 from OKC to Memphis, and the TX portions of 10 and 20.
At this point, both 20 and 40 have benefits that include seeing friends I haven’t seen in years and meeting their child(ren in one case - a set of twins under a year old), so I’ve pretty much tossed 10 out the window unless major benefits turn up that I haven’t considered.
Thanks!
I actually like this route quite a bit. It will be the new I-22 route (eventually), but right now it’s got the charm of a country drive (very few exits, almost no gas stations, billboards, or traffic) with the flat-out convenience of a new, nice multi-lane interstate highway. It’s a pretty drive, too.
It’s a pain when you get to Birmingham, though. Last time I went that way, you had to get off the nice interstate-like road about 10 miles out of town, and deal with stop and go traffic/redlights until you reach I-59 to I-20.
