Best route from Nashville

[Badger Brent]

We will be traveling to the Fort in late November 2018. We want to avoid Atlanta all together. Best route from Nashville to Fort Wilderness? Will be traveling on black Friday from southern Wisconsin to Paducah, on the first day. Want to split up the last two travel days to be around Ocala to FW that Monday morning. Any thoughts on route and campgrounds Sat & Sun? Traveling with a 2500 Suburban and a 30 foot TT. Thanks!!

 

[bama_ed]

Brent,

As for route, you will want to take I65 south from Nashville through Birmingham to Montgomery then divert to Highway 231 south towards Dothan, AL (my first gas stop at the Flying J there), then Hwy 231 south into Florida, hit I10 headed east, and proceed to I75. Going that route, you pick up I10 at mile marker (mm) 130 and get to I75 at mm 298 (Tallahassee around mm 200). There is a whole lot of practically nothing between Tallahassee and I75.

That's the route I take and I live in the central Alabama region. I can't help you with campgrounds but like you we like to get close and spend the night before rolling into the Fort the next morning (we aim for Lake Louisa State Park in Clermont which leaves 30 minutes to the Fort). There is a KOA in Ozark, AL right along Hwy 231 (about 20 minutes before Dothan) which is right at 500 miles from Paducah (I don't know how many hours/distance you want to get in when you leave Paducah). That would leave about 400 miles to WDW from Ozark (back up nearly an hour if your destination is Ocala).

How far do you plan to drive the day you leave Paducah? and from that stop, is your next stop Ocala?

Bama Ed

 

[Badger Brent]

Thanks Bama Ed! So the route is Wisconsin-KOA Paducah Friday. Paducah-Troy, Alabama Deer Run RV Park Saturday. Troy- Lake Louisa State Park site #11 Sunday. Be at the Fort around 11am to check in on Monday. We feel better knowing the route is at least booked. I kind of knew the route, just didn't know the state roads to take. Thanks again Ed!

 

[team bradfield]

we stayed at north ocala rv park, i would not stay again, very narrow roads and sites, hard time getting into our site

 

[zebrastreyepz]

Brent,

As for route, you will want to take I65 south from Nashville through Birmingham to Montgomery then divert to Highway 231 south towards Dothan, AL (my first gas stop at the Flying J there), then Hwy 231 south into Florida, hit I10 headed east, and proceed to I75. Going that route, you pick up I10 at mile marker (mm) 130 and get to I75 at mm 298 (Tallahassee around mm 200). There is a whole lot of practically nothing between Tallahassee and I75.

That's the route I take and I live in the central Alabama region. I can't help you with campgrounds but like you we like to get close and spend the night before rolling into the Fort the next morning (we aim for Lake Louisa State Park in Clermont which leaves 30 minutes to the Fort). There is a KOA in Ozark, AL right along Hwy 231 (about 20 minutes before Dothan) which is right at 500 miles from Paducah (I don't know how many hours/distance you want to get in when you leave Paducah). That would leave about 400 miles to WDW from Ozark (back up nearly an hour if your destination is Ocala).

How far do you plan to drive the day you leave Paducah? and from that stop, is your next stop Ocala?

Bama Ed

This is how we avoid Atlanta coming from Oklahoma, too. We spend the night in Dothan and then head down the next day, though.

 

[bama_ed]

Thanks Bama Ed! So the route is Wisconsin-KOA Paducah Friday. Paducah-Troy, Alabama Deer Run RV Park Saturday. Troy- Lake Louisa State Park site #11 Sunday. Be at the Fort around 11am to check in on Monday. We feel better knowing the route is at least booked. I kind of knew the route, just didn't know the state roads to take. Thanks again Ed!

I like your plan, Brent.

The Deer Run RV park is on the right side of Hwy 231 - never stayed at it since it is only a few hours from my starting point. But they have a sign out on the highway that indicates they have strong Good Sam reviews. I think it's fine for a one night stopover.

When you come into Dothan on Hwy 231, actually you go AROUND Dothan. There is a circular ring 4-lane divided highway around Dothan and that is what you will travel on (several red lights through this stretch). You come down the highway and hit the ring road at the 10 o'clock position and turn right (south) and go down past the 9 o'clock spot around to the 6 o'clock spot (it's Hwy 231 all the way). At the 6 o'clock spot (heading due east by now) Hwy 231 turn south for the short run down to I10. The Flying J is at that turn on the NE corner.

As for Lake Louisa, I really like it for the night before. You should arrive in time to check in while the Camp Office is staffed. The Comfort Stations are nice but not air conditioned (should not be a problem for you in November). It actually is a few miles south of Clermont and they are widening Highway 27 from 2 to 4 lanes right in front of LLSP but the in/out from LLSP is still passable.

There is a Super Wal-Mart in Clermont on the left in case you need anything but it is up on a hill (thinking towing here) before you get to LLSP. But after you leave LLSP in the morning and turn right/south down Hwy 27 for the Fort, there is another Super Wal-Mart on the left side of the highway (along with a Lowe's) and also a Walgreen's (the Lowe's and WM are sort of set back behind other fast food/oil change/retail shops). All those things are on the left side just before you get to Hwy 192 in far western Kissimmee. That's where I like to get my last minutes items before I get to the Fort.

Then it's a roll into the Fort on World Drive. Just before the MK toll booth is a ramp exit on the right for the Fort (with a horizontal clearance bar which protects the monorail beam).

Have a great trip!

Bama Ed

 

[pcstang]

Go left when you get to Ross Clark Circle from 231. Much less traffic that way and it’s about the same distance as going right. Unfortunately I live in dothan.

 

[zebrastreyepz]

Go left when you get to Ross Clark Circle from 231. Much left traffic that way and it’s about the same distance as going right. Unfortunately I live in dothan.

Thank you for the advice!

 

[disney4me4ever]

We will be traveling to the Fort in late November 2018. We want to avoid Atlanta all together. Best route from Nashville to Fort Wilderness?

Just wanted to circle back to see if OP had any feedback on this route? Looking to try this on our next trip (January); also from WI.

 

[Badger Brent]

We're going with Bama Ed and going south from Nashville to avoid Atlanta. It only adds minimal time and miles. I can message you on roads when we get back. We live by Madison, and you?

 

[disney4me4ever]

We're going with Bama Ed and going south from Nashville to avoid Atlanta. It only adds minimal time and miles. I can message you on roads when we get back. We live by Madison, and you?

Yes, let me know how it goes! We won't be camping on the way (we stay at Drury Inns wherever possible), but would appreciate knowing what your experience is. And we're from Appleton!

 

[bjschil]

BadgerBrent, we also live about 50 mi SW of Madison. For the last three years, we also drive the route through Alabama. Although longer, we also like avoiding Atlanta pulling our fiver. Hope you have a great trip. Safe Travels.

 

[mickeyfan0805]

BadgerBrent -

We too are WI (although we are in the Milwaukee area). I did the trek to the Fort twice (once last fall and again this summer). A lot of it, for us, depends on timing. If travelling on a weekday, we would go all the way out to I39 and then cut across I64 on the northern portion of the route - missing all of the major cities. Weekend travels, I'm more apt to go along I65 (or the tri-state and I57 to miss the other cities on 65).

As for Atlanta, we all read that it can be bad, but in our trips I never found that it would have been worth going down through Alabama. I planned my passes through the city either on weekends or on the extremes of the day (once coming through at 6am and another time at 9pm). If you have the time to spare and/or are really uncomfortable with city driving, then avoiding Atlanta is worth it. For us, however, it never would have saved us time. The AL route adds an hour and a half to the trip, and 3 of 4 times we sailed through Atlanta - the last I was stuck for an hour in late-night construction, but I was still better off than going around.

It's all about your comfort/time/priorities - good luck with whichever route you choose!

 

[Badger Brent]

I'm keeping our trip home open for either way. Depending on how we like the Alabama route, we may time going through Atlanta early or late after leaving the fort. I've done Atlanta a dozen times, but the first time with TT will have to be non peak travel. Thanks everyone for the input!! This group is one of the best.

 

[mickeyfan0805]

This group is one of the best.

No doubt!!

 

[Sluf]

I'm in Knoxville, TN (just North). I'm heading down in February. I'll be heading east to Asheville, NC then I-26 to I-95. Avoiding Atlanta like the plague. Of course, this will be my first time pulling my 5er that's not local.

 

[scot@dvcstore]

Great to see Lake Louisa State Park mentioned in the Boards. I live on the opposite side of Lake Louisa and the State Park is my go to camping location. IMO, Florida has some of the best state parks in the country and several located in the Central Florida boundaries. Try to get a reservation at Anastasia State Park (tough reservation to get) if you get a couple extra days. The park is located by St. Augustine and the beach is beautiful!!

 

[disney4me4ever]

I'm keeping our trip home open for either way. Depending on how we like the Alabama route, we may time going through Atlanta early or late after leaving the fort. I've done Atlanta a dozen times, but the first time with TT will have to be non peak travel. Thanks everyone for the input!! This group is one of the best.

Just wondering how the AL route went? Would you take it again, or stick with Atlanta way?

 

[garneska]

I was going to ask why you are all avoiding atlanta but I live here and know exactly why. I will say if you time it right great, but it has taken us 11 hours to home from Disney before and that trip is normally 8 hours with the rig

 

[Sluf]

I've actually changed my mind after pulling my 5er a few times. I now plan to leave Knoxville at around 2-3pm on Sunday 2/17. That'll put us in Atlanta at 6-7pm or a little later. It'll be better than taking a chance on the mountains being bad.