Traveling to McMinnville, TN from Huntsville (Tullahoma, Manchester: roads, people, best)

[Berna]

After checking several difference sources (mapquest, yahoo maps, google maps and one other), I'm even more confused than when I started. I'm planning a trip to McMinnville in a couple days and was wondering if anyone might be able to tell me the best route from Huntsville, AL (and approximate travel time). When I attempted to get directions via the aforementioned sources, each one seems to be different and hence the approximate travel time is different ranging anywhere from 2 hours, 5 minutes to 3 hours, 28 minutes. I have an appointment in McMinnville at 2:00 pm so I'm trying to figure out what time to leave Huntsville and admittedly I'm a little skeptical about the map listing the shortest travel time. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[alleycat]

Well, you should be able to get there in two hours or less, but if it were me I'd give myself a little leeway and say three hours. If you get there early, well, freshen up . . . or get ice cream! ;-)

[JMT]

Originally Posted by Berna

After checking several difference sources (mapquest, yahoo maps, google maps and one other), I'm even more confused than when I started. I'm planning a trip to McMinnville in a couple days and was wondering if anyone might be able to tell me the best route from Huntsville, AL (and approximate travel time). When I attempted to get directions via the aforementioned sources, each one seems to be different and hence the approximate travel time is different ranging anywhere from 2 hours, 5 minutes to 3 hours, 28 minutes. I have an appointment in McMinnville at 2:00 pm so I'm trying to figure out what time to leave Huntsville and admittedly I'm a little skeptical about the map listing the shortest travel time. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I just did a mapquest search, and it showed the route that I've always taken:

US Hwy 231 from Huntsville to Fayetteville TN, then TN Hwy 50 from Fayetteville to Lynchburg, then TN Hwy 55 the rest of the way to McMinnville. The only section that's not four lanes is between Fayetteville and Tullahoma. In all, it's 95 miles, most of which is four lanes, so it shouldn't take you much more than 2-2.5 hours.

I'm curious though. What other routes were you given? I can't imagine a different way to get from Huntsville to McMinnville.

[Berna]

Thank you alleycat and JMT for your response.

JMT, the route you mentioned is the one I actually printed out. The other maps mentioned taking US-64, TN-15, then TN-50, then ALT US-41, TN-16, TN-130 and then TN-55. I'm thinking now that perhaps the other maps were just more detailed providing alternate names for highways, therefore, making them look more confusing. Of course that doesn't explain the different travel times. I figured it would take me about 2 hours so I will leave accordingly. Again, I appreciate your help.

[mrs1885]

I'm just outside of McM'Ville. The only way I send anyone is up I24 to 55 through Manchester. That takes you straight into McM'Ville. I'm always leary sending people other directions on smaller roads for fear they'll get lost. I'm not too good with directions. ~