Totally Confused and Needing Directions! (Huntsville, Decatur: hotel, Home Depot, college)

[jmcinatlanta]

This will be my very first trip to Huntsville from Marietta, GA, and my son in the military told me to go up near Rome, GA and over...from there I am lost. He's in Afghanistan at the moment, and I need to figure the route out by this week. Could someone please tell me the road #'s and names of towns along the way to pass through to get to Huntsville?

Also, I was really lost about what motel to stay in, and booked with Hampton Inn near Redstone Arsenal. I can't seem to find out from the web how far that is from downtown, or whether I have chosen wisely.

Appreciate any help you can give!

[Charles]

Originally Posted by jmcinatlanta

Could someone please tell me the road #'s and names of towns along the way to pass through to get to Huntsville?

Marietta, GA to Hampton Inn Huntsville-Arsenal/South Pkway - Google Maps

[Southeastern]

The following route will take you up I-75 to Exit 290 - through Rome and on to Huntsville:

1. Take I-75 North to Exit 290 for GA-20 West

2. Turn left at Canton Hwy/GA-20 W and for 2.4 mi

3. Turn left at N Tennessee St 210 ft

4. Slight right to merge onto GA-20 W/GA-3 N/Joe Frank Harris Pkwy SE/US-41 N/US-411 S toward GA-20 W/Kingston/Rome Go 3.0 mi

5. Take the ramp onto GA-20 W/US-411 S and follow 18.9 mi

6. Take the ramp onto E 2nd Ave. Go 0.8 mi

7. Continue onto Turner McCall Blvd 2.4 mi

8. Turn right at GA-1 N/Martha Berry Hwy/US-27 N and follow 22.7 mi. After leaving Rome, you will pass Berry College and come to Summerville.

9. Turn left at GA-48 West in Summerville. You will pass through Menlo and enter Alabama 12.6 mi

10. Continue onto AL-117 N 10.4 mi . You will pass through Mentone and Valley Head

11. Turn right at AL-117 N/AL-7/US-11 N 0.1 mi

12. Take the 1st left onto AL-117 N/AL-40 W. Continue to follow AL-40 W 23.9 mi

13. Turn right at AL-35 N/Veterans Dr 3.4 mi

14. Turn left onto the US-72 E ramp to AL-279 S/Huntsville 0.2 mi

15. Merge onto AL-2 W/John T Reid Pkwy/US-72 W. Continue to follow AL-2 W/US-72 W 37.8 mi

US-72 West will become I-565 as you enter Huntsville



It looks more complicated than it is. I travel this route often when going to Atlanta. I usually skip Rome and go on up I-75 to the Adairsville exit and and pick up with the directions above on Martha Berry Hwy/US-27 N into Summerville.


Good luck on your trip.

[jmcinatlanta]

Thanks so much for your replies. I am one who will get lost, if there's a way to get lost! <g>

[Charles]

Originally Posted by jmcinatlanta

Thanks so much for your replies. I am one who will get lost, if there's a way to get lost! <g>

Why not pick up a nice GPS navigator for your car? They're cheap and they are extremely helpful. I just bought a Garmin Nuvi 265WT with free traffic updates for life. Get a refurbished model and save money.

Just over a $100

Garmin Nuvi 265 WT free traffic - Google Product Search

[LCTMadison]

Garmins are LIFESAVERS!! We went on a shopping weekend to Alpharetta last month, and I would have had NO CLUE how to get anywhere without my Garmin.
It had local restaurants, clear directions....just can't beat it! I actually found my favorite restaurant ever, Bahama Breeze, on my Garmin!

[DanInHSV]

As an Atlanta native, I can tell you that avoiding Rome can save you 15 minutes off the trip. That and it cuts out #1 through #8 on Southeastern's post above. To me, it's less confusing and you are less likely to get lost in Rome:

Take I-75 North from Atlanta, then:

continue PAST Rome on I-75 North and exit at Adairsville, then go left off the ramp. Continue west on 140/53 till it hits 27. Turn right on 27 and continue on to Summerville. Pick up on itinerary point #9 as posted by Southeastern. Takes me about 3:15 from Decatur, GA so you might get here in 3 hrs flat Happy travel!

[RoslynHolcomb]

I'm a Huntsville native who recently moved to Atlanta and IMO, especially as a woman traveling alone, I find it significantly easier to simply stay on the I-75 to Chattanooga, take I-24 and then Highway 72 on into Huntsville. I don't feel comfortable traveling those country roads by myself.

[deesonic]

What Roslyn said...

[friday13]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

I'm a Huntsville native who recently moved to Atlanta and IMO, especially as a woman traveling alone, I find it significantly easier to simply stay on the I-75 to Chattanooga, take I-24 and then Highway 72 on into Huntsville. I don't feel comfortable traveling those country roads by myself.

I would like to second Roslyn, as a woman ...with GPS!!LOL. I took a trip to ATL alone with my toddlers last year (after many trips with hubby behind the wheel). I knew the route (kinda, I don't remember the highway numbers, but I can re-create the route on the road). Going to ATL was easy, for somewhat reason on the way back the GPS took me off the I75 to the left where the road runs almost parallel to 75. Soon I realized the the landscape wasn't what I knew, and I also knew I had to stay on 75 all the way to Chattanooga, but I just had to go with the GPS !!- now tell me you never did that, GUYS . Anyway, after few miles on 2-lane speed-restricted deserted backroads, I turned around and stayed on 75-24-72.

To JMCIN:

use Google and print your route before you leave home.
you can drag the blue line below at different points (Ft.Payne, Gadsden) and create as many routes you want.
Although Chattanooga is longer, it's a good 70 MPH stretch that saves you time. The backroads are rural, and slow. You might save 15-10 min going that way. Staying on highways, it's (at least, perceived) safer.

Marietta, GA to Huntsville, AL - Google Maps

So, assuming you know your way out of Marrietta to I75, keep going that way until you hit I24 (Take exit 2 on the left to merge onto I-24 W toward Chattanooga/Nashville ). >> Don't freak out here thinking you're on the way to Nashville. Keep on I24, until you hit US72 (Take exit 152 for US-64/US-72 toward US-41/Kimball/S Pittsburg). This exit is a very sharp turn just past the shopping center (Walmart, Home Depot on the right). US72 takes you straight to Blvd.South where you booked the hotel (if you follow the google map above, disregard step 11 which takes you downtown, and continue ahead on the overpass system just keep left onto US-231 S/US-431 S/Memorial Pkwy ).
The map shows this route 200mi, 3.38 hr.. Through Rome-Ft. Payne-Scottsboro is 179 mi, 3.59hr.