Montgomery to Seagrove - best route

[vacationlover]

Just picked up a trip pack from AAA and they gave me a different route then used before - from Montgomery 231 South thru Dothan to 10 West to 331. They say about the same distance as straight down 331, but shorter time. Is this a good way? Better roads? More traffic?

[TreeFrog]

It's certainly the long way around. Doesn't seem likely to me that it would be quicker.

The tirp duration depends on so much. Here's my problem with AAA and MapQuest routings...Yesterday morning, I drove to a Dr. office on the north side of Pensacola. Went straight from Seagrove across 98, up through town in Pensacola (not on I110), and made the whole deal easily in 1:55. When I went in Feb, same route, it took 2:15. MapQuest wanted to send me up 331 to I10 and quoted 1:55 but 30 miles more distance. But I was going to have to go up 331 in the morning go-to-work traffic, so I knew it would be both longer AND slower...

In your case, you've got all the delay of going through Dothan or around on Ross Clark (one of my least favorite stretches of "bypass" anywhere). I'd keep it simple and stick with 331, provided you run the Defuniak to 98 portion of 331 at some time other than rush hour.

[Mermaid]

We make the trip down every other month or so, and I have to agree with Tree Frog about the way to use.

[Teresa]

Just picked up a trip pack from AAA and they gave me a different route then used before - from Montgomery 231 South thru Dothan to 10 West to 331. They say about the same distance as straight down 331, but shorter time. Is this a good way? Better roads? More traffic?

this does not sound right to me. stick to 331. there are also backroad shortcuts but would just stay on 331 unless you know those roads.

[Johnrudy]

this does not sound right to me. stick to 331. there are also backroad shortcuts but would just stay on 331 unless you know those roads.

Ditto.
I grew up in this area. This is the way to go.

[Mango]

A few weeks ago we came in from Montgomery, and we were on 331, then the GPS told us to bear left onto another route (not sure if this was 231) which brought us back on 331 at a later point that we stayed on straight into the beach.
But at no point did we get on I-10.

The point where we beared left onto a different route, I recall a gas station there at the route turn. If you see it, perhaps you can stop and ask if that is a shortcut or not. You will definitely know since the road forks and it was a small town.

Sorry, did not write any of this down, but you can't go wrong just sticking to 331.

[6thGen]

Pick up 167 (I think - goes through Enterprise and Hartford) in Troy, it becomes 79 in FL. About 2.5 hours to Seagrove.

[irish9697]

We're from Memphis, but go through Montgomery, so I thought I'd share...

We like the road less traveled. Less traffic. Less stress.

We do US78 from Memphis to Birmingham, I65 from Bham to Montgomery, then we do a quick jaunt on I85 towards Atlanta and get off at AL271/Taylor Road (We've tested this and it is MUCH quicker than getting off at the US231 exit!!). From there we take 231 to Troy, then turn right onto AL87 South. We take that through the FL stateline (there are 2 tricky turns in Elba, AL) when it becomes FL81. We take FL81 to a right turn onto FL20. 10 miles later we turn left onto 331. Then, we take a left onto 98.

It's worked for us everytime.

It takes us around 8 hours 15 minutes going this way with 2 good stops. I think Montgomery to the beach is 2 hours 15 minutes this way.

[Beach Runner]

A few weeks ago we came in from Montgomery, and we were on 331, then the GPS told us to bear left onto another route (not sure if this was 231) which brought us back on 331 at a later point that we stayed on straight into the beach.
But at no point did we get on I-10.

The point where we beared left onto a different route, I recall a gas station there at the route turn. If you see it, perhaps you can stop and ask if that is a shortcut or not. You will definitely know since the road forks and it was a small town.

Sorry, did not write any of this down, but you can't go wrong just sticking to 331.

You can't always depend on the GPS. Our GPS biotch kept wanting us to turn on to a dirt road. When we didn't, she kept telling us to turn around as soon as possible. If we had followed the GPS advice, we would have needed an amphibious vehicle to get us across the bay!

[Lady D]

We're from Memphis, but go through Montgomery, so I thought I'd share...

We like the road less traveled. Less traffic. Less stress.

We do US78 from Memphis to Birmingham, I65 from Bham to Montgomery, then we do a quick jaunt on I85 towards Atlanta and get off at AL271/Taylor Road (We've tested this and it is MUCH quicker than getting off at the US231 exit!!). From there we take 231 to Troy, then turn right onto AL87 South. We take that through the FL stateline (there are 2 tricky turns in Elba, AL) when it becomes FL81. We take FL81 to a right turn onto FL20. 10 miles later we turn left onto 331. Then, we take a left onto 98.

It's worked for us everytime.

It takes us around 8 hours 15 minutes going this way with 2 good stops. I think Montgomery to the beach is 2 hours 15 minutes this way.

We too come from Memphis. We take 78 to Birmingham, hop on I-65 until a little ways beyond Montgomery and then take Exit 106 which is the Georgianna exit which took us onto Hwy 55 going through Andalusia then to Florala where we picked up 331 the rest of the way in. Our travel time this route took 7 hrs. 45minutes two years ago coming this route with two stops. We will use it again this year.

[whiteyfunn]

We too come from Memphis. We take 78 to Birmingham, hop on I-65 until a little ways beyond Montgomery and then take Exit 106 which is the Georgianna exit which took us onto Hwy 55 going through Andalusia then to Florala where we picked up 331 the rest of the way in. Our travel time this route took 7 hrs. 45minutes two years ago coming this route with two stops. We will use it again this year.

This is the ONLY way I go!

[TreeFrog]

Lady D's route works well too. It's a touch farther but a little quicker. I usually lean to the shortest mileage, given a choice.