Anybody travel this route this year? Best to go south through Vicksburg, Jackson, Mobile, then I10? Or east through Memphis, Birmingham, Montgomery, then zigzag to 331? Been both ways many times in the past, but construction delays make a BIG difference! Thanks for any suggestions anyone has.
Replies
12
Beach Fanatic
If you decide on the Memphis route, I prefer Hwy. 78 from Memphis to Tupelo, Miss, then, Hwy 45 to Mobile, I-10 to the beach.
You avoid, Birmingham, Montgomery and 331. The only major city traffic you would have is Memphis and Mobile.
You avoid, Birmingham, Montgomery and 331. The only major city traffic you would have is Memphis and Mobile.
SWGB
Southeast. 
Beach Lover
Southeast.That's funny that is how I know which exit to take when I am driving and my husband is worried I will miss the exit. I tell him I know south or east that is they way to paradise.
Beach Comber
We have always gone Memphis hwy 78 to Tupelo & Birmingham.Then head down to Montgomery on I65. Then take the Evergreen, Al exit Hwy 84 over to Andalusia down hwy 55 over to 331. Then straight to the beach. I dont know about going down to Mobile & then over on I10, it seems that would take you out of you way. plus each way will take you to 331 & that doesnt get bad till you hit Freeport anyway. My family & I have taken that route for almost 3 yrs & we make it in good timing. We have been here in sowal for 10 yrs now, 2 of those yrs was up there in the Ozarks Mnts. Loved it there, but felt lost without my white sandy beaches. We decide to come back home!
Beach Fanatic
We have always gone Memphis hwy 78 to Tupelo & Birmingham.Then head down to Montgomery on I65. Then take the Evergreen, Al exit Hwy 84 over to Andalusia down hwy 55 over to 331. Then straight to the beach. I dont know about going down to Mobile & then over on I10, it seems that would take you out of you way. plus each way will take you to 331 & that doesnt get bad till you hit Freeport anyway. My family & I have taken that route for almost 3 yrs & we make it in good timing. We have been here in sowal for 10 yrs now, 2 of those yrs was up there in the Ozarks Mnts. Loved it there, but felt lost without my white sandy beaches. We decide to come back home!
It will only take you to 331 if that is the route you choose, I prefer the mid-bay bridge.
Going to Mobile saves us at least an hour, as you avoid Birmingham, Montgomery and 331.
The mileage might be somewhat further through Mobile but very little 2 lane.
SoWal Insider
We have always gone Memphis hwy 78 to Tupelo & Birmingham.Then head down to Montgomery on I65. Then take the Evergreen, Al exit Hwy 84 over to Andalusia down hwy 55 over to 331. Then straight to the beach. I dont know about going down to Mobile & then over on I10, it seems that would take you out of you way. plus each way will take you to 331 & that doesnt get bad till you hit Freeport anyway. My family & I have taken that route for almost 3 yrs & we make it in good timing. We have been here in sowal for 10 yrs now, 2 of those yrs was up there in the Ozarks Mnts. Loved it there, but felt lost without my white sandy beaches. We decide to come back home!
It will only take you to 331 if that is the route you choose, I prefer the mid-bay bridge.
Going to Mobile saves us at least an hour, as you avoid Birmingham, Montgomery and 331.
The mileage might be somewhat further through Mobile but very little 2 lane.
We go the way PuraVidaSurf goes but we do not go exit 84, we go to the Georgiana exit, which I think is exit 113 or 114 I believe Hwy 55, then to 331. You do get slowed down in Freeport, that is for sure. But still our trip was cut short an hour going 78 to Birmingham down through Montgomery then on to Hwy 55. Going the mid bay bridge around Mobile would put us way farther west than we need to be. Coming out on 331 puts us about 30 minutes west of where we are staying. Minnie, how many hours does it take you to get there, it takes us around 8 1/2 hours to 9 hours going the route we go. As for going through Birmingham, if you hit it right, the traffic is not bad. We did go the route you go two years back when we spent the night in Mobile that Friday night before going on to the beach Saturday.
Beach Fanatic
We go the way PuraVidaSurf goes but we do not go exit 84, we go to the Georgiana exit, which I think is exit 113 or 114 I believe Hwy 55, then to 331. You do get slowed down in Freeport, that is for sure. But still our trip was cut short an hour going 78 to Birmingham down through Montgomery then on to Hwy 55. Going the mid bay bridge around Mobile would put us way farther west than we need to be. Coming out on 331 puts us about 30 minutes west of where we are staying. Minnie, how many hours does it take you to get there, it takes us around 8 1/2 hours to 9 hours going the route we go. As for going through Birmingham, if you hit it right, the traffic is not bad. We did go the route you go two years back when we spent the night in Mobile that Friday night before going on to the beach Saturday.
We don't take the bridge at Mobile we take the tunnel. We come in on the toll bridge to 98 at Destin Commons, avoiding 331.
From Memphis to 98 going that way we make it in 7 1/2 hours to 8 if we stop. There is no construction and no big towns to slow you down except Mobile and by the time we get there, we beat their rush hour.
I have tried all of the possible routes and for us this is the quickest. Only about 25 minutes is 2 lane.
Beach Comber
We don't take the bridge at Mobile we take the tunnel. We come in on the toll bridge to 98 at Destin Commons, avoiding 331.
Mid-bay bridge onto Hwy 98 east, you're still getting yourself into Destin traffic. I don't know what's worst Destin or Freeport Traffic?
Lady D- it's not exit 84 ( I don't remember the exit #), it's the exit at Evergreen that takes you onto Hwy 84 over to Hwy 55. Just 1 or 2 exit south of Georgiana.
Beach ComberAuthor
We've gone both routes many times, and it's a toss up, depending on construction. The last times we went through Memphis, it was the pits around there, and the first few miles on 78 towards Tupelo......it's never been a major slowdown going through Vicksburg, Jackson and Mobile, though. Thanks for everyone's input.
Beach Fanatic
We've gone both routes many times, and it's a toss up, depending on construction. The last times we went through Memphis, it was the pits around there, and the first few miles on 78 towards Tupelo......it's never been a major slowdown going through Vicksburg, Jackson and Mobile, though. Thanks for everyone's input.
Agree, I would not want to come into Memphis from Little Rock and have to deal with bridge traffic and downtown traffic and not sure how you went to 78 but if you caught it right in Memphis, then yes the truck traffic is horrible.
We live in East Memphis and pick up 78 off the Nonconnah parkway at Hack's Cross road or even Byhalia road which is about halfway to Holly Springs, Ms.
Of course we travel to the beach during the off seasons, so we avoid almost all the Destin/98 traffic.
SoWal Insider
We don't take the bridge at Mobile we take the tunnel. We come in on the toll bridge to 98 at Destin Commons, avoiding 331.
Mid-bay bridge onto Hwy 98 east, you're still getting yourself into Destin traffic. I don't know what's worst Destin or Freeport Traffic?
Lady D- it's not exit 84 ( I don't remember the exit #), it's the exit at Evergreen that takes you onto Hwy 84 over to Hwy 55. Just 1 or 2 exit south of Georgiana.
Oops! Sorry I mean Hwy 84.
SoWal Insider
Agree, I would not want to come into Memphis from Little Rock and have to deal with bridge traffic and downtown traffic and not sure how you went to 78 but if you caught it right in Memphis, then yes the truck traffic is horrible.
We live in East Memphis and pick up 78 off the Nonconnah parkway at Hack's Cross road or even Byhalia road which is about halfway to Holly Springs, Ms.
Of course we travel to the beach during the off seasons, so we avoid almost all the Destin/98 traffic.
Minnie, that is the way we go. The first year we took Hacks Cross Rd. to 78, but after that we have gone Byhalia Rd., as we will this year.
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