Georgia Travel Forum

Hello all! My family and I will be traveling from Birmigham, AL to a cabin near Helen, GA on the day before Thanksgiving (the most heavily traveled day of the year). My concern is whether we should attempt the trip through the the nightmare of Atlanta traffic, or if we should re-route to bypass Atlanta altogether (like possibly going through Chattanooga).

I'm looking for some expert advice here.

Are you a AAA member? They can give you routing to avoid Atlanta if you really must. Honestly, Atlanta is a lot easier to get around than Chatanooga; especially during the holidays. What nightmare? I don't think you drive "through" Atlanta, but around it (285) to get where you are going. The traffic may be somewhat heavy, but you will still cut an hour off that trip vice going up to Chattanooga and taking some back roads to avoid 285. Depending on the weather, that alternative could be no fun at all. Some of those roads up near Cleveland can be treacherous. If you really want to avoid Atlanta traffic at all costs, you will have to take 59N, then at Piedmont, head for Cedartown, GA, followed by Rome (my uncle used to live there), then over to Canton, followed by Cumming, Ga. (Lake Lanier area). When you get Cumming, you can take Ga 400 north to the end where you will pick up 115. You follow 115 all the way to Cleveland and you are practically there. Just take GA 75 north into Helen. It is 2-lane road most of the way and if it is raining, visibilty is poor. I think you are better off braving Atlanta traffic.

I agree with Olddude. (In spite of my VT name I now live in Metro Atlanta) The route he mentions has more potential for traffic problems since those areas are becoming more and more developed and those roads are all two lane. I think that you'd be better to just take 285 N and then head up either 400 or I 85.