You can make Columbus to Point Pleasant in about 2.25 hours, but the people who love this drive never do it in one straight shot. At around 125 miles on US-33, it is short enough to start after breakfast and long enough to earn a night somewhere memorable in sightings country.
Open this route in XCRSNLeaving Columbus
Aim to clear Columbus before the morning rush, or after it, never in it. Fill the tank on the edge of town where prices usually drop, set the playlist, and settle in for the first 77 miles to Athens.
The headline stop on this route is Mothman statue and museum. Leave real time for it; it sets the tone for the whole trip.
Athens
Athens sits about 77 miles in. It makes a good spot to stretch, eat something that is not from a gas station, and swap drivers.
Nearby, Mothman Festival in September is worth the short detour if the day is going well.
Gallipolis, the last stretch
Gallipolis sits about 120 miles in. It is the natural place to stop for the night: hotels are plentiful, rates beat the big-city ends of the route, and you wake up with the hardest miles already behind you.
Rolling into Point Pleasant
The final 5 miles always go faster than you expect. Save a little energy for TNT area where the sightings began; it is a fitting finish.
By the end you will have seen Mothman statue and museum, Mothman Festival in September and TNT area where the sightings began, and you will understand why this corridor is a classic.
When to go and how to pace it
One night is the sweet spot. Point Pleasant, WV or Gallipolis, OH is where most people stay, so book ahead on summer weekends.
Check live gas prices along US-33 before you go; they can swing a lot from one state or county to the next. XCRSN prices every leg for your exact car.
