There is a moment, somewhere past the last Detroit exit, when the city finally lets go and I-75 opens up ahead of you. That is the start of one of the most driven routes in America: roughly 1,160 miles and 17 hours of wheel time to Tampa. Done right, it is not a slog. It is a string of good towns, better food stops and a couple of sights worth the detour.
Open this route in XCRSNLeaving Detroit
Aim to clear Detroit 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 511 miles to Knoxville.
The headline stop on this route is Smoky Mountain views near Knoxville. Leave real time for it; it sets the tone for the whole trip.
Knoxville
Knoxville sits about 511 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.
Nearby, Chattanooga's Lookout Mountain is worth the short detour if the day is going well.
Valdosta, the last stretch
Valdosta sits about 923 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 Tampa
The final 237 miles always go faster than you expect. Save a little energy for Gulf beaches at St. Pete; it is a fitting finish.
By the end you will have seen Smoky Mountain views near Knoxville, Chattanooga's Lookout Mountain and Gulf beaches at St. Pete, and you will understand why this corridor is a classic.
When to go and how to pace it
Split the drive near the halfway mark. Most travelers sleep in Knoxville, TN and Valdosta, GA, which keeps each day under eight hours and leaves time for the stops that make the trip.
Check live gas prices along I-75 before you go; they can swing a lot from one state or county to the next. XCRSN prices every leg for your exact car.
