Along Interstate-75, 1999: The Local Knowledge Driving Guide for Interstate-75 Between Detroit and the Florida Border [Paperback]

David Hunter (Author)

Book Description

Series: Along Interstate 75 | Publication Date: October 1998

If you drive on any section of Interstate-75 anywhere between Detroit, Michigan and the Florida border, this book is an absolute MUST. Full of practical information and roadside stories, this mile-by-mile guidebook entertains you and your passengers on your journey - it turns a boring drive into a fun trip.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

It is not often that a book comes with an expiration date, like a gallon of milk--but Hunter (Day Trips from Cincinnati) felt it would be worthwhile to include one--November 2000--in the eighth annual edition of his book. There is no denying that the interstate is constantly changing (this book contains over 500 changes to the 17th edition), but his information is not as perishable as he implies. Dense with information related to travel on this route, this book contains practical tips about tornado safety, local radio stations, and the location of speed traps. To have it in hand while planning or taking a trip between Detroit and Florida would be very valuable. Considering the number of "snowbirds" who make this jaunt, this could result in a lot of circulation for the book. Recommended for public libraries along the route. Genovese's The Great American Road Trip is a joy. Having surveyed the 2500 miles of route that some of us still refer to as the Boston Post Road, Genovese knows when to stop and when to keep driving. He takes time to introduce us to the people who run the sites and attractions along the way and not just show us the giant lobsters and the road kill cafes. Anyone familiar with the Post Road knows that this is a scenic route; you don't drive it if you are in a hurry. So take the time to sit back and enjoy the sights. Recommended for public and academic libraries with interest in travel, geography, or folklore.
-Thomas O'Connell, Little Rock, AR
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Anyone driving I-75 without this guide is missing most the fun and knowledge." -- Milne's Travelwriter Marketletter, New York, NY, 03/99

"Detroit is a town with car exhaust in its blood. Detroiters love their cars and the roads we drive them on. Which is why many of us will find Along Interstate-75 to be an indispensable travel guide." -- Detroit News, Detroit, MI, 12/97

"If the I-75 is a part of either your routine or travel plans, Along Interstate-75 by Dave Hunter is the way to get the most from it. We wouldn't make the "snowbird" trek south without it." -- Motor Trend Magazine, 08/98

"Now in a completely up-to-date seventh edition, Dave Hunter's Along Interstate-75 continues to be the ideal travel guide for motorists traveling on the American Interstate 75 system from Michigan to Florida.

"Included are "Insider Tips" for better motoring, including favorite restaurants and motels, updated speed trap locations, scenic drives, historical spots, weather alerts, travel advice with children, construction information, and a great deal more. Practical, easy to use, and reliable, Along Interstate-75 is enhanced with 109 colored maps and 50 black & white maps, charts and plans." -- The Midwest Book Review, James A. Cox, 12/98

"Occasionally in the life of a travel reviewer you get to see a guide book that makes you want to shout, ALL RIGHT!!! ...I especially enjoyed the sidebar articles. This is one of the few books that tell you about Kudzu, the prolific vine found only in the south. Or check out the Geology and Dinosaurs article.

"Whether you travel to Florida on I-75 on your annual summer vacation or are a frequent I-75 traveler in sections of it, this book should go in the glove compartment right next to the owner's manual. It offers a wealth of practical and interesting information that will add to trips time over time." -- Travel Books Review, Atlanta, GA, 04/97

"The most common-sense travel guide tried this year . . . just right to calm the nervous motorist or co-pilot" -- St. Petersburg Times, St. Petersburg, FL; Robert Jenkins, Travel Editor, 03/98

"This book is so much fun, I want to drive along I-75 even if I have no reason to." -- The Shoestring Traveler, Lake Worth, FL; Jane Etter, Senior Editor, 11/98

"With the book in your lap and pointed in the direction you are driving--each map page covers 25 miles of road--so the car is integrated with the surroundings. Mileposts relate to the scale on the map, for easy figuring how far you want to go before resting.

"One very special feature of this book is how up to date it is. New information can flow into the book up until one month before press date. And at the bottom of every page is a little note saying Revised August 1998. Has any other publisher ever been so bold?

"Interstate-75 has hundreds of interesting places to visit, within a few miles. Each one is noted, with distances from the highway, time you should allot to seeing it." -- Travelwriter Marketletter, 03/99

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Mile Oak Pub; 7th Sprl; 1999 edition (October 1998)
• ISBN-10: 1896819044
• ISBN-13: 978-1896819044
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,486,944 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #85 in Books > Travel > United States > States > Michigan

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Makes travel from Michigan to Georgia interesting., December 4, 2000

By 

Randall L. Golden "randy_golden" (Woodstock, Georgia USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Along Interstate 75 Year 2001: The Local Knowledge Driving Guide for Interstate Travelers Between Detroit and the Florida Border (Paperback)

Whether you're a regular traveler along Interstate-75 or use it once each year, Along I-75 is a must. We bought our first copy last year and were amazed. Each exit lists the fast-food places, gas, and local attactions. In Resaca, Georgia, we found out we were driving on top of a Civil War battlefield. In Atlanta, the easy-to-follow map made a difficult trip easy. And in Berea, Kentucky my wife found some great buys at a local craft shop.

The maps are laid out on a straight line making it easy to read even if you aren't good at reading maps. I loved the little stories Dave Hunter tells. For example, did you know that Dwight D. Eisenhower was responsible for the Interstate Highway System and concieved the idea in 1919?

The book is updated yearly, so I bought one as soon as the new edition came out. When we were traveling through Georgia last year the AAA book did not have the new exit numbers and we found it nearly impossible to cross-reference the old numbers to the new ones. Dave's book was invaluable--he had the new numbers. Well worth the purchase.

Also of interest in the book: local speed traps, elevation, county names, geologic features visible from the road, emergency information (you can find the nearest hospital quickly), much, much more.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything you want (and don't want) to know about I-75, September 6, 2004

By 

Robert Pavlacic (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Along Interstate-75: Local Knowledge for Those Driving the Popular Interstate Between Detroit and the Florida Border (Spiral-bound)

I thought Dave Hunter was nuts when he announced all those years ago he was going to do a book about the Eastern United States' busiest north-south artery: Interstate 75. But he was really onto something. This book gets better year after year, and justifiably more popular as well.

Even if you're a paid up member of AAA, like me (or any auto club for that matter), this book will be a great supplement to the strip maps, wall maps and hotel guides you usually take along with you. In almost painstaking detail, milepost by milepost, Hunter tells you everything you wanted to know about I-75 and some things you'll probably wish you didn't (although you'll learn something there too).

He tells you exactly where to find the radar traps, what you'll find at every exit between Detroit and the Georgia/Florida line, and this year's constructions zones. And he offers some sage advice on what to do in case you hear a tornado warning on your car radio (listing all the counties that run along and parallel the I-75 route).

For places to stay along the way, he offers suggestions on his favorites; as well as how to save money at any hotel by playing by the hotel industry's own rules. He posits a great tip on how the carpool lanes really work (a potential timesaver in Atlanta). He even suggests advice on what bypasses to take around major cities, parallel routes in rural areas if you want to get off the beaten path, and why one should never stay overnight in a city unless absolutely necessary.

On a personal note, Hunter is a really classy guy. I've never met him in person, but I would like to now, especially after I noticed what I thought was a glaring ommission in the book: a potential shortcut between two cities along the I-75 route. I e-mailed him, and he promised to investigate it on his next trip. A month later, he wrote back saying that he tried that shortcut himself and while it faster it's not worth it because of all the turns one must make to get to it.

A remarkable achievement for a guy who self-publishes this book. If you follow just one of the money-saving tips he offers, the book will pay for itself and you'll want to keep getting each new edition, year after year.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Think you know it all?, February 23, 2005

By 

Mom2Three (MI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Along Interstate-75: Local Knowledge for Those Driving the Popular Interstate Between Detroit and the Florida Border (Spiral-bound)

About I-75? I assure you I've traveled this route many times and the last time I happened upon this book first. How wonderful!

If you are an information junkie like DH and myself you will totally enjoy the heck out of this book. From what the "Florence Y'all" water tower really stood for originally to..."what is that stuff growing all over the place?" in Georgia. (thanks to the book we learned that it was Kudzu) The Radar Alerts were very helpful and sure enough 90% of the time there was a patrol car hidden exactly where the book stated. I also like the hotel recommendations and on the trip home we actually utilized one of those hotels and we were very impressed.

There were two things on our trip that I WOULD NOT be without if we were to drive again......XM Satellite Radio and THIS BOOK.

Two thumbs up!