Niagara Falls to Bowling Green, KY

[mousseau76]

I am planning a drive from Niagara Falls to Bowling Green, KY via I-90, I-71 & I-65. What's the drive like to along that route and if I left at 6AM what time would I arrive in Bowling Green, KY

[Midwest Michael]

Welcome to the RTA Forum!

You're looking at a 670 mile trip, which will probably take you about 12 hours. So as long as you are only making basic stops, you should be able to make it to your destination around 6 pm.

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

As you've outlined it, and considering that you're only expressing concern about the time to make the trip and not about anything to see or do along the way, I'm going to assume that you just want to make the drive in as little time as possible. The Interstates you've listed will do that. They are pretty much standard superslabs. I-90 will be a bit more congested than average and is a toll road in New York. You will, of course, have to deal with urban congestion around Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati, and to a lesser degree at Akron and Louisville. At 675 miles, I suppose this is just doable in one day's drive, but it will be a very long day. Depending on traffic and how long you stop for meals. I'd say you're looking at roughly 12-13 hours of transit time, allowing you to (just barely) get into Bowling Green at 6-7 PM. Bowling Green is on Central Time, so the clocks will say it's one hour earlier, but that won't help how tired you'll feel.

AZBuck

[UKCraig]

Sounds like a tiring day but I guess we've all done it. Have a read of the Art of the Speed Run' article before you set off.

Where are you heading in Bowling Green? I'll be there in August and I'm always looking for tips to make my trip better!

[mousseau76]

my wife & me are going to the Corvette Museum & the GM Factory tour and maybe Mammoth Caves. If it is going to be 12 hours maybe I should break up the drive and stop south of Cincinnati? Let me know what you think.

[UKCraig]

If you can afford the time to split the journey in two then I would say, yes, definately do it. Maybe even if you were to leave after work, get four or five hours under your belt, then stop overnight before pressing on the next day. That's gonna be a whole lot easier to swallow and safer on everyone too.

Thanks for the tip on the GM Factory Tour, I had no idea about that! I will have to investigate - is it a turn up on the day effort or do you need to book a place ahead of time?

Edit: Have found the details of the factory tour on the website of the Corvette Museum - many thanks for the tip!

[mousseau76]

What's the countryside like on this route any interesting landscapes?

[AZBuck]

From the Interstates, this is a fairly straightforward drive. It's an industrial corridor between Buffalo and Akron; farmland for most of Ohio, interspersed with the occasional urban area; and rolling hills and forests through Kentucky. Since you're going to give yourself a little extra time, however, you might like to take NY-5 along Lake Ontario around Dunkirk, stop and see Cuyahoga Valley National Park south of Cleveland, follow the Ohio River on US-42 between Cincinnati and Louisville, or visit Mammoth Cave National Park just before reaching Bowling Green.

AZBuck

[mousseau76]

Has anyone stayed at the Wigwam Village in Kentucky.

[etoiles]

You mentioned that you might want to stretch your legs around Cincinnatti, while doing my own research for a Kentucky trip next month I thought I'd mention a very interesting store called Jungle Jim's in Cinncinnatti that has real quirky looking stuff that reminds me of Wall Drug.

If you were hungry, it seems like a grocery store combined with a Wall Drug.

Just a thought, after checking out their website I think we'll stop there on our way back from our road trip.