Chicago to Atlanta road trip: Drive time, distance & best stops
The best road trip stops on the Chicago to Atlanta drive are Louisville, Nashville and Chattanooga. The distance from Chicago to Atlanta is 716 miles, with a 10h27m driving time.
Planning a Chicago to Atlanta road trip itinerary
The Chicago to Atlanta drive connects the biggest city in Illinois to the capital of Georgia.
Our favourite thing to do in Chicago
The Chicago architecture cruise has a phenomenal wow factor, with the boat gliding between some of the world’s most legendary skyscrapers.
We found the commentary matches the views, too. Expect a fascinating run-down of the city’s history – and plenty of surprising detail about the buildings you’re seeing.
Chicago’s skyscrapers, music scene and massive collection of cultural attractions make it arguably the most exciting city in the US to visit.
Highly recommended Chicago experiences include an architecture river cruise, a gangsters and ghosts tour of famous Mob sites and a bike tour of the lakefront neighbourhoods. It’s also worth paying a visit to the Field Museum, the 360 Chicago observation deck at the Hancock Tower and the Chicago Architecture Center.
Atlanta played a massive part in the Civil Rights movement, and a black history and civil rights tour is pretty much a must-do.
For more Atlanta experiences, try a sightseeing trolley tour for orientation and overview. Or a guided bike ride to get a better feel for the neighbourhoods.
Other Atlanta favourites include the World of Coca Cola, Midtown food and cocktail tours and multi-brewery beer tours.
Chicago to Atlanta distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Chicago to Atlanta is 716 miles. That makes for a driving time of around 10 hours and 27 minutes. The quickest route heads down the I-65, I-24 and I-75.
The best stops to add to a Chicago to Atlanta road trip itinerary are Louisville, Nashville and Chattanooga.
Chicago to Atlanta drive: Louisville
Louisville is the biggest city in Kentucky, and has a strong range of attractions to enjoy. The Louisville Mega Cavern has underground zipline tours, the Churchill Downs race track hosts America’s most famous horse race – the Kentucky Derby – and the Louisville Slugger Factory makes the world’s most famous baseball bats. You can take factory tours and there’s a museum attached.
Good Louisville experiences include Old Louisville ghost tours, the Kentucky Derby Museum and a tasting tour of multiple bourbon distilleries. The food and history tours are also worth checking out.
Top Louisville accommodation choices include the history-drenched Brown Hotel and the art-packed 21C Museum Hotel.
Why you should visit the Kentucky Derby Museum
The Kentucky Derby Museum isn’t just about the nation’s top horse race – it’s about the phenomenon that surrounds it. Museum entry tickets include the chance to see the trophies, learn the backstories of famous winners and watch an immersive theater screening. Best of all, they also include a walking tour of the Churchill Downs Racetrack. Find out more here.
David Whitley, author of Best3Stops.
Best stops between Chicago to Atlanta: Nashville
Nashville is renowned for its country music, but the National Museum of African American Music is also in the Tennessee capital.
The best Nashville experiences include backstage tours of the Grand Ole Opry House, helicopter flights over the city and tasting tours at the Big Machine Distillery. You can also try line dancing classes, the Country Music Hall of Fame and haunted pub crawls. Or, for lavish old homes, visit Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage, the Travellers Rest Historic House Museum and Belmont Mansion.
Excellent Nashville accommodation choices include the gloriously evocative Belle Air Mansion and Inn, plus downtown’s grand dame, the Hermitage.
How to see Nashville the smart way
You can save money in Nashville by combining a tour ticket with admission to two top attractions. These combo tickets give you a half day tour of the main sights, plus entrance to the Ryman Auditorium and Country Music Hall of Fame. Find out more here.
Chicago to Atlanta drive: Chattanooga
Chattanooga in the foothills of the Appalachians is home to the National Medal of Honor Heritage Museum and the Tennessee Aquarium. But it’s mostly an outdoorsy place. Great Chattanooga experiences include rafting on the Middle Ocoee River, backcountry tours in Swincars and kayak adventures to the Nickajack Bat Cave. You can also try Segway tours, guided ghost walks and trolley tours.
More Chicago road trips
Albany NY to Chicago | Ann Arbor to Chicago | Chicago to Asheville | Chicago to Aspen | Chicago to Baltimore | Chicago to Birmingham AL | Bloomington IL to Chicago | Chicago to Boston | Chicago to Buffalo | Cedar Rapids to Chicago | Charlotte to Chicago | Chattanooga to Chicago | Cincinnati to Chicago | Cleveland to Chicago | Chicago to Colorado Springs | Columbus OH to Chicago | Davenport IA to Chicago | Dayton OH to Chicago | Denver to Chicago | Des Moines to Chicago | Detroit to Chicago | Chicago to Fargo | Fort Wayne to Chicago | Chicago to Gatlinburg | Grand Rapids to Chicago | Chicago to Green Bay | Indianapolis to Chicago | Iowa City to Chicago | Chicago to Jacksonville | Kalamazoo to Chicago | Kansas City to Chicago | Chicago to Knoxville.
Lafayette IN to Chicago | Lansing MI to Chicago | Chicago to Lexington KY | Chicago to Lincoln NE | Chicago to Little Rock |Louisville to Chicago | Chicago to Madison WI | Chicago to Memphis | Chicago to Milwaukee | Chicago to Minneapolis | Moline IL to Chicago | Chicago to Nashville | Chicago to New Orleans | New York City to Chicago | Chicago to Niagara Falls.
Chicago to Omaha | Chicago to Peoria IL | Chicago to Pigeon Forge | Chicago to Pittsburgh | Chicago to Philadelphia | Chicago to Richmond VA | Rockford IL to Chicago | Chicago to San Antonio | Scranton to Chicago | Chicago to Sheboygan | Chicago to Springfield IL | South Bend to Chicago | St Louis to Chicago | Syracuse to Chicago | Toledo to Chicago | Chicago to Tulsa | Chicago to Washington DC | Chicago to Wichita | Chicago to Wisconsin Dells.
More Atlanta road trips
Albany GA to Atlanta | Anderson SC to Atlanta | Auburn AL to Atlanta | Augusta to Atlanta | Atlanta to Baton Rouge | Atlanta to Biloxi MS | Birmingham AL to Atlanta | Braselton GA to Atlanta | Buford GA to Atlanta | Atlanta to Brunswick GA | Buffalo to Atlanta | Atlanta to Charleston SC | Charlotte to Atlanta | Atlanta to Chattanooga | Cincinnati to Atlanta | Clemson SC to Atlanta | Cleveland to Atlanta | Columbia SC to Atlanta | Columbus GA to Atlanta | Columbus OH to Atlanta | Commerce GA to Atlanta.
Dallas to Atlanta | Atlanta to Daytona Beach | Atlanta to Denver | Atlanta to Destin | Detroit to Atlanta | Dothan AL to Atlanta | Dublin GA to Atlanta | Durham NC to Atlanta | Greensboro NC to Atlanta | Greenville SC to Atlanta | Griffin GA to Atlanta.
Hampton GA to Atlanta | Atlanta to Hilton Head | Houston to Atlanta | Atlanta to Indianapolis | Atlanta to Jackson MS | Atlanta to Jacksonville | Jonesboro GA to Atlanta | Atlanta to Kansas City | Knoxville to Atlanta | LaGrange GA to Atlanta | Atlanta to Lexington KY | Atlanta to Little Rock | Atlanta to Louisville | Atlanta to Macon GA | McDonough GA to Atlanta | Memphis to Atlanta | Atlanta to Milwaukee | Minneapolis to Atlanta | Atlanta to Mobile AL | Atlanta to Montgomery AL | Morrow GA to Atlanta | Atlanta to Myrtle Beach.
Nashville to Atlanta | Newnan GA to Atlanta | Atlanta to New Orleans | Atlanta to Oklahoma City | Atlanta to Omaha NE | Atlanta to Orlando | Atlanta to Panama City | Atlanta to Pensacola | Atlanta to Pigeon Forge | Raleigh NC to Atlanta | Richmond VA to Atlanta | Atlanta to Roanoke VA | Atlanta to Savannah | Atlanta to Sevierville | Shreveport to Atlanta | Atlanta to St Augustine | St Louis to Atlanta | Stockbridge GA to Atlanta | Atlanta to Tallahassee | Atlanta to Tampa | Tifton GA to Atlanta | Atlanta to Tulsa | Atlanta to Tuscaloosa | Valdosta GA to Atlanta | Warner Robins GA to Atlanta | Atlanta to Washington DC | Atlanta to Wilmington NC | Winston-Salem to Atlanta.