"THE I-75 DRIVE"
FROM THE HEARTLAND

The most time-honored route to Florida is to follow the Interstates and take a few hours or even days to see some sights along the way.  For Ohio and Michigan residents, Interstate 75, which runs from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan to Hialeah, Florida is the best route south.  Chicagoans and other Florida-bound travelers from further in the Midwet tpically take Intertate 65 to Indianapolis, then head to Cincinnati on Interstate 74, which links up to I-75.  If you're driving, why not take some extra time to take in some of the local sights?  Even if some stops are off the beaten path, a brief interlude can turn what can be an arduous trip into an adventure.

THE I-75 GUIDE



Exit 61-A
National Museum of the United States Air Force
(Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio)
Located near Dayton, this is the largest and oldest military aircraft museum in the world.  Features more than 300 war and presidential aircraft and aerospace vehicles, including the B-29 "Bockscar" that dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki, the F-22 Raptor prototype and the world's only permanent public exhibit of a B-2 stealth bomber.  Galleries chronicle the evolution of military flight.  www.wpafb.af.mil/museum

Exit 77
Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea (Berea, Ky.)
Displays, demonstrations and items for sale from Kentucky artists.  Located about 40 miles south of Lexington.   http://www.kentuckyartisancenter.ky.gov/

Exit 249-C
The Georgia Aquarium (Atlanta, Ga.)
Stop in for some liquid refreshment of a different kind at this aquarium buit by Home Depot founder Bernie Marcus to the tune of $200 million.  Expected to have more than 55,000 animals from 500 species in more than 5 million gallons of water.   http://www.georgiaaquarium.org/

Exit 288
The Booth Western Art Museum (Cartersville, Ga.)
Space is devoted to Western art and Western movie posters, but the true treasure is the President's Gallery, which features letters from all American presidents from George Washington to George W. Bush.  http://www.boothmuseum.org/

Exit 439
The Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park (White Springs, Fl.)
Get into the Florida state of mind at this museum along the Suwannee River.  A tribute to the American composer whose work includes "Oh! Susanna," "Camptown Races" and "Old Folks at Home" (the Florida state song).  A 97-bell carillon tolls his music throughout the day.  Unlike yo, Foster never actually set foot in Florida.  http://www.floridastateparks.org/stephenfoster/

Exit 341
Don Garlits Museum of Drage Racing (Ocala, Fl.)
Step back in time as you take in this vast collection of antique autos and then zoom forward into the future, paying homage to those with a need for speed.  Just don't take that lead-foot mentality back to the highway.  http://www.garlits.com/

Exit 136
The Southernmost Point (Key West, Fl.)
Give your car a much needed rest in Ft. Myers and hoop onto a shuttle bound for the Keys.  Make your way to this landmark for a photoop and  be sure to stop by the infamous Hog's reath Saloon or Sloppy Joes's for a bite or a frozen libation.  http://www.keywest.com/


Florida isn't just "ups and downs".  East-West routes include Interstate 4 through the iddle of the state from Daytona Beach to Tampa-St. Pete, and allows drivers to jump from I-75 to I-95 and back again.  Interstate 10 is the major East-West route that leads travelers across Florida's panhandle region from Tallahassee to Louisiana.  For a one-of-a-kind experience, venture onto Interstate 75, the road locals call "Alligator Alley" for an up-close and personal look at the critters from the safety of your car.