Time to go to South Carolina again. I will be travelling from San Antonio, TX to Charleston, SC.

The catch this time is that I will be travelling on Memorial day weekend. My preferred route is I-10 to either I-95 or I-65 from mobile to I-85 through Atlanta and on into SC.

My question is that since alot of people will be flocking to the Gulf Coast for Memorial day should I drive up to Dallas and take I-20 instead of I-10 so that I am farther away from the beaches? It looks like it will add about 50 miles to my trip.

I don't think Memorial Day will be that much worse along I-10. The MS Gulfcoast is still recovering from Katrina, afterall. I say just stick to I-10/95.

BTW, from Google Earth, the distance difference is about 70 miles. 1,300 for I-10/95, and 1,370 for I-35/20/26.

I-10 to I-95. Atlanta is actually north of Charleston and there is nothing worse than the drive from Atlanta to the coast.

I think it also depends on how much of a hurry you are in. I live in Houston, and when I hav driven to teh east coast I hav tried to make it interesting--I have gone off I-10 through natchez and vicksburg, for example.

I don't have a map in front of me but you don't have to go to Dallas. There is a Texas road that is a bit of a hypotenuse to reach I20. It is a 4 laned deserted road that you can drive like an interstate.
Have also done the route through Houston and I guess I10. Probably should heed Go Travel's advice--that is a bummer of a drive.

Gretchen - Are you talking about US79? That's the only one that may make sense on the map.

But please don't do it. There are so many towns you'll pass through you will want to poke your eyes out before getting to I-20. And it's definitely not a limited-access freeway.

Or are you talking about TX34 from Italy through Ennis and Kaufman? It's also not a very wide or fast route.

It'll be much faster taking I-35 to I-20. You hit the SE outskirt of Dallas, and won't have traffic to deal with.

Well, I guess if I have done it and found that I was doing 80 and made very good time I might have to disagree with you. The towns were not a problem and I was driving interstate speed. I guess you have also done it? I'm not the one going this time. I took it from I20 TO San Antonio. You don't seem to take my posts very well for roads I have actually driven.

And yes it was US 79--comes in just above Austin.

Yes, I have driven many parts of US79. Not all at once, as I've explained why.

True, speed limit is 70 on these roads, and it's mostly 4-lanes. Between the towns, traffic is light and you can get good speed. However, you have to slow down at each town. Some have bypasses, but many don't, and there are lights. Some, like Palestine, has LOTS of traffic lights even on the bypasses.

For me, it's too much trouble, and it's not relaxing. One also need to be very careful with speed limit signs, as there's probably 50 changes between I-35 and I-20 on that road.

As far as time is concerned, I-35/20 from Round Rock to Marshall is about 320 miles. On US79 is about 260 miles. I think timewise, I will take it back, and I admit I was wrong. Both will probably be about the same. But I'll still recommend staying on the freeway, as it's a lot easier, even with the traffic on I-35.

I will add to the OP that along this route there are whole little towns of greenhouses--one was herbs even. You can stop and take some plants to your SC family. It was really interesting--if you decide to go this way. I forgot about the problem of Atlanta, etc.