I’ve wanted to do the World’s Longest Yard Sale ever since I first heard about it but the timing always conflicted with something else. This year I’m crossing it off my bucket list! 
This is totally a last minute thing for us (YIKES!!) as we were waiting to find out if one of our friend’s could get off work. She just found out that she can so, as of yesterday, it’s official ~ we’re going!!
We’ll be heading south from Grand Rapids, Michigan into Tennessee. The problem is, I’m having a hard time figuring out which towns are the best to stay in, which locations have the best and most condensed sales for cool junk & furniture deals… Where are the “Do Not Miss This Sale” spots… We’re not interested in baby clothes…
If any of you are either vendors, have shopped at or live along the route and can help us out, we would greatly appreciate it!!!
Looking forward to hearing from you!!!
Thanks a bunch!!
Shelly
Kentucky is a good part also, but let me know where you will be and I will make sure to hit that spot!
Carolyn Farmer
Carolyn, I figure we’ll spend the bulk of our time in Kentucky and Tennessee, just don’t know where yet. I’m researching things right now but still only getting bits and pieces of information. I need to find that map with all the locations on it as a starting point and then break it down from there.
Hi Shelly, I do the yard sale every year and we have such a good time. It has been my experience that I find my best junk at the smaller places. Always finding interesting things. Sometimes at the big stops everything is high or over shopped. But I know you are experienced at bargain hunting. Maybe I’ll see you on the road.
Great pointers Anita!! It’s so hard to figure out where to book hotels… Wish I had a large motor home!!
Hi Shelly,
I did this trip with two friends a few years ago and we had a blast. We are from Texas so our first stop was Alabama and we went up from there to the tip of Kentucky. We pulled a small cargo trailer and filled it up and my SUV. We stopped along the roadway and we also loved shopping the local garage sales – the people would have signs and sales in their neighborhoods that were good. I would recommend that you take a small cooler because the rest stops and food places were few and far between. I would have thought there were would be food vendors but there were none, so we had to look for places to eat and most were very crowded from all the shoppers. Have fun and I hope you find a lot of treasures!
Shelly, you will love it. I never miss it, since we are only a short distance from the 127 Corridor in Ky. Living in Ky we always head North. I think good ole Ky has great deals. I have always wanted to make it to Michigan but it can take a day just to go a few miles…seriously! Take a large cooler with lots to drink and snacks.. Take wet wipes for lots of hand washing..Paper towels too. .wear comfy shoes…tennis shoes are the best to me…flip flops just do not seem as comfy. Many of the areas may end up wet and muddy as there always seems to be a pop up rain shower. Wear comfy cool clothes… Get some type of small purse that hangs easily over your shoulder. Gets lots of $1.00 bills and change… Good luck on finding places to stay! You may have to go off the beaten path to find rooms.. I agree with the other ladies…. the “off the path ” small sales are the best. Go to the official 127 page and check out the map. Happy thrifting!!! Blessings!
What part of Kentucky are you in Patty? We’re hoping to stay in the southern part and could use all the suggestions we can get on where to stay, where to eat… best towns for things to do at night.
HI there oh lucky lucky you. Talk about a treasure trove of goodies. We lived north east of Bowling Green but only got to go one time, boohoo. If you get as far down as Somerset that’s a nice town to stay in, places to eat. Lexington is a big city, lots to do there. Don’t know if you’ll be as far west as Bowling Green but alot to do there, eat, stay. Elizabethtown and Owensboro also nice bigger towns and how could I forget Louisville right as you go into KY from Cincinnati. Wouldn’t want to make a little detour to CO would ya? Nah, too far lol. How exciting and fun. It gets very hot and humid in KY so be prepared. Keep washcloths in cooler to wipe off/cool off, lots of water. Have a wonderful time.
Thanks Jane!! We’re staying in Russell Springs Wednesday and Thursday night, haven’t found anything for Friday night yet, but will keep looking.
Hello! How exciting to take a road trip like this with your buddies. We set up at 4010 US Rt. 127 South, Celina, Ohio with vendors offering a crazy assortment of rusty junk, awesome antiques, sexy collectibles and whatever we delight in! Hotels nearby located in Celina and St. Marys on Grand Lake. Lost In The Fifties Diner, 1533 Celina Road, St. Marys, Ohio.(419) 314-4959 is recommended for great burgers, milkshakes, breakfast buffet, and 50’s memorabilia. There is a lot of participation by the locals..so many treasures, so little time! I hope you will stop by the old chicken farm…watch for the big rooster!
Hi Cindy ~ Thanks for the info. I’m not sure if we’ll be going that far north; it will all depend on where we can find hotel rooms. Right now we’re staying Wed & Thursday in southern KY., what we find, if we end up pulling a trailer…
Good luck- You should have a ball doing that. I would love to try that someday…and just follow the line of sales South! xo Diana
I hope so! Looking forward to it. I brought this up to my friends a couple weeks ago and when everything started to fall into place, I knew it was now or never. Can’t wait!! Wish us luck ~
Shelly – my sister and I went north from Crossville, TN to Louisville, KY a few years ago – we were lucky and found a motel late that night. It is really hard to figure out your schedule/stops cause great ‘picks’ are randomly located..You will find lots of folks grouped in and near larger towns, but many people just find parking lots and fields to gather as well as front yards.. I second the cooler with snacks and tons of water, have another small cooler with icy water and washcloths (you will not believe how hot it is).. hat for sun protection, sun screen, small bills and closed shoes are probably a good idea as a protection from dirt and/or mud. We are starting in Chattanooga, TN and going south as we only can go Friday and part of Saturday.. Love your creativitiy by the way – happy junkin..
Thanks Darby! Figuring out how long it will take each day and trying to plan hotels that fit in with how far you’ll drive is the hardest part (so far ~ lol). I know I’m going to want to rent a U-haul trailer, but not so sure I want to haul it through all the chaos. Have fun!!
So, I guess this means you won’t be at Haven? Bummer : (
no Elisha, I sold my tickets to Haven a while back because we were suppposed to be going to a wedding in HI but with tickets running $1,400 a piece, we couldn’t all go so my husband went alone. I wish I could be at all three places but I’m really looking forward to the yard sale with my friends.
Hey Shelly, I live in Lawrenceburg, KY Right on 127 bypass. Eagle Lake convention center is the Ky headquarters for 127. From Harrodsburg to Frankfort are some great stops. But be sure and stop at Eagle Lake in Lawrenceburg. Booths inside and out. Restrooms, eating, and air conditioning. Be sure and look me up the Repurposing Reverend. There is a best western here in Lawrenceburg too. They have rooms open for Sat. but I’m not sure about Thursday and Friday. the # is 502-839-8167 May God bless you as you travel.
My mom and I are leaving Friday morning from Wapakoneta, Oh toward KY so excited! It’s our first year!! Good luck and be safe everyone! xo
Shonda, this is our first trip too and we are clueless.
We would love to see you in Crossville at our store, The viLLa dEL FunK & Firefly Art Studios, just a block off 127 in the downtown area. I didn’t realize you were coming until I came to your website to buy paint. Check us out on Facebook.
Hi Shelly, so glad to find your site. I retired from teaching high school last year and three of my girlfriends and I are heading out from Fresno, Ca on Aug 4th to do the WLYS this summer. We are so excited but I fear we are totally unprepared. Should we go to the north or south to start? How far do you think we can go in four days? I’m sure we cant see it all, but want to do the best we can. This is a long anticipated trip and we just need to know what is the best section to realistically see in four days. Thanks for any help you can give me. I also cant find a good map of the entire route.
Did you find a good map? Yeah!!!
Janet in California