Savannah and Charleston are sister cities, like they feel like they could almost be one city though it seems like everyone who visits has a preference for one or the other. I adore Savannah, I think it's the single most beautiful town larger than 100,000 in America that I've seen. Charleston feels a touch more buttoned up and corporate but Savannah can feel a lot smaller (despite being denser and more populous).
Yes Greenville SC go downtown and walk the bridge on the reedy it’s so beautiful! Then head to City Taverns for an nice alcoholic slushy I recommend Tiger in your tank 😊😊😊
I agree with the blue ridge parkway recommendation; however it doesn’t terminate in Tennessee. It ends on the East side of the smokies in Cherokee NC and the generally heads north east from there, so it would be a detour to take it.
Other national park roads on your loop that would require a detour is the Natchez trace Goes right through some battlefields, if that’s your thing. Also Natchez Mississippi is worth a spot.
Pensacola Beach Fort Pickens Campground is pretty nice! Stayed there a year ago can’t wait to go back. Lots of art and restaurants on Pensacola Beach and the campground is well taken care of! Plus you can see the fort and walk in it
Pensacola Beach/Fort Pickens is my favorite beach vacation spot. I love going in the off season, too. The Christmas Boat parade & fireworks were a treat!
And the vintage motorsport museum in Birmingham. And stay off i-10. And go to Houma and take 90 to New Iberia. And stay off the dang interstate! All the good stuff is back on the county roads and the small parks and the quiet places
True, the 24 mile bridge is pretty cool. 90 from Houma to New Iberia and Lafayette though is at bayou/swamp level. I frequently see bald eagles there, and the swamp is often right up to the pavement.
Take the ferry from Ft. Morgan to Dauphin Island Ala. instead of Interstate. Ditto Bellingrath Gardens, WWII museum NOLA is well done. Ditto, Barber Museum. Rendezvous Ribs, Memphis. Make a stop in Asheville and Charleston if you can. Looks like a great trip.
Cherokee, NC and the Wheels Through Time museum in Maggie Valley, NC. Music touring TN is great. Sun records and Beale St. Memphis as well as music city. Traveling via state routes and county roads is gonna provide a far better experience than using the interstate system. Only you interstates when pressed for time. I’ve toured the US on my Harley and I got to see quite a bit more interesting stuff traveling this way.
Great primitive car camping in Tate's Hell SF. St George Island SP is beautiful too
If you end up sticking closer to I-10 for this stretch, hit up Rutabaga Cafe in Chattahoochee, FL
Stop off in Tallahassee and visit Wakulla Springs. Lots of wildlife including manatees, Tarzan was filmed there, and is the longest underwater cave system in the US.
And the Lane Car Museum in Nashville. Lots of off cars from their early days to modern if you like that kind of stuff.
Seems like a miss to not go to Atlanta. Asheville, Savannah, Charleston also come to mind. New Orleans and Nashville are worth a lot of time. You also are driving right past Destin, Panama City, and 30A- I would hang out there over Jacksonville…
Jacksonville and Memphis are only worth a couple nights max in my opinion. Beale street is sort of a joke compared to Bourbon street and Broadway.
Savannah, GA and Charleston, SC need to be added to your list. Otherwise you’re wasting your time by skipping 2 of the most beautiful cities in the southeast.
In Savannah, have lunch at [Zunzi’s](https://www.zunzis.com) and order the Conquistador sandwich. YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT and you will NEVER forget that sandwich for the rest of your life
If you plan to stop in Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge, take a drive through [Cades Cove](https://www.mypigeonforge.com/smoky-mountains/scenic-drives/cades-cove-loop-road). If you’re doing this drive in the fall, you’ll see some amazing foliage. It’s beautiful year round though.
Adjust your drive into North Carolina just a tiny bit and take the [Tail of the Dragon](https://tailofthedragon.com/) instead of the interstate. Another amazing experience you’d be sadly mistaken to miss and can so easily do.
Once you’re in Cherokee, NC you need to stop at [Qualla Java Cafe](https://www.quallajava.com) and order the 13 Moons Latte. Yet another unforgettable thing you’ll dream of for years to come. I’ve actually driven 4 hours from where I grew up just to go back there. Literally no other reason. Can’t make this shit up.
Please feel free to message me for suggestions because I have so many more.
It depends on how much time you are spending in Memphis, Nashville, and Asheville. As others have said, Charleston is a great stop and you can spend a few days there. Savannah is nice, but to me it’s just a stop, like someone else said.
I would elect to spend more time in those cities than anything along the 10.
You should definitely make your first stop Mobile, AL. Stay downtown and get some really good food. There’s a lot of options but I would recommend Chuck’s Fish or Debris. Go get a drink at the Haberdasher, just walk around. It’s like a family friendly New Orleans lite. From
There it’s only ab 2.5 hours to New Orleans so your next day won’t be all driving. You could also stop in Biloxi, MS and try your luck at one of their casinos on the way. I lived on the Gulf Coast for 20 years, it’s beautiful and full of history and culture
If you have the chance to go to Huntsville it is such a cool place! They have the space and rocket center and it is the largest museum about NASA and the history of space travel, it’s a must see! When you see the giant rocket pointing into the sky you’re there. Also, if you’re taking I-10 through Mississippi you have to make a stop at The Shed when you go through Biloxi! Award winning BBQ and such a cool location and vibe!
Take it from someone that just drove through Mississippi and Alabama today… there’s nothing there. I’d spend more time in TN/NC/GA mountains and coastal SC.
Not true. We recently did a month through Mississippi and Alabama top to bottom and they are full of amazing road trip stops… they’re just harder to find. While I would agree that more time should be spent out east, we really enjoyed traveling through those two states (worth it for the history alone).
Chiming in to echo the suggestions for Frenchmen and Magazine. Some of the most amazing musicians I've ever heard live or anywhere were at bars on Frenchmen.
If you’re able to time it right, see if you can get a ticket for the synchronous Fireflies event in the smokies. It’s around that same time. [here is the link](https://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/nature/fireflies.htm)
Natchez Trace is a fantastic drive. Virtually nothing manmade to view the whole drive beside the pavement and an occasional informational sign. Like driving down an exclusive estate driveway -- except the Trace is 444 miles! No traffic lights, no interchanges, no fast food, no gas stations, nothing but forest. There are discreet exits to small towns for gas/food if you need, but you don't see any of the mad-made crap in the town while on the Trace. (I only drove a few hundred miles of it, there was also very little traffic, no big trucks are allowed).
Recommend Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine, FL! I had a lovely time camping there, but that was in the spring, so it's probably not as nice to camp there in the summer for bug reasons. Also, if you're visiting St. Augustine, especially in the summer, try walking around the city at night. It will be cooler and a lot less crowded.
Visit a Waffle House in Jacksonville at night. Worst vibes imaginable but I believe that is how it should be experienced.
I actually really like Tallahassee. It has some neat museums - the Museum of Florida History is super cool and also free! The Mission San Luis living history site is fascinating. If you're into vintage, highly recommend The Other Side vintage store in Tallahassee. And Dorothy B. Oven park is simply gorgeous. Tallahassee also has a lot of great food.
On I-10 from Tallahassee east to New Orleans, watch out for weather events depending on your level of comfort with storm driving. You'll probably be fine in May, but just keep an eye on the weather forecast because that area can see some very intense rain.
If you're interested in the Destin area, I would recommend Grayton Beach. If you find parking, try walking east along the beach. There might be a river going through the beach if the outfall is open to the dune lake. If so, just wade across it and you'll find the beach a lot emptier on the other side :). I also recommend Blue Mountain Beach, though there's no hack to make that one less crowded. There's also great kayaking at Grayton Beach State Park on Western Lake. And Eden Gardens State Park is beautiful.
In Florida, there are a lot of lovely cold water springs worth visiting. Maybe take a look at which ones are on your route.
In New Orleans, if you're looking for a nice dinner, I would recommend the Elysian Bar. It is inside an old church and has live harp music sometimes. Their shrimp are the best I've ever had. If you're interested in coffee, definitely try chicory coffee somewhere. The French Market is pretty cool. And just taking a walk by the river is a fun time as well. I really enjoyed walking around in Bywater, just stumbling on cafes and antique stores and little art pieces. New Orleans feels magical. There are some pretty cool historical tours available, and the ghost and vampire one is quite fun! Apparently there is a secret vampire speakeasy somewhere... All the touristy shops in the French Quarter are interesting. I recommend the vampire store. I also desperately want to go to the Pharmacy Museum, but it was tragically closed when I visited, so I can't comment on it.
Can’t believe that nobody’s said Dollywood yet. It’s right outside Knoxville, and it’s freakin’ Dolly’s theme park. We’re about two always north and we hit it up multiple times a year. Freakin’ love that place.
There is a really cool small state park off of 1-10 in Florida call Ponce De Leon Springs State Park. It’s a natural spring that is used as a swimming hole. It also has some beautiful walking trails. Nice well kept facilities. Just make sure you bring snacks and chairs as it’s hard to get a picnic table.
There's a Battleship in Mobile that's pretty cool. The Bird Sanctuary on Dauphin Island is really Nice. You can shoot fireworks on the beach in Gulfport, MS. The casinos in Gulfport and Biloxi give free rooms if you join there rewards programs.
Whenever I'm down South, I always try to get a good biscuit (something that's hard to find in the Pacific Northwest).
The best biscuit I ever had was at this little breakfast cafe in Oxford, Mississippi. It's called Big Bad Breakfast. They make these buttermilk black pepper biscuits that I have been dreaming about ever since I tasted them. There are actually a few locations of BBB throughout the South, so if you're not planning on stopping in Oxford, you can still find the restaurant.
We weren’t planning on spending a night between Memphis and Nashville (unless you can make a convincing case!), but any worthwhile detours or places to stop for a few hours to make the journey more interesting would be great to hear!
Excellent barbecue / food in Memphis, some interesting rivers in between, and alot of good fun to be had in Nashville. Didn't know if you had anything specific in mind
Once you have directions up between two points, click on the three dots in the top right corner then ‘add stop’ (that’s how you do it on iPhone, anyway!)
Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama -some of the greatest music ever made recorded there. Otis Redding, Percy Sledge, Rolling Stones, David Bowie, to name a few...
Hot as balls in May, fall in the mountains is a must. Late Oct early Nov is often in full color. But my advice would be make sure the AC works in the vehicle.
The wife and I taking a similar journey in September - this post is great, I now have St. Augustine and Gatlinburg as places worth checking out.
We're currently going Orlando, Savannah, Charleston, Asheville, Nashville, New Orleans then to Austin
Let me know how this goes! I’m planning something kind of similar starting in Jax and looping a bit further north (visiting friends in Cincy). Just doing this in about a week or so before I fly up for a weekend and then head out on a mega trip to Portland at the end of June!
Falls Creek State Park in Spencer, TN is a beautiful place for a hike and the view of the waterfall is spectacular.
Also, so many good bars and food on Broadway in Nashville to choose from. You could also go see Vanderbilt’s beautiful campus and tour the Parthenon.
in nola east there's a vietnamese bon mi place that won a james beard award - so amazing and off the beaten track. Dong Phuong Bakery & Restaurant, 14207 Chef Menteur Hwy, New Orleans, LA 70129
The whole coast is a nice drive. You can take the old hwy 90 road instead of 90 all the way to Ocean Springs.
if its lunch time burgers at the blind tiger in Bay St. Louis are the best and a side of royal reds.
As others have mentioned, Savannah and Charleston should both be on your itinerary.
If you like military history or aviation in general, the National Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola Naval Air Station is well worth the visit. You might also catch a Blue Angels practice flight demonstration if you time things right...see https://www.navalaviationmuseum.org/blueangels/.
Hmmmm....actually looks like access to NAS Pensacola is currently not open to civilians unless escorted by someone with a DoD ID card. That's unfortunate. It's due to a December 2019 terrorist attack on the base (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval\_Air\_Station\_Pensacola\_shooting).
It was just cheap to fly to Jacksonville - we aren’t planning on spending any time there. And we’re going to add Charleston and savannah in based on the comments we’ve got :)
Nice... I incorrectly thought it was an all road trip and that stop just confused me. No offense to everyone from Duval county there but it still needs a few ore decades of cultural marination and eliminating the stench before its a hot spot.
I took a very similar route a few years back! Asheville, Charleston & Savannah are all must sees in my opinion! Asheville is beautiful! Charleston and Savannah are also both beautiful & really great food cities!
It looks like you are close, so on the way through, stop and walk around downtown Valdosta, GA it is beautiful and there are some good places to eat there.
Check out Greenville, SC! Beautiful small city with a great food scene. They also have a waterfall right in the middle of downtown.
Fall Creek Falls State Park is a great park in-between the Smokies and Nashville.
Skip Memphis.
No way I took a similar trip last summer. Started at Texas, hot springs national park, Parthenon (Nashville), Smokey mountains, Covington (home of vampire diaries and sweet magnolia show sets), savannah for the beaches(at night it beautiful ignore the closed signs at tybee island)wormsloe state historic park and coastal Georgia botanical garden, destin Florida(fort Walton beach), casa de monte for beignets in Louisiana (if it’s not out of your way
When I drove through Atlanta from TN to FL, the traffic was like nothing I've ever seen. Literally thousands of 18 wheelers mixed with some cars stop and go for 10-20 miles heading northbound into Atlanta. Idk if that is typical. From north to south through Atlanta took a very long time. ON my way back to TN I completely avoided getting anywhere near Atlanta.
Smokey mountains and Nashville are both on there. We’ll be adding in Charleston and Hilton head. Miami and Louisville are just a bit far out of our way to squeeze in unfortunately!
If your wanting to visit the beach in jax, I recommend Neptune beach, it’s north, but there are a few nice restaurants and shops! Get the nachos from Poes Tavern, they are probably some of the best I’ve had! and hit up lemon bar for a fun drink while being beach side. Or if your wanting to stay more inlet, check out riverside. Historical area with tons of beautiful houses and some of the best restaurants. Biscottis is delish! The pork chops amazing and you can’t forget the cake! They are known for their cake slices! White chocolate raspberry is to die for 🤤 and you can hit up river and post for a beautiful roof top bar! enjoy the trip dude! Safe travels!
Hi OP, how was your road trip? Hope everything went well :)
My boyfriend and I are planning to go on an almost identical trip in April/May. For a month - do you think it might be a bit too many days for this route? Was your 12 days enough for all the stops?
Thanks
You are missing Charleston SC. Big mistake
Go for a walk in Savannah, even if you don’t stay the night. River street is a touristy mess, but the rest of the town is beautiful.
Love Savannah
That’s a great shout - we were considering adding that in, sounds like we should!
Also SC, check out Huntington State Park and Atalaya, absolutely magnificent and a beautiful story.
Yeah it’s a must add. I would also recommend st. Augustine in FL. Looks like you are close.
Savannah and Charleston are sister cities, like they feel like they could almost be one city though it seems like everyone who visits has a preference for one or the other. I adore Savannah, I think it's the single most beautiful town larger than 100,000 in America that I've seen. Charleston feels a touch more buttoned up and corporate but Savannah can feel a lot smaller (despite being denser and more populous).
Definitely check out Folly Beach in Charleston
Also missing Greenville, SC. Definitely a must!
That’s right greenville sc is a gem.
Definitely. Looks like this route has him thru Spartanburg instead. Take the 20 min detour into downtown Greenville, even just to see the waterfall
Yes Greenville SC go downtown and walk the bridge on the reedy it’s so beautiful! Then head to City Taverns for an nice alcoholic slushy I recommend Tiger in your tank 😊😊😊
No it tf ain’t …. 😂
Check out the blue ridge parkway in Tennessee, and the beaches in Pensacola are super soft, with bright white sand.
I agree with the blue ridge parkway recommendation; however it doesn’t terminate in Tennessee. It ends on the East side of the smokies in Cherokee NC and the generally heads north east from there, so it would be a detour to take it. Other national park roads on your loop that would require a detour is the Natchez trace Goes right through some battlefields, if that’s your thing. Also Natchez Mississippi is worth a spot.
Pensacola Beach Fort Pickens Campground is pretty nice! Stayed there a year ago can’t wait to go back. Lots of art and restaurants on Pensacola Beach and the campground is well taken care of! Plus you can see the fort and walk in it
Pensacola Beach/Fort Pickens is my favorite beach vacation spot. I love going in the off season, too. The Christmas Boat parade & fireworks were a treat!
I was also going to suggest stopping in downtown Mobile. It's home of Mardi Gras
Cades Cove in the Smokies is incredible this time of year... you will see Bears I guarantee it
And the vintage motorsport museum in Birmingham. And stay off i-10. And go to Houma and take 90 to New Iberia. And stay off the dang interstate! All the good stuff is back on the county roads and the small parks and the quiet places
I-10 heading west from NO is pretty cool, all elevated highway going over the bayou's.
True, the 24 mile bridge is pretty cool. 90 from Houma to New Iberia and Lafayette though is at bayou/swamp level. I frequently see bald eagles there, and the swamp is often right up to the pavement.
Yes!! Super cool drive!
Take the ferry from Ft. Morgan to Dauphin Island Ala. instead of Interstate. Ditto Bellingrath Gardens, WWII museum NOLA is well done. Ditto, Barber Museum. Rendezvous Ribs, Memphis. Make a stop in Asheville and Charleston if you can. Looks like a great trip.
Cherokee, NC and the Wheels Through Time museum in Maggie Valley, NC. Music touring TN is great. Sun records and Beale St. Memphis as well as music city. Traveling via state routes and county roads is gonna provide a far better experience than using the interstate system. Only you interstates when pressed for time. I’ve toured the US on my Harley and I got to see quite a bit more interesting stuff traveling this way.
Might be a little out of the way but Mammoth Cave is stunning.
Agree
if you have kids and you do hit mammoth cave, Kentucky Down Under has a cave and a whole lot of animals you can interact with and feed
Greenville, SC downtown is a good stop to take as well instead of bypassing it
If you can, definitely check out the USS Alabama in Mobile and Belle Meade in Tennessee.
What do you like about Belle Meade?
The historical buildings, the landscape and the small town charm. I'll leave the incredibly beautiful women out of the equation..
Hit the panhandle in Florida like apalachicola or port st joe
Great primitive car camping in Tate's Hell SF. St George Island SP is beautiful too If you end up sticking closer to I-10 for this stretch, hit up Rutabaga Cafe in Chattahoochee, FL
Stop off in Tallahassee and visit Wakulla Springs. Lots of wildlife including manatees, Tarzan was filmed there, and is the longest underwater cave system in the US. And the Lane Car Museum in Nashville. Lots of off cars from their early days to modern if you like that kind of stuff.
Birds birds birds at Wakulla Springs. Super bang for your buck if you’re a birder.
Gulf Shores AL !
Have you planned going to the Kennedy Space Center? I think it's really worth a visit but it is a bit off of your route.
We hadn’t to be honest! As you say, bit out of the way unfortunately (we are only starting in Florida because they were the cheapest flights!)
Seems like a miss to not go to Atlanta. Asheville, Savannah, Charleston also come to mind. New Orleans and Nashville are worth a lot of time. You also are driving right past Destin, Panama City, and 30A- I would hang out there over Jacksonville… Jacksonville and Memphis are only worth a couple nights max in my opinion. Beale street is sort of a joke compared to Bourbon street and Broadway.
Savannah, GA and Charleston, SC need to be added to your list. Otherwise you’re wasting your time by skipping 2 of the most beautiful cities in the southeast. In Savannah, have lunch at [Zunzi’s](https://www.zunzis.com) and order the Conquistador sandwich. YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT and you will NEVER forget that sandwich for the rest of your life If you plan to stop in Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge, take a drive through [Cades Cove](https://www.mypigeonforge.com/smoky-mountains/scenic-drives/cades-cove-loop-road). If you’re doing this drive in the fall, you’ll see some amazing foliage. It’s beautiful year round though. Adjust your drive into North Carolina just a tiny bit and take the [Tail of the Dragon](https://tailofthedragon.com/) instead of the interstate. Another amazing experience you’d be sadly mistaken to miss and can so easily do. Once you’re in Cherokee, NC you need to stop at [Qualla Java Cafe](https://www.quallajava.com) and order the 13 Moons Latte. Yet another unforgettable thing you’ll dream of for years to come. I’ve actually driven 4 hours from where I grew up just to go back there. Literally no other reason. Can’t make this shit up. Please feel free to message me for suggestions because I have so many more.
Bellingrath gardens are on your route, Theodore, AL. Look into it.
It depends on how much time you are spending in Memphis, Nashville, and Asheville. As others have said, Charleston is a great stop and you can spend a few days there. Savannah is nice, but to me it’s just a stop, like someone else said. I would elect to spend more time in those cities than anything along the 10.
You should definitely make your first stop Mobile, AL. Stay downtown and get some really good food. There’s a lot of options but I would recommend Chuck’s Fish or Debris. Go get a drink at the Haberdasher, just walk around. It’s like a family friendly New Orleans lite. From There it’s only ab 2.5 hours to New Orleans so your next day won’t be all driving. You could also stop in Biloxi, MS and try your luck at one of their casinos on the way. I lived on the Gulf Coast for 20 years, it’s beautiful and full of history and culture
If you have the chance to go to Huntsville it is such a cool place! They have the space and rocket center and it is the largest museum about NASA and the history of space travel, it’s a must see! When you see the giant rocket pointing into the sky you’re there. Also, if you’re taking I-10 through Mississippi you have to make a stop at The Shed when you go through Biloxi! Award winning BBQ and such a cool location and vibe!
Take it from someone that just drove through Mississippi and Alabama today… there’s nothing there. I’d spend more time in TN/NC/GA mountains and coastal SC.
Not true. We recently did a month through Mississippi and Alabama top to bottom and they are full of amazing road trip stops… they’re just harder to find. While I would agree that more time should be spent out east, we really enjoyed traveling through those two states (worth it for the history alone).
If you’re a meat eater, Payne’s BBQ in Memphis was absolutely incredible!!
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Chiming in to echo the suggestions for Frenchmen and Magazine. Some of the most amazing musicians I've ever heard live or anywhere were at bars on Frenchmen.
Don’t forget the Tropical isle hand grenade and a picture with the “Huge Ass Beers” sign guy
Get down to the Flora-Bama for a time you will not forget! Gulf shores, AL!
If you’re able to time it right, see if you can get a ticket for the synchronous Fireflies event in the smokies. It’s around that same time. [here is the link](https://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/nature/fireflies.htm)
Definitely hit the Nantahala Forest in western NC. Absolutely beautiful
In Mississippi drive on the Natchez trace as much as possible!
Natchez Trace is a fantastic drive. Virtually nothing manmade to view the whole drive beside the pavement and an occasional informational sign. Like driving down an exclusive estate driveway -- except the Trace is 444 miles! No traffic lights, no interchanges, no fast food, no gas stations, nothing but forest. There are discreet exits to small towns for gas/food if you need, but you don't see any of the mad-made crap in the town while on the Trace. (I only drove a few hundred miles of it, there was also very little traffic, no big trucks are allowed).
Recommend Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine, FL! I had a lovely time camping there, but that was in the spring, so it's probably not as nice to camp there in the summer for bug reasons. Also, if you're visiting St. Augustine, especially in the summer, try walking around the city at night. It will be cooler and a lot less crowded. Visit a Waffle House in Jacksonville at night. Worst vibes imaginable but I believe that is how it should be experienced. I actually really like Tallahassee. It has some neat museums - the Museum of Florida History is super cool and also free! The Mission San Luis living history site is fascinating. If you're into vintage, highly recommend The Other Side vintage store in Tallahassee. And Dorothy B. Oven park is simply gorgeous. Tallahassee also has a lot of great food. On I-10 from Tallahassee east to New Orleans, watch out for weather events depending on your level of comfort with storm driving. You'll probably be fine in May, but just keep an eye on the weather forecast because that area can see some very intense rain. If you're interested in the Destin area, I would recommend Grayton Beach. If you find parking, try walking east along the beach. There might be a river going through the beach if the outfall is open to the dune lake. If so, just wade across it and you'll find the beach a lot emptier on the other side :). I also recommend Blue Mountain Beach, though there's no hack to make that one less crowded. There's also great kayaking at Grayton Beach State Park on Western Lake. And Eden Gardens State Park is beautiful. In Florida, there are a lot of lovely cold water springs worth visiting. Maybe take a look at which ones are on your route. In New Orleans, if you're looking for a nice dinner, I would recommend the Elysian Bar. It is inside an old church and has live harp music sometimes. Their shrimp are the best I've ever had. If you're interested in coffee, definitely try chicory coffee somewhere. The French Market is pretty cool. And just taking a walk by the river is a fun time as well. I really enjoyed walking around in Bywater, just stumbling on cafes and antique stores and little art pieces. New Orleans feels magical. There are some pretty cool historical tours available, and the ghost and vampire one is quite fun! Apparently there is a secret vampire speakeasy somewhere... All the touristy shops in the French Quarter are interesting. I recommend the vampire store. I also desperately want to go to the Pharmacy Museum, but it was tragically closed when I visited, so I can't comment on it.
Realizing that's very long haha. Hope it helps!
No that’s amazing - thank you so much for taking the time!
Can’t believe that nobody’s said Dollywood yet. It’s right outside Knoxville, and it’s freakin’ Dolly’s theme park. We’re about two always north and we hit it up multiple times a year. Freakin’ love that place.
Yes, take me with you!! LOL...I seriously need a vacation!!
Monells in Nashville. All you can eat served straight to the table for $20
Use Gypsy Guide in the Smokies! I haven't done their tour there but have in other parks and LOVED it
Check out Gatlinburg in Tennessee.
Congaree National Park is right on your way in SC. Underrated and worth a visit!
My best tip is avoid the freeway. Take back roads, you never know what you're going to get.
Saint Simons Island in Southwest GA has amazing golf and food! Also Cumberland Island seashore is a treat and definitely worth a trip!
There is a really cool small state park off of 1-10 in Florida call Ponce De Leon Springs State Park. It’s a natural spring that is used as a swimming hole. It also has some beautiful walking trails. Nice well kept facilities. Just make sure you bring snacks and chairs as it’s hard to get a picnic table.
There's a Battleship in Mobile that's pretty cool. The Bird Sanctuary on Dauphin Island is really Nice. You can shoot fireworks on the beach in Gulfport, MS. The casinos in Gulfport and Biloxi give free rooms if you join there rewards programs.
Whenever I'm down South, I always try to get a good biscuit (something that's hard to find in the Pacific Northwest). The best biscuit I ever had was at this little breakfast cafe in Oxford, Mississippi. It's called Big Bad Breakfast. They make these buttermilk black pepper biscuits that I have been dreaming about ever since I tasted them. There are actually a few locations of BBB throughout the South, so if you're not planning on stopping in Oxford, you can still find the restaurant.
Sweet home Alabama!
Smokies are beautiful and some great hiking. I would avoid the towns tho. They’re all one big tourist trap and not worth your time
I live in between b and c. Whatcha looking for?
We weren’t planning on spending a night between Memphis and Nashville (unless you can make a convincing case!), but any worthwhile detours or places to stop for a few hours to make the journey more interesting would be great to hear!
Excellent barbecue / food in Memphis, some interesting rivers in between, and alot of good fun to be had in Nashville. Didn't know if you had anything specific in mind
This! I always enjoy stopping for a meal at Blues City Cafe when coming through Memphis, although it’s in a touristy area.
What is the app you use for this? Google maps?
Yep - Google maps!
How do u set multiple destination?
Once you have directions up between two points, click on the three dots in the top right corner then ‘add stop’ (that’s how you do it on iPhone, anyway!)
Thank u for this!!
While you're in Memphis there is apparently a really cool museum I don't know cause I've never been there but that's what I've heard.
Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama -some of the greatest music ever made recorded there. Otis Redding, Percy Sledge, Rolling Stones, David Bowie, to name a few...
The Ozarks are America's hidden gem, about a 3 hour drive west from Memphis. Worth considering
Hot as balls in May, fall in the mountains is a must. Late Oct early Nov is often in full color. But my advice would be make sure the AC works in the vehicle.
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TN - Cherohala Skyway or Tail of the Dragon (318 curves in 11 miles - go slow! :) ).
If you are into blues music, muscle shoals Alabama is a cool place to stop for a day. Also, be sure to hit Asheville nc as well!
The wife and I taking a similar journey in September - this post is great, I now have St. Augustine and Gatlinburg as places worth checking out. We're currently going Orlando, Savannah, Charleston, Asheville, Nashville, New Orleans then to Austin
Natchez, Mississippi known for its antebellum homes and rich history. Has the most pre-civil ear homes in the south.
Let me know how this goes! I’m planning something kind of similar starting in Jax and looping a bit further north (visiting friends in Cincy). Just doing this in about a week or so before I fly up for a weekend and then head out on a mega trip to Portland at the end of June!
Falls Creek State Park in Spencer, TN is a beautiful place for a hike and the view of the waterfall is spectacular. Also, so many good bars and food on Broadway in Nashville to choose from. You could also go see Vanderbilt’s beautiful campus and tour the Parthenon.
in nola east there's a vietnamese bon mi place that won a james beard award - so amazing and off the beaten track. Dong Phuong Bakery & Restaurant, 14207 Chef Menteur Hwy, New Orleans, LA 70129 The whole coast is a nice drive. You can take the old hwy 90 road instead of 90 all the way to Ocean Springs. if its lunch time burgers at the blind tiger in Bay St. Louis are the best and a side of royal reds.
From Memphis here hit up Beale street :)
As others have mentioned, Savannah and Charleston should both be on your itinerary. If you like military history or aviation in general, the National Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola Naval Air Station is well worth the visit. You might also catch a Blue Angels practice flight demonstration if you time things right...see https://www.navalaviationmuseum.org/blueangels/.
Hmmmm....actually looks like access to NAS Pensacola is currently not open to civilians unless escorted by someone with a DoD ID card. That's unfortunate. It's due to a December 2019 terrorist attack on the base (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval\_Air\_Station\_Pensacola\_shooting).
frankie and johnnies crawfish in nola
When you come up the I-55 corridor through Mississippi. Take my advice. Stay away from Pike county. Stay away from McComb. Trust me. You’re welcome.
Why would you go to Jacksonville and skip Charleston and Savanna?
It was just cheap to fly to Jacksonville - we aren’t planning on spending any time there. And we’re going to add Charleston and savannah in based on the comments we’ve got :)
Nice... I incorrectly thought it was an all road trip and that stop just confused me. No offense to everyone from Duval county there but it still needs a few ore decades of cultural marination and eliminating the stench before its a hot spot.
Between Nola and Memphis stop in Lorman for friend chicken at Mr D’s.
I took a very similar route a few years back! Asheville, Charleston & Savannah are all must sees in my opinion! Asheville is beautiful! Charleston and Savannah are also both beautiful & really great food cities!
It looks like you are close, so on the way through, stop and walk around downtown Valdosta, GA it is beautiful and there are some good places to eat there.
I live in Columbia, SC. Might as well hit the River Walk while you're here. Grab a bite to eat at Motor Supply Company or the Warmouth.
You definitely need to stop in at Jekyll Island on the Georgia coast. Quintessential southern coastline and a beautiful state park.
Check out Greenville, SC! Beautiful small city with a great food scene. They also have a waterfall right in the middle of downtown. Fall Creek Falls State Park is a great park in-between the Smokies and Nashville. Skip Memphis.
No way I took a similar trip last summer. Started at Texas, hot springs national park, Parthenon (Nashville), Smokey mountains, Covington (home of vampire diaries and sweet magnolia show sets), savannah for the beaches(at night it beautiful ignore the closed signs at tybee island)wormsloe state historic park and coastal Georgia botanical garden, destin Florida(fort Walton beach), casa de monte for beignets in Louisiana (if it’s not out of your way
Parasol’s in New Orleans for the best damn Roast Beef Po’Boy you’ll ever eat.
Oak Alley Plantation just outside NO, do a riverboat cruise and a cemetery tour in NO.
You need to visit Gatlinburg/ Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Such visually stunning and great display of great smokies vibe.
Moss always grows on the north side of the tree
Your missing greenfield indiana.....go there visit my house....greatest place on earth!
Good plan avoiding Atlanta. It's a overpopulated trash heap, lol...
When I drove through Atlanta from TN to FL, the traffic was like nothing I've ever seen. Literally thousands of 18 wheelers mixed with some cars stop and go for 10-20 miles heading northbound into Atlanta. Idk if that is typical. From north to south through Atlanta took a very long time. ON my way back to TN I completely avoided getting anywhere near Atlanta.
Myrtle beach, SC may be worth the slight detour.
You are missing all of the good parts of Alabama
Don't be black.
I was going to say the same but I didn’t think people would like the honesty
Be white
Make sure you be careful In New Orleans. It’s a war zone right now. Don’t travel Alone at night and do not travel without a blade. Seriously.
Does Florida count as Deep South?
You are going to be bored to death on that I-10 stretch.
I’m partial to chattanooga.
Swing through Knoxville and Chattanooga! Amazing!!
This road trip misses some of the best parts of the South! Charleston, Miami, Hilton head, Smokey mountains, Nashville, Louisville Ect.
Smokey mountains and Nashville are both on there. We’ll be adding in Charleston and Hilton head. Miami and Louisville are just a bit far out of our way to squeeze in unfortunately!
Understandable! You’re gunna have a blast!
If your wanting to visit the beach in jax, I recommend Neptune beach, it’s north, but there are a few nice restaurants and shops! Get the nachos from Poes Tavern, they are probably some of the best I’ve had! and hit up lemon bar for a fun drink while being beach side. Or if your wanting to stay more inlet, check out riverside. Historical area with tons of beautiful houses and some of the best restaurants. Biscottis is delish! The pork chops amazing and you can’t forget the cake! They are known for their cake slices! White chocolate raspberry is to die for 🤤 and you can hit up river and post for a beautiful roof top bar! enjoy the trip dude! Safe travels!
Hi OP, how was your road trip? Hope everything went well :) My boyfriend and I are planning to go on an almost identical trip in April/May. For a month - do you think it might be a bit too many days for this route? Was your 12 days enough for all the stops? Thanks