aussiesue

My husband and I are planning our fourth trip to the US this October and I have a bit of a plan, but would love some advice/tips.

Our must do things on this trip - an NFL game, anywhere! Hubby wants to visit Washington DC for a few days. I would love to go to the South and Florida, and somewhere in the Carribean if we could. We are experienced travellers but I'm already thinking this is just too much!! Here is a brief outline of what I'm thinking

3 night New Orleans - pick up car and drive through to Nashville
1 night Natchez
3 nights Memphis
3 nights Nashville
Fly to Washington DC, 3 nights
Fly to Miami, 2 nights, NFL game on the 20th October - pick up car for four days
Drive to the Keys, 2 nights
Fly to Jamaica, 3 nights
Fly back to Florida, Orlando for 5 nights (Epcot, Kennedy Space Centre, Disney)
Fly to LA, one night before returning back to Australia.

A few questions - what is domestic travel like in the US at the moment? Will we be spending hours in airports just for domestic flights? I'm aware of how bad the international airports can be.

For a short Carribean experience - is Jamaica a good place to go? Is there somewhere closer/nicer we could go to?

Is 3 nights in Nashville and Memphis too much? I was thinking as we'd have a car that we could also get out and see nearby attractions, like the Jack Daniels factory near Nashville. Memphis - Graceland, Beale Street and various studios - could this be done in 1 big day (2 nights?)

Is road tripping through the south worthwhile? Should we add more time onto this part and try to get to some out of the way places? Before my husband announced he HAD to go to Washington DC this trip, we were originally thinking of going from Nashville to Atlanta/Savannah or maybe Kentucky... ahhh the options are endless!!!

I love the US - we have done four week holidays every second or third year for the last 7/8 years. I know I can't see everything that I want to in one go, but then I see that we're so close to something (like Jamaica) and think "oh we could just pop over there for a few nights!"

Any opinions would be appreciated. We are young-ish and have always crammed a lot in our holidays, so we're not afraid of being tired and worn out at the end of the month!!

Thanks in advance!!

Orlando_Vic

I would rethink Jamaica, as crime is a serious problem there.
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_p...147.html#crime

As an alternative, consider a 3,4 or even 5-day cruise to the Bahamas from either Miami, Ft. Lauderdale or Port Canaveral (near Kennedy Space Center).

_____________________________________________
Vic's travels: http://my.flightmemory.com/vogilvie

Katzgar

look at flying into cuba out of miami

Katzgar

since you give us little idea as to what you like to see an do I am going to suggest diamond mining in Arkansas(just found a 3 ct) or grave yard touring in NOLA.

tomfuller

There are a couple of places where riding an Amtrak train might work for you. Drive from Nashville to Atlanta and turn in the car and ride the Crescent from Atlanta to Washington DC. From Washington DC, take one of the Silver Service (Star or Meteor)
to Orlando or Miami.
The Amtrak Washington Union station is downtown within walking distance of the Capitol. The station is on top of a major Metro station. You may find that hotels are cheaper in Arlington or near the Pentagon than downtown. There is no need for a rental car in Washington.

capxxx

Instead of Jamaica you might consider either Nassau (more developed) or Freeport (less developed, but still has plenty of restaurants and such), Bahamas.

Or San Juan, Puerto Rico (which is US territory so you wouldn't be leaving the US, if that matters).

I don't think there's much difference between standing-in-line time for domestic vs international flights at a given airport, its more about big international airports vs a smaller one with mostly domestic flights. So you'll probably have small wait times leaving Nashville and big wait times leaving Miami.

Gretchen

Where have you been on your other trips? You mention Savannah so it makes me think you haven't been to Charleston and Savannah, in spite of saying "southeast US". Southeast often means Charleston--and then Florida is its own little peninsula!!
I think 6 nights in Nashville and Memphis is a bit much. And Washington could certainly do with more than 3 days.I also would die spending 5 days in Orlando--plus have no more money. Have you thought about just doing Disneyland in CA? Just a thought, since you have to go back that way.
I would not go to Jamaica. I might think you have more and better "island culture" in the Pacific available, but personally the Keys might be a bit "like" the Caribbean, but speaking English. If you must do a Caribbean stop, go to St. Thomas (and watch out for crime there also). Driving from Miami to Key West (was that your destination?) is a good 4 hours, for 2 nights stay?
As you have outlined your flights, you WILL be spending a lot of time I airports. And waiting. But you are going BIG distances, and flying is the only real way for some of it.
Again, if you haven't seen Charleston and Savannah, don't put Kentucky and Tennessee in front of them!!

aussiesue

Thanks so much for all your advice. I will definitely rethink Jamaica. I was already umming and ahhing over 6 internal flights.

I should've mentioned the things that we enjoy while we travel - my husband is a huge train buff - so thankyou to tomfuller for your advice on the trains, I was trying to work in a train trip somewhere. I will do some more research on that. He also loves sport - football, cricket. We have seen the Ice Hockey, Baseball and Basketball on previous visits but never been able to catch an NFL game.

I love food - there's nothing I won't try or won't eat, and I love seafood and eating in different countries and I LOVE the food in the US. I plan on a 2 month diet before I travel just so I can eat whatever I want for a month!! I enjoy getting out and about and seeing different things - mountains and lakes and rivers, roadtrips and just seeing random quirky sites, and I love the touristy things that some people hate!! We are not really big into museums or art galleries. We will do the really big ones, like the Louvre in Paris or the Cairo Museum, but we won't spend days there. We enjoy some history, and my husband enjoys politics too.

Our previous trips to the US have been to Hawaii, New York, Philadelphia, LA, San Fran, Big Sur, Carmel, Vegas, Yosemite, San Diego, Seattle. We have been to Disneyland in CA and Universal Studios just for two days.

I thought the 5 nights in Orlando would actually just be four days - one for Epcot and one for the Space centre (both for my husband) and one for Disneyworld and either the Animal Kingdom or Hollywood studios.

Coming from Australia the big TO DO things on our list for this trip are New Orleans, Graceland, Mississippi River, Country Music stuff in Nashville, would love to see the big plantation homes in the south, and stuff my face with great food!! I have heard that Savannah is not to be missed, highlights of Florida would be the Everglades, Key West and also the NFL game that apparently we HAVE to do. Miami seems to be the only location that I can line up a game on a Sunday afternoon, and also the place for internal flights.

My husband is yet to tell me what he so desperately wants to do in his time in Washington - I assume that it's all the political and historical sites, so I suppose i can an extra day/night there? I haven't done a lot of research for DC as this was a last minute call by my other half late in the planning!!

Thank you all again - I so enjoy reading all your helpful responses!!

aussiesue

OH - sorry, forgot to mention - cruises are out - my husband gets so sea sick, even on river boats!!

Orlando_Vic

.I also would die spending 5 days in Orlando--plus have no more money. Have you thought about just doing Disneyland in CA?

I am a Southern California native and there is absolutely no comparison between the two. Disneyland is only one park. Disneyworld is four (4) separate theme parks plus two (2) waterparks.

I thought the 5 nights in Orlando would actually just be four days - one for Epcot and one for the Space centre (both for my husband) and one for Disneyworld and either the Animal Kingdom or Hollywood studios

By Disneyworld, do you mean Magic Kingdom?

If you want to "stuff my face with great food!", you must go to Charleston!

_____________________________________________
Vic's travels: http://my.flightmemory.com/vogilvie

Gretchen

You've been to Disney. Don't go to Orlando. I've been to both. I HATE theme parks, by the way, so factor that in. BUT, think about it....
Trains in the US are REALLY suspect, except for short distances, if you don't want to put up with time delays, etc.
PLEASE consider Charleston (even over the Natchez Trace). You can see plantations in a much more compact area--and has been said STUFF you face with GREAT food, also in a much more compact area. I am really a little surprised you haven't come up with this area for yourselves.
SO WHY are you trying to go off to the Caribbean isles-when there is so much available on the "mainland". Y'all come back, now!!! LOL

aussiesue

Thanks Gretchen and Orlando_Vic.
The reason we're trying to get to the Caribbean isles is simply that we will be soooo close!! For us to do this sort of trip takes 24hours in transit time to get to somewhere like Miami, and it seems a waste not to go that one step further!! But as my husband keeps saying, you can't do it all..

Disneyworld (I was referring to Magic Kingdom) to us in Australia is this thing that you've heard about all your life, and again, something I feel that I have to do while I'm there. We have theme parks here, Dreamworld, Seaworld, Movieworld - and to be honest we might go to one of them once every 5 or so years. But to me Disney is just different. The inner child in me needs to see what all the fuss is about!!

I'm glad I put this post on here - I hadn't even contemplated Charleston. I will now put it on my research list for tonight!

Gretchen

I don't/didn't say don't do Disney--I think 5 days is too much of a "good" thing.
Several other places in the Caribbean have been suggested. Personally I think the Keys feel very much like the Caribbean.

rohlenmacher

Hi Aussie Sue, Oiy Oiy Oiy! Well, I live in Orlando, and it a great place to visit. I write a travel blog on visiting Florida, have a look at all the great things to do and see. Orlando is great, but it is one of the most jam packed cities in Florida during the summer time. Parks can be a little maddening! If its just you and the hubs traveling, look at the more low key, relaxing, and romantic alternatives. Key West, Sanibel Island just to name a few. Check out all the FL has to offer. And, as for NFL, if your here in the summer your timing might be a little off! Seasons out at the moment. Sorry love!

WWW.floridasummers.com

Cheers,

Reem!

Gretchen

It's October.

gardendiva

October is a great time to go to DC. The weather is nice and there are no lines. Assuming that the day you fly into DC and the day you fly out of DC are travel days, that really only leaves your 2 full days. I am not sure exactly what your husband has in mind but my favorites are the Capital Building, The National Archives, Arlington Cemetery The American History Museum, the Air and Space Museum and the Monuments. If you see nothing else at Arlington, make sure that you see the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown soldier. The last one is at 4 or 5pm every day. I would save the Monuments for the evening as other attractions close around 5pm.

BigRuss

>

Yeah, considering the travel embargo that's been in place for decades, this is a great idea.

Geez.

>

Yeah, sure. But you need to check your visa, you may not be able to go to the Caribbean and back to the US unless you visit a US territory like Puerto Rico, St. John, St. Thomas or St. Croix. Thus, if you bugger off to Nassau and try to come back into Miami, Customs may tell you that you're lacking the proper papers.

There is no Capital Building in DC, it is the Capitol.

Do NOT use any Amtrak trains outside the DC-Boston corridor. They're slow and unreliable enough inside that area; they're horrendous outside. If hubby wants to indulge his train buffiness, fly to Japan.

The best places for you to see an NFL game would be New Orleans or DC. The Saints are the obsession of New Orleans, ditto the 'Skins in DC. Better yet, if you're in the South on a Saturday, go to an SEC college football game (LSU, Alabama, Georgia, Florida - go googling). Honestly, if you people can be entertained by Aussie Rules and cricket, you're an easy audience.

tomfuller

I will respectfully disagree with those who have never ridden a single Amtrak train outside the Northeast Corridor.
Over the past 11+ years, I have ridden over 20K miles on Amtrak LD routes. Most of the late trains I have been on are the fault of the dispatchers on the host railroads or weather related.
Snowstorms have a way of slowing or stopping air travel when the trains tend to keep moving.
In December we have a train trip scheduled from Oregon to Burlington IA where I will rent a car to go to Maryland. I don't really care if the train is 3 hours late in either direction.

Gretchen

Does it matter wHO is at fault if the train is still late? We're not blaming Amtrak--we are saying that rail travel is unreliable for time--and is certainly not exactly economical. You may not care if the train is late--others of us DO care, and are also willing to call it to attention of unsuspecting non-US people who might have good service in their country. It is just plain true.

jent103

Three nights each in Nashville and Memphis isn't too much, but you could probably cut one night. E.g., arrive Memphis afternoon day 1, see Beale Street, spend day 2 doing Graceland and Sun Studios, then see the Civil Rights Museum the morning of day 3 before heading to Nashville. Honky-tonk that night, spend the next day doing CMHOF and the Ryman, spend day 3 doing the day trip to Jack Daniels (eat at Miss Mary Bobo's boarding house for classic Southern food), then maybe see the Hermitage on your way out of town if you drive wherever you end up next.

Charleston is fantastic. More good food than you can shake a stick at and beautiful plantation houses. You'll find that there are different kinds of "South" - NOLA is not Memphis is not Nashville is not Charleston.