I would start in Savannah. Stay there 2 nights then head to Charleston for 3 nights. Stay in the HD in Savannah and Charleston so you can walk to all attractions. Head W to Asheville, NC for 1/2 nights. Visit Biltmore Estate. Head W to Nashville for 2 nights. Stay downtown near Broadway and all the music clubs. Skip Mammoth Cave. Head W to Memphis, TN for 1/2 nights. Stay downtown near Beale Street and the blues clubs. Enjoy the Memphis BBQ. Head S on # 61 to Clarksdale, MS home of the blues. Stay at Shack Up Inn in an authentic plantation shack. Stop in Vicksburg, MS and visit the National Military Park. Have lunch at Walnut Hills for good country food. Head S to Natchez, MS for two nights and visit the magnificent antebellum homes. Head S to New Orleans. That's about 19 days. Stay in the French Quarter in NOLA.




VISIT THE DELTA..........


http://www.visitthedelta.com/

That sounds like fun.

If it were me, I'd stop in Asheville, NC as well. Gatlinburg is too kitschy for me.

Spend at least 3 days in Charleston and Savannah.

You'll be taking I40 through TN. It's the fastest way. Are you an Elvis fan? If so, you may want to stop in Tupelo on your way to Vicksburg.

As for food, my best rec is to get a copy of Roadfood, by Jane and Michael Stern. I've used it on many trips and it has never let me down. There are tons of excellent restaurants in Charleston. I like SNOB, FIG, Anson, Tristan, Jestine's, High Cotton, McCrady's, Husk in town, Atlanticville, Huck's and Boathouse out at the beach.

How are you getting to Charleston to start the trip?
If you rent a car in Charleston you may pay a big drop off fee if you leave it in New Orleans.
Would it work to fly to New Orleans (or Atlanta) and rent you car and return it where you rented it? The Amtrak Crescent starts in New Orleans and goes through Alabama to Atlanta and all the way to Washington DC.

The train does go all those places and you can see nothing in between.
Don't worry about not seeing Atlanta. Where are you coming from=I sort of think OZ.
You could from Asheville drop a little south and west to Cherokee, and enter the back part of the GSMNP and drive through it back up to I40 and on to Knoxville and Nashville. Don't bother with Gatlinburg--a nice scenic drive through would be a nice addition to the trip.
Since you seem to have a music and jazz interest, the rest seems to fall into place.
I always think 2 days in Savannah is plenty, and one more in Charleston, if you want.

http://www.civilrightsmuseum.org/

There's your chance to include some civil rights history, right in Memphis.

I think you can skip Mammoth Caves in favor of something else. Unless you really want to see a big cave.

we decided to rent a car from atlanta - it's a lot cheaper. so now we'll drive from atlanta to savannah to start our trip.

The Amtrak Crescent leaves Atlanta about 8:30 AM ET and arrives in New Orleans about 12 hours later (7:30 PM Central).
You could also go north to Memphis in either a rental car or on the train from New Orleans.

thanks everybody for the great advice! we have a car now from Atlanta for about $30/day. Like the idea of starting in savannah and making our way north. We've had a lot of people recommend Asheville over Gatlinburg. Should we stay 1 night in Asheville and then the next day driving through the park? Is it enough time to see Cades Cove and other scenic parts around that area?

Oh yeh! Really want to see some beautiful Plantations - any suggestions?

Sure. There are several near Charleston. Magnolia, Drayton and Middleton are close to each other. Boone Hall is in Mt Pleasant. It has an interesting tour of the preserves slave quarters. Hopsewee and Hampton are farther north on 17. The only original house is at Drayton. It's been preserved, not restored. Middleton is the biggest. The gardens should be lovely. Take a carriage ride through the swamp-you might see gators.

Definitely go through Asheville and spend the night there. You will need one full day to tour the Biltmore Estate and grounds. And it is definitely worth it. A beautiful estate and what history! Be sure and each rent the headset for the house tour. Well worth it.

GREAT job to rent the car. Tom LOVES the train. You don't get to stop at a diner (by the side of the road) on a train.'
You will have a lot of options now. Do you have a sort of final list of "wantasees". Then maybe you and we can connect the dots.
Do you have an open jaw trip--into Atlanta and out of NOLA.Maybe it is up there and I've forgotten.