Tennessee Alabama Louisiana

Old Oct 19th, 2014, 12:20 AM
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Tennessee Alabama Louisiana

My husband and I are planning a trip to Tennessee Alabama Louisiana and then a tour in Mexico
We have been told that hiring a car and self driving is a good way to go BUT we are also considering traveling by bus and train
We traveled throughout Europe this year and found bus and over night trains very good
We are over 62 and although very fit would prefer to travel by train and bus
Unfortunately there are so many negative comments regarding bus travel around Memphis Nashville and Birmingham (Megabus Greyhound) that its making me ask the question..... Why so many negative comments??? What is the problem?????
Do the bus and trains take too long? Do they stop outside the cities???
The cost is not prohibitive so what is the problem???
So our plan is
Arrive Memphis 4 days (Friends here)
Travel by Greyhound to Nashville 3-4 days
Nashville to Birmingham 2-3 days bus
Back to Memphis by bus because we want to take the Amtrak
Is there another option for this re route
Memphis to Hammond (Amtrak)
Hammond To Baton Rouge and Lafayette 2-3
Return to New Orleans 3-4
Fly out to Mexico City
Any helpful responses will be appreciated
Thanks
dondonandjj is offline  
Old Oct 19th, 2014, 03:49 AM
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You do not want to travel by bus in the US. It is, in a word, nasty. You will want a car in the cities you are visiting in order to get to the sites. You will want to stop between the cities at cute roadside stands, diners (yes, the ones with good American food), side trips.
The US doesn't have good public transportation within cities. Trains,, in spite of what a poster here will tell you, are often late and service is spotty.
That area of the country would be quite lovely to tour by car.
Gretchen is offline  
Old Oct 19th, 2014, 11:41 AM
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Also Greyhound often puts their stations in seedy parts of town. Here in LA for example their station is in an area you DO NOT want to walk at night (although they do have another station in North Hollywood).
Rent a car through an overseas broker like carhire3000 and they will include all the insurance you need for your trip.
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Old Oct 19th, 2014, 01:45 PM
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Thanks Gretchen and Jaimee
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Old Oct 20th, 2014, 01:04 AM
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We have decided to hire a car and drive
Now we can probably explore and see more
We will have approx two weeks
Arrive Memphis 3-4 days
Nashville 2-3
Gatlingburg 2
Birmingham 2-
Jackson Tn 1
Drop car take the Amtrak to New Orleans
New Orleans 4
during which we would take tours to Baton Rouge and Lafayette
Gatlinburg has been added ATM because of the car!!!! But could be deleted
And we could drive back to Memphis instead of staying onite in Jackson if the Amtrak is best taken from Memphis
Thoughts please
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Old Oct 20th, 2014, 01:33 AM
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Should read Jackson Mississippi not Jackson Tn
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Old Oct 20th, 2014, 08:02 AM
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Gatlinburg is a definite outlier==far east and it is not that great. The Park IS, of course.
I'm not sure why you aren't just driving on to NOLA. There is the Natchez Trace and interesting things to see on the way. Stop in Lafayette and Baton Rouge on the way. Amtrak is not a total experience. LOL
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Old Oct 20th, 2014, 08:04 AM
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You would be doing some major backtracking.
In Alabama/Birmingham, take a side trip over to Montgomery and see the Civil Rights Memorial there at the Southern Poverty Law Center. It is memorable.
In Birmingham, eat at Frank Stitt's Highlands Grill.
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Old Oct 20th, 2014, 10:32 AM
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>

There's a cart and horse sequencing problem there.

>

Considering the number of negative comments, there should be explanations within them that explain the bad reviews.

Both are slow. Buses are nasty. Amtrak is perpetually late. There is no high-speed rail in the US and Amtrak shares most of its routes with freight lines, which have priority. Etc., etc. I wouldn't take Amtrak from Memphis or Jackson - just drive the river road to New Orleans. That's a worthy trip in itself.

I also wouldn't visit Jackson because it's a pile of meh. Again, the river road including the various plantations, battlefields (something about the river and its importance during the Civil War), Louisiana State Penitentiary [aka Angola prison] (no, you can't go in - it's full of lifers; you visit the museum and the museum is definitely worth a visit). You can see Red Stick and Lafayette during this stretch.

Dump the car when you arrive in New Orleans.
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Old Oct 20th, 2014, 10:53 AM
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We stayed in Natchez, MS one night a few years ago, it is a lovely town, I'd drop one night from Gatlinburg (which is kind of tacky, we drove through it en route to Asheville) and stay in Natchez. There are some lovely plantation era homes to visit there.
We did have a car in NOLA but it stayed parked, we drove out to visit Laura and Oak Alley plantations rather than take a tour but either is doable.
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Old Oct 20th, 2014, 11:00 AM
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I am suggesting dropping Gatlinburg completely--it is at least 4 hours from Nashville, and not in the direction they are going--south/southwest.

I said buses are nasty--that's pretty descriptive. They are dirty, and the stations and buses are dirty--and possibly dangerous at times.

I believe Jackson has a creditable museum.
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Old Oct 20th, 2014, 01:28 PM
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Oh, I thought they were going to Knoxville too. If not, then Gatlinburg is just a waste of time and effort.

I'm thinking an overnight at Jackson for a creditable museum is already too much. Better off going to Natchez (which adheres to the RIVER ROAD concept above).
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Old Oct 24th, 2014, 09:21 PM
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Thank you everyone
I also thought we would not use the car once we arrive in NOLA ( got the lingo now)
All replies are greatly appreciated
And helping my decision making
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Old Oct 25th, 2014, 03:19 PM
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I agree with all of the advice about bus and train. It is unfortunate that we are not as efficient as most of Europe with travel other than car or plane.

I live in East Tennessee and I would not recommend going out of your way for Gatlinburg. The mountains are beautiful but the town is not and I think it is way out of your way.
I agree with Gretchen in her suggestions! We think Frank Stitt's Highland Bar and Grill in Birmingham is one of the best restaurant we have in the South.
If you have any interest in country music I can strongly recommend the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville and make sure to do the tour of the Ryman Theater - you can get on stage and sing a line or two if you are inclined.
If you are interested in battlefields and history I would recommend visiting Franklin Tennessee just outside of Nashville for a great little tour of the Battle of Franklin. It is just a neat town to explore and enjoy.
Because you have friends in Memphis I won't go on and on, but I do hope if you are an Elvis fan you can make it to Graceland. We enjoyed ourselves and Sun records was a blast.
I hope you have a wonderful trip!
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Old Nov 2nd, 2014, 11:51 PM
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Thank you Willowjane
I will take onboard the information regarding Franklin Tn
Any other little bits of info you have I would greatly appreciate
April 2015 is when we will be in Tn Al and louisiana
Jenni
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Old Nov 3rd, 2014, 11:18 AM
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I agree with above advice(regarding driving vs. bus or train), especially if you are going in April. The drive thru La. and Miss. should be gorgeous, the azaleas and dogwoods will be in bloom. Vicksburg has a battlefield and museum with lots of interesting Civil War history.

Also, would agree that Highlands Bar and grill is well worth the drive. Its one of the best restaurants in the USA in my opinion. There is also a small hotel right across the street, the Highlands Hotel and they sometimes have pretty good internet deals.
Across the street from the hotel is the Pancake House-famous in B'Ham-you could have breakfast there the next morning. The civil rights museum is well worth a visit as well.

Check to see who is in concert at the Ryman in Nashville, it is a gem of American music and so worth it to see just about anyone perform there.
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Old Nov 3rd, 2014, 01:05 PM
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There may be a civil rights museum in Birmingham, but my reference is to the civil rights memorial in MONTGOMERY--not far away. It was designed by Maya Lin, and I believe may be a fitting "bookend" to her design of the Vietnam Wall--it is moving, historic, appropriate. It is at the Southern Poverty Law Center--DO NOT MISS IT.
Make a reservation for Highlands Grill.
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Old Nov 3rd, 2014, 02:23 PM
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The one I was referring to is called the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

bcri.org

It will have permanent exhibits as well as archives and rotating exhibitions.
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Old Nov 4th, 2014, 11:41 AM
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For a visual piece of art you'll never forget, run over to Montgomery.
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Old Nov 5th, 2014, 09:10 AM
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Gretchen--

I like Montgomery for Civil Rights better too. You can see MLK's church and the bus stop from which Rosa Parks departed on her historic ride (although there is more to that story than is generally known). Selma is not far from there. Also the State Capitol building has a neat museum.

And since you'll be in Memphis, visit the National Civil Rights museum there as well. That in my view is the most interesting of all.

Re the entire itinerary--rather than go to Jackson (or even to Birmingham), I'd either take the River Road along the Mississippi, stopping in Vicksburg, Natchez, St. Francisville and Baton Rouge or else the Natchez Trace Parkway from Tupelo. Mississippi (Elvis' childhood home) to Natchez and then south from there. There are some lovely plantation homes along the river between Baton Rouge and New Orleans and you should try to see at least of them.

With the short time you have in NOLA, I wouldn't think about doing anything except exploring NOLA. The route above takes you through Baton Rouge and you can detour west to see Lafayette then back to NOLA.
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