jent103

Gretchen, it was intended to be a joke, given your strong opinion above (and on numerous other threads); if it did not come across that way, sorry. I didn't say they *should* go to Hilton Head and didn't disagree with your assessment. I have no personal opinion on it whatsoever, since as stated I have not been; I was trying to pass on information I've seen numerous times, but will quit trying to do that.

Gretchen

I will agree with sludick that if you are considering actually getting IN the water, the SC beaches might not be warm enough yet. But for beautiful lounging and walking.

Brian_in_Charlotte

Keep Miami - stay in South Beach and enjoy the nightlife and beaches. It will be busy, but it's a lot of fun. Then head over to Anna Maria Island (on the gulf coast near Tampa) for a totally different FL beach experience (more laid back, old Florida). It doesn't add too much extra driving and sends you through the everglades in case you want to stop there.

After regrouping and relaxing on AMI, drive to Savannah, spend 2 nights then 3 nights in Charleston. I wouldn't bother staying at the beaches around Charleston or Savannah that time of year - likely won't be warm enough for a lot of beach time. If it is warm, you can easily drive out to the beach for a day/afternoon.

Spend any extra time in the mountains, maybe adding Asheville. I think you could also drop a night from Nashville.

nytraveler

I think that in April you may well find the water too cold except in southern FL.

And I assume you are flying NYC to Miami. Be aware that in NYC you can have early spring or still winter - the high may be 75 or 50 and esp cold out on the water. Also too early for leaves on the trees or many flowers. Be sure to bring at least one sweater.

Gretchen

Brian has a nice itinerary, and south Florida is really worth a look.

katejer

Thanks for your help everyone! We’ve discussed your comments and are now undecided between two options.

We don’t think it will be warm enough to stay in beach towns in SC or Georgia in April, as we’d like to be able to swim. Hence the two options below.

Option 1.

Remove the beach component from the holiday. Our revised itinerary would be something like this.

Fly from NYC to Savannah (we’ll add a night in New York) and stay for 3 nights.

Charleston for 4 nights (we’ve dropped a night.

Asheville for 2 nights.

Somewhere near the Great Smoky Mountains for 2 nights.

Nashville for 3 nights.

Memphis for 2 nights.

Somewhere between Memphis and New Orleans for a night, perhaps Clarksdale, as suggested.

New Orleans for 5 nights (we’d like 4 full days, 2 for the Jazz Fest and 2 for exploring, so we’ve added a night).

This option leaves us with a spare night (we’ve already booked flights to the US). Any suggestions of where we could stay for this night?

Option 2.

Fly to Miami and stay somewhere in that area for 3 nights, still TBC.

Stay in one of the more northern areas of Florida that people have suggested for 2 nights.

Savannah for 2 nights (we’ve dropped a night in this itinerary).

Charleston for 4 nights (we’ve dropped a night).

Drive through Asheville and stop for lunch at Biltmore House.

Somewhere near the Great Smoky Mountains for 2 nights.

Nashville for 3 nights.

Memphis for 2 nights.

New Orleans for 5 nights.

Which option do you think is better? Can the itinerary still be improved? We’d love to include some relaxation time, however beaches aren’t essential if it means that we don’t get to see the other areas properly and will be driving a lot. I think the first option is about 20 hours’ driving and the second is about 26.

Thanks for your feedback!

Katzgar

drive N of NOLA on the river road and visit/stay at an old plantation see gthe cemetaries, and the voodoo museum. bourbon street is an obvious to do. http://www.louisianatravel.com/river-road-plantations see some civil war sites... http://www.civilwartraveler.com/

look at things on a map, a N florida beach is very doable. use gmaps and you tube. in s florida you should see south beach for night scene, an airboat ride in the glades and key west.

Gretchen

Still too much time in Savannah in the first option.
In #2 I don't quite understand the two days in north FL suggested--if it is the panhandle, too far west to then go to Savannah and I don't think it will be warm enough there to swim either (not sure about this). Maybe it is Brian's idea of the west coast of Florida which is nice.
You don't "drive by the Biltmore for lunch"--it's a real castle!!

Brian_in_Charlotte

I think either would be fine, just depends on how much you want some guaranteed warm weather and beach time. Option 1 does mean less driving and gives you some extra time, but southern FL is really nice that time of year.

If you do choose option 2, I wouldn't do the second stop in northern FL, I'd want to be south of Orlando to insure warm enough weather to be worth the stop.

dwdvagamundo

Given your interests and the time of year, I think option 2 is better. I still think you have too much time in Charleston. That's four full days--what do you plan to do with that much time?

Vicksburg would also be a good place to stay between Memphis and NO. There's a great American Civil War battlefield there--very important place of that war. One of the most pleasant places we've stayed is right across the highway from the Battlefield--Marriott Courtyard.

BKD

I vote for option 2 with a couple of tweaks.

Stay in Miami not outside of it. I'd highly recommend South Beach.

I'm not sure about northern Florida for 2 nights. Why not just drive from Miami to Savannah? Unless you plan on playing some golf there's not much up there. You could stop on the way at Cape Canaveral to see the NASA facility to break up the trip but I think it's only about 6 hours or so.

I love Charleston but I'd probably cut that down a day to three nights and move one night to Asheville before heading to the mountains. You will probably spend a half a day at Biltmore (MUST SEE) and it's a pretty cool town with a lot of music and funky people. Definitely stay downtown. BTW, Highlands and Cashiers are very nice towns in the Smokey's.

Clarksdale is definitely on the quirky side and if you go stay at the Shack Up. You won't forget that place. If you go farther down Hwy 61 stay in Natchez, Mississippi. It's really beautiful-one of the oldest and best preserved towns on the Mississippi River. Lots of B&B's, some good bars and a lot of very genteel serious bourbon drinkers that live there. My wife is from there and I've been many times. It's not a normal place. Natchez folks live in their own world and that's a fact.

Take Hwy 61 from Natchez through St. Francisville, Lousiana. Beautiful plantation homes and a wonderful drive (until you get outside of Baton Rouge and then it's pretty ugly)

Jazz Fest is a great way to end the trip. It's the last weekend in April and the first weekend in May. The second weekend includes a Thursday as well. Book your rooms well in advance. Most places require a three day minimum. I'm happy to help you with specific suggestions in New Orleans (restaurants, nightclubs, sights, etc).

If there's anyway to get to the Gulf Coast of Alabama or just to the east near the Alabama Florida border, the beaches and water are exquisite. But maybe it's best to have a couple of unplanned days to be more spontaneous...