Australian travelling solo across the South - suggestions please!
 

Hi guys,

I'm an Australian student, planning a road trip from California across the south to maybe Charleston or Savannah and back. I'd love some suggestions on places to go and any good accommodation recommendations (I'm on a student budget, so preferably cheaper accommodation recommendations!). I'll be with my mom for part of it (to New Orleans) and then on my own for the rest of it. I've driven through some parts before - down through the Appalachians to Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans and across to California. I loved every part of it, but I feel like I did the touristy things and this time I'm looking for a different experience. Things I'm looking for this time are - small, friendly towns, meeting people & making friends, food (I LOVE American southern food!) and dancing. I dance lindy and Charleston & a little bit of a few other styles, so I'd love suggestions on where I can go dancing and I'd also be keen to learn some new styles. I'll have 7 weeks all up, over December and January. Thanks!

You'll find plenty of friendly small towns in the South. I recommend you check out the local tourism offices of places you plan to drive through before you head out. (Just Google the name of the town and "tourism".) The websites are a wealth of information about things to do, places to eat, places to stay, etc. and, if you call them, the staff can give you even more specific informaiton about their hometowns, e.g. an inexpensive place to stay. If you don't have a chance to contact them before you head out, definitely do so on the road.

A bonus of traveling during December is that you'll probably get a chance to see lots of Christmas lights and local holiday activities.

Not sure when you traveled before - but just be aware that coming from CA at some point you have to go through the mountains and will hit winter weather. Check routes carefully to be sure they are open - some roads through mountain passes close for the winter due to so much snow.

Also listen to local weather stations on the radio as you go - since even fairly far south you an get sleet or ice storms and will want to hole up in a motel os hostel rather than try to drive through it.

Having a little more of a timetable would be helpful.

When will you arrive in California, and where—Los Angeles or San Francisco?

When do you anticipate arriving in New Orleans?

When do you fly back to Australia?

Can you afford to spend more while your mom is with you, or is the student budget necessary for the entire trip?

Will you have a car the entire time?

Any additional information like that would be useful!

A couple of places you should consider (for their Cajun traditions):

Natchitoches, Louisiana (that's pronounced NACK-uh-tish!)

They are famous for their Christmas festival http://www.christmasfestival.com/schedule-of-events/

Lafayette, Louisiana (and vicinity)

http://www.lafayettetravel.com/Christmas

Hi Cranachin,

Thanks for your helpful suggestions. Natchitoches sounds like just what I'm looking for!

I'll be leaving central California (Santa Maria) with my mom around the 7th of December, and only have a few days to get NOLA where she's taking me on a river cruise (yay!) then we have Christmas together there. After that I'm on my own. And yep the budget with her won't be the student budget :-) I have to be back in Santa Maria by about the 24th of January. I'll have a car for the whole trip, it's an old 4wd and I'm used to snow driving (I did a few winters in Tahoe) so don't mind passing through snowy areas, but I'd prefer to avoid staying in places where it's gonna be sub-zero temps! Thanks :-)

Oh wow the gumbo cookoff at the Lafayette festival sounds like sooo much fun! Unfortunately it's before I will get there, but do you know of any place else that I could find something like that?

Austin, Tx . Wonderfull, fun and
full of great music, some great southern food.

What are the dates of your cruise? And where does it go?

St Augustine, in northern Florida has a wonderful holiday festival.

http://www.simplystaugustine.com/st-...hts-of-lights/

What do you mean by "only a few days" ? If you drove the fastest route Santa Maria to Tucson, AZ to San Antonio, TX to New Orleans, the drive itself would take about 30 hours without stopping to see/do anything with your mom. That is three days of 10 hours on the road.

If that is ok for you then, go for it and since that is pretty far south, you should not have too many weather problems to keep you in place for very long due to road closures.

Hope you have a wonderful trip and enjoy the time with your mom.

Hi Cranchin,

It's from the 12th for 8 days and goes to Natchez, Vicksburg, Baton Rouge and some of the plantations.

Thanks everyone else for your tips! St Augustine looks like a winner!

While driving across the Fla panhandle, you might like Apalachicola on the Gulf Coast and Wakulla Springs State Park closer to Tallahassee. They may be a bit out of your way but each is small and charming.