EricaFaught

My husband and I (seniors) are from South Africa. We're retired and want to see some of the US and Canada. This trip we want to travel by car from Dallas to Niagra Falls (Canada). We are not in a hurry to get there and want to travel along scenic drives and stop at places with lots to see. We love nature, water, golf (hubby's taking his clubs) quaint villages and not-your-run-of-the-mill restaurants. We love doing fun things, just not too strenuous. Not museum fans. I'm totally confused by all I'm reading. Following some advice on the internet, I planned a trip Dallas, Hot Springs, Chattanooga, Nashville, St Louis, South Haven, Traverse City, Petoskey, Holland ... then got stuck - where to next.? I have no idea. I think this may be a very round about route. Please could someone give me some ideas, I'm at my wits end.

nytraveler

Just make sure your visa is valid for multiple entries to the US - so you don;t get stuck in Canada.

Sorry, can;t help with the route - have never heard of a bunch of those places.

SusieQQ

You might post this question on Trip Advisor's Road Trip Forum.

EricaFaught

Thank you so much guys for your help. We have Green Cards and just assumed that we would be able to travel back and forth. Will have to check on that.
Trip Advisor - Thanks will go there too.

twiggers

If you have a green card you'll be fine. But make sure you don't need a visa as a S. African citizen to get into Canada.

I am Canadian, but return to the US all the time on my green card. It's the entry into Canada you should look into.

My recommendation is to just start looking at Google maps. What routes is it giving you? Then start pulling things around to hit cities you want to visit.

You'll roll right through "middle america"....likely crossing through Indiana and up into michigan. Through Indiana, check out some of the Amish towns.

Chicago is also an option if you've never been.

But yea....a lot of your places are back and forth and up and down. Tennessee is directly south of Indiana/Michigan. Chattanooga is way off to the east and then you'd be back tracking back to St. Louis.

What about heading from Dallas through Arkansas. Hit Memphis and Nashville, then veer north through Kentucky (Bourbon Trail, etc.), then up through Indiana into michigan and then Niagara.

Will you return to Dallas? If so, then on the way back go to Chicago and then head south to St. Louis, etc.

Almost like a big circle.

EricaFaught

Thank you Twiggers, you've given me a lot to think about and work on. We lived in Arkansas for a while and I've been to Memphis but would love to go to Graceland again and the Peabody Hotel. And I've never been to Nashville - so Tennesee will definitely be part of our trip, as will Chicago. So thank you again - you've been most helpful.

nygvic0326

Live in Memphis and just returned from Niagara Falls by car this past Monday. From Dallas I would go Little Rock (President Clinton's Library), Memphis (Graceland & Beale Street). From there it is a question of choices. You could go north on I55 to St.Louis, then head to Chicago, thru northern Indiana and southern Michigan, into Ohio (Toledo / Cleveland) and then thru Pennsylvania to Western NY (Buffalo) and the Falls. Alternative out of Memphis is Nashville (Country music / Grand Ole Opry), to Louisville (Churchill Downs / Kentucky Bourbon Trail), Cincinnati, Columbus (Ohio) then to Cleveland and the balance of Pennsylvania / Buffalo / Niagara Falls. Second alternative would be Memphis to Chattanooga (5 hours) then north to Knoxville, TN, to Lexington, KY then north to Cincinnati then as per the above thru Columbus, etc. Only you can decide what you want to see. Trip from Memphis to Niagara Falls is 15 hours driving but you will break that up with stops in the various cities depending on the route you choose. Drive from Dallas to Memphis is 6 hours plus or minus depending on how you drive and stops. Good luck.

WhereAreWe

When is your trip? That could make a big difference for scenery and routing.

Try driving north along the Mississippi River until Iowa, then head towards Lake Michigan and follow the shoreline. Enter Canada at Sault Ste. Marie and follow the Great Lakes east. On the way home, spend time driving through the Finger Lakes region and Appalachians.

EricaFaught

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I'm going to be spending my time on my knees studying a floor map, to decide where to go and what to see. I now have so much information to work with. I do thank you!

tomfuller

The stop before Niagara Falls could be Cleveland Ohio to see the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Check to see if you can take the rental car into Canada.
If you can't, park it in Niagara Falls NY and take a train or bus to the Canada side. You could also stretch the trip to see Toronto.
How many days/weeks do you have planned for this trip?