Road Trip
 

Planning a road trip in late Sept to Nashville, Memphis, biloxi and the panhandle of FL with our final destination southeast FL. We have about 10-11 days from the time we leave NJ until we need to be on the east coast of FL. We figure we'll stop for one night between NJ and Nashville. We arrive in Nashville on a Saturday and will buy tickets for the Grand Ole Opry for that night. The next day we want to see the country music hall of fame and the ryman auditorium. Thinking that there is not much else should we stay the second night or drive to Memphis? If we do that then we'll stay 3 nights in Memphis or is it a better idea to split it two and two?

Depending on where you start from in NJ, you will go through Harrisburg, PA to get on I-81. Stay away from the Washington Beltway. If the weather is good try getting off I-81 onto I-66 to Front Royal VA and then drive south on the Skyline Drive to see fall colors. get back onto I-81 at Staunton. Spend the night at Staunton or Lexington.
I favor spending Sunday night in Nashville before heading to Memphis in the morning. If you are doing the Elvis thing in Memphis, don't forget to visit his birthplace in Mississippi.
Leaving Memphis head down the Natchez Trace and end up in New Orleans which has a rich musical history of its' own.
Biloxi is a collection of new casinos built or rebuilt since the most recent hurricaine IMO. I'd just keep driving and spend more time on the nice FL Panhandle beaches.

Thanks Tom. Your reply was helpful!

Natchez Trace is a beautiful drive (speed limit I believe is 45 so can't make time)http://www.nps.gov/natr/index.htm
And if you have not been to New Orleans I strongly recommend it. We loved the hotel Monteleone with room on an upper floor to see the Mississippi:
http://www.historichotels.org/hotels...el-monteleone/ I agree with Tom, keep driving thru Biloxi :-)

Second the suggestion to substitute New Orleans for Biloxi. It's not that much further and much, much better. If you're really into music, stop in Clarksdale, MS, for the Blues Museum, etc.