AdviseSteve

Hey.
I need some advise on our upcoming road trip from Atlanta to Atlanta (mid October). We will be leaving Atlanta on a Sunday morning and will return the following Sunday afternoon for an evening flight home.

The only place we definitely want to visit is New Orleans. Looking for some advice on route and where to stay on the way. We are thinking of driving down to Florida Panhandle (Pensacola/Orange Beach...)and making our way across coast to New Orleans and circle back to Atlanta.

We are interested in food/southern way of life/culture/nature.

Thank you!!

Steve

AdviseSteve

We could also head down through Montgomery/Mobile and back through Jackson/Memphis.

sanibella

I think I would choose your 2nd route. The direct route from ATL to the beach is pretty much just interstate with a lot of uninteresting exits along the way.

You can do a search on the forum for interesting things to do in Montgomery, and you could definitely work in a way to see the beach via your Mobile stop. Fairhope is not far away and Point Clear is lovely, and the beaches along that area are not a whole lot different from the beaches in the Florida panhandle. Not enough to restructure your trip over it, anyway.

Jackson and Memphis are each interesting enough with food/culture and southern history to stop and take a night in each. These cities are different from each other and from the other cities you have mentioned, giving your entire trip a worthwhile effort.

AdviseSteve

Thanks! very helpful!!

I think we are going to forget Memphis as it is a little out of the way. What is Jackson like?

Is there anywhere else recommend stopping? We are okay with detours!

dwdvagamundo

I'd take I85 to Montgomery then south on I64 to I10 on the way to New Orleans. Tuskegee Institute, Montgomery, Selma, if you're into civil rights. Lots of Hank Williams related places around Montgomery if you're into country music. Mobile has Bellingrath Gardens that are very nice--really exceeded our expectations. This route is the quickest way to New Orleans from Atlanta.

On the way back to the ATL, try driving roughly along the Mississippi River to Natchez and Vicksburg. Stop at one or two of the antebellum plantation homes between NO and Baton Rouge.

Natchez and Vicksburg are very interesting old southern cities, and Vicksburg has lots of civil war related stuff. I20 is a straight shot into Atlanta from Vicksburg. Or if you have more time, you could take the Natchez Trace Parkway up to Tupelo, MS, and Elvis's homeplace. Or go up to Clarksdale to the Blues Museum.

nicolec

What's the purpose of the road trip? To spend a lot of time on the road seeing stuff, or as a way to get from one specific destination to another?

The reason I ask is that the interstate ares about as interesting here as they are anywhere, and you won't see much along them. If you choose a route using the state highways, you'll still have plenty of options for food and services, but there will be BBQ shacks and boiled peanuts galore. (Yes, get the boiled peanuts.)

On the northerly side, if you wanted to cut across from Jackson to Chattanooga, northeast Alabama and into northwest Georgia has a plethora of great parks and spots for nature, like Lake Guntersville, Buck's Pocket and Cloudland. And if there's a prettier place in the world than East Tennessee and the Great Smoky Mountains, I haven't seen it yet.

nicolec

P.S. I20 is going through a lot of construction right now. I'd be sure to check the status when you get closer to Oct before finalizing it as a route.

sanibella

Nicolec raises a great point and that route there is a beautiful drive. Also the I20 thing is a total nightmare in the Birmingham/ATL area at least -- not sure where else on the route, but, wow. It's havoc right now at least. Good points all around.

AdviseSteve

thanks for the advise.

We are interested in experiencing the Gulf Coast- food, way of life. I did this drive when I was young (miami to New Orleans) and have good memories of houses/restaurants on stilts, good food, interesting people, fishing/shrimping, southern living etc. We would also want to see/experience the Bayou if it is worth visiting.

any thoughts? We were thinking of driving down 65, spending a night somewhere near Mobile (Fairhope/Daphne?) then spend a day driving slowly towards New Orleans. We would probably stop outside of New Orleans for the night.

Does it make sense detouring east of Mobile (ie orange beach/gulf shores)? Is there anywhere else worth stopping/detouring along this drive? Any places we should plan to spend some extra time in?

We are thinking of coming back through Baton Rouge, Natchez and Vicksburg. Is there anywhere fun to spend the night 2-3 hours west of Atlanta?

Interests: We are more interested in current culture/way of life than history or music.

thanks!

AdviseSteve

Good to know about I20. thank you. What is a good alternative route if we are coming from Vicksburg area?

AdviseSteve

looks we could go towards Meridian and Montgomery to skip i20. Should we spend night in Montgomery or somewhere else near by?

BigRuss

To avoid I-20, you can take the first proposed route and dive down to Pensacola, hang out there, see the naval air station and its flight museum, go fishing, drive to Gulfport area in Mississippi (NO ONE calls it Missi) and tour around there for a bit then go to New Orleans. Backtrack north through the plantation areas then cut across Mississippi (no, not Jackson) etc.

Based on your time constraints, the choices you have are the I-10 route or the I-20 route.

Gretchen

If you want to stop for a memorable OLD place in Atlanta for lunch or dinner on one end or the other, go to the Collonade
http://colonnadeatl.com/
Fried chicken TDF. In business for decades.

boywonder323

Advise Steve,

I'm from New Orleans and have done your circut several times. Slower pace and southern life sounds like this to me. Drive east from Mobile (Bellingrath Gardens may be an interest just outside of Mobile) along I 10. Once into Mississippi veer off I-10 (south) at Ocean Springs and dirve east on Hwy 90 along the coast past Biloxi, Gulfport. Relaxing beach drive, several good resturants, casinos if you desire. Keep driving along Hwy 90 through Bay St. Louis and Waveland. Past Waveland you can either stay on Hwy 90 ( now it becomes a 2 lane ) into Louisiana ( your first swamp tour is on this road )or continue on the 4 lane and join back up with I-10 and continue to New Orleans that way. If you pick the 2 lane you will enter New Orleans from street level and it becomes a little harder to navigate to your hotel but very do-able. After a visit in the Crecent City head to Baton Rouge along I-10. In Baton Rouge take the I-110 north. This will lead you to Hwy 61 into St. Francisville on the way to Natchez. Many anti-bellum houses are worth seeing along the way. (Rosedown, Myrtles in St Francisville, Rosalee, Stanton Place, Dunleith in Natchez) You can continue north on 61 to Vicksburg, don't miss the battlefield. Head east to Jackson and home from there. Attractions are many so you may have to allow extra time on drives.

Hope this helps.

AdviseSteve

thanks!! that was a very helpful reply. Where should we stay around Mobile? Is it worth going down to Fairhope/Daphne?

Is there a swamp tour you would recommend or other activities along the coast that would be interesting? We would prefer less "touristy" activities or more local way of experiencing it, ie find a local person to take us out.


appreciate the advice.

Gretchen

If you go through Montgomery please see the Civil Rights Memorial designed my Maya Lin at the Southern Poverty Law Center. It is perhaps the most meaningful "memorial" next to the Vietnam Wall. Very small and intimate--and symbolically meaningful.

If you want a gourmet meal in Birmingham, go to Frank Stitt's Highland Grill.