Road trip to the Deep South revisited......itinerary for your perusal
 

Hi all.... thank you so much for your input and help with planning this trip....I started a new topic as the old one was so long and we lost people along the way....hopefully this way they will return. Please do not mention the heat and humidity as we thrashed that point out before, I understand it will be hot but we're still coming.....To re-cap we have to fly to/from Atlanta as it is a direct flight and we want a chance of catching the Falcons in a pre-season friendly and my son who is off to college in this year is studying History with a massive emphasis on American history which will help explain choices.... Ok ....

Atlanta (2N) Civil War Museum/ Stone Mountain /Falcons/ Braves
Chatanooga (1N) Lookout Mountain/ Chickamauga/Chatanooga battlefields/ Incline railway/Ruby Falls
Nashville(2N) Country Music Hall of Fame etc.....Shiloh NMP en route to...
Memphis (2N) Graceland/ Sun Studio and BBQ
Vicksberg (1N)
Oak Valley Plantation (1N)
NOLA (2N).....Selma and Montgomery en route to (long drive I know)
Americus (1N) Andersonville
Savannah (2N)
Charleston (2N)
North Charleston (Middleton place) (1N) Swamp tour/ Drayton Hall
Ashville (3N) Smokey Mountains and chill (literally!)

What do you think? Any obvious mistakes or omissions? Restaurant recommendations ?

In Memphis, check out The Peabody Hotel (you may well want to stay there). http://www.peabodymemphis.com/

By all means attend the March of the Peabody Ducks at 11am (when they come out to spend the day in the lobby fountain) or at 5pm (when they return to their home). http://www.peabodymemphis.com/peabody-ducks/

Totally agree with the Peabody duck parade.
It looks like a great trip!

If Avery Island/ the Tabasco "factory" is of any interest, you could easily fit that in as you drive towards NOLA.

Some folks like Laura plantation better than Oak Alley. You may have time for both. (I can't advise you re which is "better").

I have restaurant recommendations for Atlanta, Savannah and the mountains on the way from Asheville to the Atlanta airport.

Again, looks like a fabulous plan!

If the dates work, you could make a side trip here on your way to Americus:

http://www.blueangels.navy.mil/media...ceSchedule.pdf

New Orleans: take a ride on the streetcar through the Garden District at least as far as "the turn."

I would do Natchez instead of Vicksburg and try to tour at least one of the ante-bellum homes.

If you do that, ^^^, get off at the turn in the river and have really good po'boys at Cooter Brown's -
http://www.cooterbrowns.com/

Stop on the way back and wander down to Magazine Street and visit Sucre for macarons, gelato or other desserts.
http://www.shopsucre.com/
https://www.magazinestreet.com/

Walk back toward the streetcar and wander through the cemetery and enjoy NOLA's architecture on quiet streets (in daylight).

If you like cemeteries, The Magnolia in Charleston and the Bonaventure in Savannah are amazing.

That's a ridiculous number of different overnight stops.

What's Oak Valley Plantation?

There's an Oak Alley Plantation. I wouldn't spend the night there, I'd keep going to New Orleans.

Preseason games are not "friendlies."

There are whole threads on this board for New Orleans restaurants and a couple for Charleston too.

<<There are whole threads on this board for New Orleans restaurants and a couple for Charleston too.>>

Speaking of which:

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...h-carolina.cfm

Since your son is interested in the Civil War, I would say visit Vicksburg rather than Natchez. Lots of beautiful homes in Natchez (but you can see beautiful homes elsewhere on your trip). Vicksburg has the Civil War sites—including the Vicksburg National Military Park with the USS <i>Cairo</i> Gunboat and Museum. http://www.nps.gov/vick/historycultu...ro-gunboat.htm

Way too much for me but you may also want to try & work in the Natchez Trace as a means of getting down South...http://www.nps.gov/natr/index.htm
There is not much in Montgomery & I would combine some nights - eliminate N.Chas. & the Plantation & Americus (make them stops only ?) & I would try to add to your stays in Charleston & NOLA. You might also like to spend a little time in Jackson, MS since it is right there.

I recommended the Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery, and it is worth a stop--they aren't staying.

BigRuss-wow....we have three weeks....love road trips.....we want to make the most of our trip....have been to two NFL matches and compared to football in the UK...it's friendly! SAnParis2, it is a busy schedule but that's what we like..are visiting Montgomery for my son who is off to college studying history so civil rights of interest...overnighting in Americus as thought NOLA to Charleston might be a bit far.....will look at leaving out plantation but want to visit swamps.....will look on threads for each area but wanted input regarding route...thanks as always Gretchen.

and Cranachin....

A friend and I did a big loop~Atlanta to Asheville to Gatlinburg to Nashville and back to Atlanta~in one week. Yes, we spent a LOT of time in the car and wished we had more time in each place, but we loved our trip. We made a few stops along the way and enjoyed the scenery. Some people like to stay put, others like to stay on the move. Tailor your itinerary to YOUR preferences.

Three weeks won't be enough, mamabear.....there's SO much to see and do!! You owe us a trip report when you get back.... :)

tenthumbs.....you are right...for us the roadtrip is part of the fun...of course we wish we could have stayed longer in some places but a good reason to return! Will definitely post report though

Overall, the route looks good. I too would omit an overnite stay at Oak Alley and add at least one nite to NOLA. You can get swamp tours out of NOLA. Vicksburg instead of Natchez given your interests.

The really difficult day is to NOLA to Americus. You might want to stop in Columbus, GA, instead as that will make your drive more nearly equal and will have more lodging choices. Andersonville is really out of the way and, although I haven't been there in decades, it wasn't that impressive to me as a Civil War buff and even though I'd read the novel as a teen.

In any event (that is, whether or not you decide to go to Andersonville), I'd get off I 85 at Opelika, Alabama, go into Columbus, and pick up US 80 going east to Macon. At Macon, get on I16 to Savannah.

Mamabear, I have NO idea about what Russ is talking about pre-season games and friendly!! They are VERY easy to get tickets for--just show up--or look on Craig's list when you are in town.

Thanks guys....will take a look at Columbus and will add a night to NOLA and visit plantation from there.....Thanks for the tip about tickets...the boys are NFL mad (even staying up to watch the Superbowl which won't finish until 3am our time....Go Seahawks!!

<<Mamabear, I have NO idea about what Russ is talking about pre-season games and friendly!!>>

Read the posts: there's no such thing as a "friendly" in US sports other than MLS, it's a soccer term for preseason match or for a match that does not count in league standings. Travelers need to learn the local slang so that the natives can understand you.