I'm a single woman in my late twenties. I'm planning a solo road trip through the American South this summer. I've been all throughout the West and Southwest, but this will be my first time going East. The trip will be about 15 days but will move at a quick pace. Here is my plan in order, starting in Texas:

New Orleans
Biloxi
Montgomery and Tuskegee
Savannah, GA
Charleston, SC
Wilmington/New Bern/Greenville, NC
Richmond, VA
Morristown/Jefferson City/Knoxville, TN (family is from here)
Nashville
Memphis
Little Rock

I'm interested in history (especially the Civil War) and art museums, interesting shopping, great zoos, and authentic food. I'm not into tourist traps, expensive/fancy restaurants, or time-sucking activities.
I'm already planning on going to the Freedom Riders Museum in Montgomery, the Andersonville Memorial along the way to Savannah, and the Boone Hall Plantation outside of Charleston.

What do I need to avoid / not miss along the way?

You missed one historic site in Tennessee. For Civil War history you must see Chicamauga on the south side of Chattanooga. You can approach from the south from either Georgia or Alabama or from the north from Knoxville.

For some Civil War sites, just outside of Wilmington, NC is Fort Fisher, Charleston of course has Sumpter and there is a very nice park in town where the city folks watched the shelling and of course the "Glory" beach. The mountain in Chattanooga has a nice hike too.

You'll want to go to Beauvoir in Biloxi.

http://www.beauvoir.org/

Around Nashville, check out Carnton Plantation in Franklin. If you've read The Widow of the South, it's based on the same family (not sure how loosely). For interesting shopping, head to Hillsboro Village, 12 South or East Nashville.

Memphis has a good zoo. Sun Studio and the civil rights museum are my top two there.

If you're looking for specific food recommendations - what do you define as an "expensive" restaurant? Some people think a $25 entree is ridiculous, some people think it's reasonable, so a dollar amount would be helpful.

Thanks for the info!

I wouldn't want to spend more than about $40 (with tip) at a restaurant for this particular trip.

I live in Nashville, and that would cover the vast majority of places here, at least for an entree plus a drink or app/dessert. Most of the entrees even at the nicer places will be around $25, and there are many less expensive places. On the nicer end,

- East Nashville: Margot, Holland House, Lockeland Table
- Downtown/Germantown area: City House, Germantown Cafe, Rolf & Daughters, the Southern; Husk, which is currently just in Charleston, will be opening a branch here in the spring
- West End/Vanderbilt area: Sunset Grill, Cabana, Tin Angel

On the cheaper end, some of my favorites are Burger Up (12 South), Fido (Hillsboro Village), and Baja Burrito (100 Oaks, not near anything touristy but close to I-65). If you're looking for Southern food, try Monell's in Germantown, Arnold's on 8th Avenue, or the Loveless, which is a drive west of town. Could be a good stop on your way to Memphis. Also check out nashvilleoriginals.com and see which ones appeal to you. There are a few in Franklin as well, so if you wanted to combine a trip to Carnton with a restaurant down there you could.

Charleston has tons of great food, and there are lots of threads here discussing it if you do a search in the box above.

The Freedom Riders Museum in Montgomery may be good, but DO NOT MISS the Civil Rights Memorial at the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery. It is the most moving and appropriate memorial next to perhaps the Vietnam Wall.
I do not see how you can do this in that time. You have 11 cities and 15 days. HMMMM.
I think Richmond is the outlier here, at the very least. And probably Wilmington, New Bern and Greenville also. Just 'way too much distance for the benefit.
Charleston deserves a little look--more than you seem to have so far. From Charleston I would just head up I26 to Ashville and on to Knoxville to complete your loop. On that road you could stop in Columbia SC for the Riverbanks Zoo.

Have you mapped this out? That's a lot of driving. Montgomery to Savannah is about 5.5 hours, Richmond to Knoxville is over 6.

W/the emphasis on 'road' ? as that is all you are going to see.

and your starting in Texas? where are you starting from? I don't think you have the time to hit all these locations. Choose the mid south and make a trip to Charleston and Virginia some other time.

You may want to consider adding Natchez and Vicksburg. I found the Civil War stuff in Vicksburg fascinating. Also, if you are into the civil war, don't miss Franklin outside of Nashville.

I'd cut your trip off at Alabama and drive north from there. Still lots of driving, and I'm not sure with all that driving you've actually given yourself time to actually see anything. You really should map it out. Google maps makes it easy to add stops and figure out driving distances.

There is a lot of difference if you are staring in Texarkana compared with El Paso.