17 Apr 2012 5:07 PM
4 Jan 2009
Grande Cache, AB
elizabethivy
Addict
2,623
So, I'm currently planning a twelve day trip to the SE US in August - DH hasn't quite jumped on board yet so I want to get some ideas from you lovely ladies to help entice him that this is the PERFECT vacation for us to take!
The plan would be to fly into Atlanta and drive clockwise, ending up in Nashville and flying out there. I need help figuring out things to do in Atlanta, New Orleans, Memphis, and Nashville specifically and if there is anything we can't miss in between!
Here is a rough itinerary that I've come up with:
Day 1: Fly into Atlanta
Day 2: Tour around Atlanta, drive to Pensacola FL with pit-stops in Alabama
Day 3: Pensacola - surf lessons, day at the beach
Day 4: Drive to New Orleans
Day 5: New Orleans
Day 6: New Orleans
Day 7: Drive to Tupelo MS, tour around Elvis' birthplace, drive to Memphis (could also stay in Tupelo instead of driving into Memphis this day)
Day 8: Memphis - Graceland, Sun Studios, Beale Street
Day 9: Spend the morning/early-afternoon in Memphis, drive to Nashville
Day 10: Nashville
Day 11: Nashville
Day 12: Fly home
For those of you who have been to Nashville - is two full days too much? Other then the Country Music Hall of Fame, is there much to do during the day? Should I take away a day in Nashville and add a full day in Atlanta?
Okay, your turn!!
17 Apr 2012 5:40 PM
18 Oct 2009
Steinbach, MB
tandr2
Addict
2,993
nothing to add because I've never been...but can I tag along? LOL
One day I'm hoping to go to all those places!
17 Apr 2012 6:09 PM
2 Aug 2009
Nuke
Addict
3,348
I don't know what activities are there but I would eat a ton of southern food and BBQ!
17 Apr 2012 6:57 PM
7 Oct 2011
julied
Fan
621
You could try to catch a Braves game if they are in town.
17 Apr 2012 7:02 PM
4 Jan 2009
Grande Cache, AB
elizabethivy
Addict
2,623
I was just on Ticketmaster, seeing what concerts might be going on, and Jason Mraz will be in Nashville when we are - that might be a fun night out!
I'm going to look up the Braves schedule right now - we're not really big baseball fans but if we could get cheap tickets, why not?
17 Apr 2012 8:11 PM
15 Jul 2008
Babs1980
Devotee
1,768
Sounds like a great trip! FH and I drove from Austin TX to New Brunswick last year. We did it fairly quickly, so we didn't get to spend as much time in the south as we would have wanted (although we did spend three days in NOLA and a took our time driving through Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama). It's a super interesting part of the country and I'd love to go back.
A few comments: have you considered going to Savannah? Looks like such a gorgeous place. Also, I assume you'll be renting a car in Atlanta and dropping it off in Nashville. You should probably check the drop off fee- in my experience, the rental car companies in North America will charge you an arm and a leg to drop off the car in a different location. It might be worth driving back to Atlanta (although that means lost time driving). Your itinerary looks good, but be prepared to spend a lot of time driving. For example, Atlanta to Pensacola is 5.5 hours (not including any pit stops in Alabama). That doesn't leave you a lot of time for the beach, let alone for surf lessons. You'd have to leave pretty early in the morning.
Have a great trip and yes, enjoy the food!! Make sure to get some fried chicken in Alabama. Mmmmmmmm...
17 Apr 2012 8:24 PM
4 Jan 2009
Grande Cache, AB
elizabethivy
Addict
2,623
Thanks for your input, Babs!
I'd love to go to Savannah (it does look lovely) but I don't think it will work with the route I have kind of mapped out for us. You've made a really good point about the rental car, I will look into a round trip from Atlanta, instead of breaking up the trip. As far as the driving is concerned, that's why I want to do this trip so badly - the road trip aspect - so I'm completely fine with that. We'll have one full day in Pensacola (2 nights) so I'm sure we'll have a lot of time during that day to get our surf on
A
17 Apr 2012 8:49 PM
15 Jul 2008
Babs1980
Devotee
1,768
Oops! I thought you were only in Pensacola one night. Yes then surf lessons are totally do-able
18 Apr 2012 12:10 AM
5 Apr 2003
RnR
Empress of the Forum
32,698
We LOVE New Orleans. So excited to live driving distance to it these days!
DH was in Memphis in November, but I've never been. All I can provide is some food recommendations that I had researched for him!
BBQ
- Central BBQ
- BBQ Shop
- Payne's
fried chicken
- Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken
- Uncle Lou's
other
- Restaurant Iris
- Local Gastropub
- MCEWENS ON MONROE
18 Apr 2012 12:11 AM
5 Apr 2003
RnR
Empress of the Forum
32,698
I have oodles of NOLA food recs as well if you are interested.
18 Apr 2012 11:05 AM
4 Jan 2009
Grande Cache, AB
elizabethivy
Addict
2,623
RnR, thank you! I would love NOLA restaurant recommendations - either posted here or PM'ed, however you'd like to do it!
This trip started off as wanting to see Nashville, especially, but it's definitely becoming all about New Orleans! I'm having a hard time convincing DH, though, he is leaning towards California (which surprises me) or Hawaii (which surprises me more!).
18 Apr 2012 11:16 AM
19 Jul 2010
bd71
Rookie
106
I don't mean to discourage but living in the south this is probably the worst time of year to do this trip. It is so hot and wet! New Orleans, Mississippi etc. are very, very hot and quiet in the summer.
DH was in NOLA in April and even then it was up in the 90's.
It is an awesome trip though. Just if the heat is a concern California might be the better option.
18 Apr 2012 12:07 PM
4 Jan 2009
Grande Cache, AB
elizabethivy
Addict
2,623
Thanks for the input, bd - the weather is definitely something we would need to consider! We love the heat, so that wouldn't be an issue, but the rain would definitely damper our plans to walk and explore!
31 Oct 2012 11:59 PM
30 Apr 2012
buzzle.ca
buzzle
New Member
0
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