google-site-verification: google97197d2cda59094f.html ;
top of page

UnitedStatesofAmerica

Land of the Road Trip - Home of the Car

4 All American Road Trips

  1. Route 66

  2. Appalacian Way

  3. Pan Handle

  4. Music Trail

    ​

    ​

Photo by NASA on Unsplash

Disclosure: Affiliate Links - click here 🍔

eSIM📱

Marker Map

All recommended sites & everything else can be located & checked out with a few clicks - most have 10 photos showing views, food, beds, scenery, facilities, goods - everything you need to make an informed decision & links to all of them.

 

Just click on any marker, then on the traffic arrow           and a 2nd location for instant detailed public & private travel information including routes, distances, times, frequency, transfers & stop locations.

A turn right arrow
A map of the USA in the colours of the Stars and Stripes

Your holiday - Your way

Country Guide
United States-president-seal

COUNTRY GUIDE

Monument Valley

monument-valley USA amazing scenery westerns sunset stark

 Image by David Mark from Pixabay 

​

TRAVEL RECIPES - these itineraries are meant to be flexible as we all have different likes and interests. Treat it like a recipe that you can play around with as you like. Go through the tours and what to see and do to work out how long or how little you want to spend in each place. Some trips are coordinated with events but you will be warned about them.

 

BEST TIME TO GO - Spring , Summer and Fall are a good time with Summer being peak tourist season.

  • In winter the north freezes over and the further south you go the warmer it gets. It can get really humid down south.

  • The west coast doesn't freeze up like the east. Seattle is the wettest place in the country by days but not in volume.

  • Hurricane season down south is August and September.

  • Alaska is best in summer which is short - mid May to mid September.

  • The best time to visit Hawaii is April to October. June to August is peak tourist season. Winter is November to April where it is a little cooler and a little wetter.

​

STAY - 

  • Most hotels are available on Booking.com unless otherwise stated. It's best to get bookings with free cancellation and pay on site when you get there. Hotels chosen are usually 3*** or 4 or 5 if they are good value. They are chosen firstly for their location, value for money, positive testimonials regarding cleanliness and service and features like rooftop terraces and great views.

 

  • Since the end of Covid a lot of prices have gone through the roof. So if the selected hotel is out of your price range click on the location map and choose something cheaper nearby. Or you might prefer something else but try to stay in the same area.

​

  • Accommodation in the USA is very expensive so hotels around the 3*** level should be around the US$200 mark and up. If you want a cheaper option you'll have to stay at a generic motel on the edge of town or try to find a hostel. Airbnb is another option worth trying.

​

BUDGET

  • It's not going to be cheap. Decent accommodation is really expensive. Some areas are better than others so you could try roughing it when necessary and having something decent when it's affordable.

​

  • As these are all road trips you have the added expense of daily car rental. If you want to get something special for Route 66 it will cost you. Gasoline is not as cheap as it used to be.

​

  • Food and drink will likely be a lot of roadside places which are sort of middle of the range prices. Be selective about what attractions you visit to save on entrance fees. Pick free ones and go on lots of walks. A bit of planning and it will all work out.

​

  • If money is not a problem just follow the recommendations and you will have a ball.

​

 

VISAS - Click here for information

​

​

TIPS -​

  • Prices for these trips are in US$

​

  • It's always a good idea to have a drinks cooler / esky / chilly bin with you on a road trip. They can be bought cheaply and you should get one at the start of the trip and stock it up with non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages.

​

  • Get off the Interstate Highways and on to the minor roads that go through the little towns along the way. You'll be surprised with the high standards of these minor roads.

  • Carry a photocopy of your passport at all times

​

  • Download Maps.me app and the appropriate maps onto your phone before you go

​

  • All of these itineraries are road trips. Most of the time your hotel will be in walking distance of restaurants, bars and night life. On those occasions it isn't or you want to go to a different area it's probably best to use a ride share app.

​

  • Grab some soaps and shampoos from the hotels for the odd occasion when you are roughing it in the State Parks

​

  • Before you leave home pick up a Route 66 Passport online. They also have offline navigation apps.

​

  • You could combine 2½ trips and do the triangle from Miami - Nashville - New Orleans - Miami. You could start and finish the trip in any one of these cities.

​

​

  • Or you could return to Chicago - or New York - or Montreal (& St. Johns) after doing Route 66 on the Across America Train Trip.

​

​

FLIGHTS -

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

 

Once you have bought your airline tickets get some travel insurance to cover your investment

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

 

POPULATION - 331.8 million

​

CAPITAL - Washington DC

​

RELIGION - Christian 71%, Other 6%, None 23%

​

ETHNICITY - White 72%, Hispanic 15%, Black 13%

​

LANGUAGE - English

​

NATIONAL DRINK - Bourbon

​

NATIONAL DISH -  Hamburger, Apple pie

​

GOVERNMENT - Presidential Republic

​

BIRTHDAY - 4th July 1776

​

BIG MAC IN $US - $3.39

​

LITERACY - 99 %

​

MINIMUM WAGE ANNUAL IN $US - $15,080

​

CURRENCY - United States dollar USD -= $1

​

LIFE EXPECTANCY - 78.87

​

TOURISTS PER YEAR - 79.6 million

​

NO.1 TOURIST SITE - Times Square

​

CHEERS - Cheers

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Historic Route 66 Tours

HP 66Kicks
Get Your Kicks
Chicago IL

   GET YOUR KICKS 19N              

Map of Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles iconic highway across america Santa Fe Historic Santa Monica
Uncle Sam's Hat

Road Trip

Hippy Kombi
American Flag Balloon

HIGHLIGHTS - The road that was born twice

  • 2,448 miles - 1 1 states - 3 time zones & 2 Springfields

  • + Bonuses - Monument Valley, Grand Canyon & Las Vegas

 

Chicago 3N

Springfield IL 1N

Saint Louis 1N

Springfield MO 1N

Stroud 1N

Oklahoma City 1N 

Amarillo 1N

Santa Fe 2N

Monument Valley 1N

Seligman 1N

Las Vegas 2N

Los Angeles 4N = 19N

​

  • Chicago style Pizza

  • Rush Street

  • Many Icons & Diners

  • Small town USA

  • Lou Mitchell’s Diner

  • Vintage Motels

  • World's largest Arch

  • Multiple Springfields

  • Gary's Gay Parita

  • Grand Canyon 

  • Hoover Dam

  • Las Vegas

  • Monument Valley

  • Phillipe the Original

  • Venice Beach

  • Universal Studios

  • Disneyland

  • Whiskey A-go-go

  • Viper Lounge

  • Stay in the Elvis Suite

  • Four Corners Monument

  • Hollywood Walk of Fame

  • A free USD$72 Steak Dinner

  • Mississippi Riverboat Cruise

  • Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tour

  • The best bar in Yavapai County

  • World Famous Cadillac Ranch

  • The World's largest Totem Pole

  • The Margarita Capital of the World

  • Spend the night in "Radiator Springs"

  • Los Alamos - birthplace of the A - bomb - Little Boy and Fatman

  • The start, end, mid-point and two birthplaces of the most famous road in the world

  • Use the daily maps which enlarge with a click & the Marker Map for more detail

​​​​​​​

Photo by Alex Meier on Unsplash

alex-meier-iGY5G79WFHY-unsplash.jpg

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Cowboy country Route 66 scenery historic old highway

Image by Víťa Válka from Pixabay 

1- 3  Chicago IL - 3N

​

  • Fly into Chicago and out of Los Angeles. Unless you want to return to Chicago by a different route. You could drive up the very scenic Pacific Coast Highway to Seattle then cut across Montana, Yellowstone and Mount Rushmore on your way back to Chicago. Which after diving East for over 2,000 miles and 30 hours, they call the mid-west.

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Classic Corvette Stingray convertible V8 Hire rental car
Muscle Car - Ford Mustang

Muscle Cars

Classics

  1. Stay at or near Hotel Blake, an Ascend Hotel Collection Member **** - great location   in the south loop, historic boutique hotel, it has private parking onsite for US$58 per day, La Salle metro access is just across the road, restaurant, bar, fitness centre

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

VW Volkswagon campervan rental
Chevrolet Pink Cadillac

Campervans

Yank Tanks

  • You may want to read the "Grapes of Wrath" before you head off for some   background history on the route. Start the trip with a few nights in Chicago to check out some of the iconic must see's and do's in the Windy City. Take a boat cruise through downtown, ride a bike or skate around the Lakefront Trail, go to a Blues Club or two, head to Rush Street for cheap drinks, or visit these old pubs, shop in the Magnificent Mile, eat Chicago-style pizza, hot dogs, popcorn and pumpkin pie, hit Millers Pub a Chicago institution since 1935 also with iconic dishes and perhaps take a tour or catch a game at Wrigley Field. Head out to Navy Pier for a meal and view of   the city's skyline. Willis Tower and the Skydeck Experience is a short walk from the hotel.

​

  • You should organise your vehicle online before you get here along with your hotel bookings. Get the car for around 16 days so that you will have it until you leave. Pick it up the day you head off on Route 66 and drop it off at LAX Airport when you fly out. This way you will have transport to look around LA and get out to the airport. First decide on what suits you best. Motorbike - Harley, Indian, Trike, Classic American - Corvette, Mustang, Cadillac, convertible or hardtop, muscle car, Campervan or RV (Recreational Vehicle), SUV 4WD or just a nice, normal, cheap car.

​

  • For campers here is a comprehensive state by state guide of all the camp grounds along route 66. It all depends on your budget and how many of you there are. Click on one of the vehicles of your choice for information and don't be shy about chasing up the best deal you can get. Get them to drop your vehicle off at your hotel. You'll be staying near the starting line and Chicago isn't exactly driver friendly.

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Trike Rental Hire wind in your hair
harley-davidson Rental Hire Motorbike Route 66 Cruisr route 66
White SUV

Trikes

Harleys

Yellow Stripes Bike stories of people who have tackled Route 66 by bicycle historic highway
mobile-home-RV Recreational Vehicle Hire Rental Vehicle camping along Route 66

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Bicycle Tales

RVs - Recreational Vehicles

  • Once you are organised it will be time to head to the starting line of Route 66. Also known as the Mother Road, the Will Rogers Highway and America's Main Street. It is the most famous road in the world. Don't have breakfast before you start, because   that is your first stop. 

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Map of tourist attractions in Chicago Start of Route 66 Lou Mitchell's Diner Navy Pier Magnificent Mile Chicago Riverwalk

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​​​​​

Chicago Tours

  • Have a hearty breakfast at Lou Mitchell’s Diner which is three years older than Route 66 and traditionally the first port of call. People would stop off here and fill up before hitting the road. They have the best coffee in Chicago and great breakfasts. They also invented the donut hole.

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Chicago to Springfield map route 66 drive in theatre Gemeni Giant Historic route begin sign

4  Springfield il - 1N

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Road map of Route 66 from springfield to St Louis
Bud Light promotion Spuds Mackenzie World famous party animal

Spuds MacKenzie

5   St. Louis MO - 1N

  • Just a short drive today to St. Louis. Start off with breakfast at the Route 66 Motorheads Bar & Grill or the nearby Cracker Barrel. Spend the day seeing it's many attractions like the Gateway Arch. You can ride the tramway to the top for spectacular views over St. Louis. The onsite museum will tell you the story of the Pioneers and their Westward adventure as well as the Native Americans. Their are a range of Mississippi Riverboat Cruises available. Another place worth mentioning is the fun and hands on St. Louis City Museum. Try some of the famous Ribs at Bogart’s Smokehouse for lunch. Then a tour of the legendary Anheuser-Busch Brewery, the home of Budweiser Beer. Dinner and drinks at the Delmar Loop (One of the 10 great streets in America) should round out a pretty good day. You can catch the train from the Convention Centre Station close to the hotel.

​

  1. Stay at or near Drury Inn & Suites St. Louis Convention Centre *** - parking onsite for USD$15 per day.

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Road Map of Route 66 from St Louis to Springfield Car museum Rocking Chair Restaurant Meramec Caverns Cuba

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​​

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

​

St. Louis Tours

6  Springfield MO - 1N - Birthplace #1

  • If you're an early riser you might like to catch the sunrise over the Gateway Arch. One last stop before you leave has to be Rooster for breakfast. There is one less than a 10 minute walk  west from the hotel on Washington Ave. With farm fresh innovative dishes it has become one of the local favourites. If you need a kick start their Bloody Mary's are bloody good. Off to the Meramec Caverns a popular, natural wonder that should amaze you. Stop in Cuba at a historical café for lunch. Then another Route 66 museum in Lebanon and check out Wrinks Market as well. And if you need a rest after all this the next stop is the world's second largest rocking chair. Finish up in another, Springfield where you will spend the night. There are over 50 murals around town if you want to head out for a look. Still no sign of the Simpsons who were actually based on the Springfield in Oregon. There are around 40 Springfields in the USA but nobody seems to agree on the actual number.

​

  1. Stay at or near the Best Western Route 66 Rail Haven *** - free parking - try to reserve Room 409, the Elvis Suite, he stayed here in 1956 and it looks like he left a few things behind.

​

  • If you enjoyed the caverns earlier you can take a tram ride through the nearby Fantastic Caverns which were once used as a Speakeasy. There is a car museum here as well as a park to mark the birthplace of Route 66.

​

  • Springfield is known for having great pizza so that might be dinner tonight as you wander along the restored Commercial St district. It has lots of 1920's style shops and restaurants. For a bit of fun you could get picked up by a hearse and taken to the Hotel of Terror.

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Road map of Route 66 Springfield to Stroud Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum Paris Springs Raincbow Bridge Blue Whale of Catoosa Mural Park

 

7   Stroud OK - 1N

  • First  Stop today is at Gary's Gay Parita at Paris Springs. Gay was the wife of the original proprietor of this now gasless 1930 Gas Station. Pick up a souvenir and have a chat. They give good advice on the best places to stop at along the route. The next attraction will be the Mural Park in Joplin and then the Rainbow bridge for a brief Kansas visit. Maybe pick up a souvenir, then head south through the rolling hills of Oklahoma.

​

​

  • Finish up in Stroud for the night where Route 66 has numerous classic buildings that are on the National register. After a look around you may feel like some Mexican food and Margaritas. There are plenty of attractions in this area.​​

​

  1. Stay at or near the Sooner Motel * - free parking - the Fiesta Cozumel Cantina & Grill is just across the road - the best Margaritas in Oklahoma​.

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Map of Route 66 Road Trip from Stroud to Oklahoma City Pops 66 Speakeasy Deep Deuce grill

8  oklahoma City OK - 1N

​

  • If you're looking for a drink try the 51st Street Speakeasy. They have a 4pm - 6pm happy hour with Appetisers and Cocktail combos. Spend the evening in the amazing Bricktown area right outside your back door. If you feel like a good steak head over to Cattlemen's Steakhouse in Stockyard City. Be aware steak is also on the menu tomorrow night.

​

  1. Stay at or near the Residence Inn by Marriot Oklahoma City  Downtown / Bricktown *** - onsite parking for USD$18 per day - magic location right on the Bricktown Canal, ATM, outdoor pool, restaurant, BBQ facilities, minimarket

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Road map of Route 66 road trip Oklahoma City to Amirillo Cadillac Ranch U Drop inn Cafe

9  amarillo TX - 1N

  • Have breakfast at Sid's Diner which is about a half hour drive out of town in El Reno. The fried onion-burger has been filling up travellers in this area since 1926. Before you get there you'll see the Lake Overholser Bridge. Today you'll be traversing areas where the buffalo roamed and  great cattle drives passed through as you head on to Texas. Stop for smoko in Clinton and go to the Route 66 museum there to learn about some of it's history and myths. Stop in Shamrock for lunch at the Tower Station and U Drop In Café. Another hour and a half will see you in Amarillo. You should have time in the afternoon to get out and see a few things.

​

  • For dinner how about a free steak. All you have to do is eat a shrimp cocktail, baked potato, salad, buttered dinner roll and a 72oz steak. In less than an hour. Easy. Or you could just have a normal meal at the world famous Big Texan Steak Ranch.

​

The Big Texan Steak Ranch famous route 66 pool restaurant motel brewery live music

Image by Dave Navarro  from Pixabay 

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Amarillo

  1. Stay at or near the one stop, big as all Texas the Big Texan Motel *** - free parking, Route 66 and cowboy themed rooms, good price, outdoor swimming pool, World famous Steak Ranch, Brewery, Amarillo's #1 music venue and gift shop all a short walk from your room

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Map of Route 66 Road Trip from Amarillo to Santa Fe Midpoint Cafe

10 - 11  Santa Fe NM - 2N

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Downtown Santa Fe

Santa Fe New Mexico USA Public Square at night gardens sunset

Image by Rony Rafael Romero from Pixabay 

​

  • You've earned a rest so have a couple of nights here and a day off. Lash out on a nice hotel with a pool if you can afford it. Have dinner at one of the great places to eat like  La Lecheria - Ice Cream Parlour, Jambo Cafe - African / Arabic, Compound Restaurant - local innovation, El Nido - Open Fire Dining, Clafoutis - French Patisserie, the Plaza Café - the oldest restaurant in town, El Farol - the oldest bar / restaurant with a Flamenco dinner show and La Choza for Mexican and Margaritas. You may also want to do a tasting tour of Santa Fe Spirits or perhaps the Opera. There is plenty of lively night life in Santa Fe and here are a few bars worth visiting. There is a free shuttle service to get around to the city's attractions.

​

  1. Stay at or near La Fonda on the Plaza *** - fantastic location by the plaza, bell tower bar for sundowners, parking onsite for USD$30 per day, French Bakery, traditional adobe, outdoor swimming pool, rooftop hot tub, Spa and Wellness Centre, restaurant and bar, ATM, sun terrace

  2. A bit cheaper and 5 minutes drive from the centre (just use a ride share if you want to go out at night) is The Lodge at Santa Fe *** - on a hill overlooking Santa Fe, outdoor swimming pool, hot tub, parking onsite - charges may apply, sun terrace, ATM, Restaurant that serves premium margaritas

  3. The cheapest option is that motel on the edge of town

​

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​​​​

​

Santa Fe Tours

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Road Map of Route 66 Santa Fe to Monument Valley Four Corners Monument Cuba Los Alamos

​

12  Monument Valley AZ - 1N

  • Hopefully you are well rested because you have a full drive / ride today. You're taking a detour away from Route 66 but it will be well worth it. You're off to the stunningly spectacular Monument Valley. Head up to Los Alamos for a breakfast burrito at Chili Works . This was the town that was taken over by the Top Secret Manhattan Project which developed the first atom bombs. There were two different types represented  by Little Boy and Fat Man which were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. There    are some interesting places related to the project for a self guided tour. Don't miss the Bradbury Science Museum.​​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Route 66 Harley Davidson Monument Valley iconic kitsch

Image by Christoph Drozdzdok  from Pixabay 

Straight out of the movie "Cars"

  • Continue on through Cuba and other small towns on the way up to the Four Corners Monument where you can stand in four states at once. There are shops and markets here. Stop for lunch and smokos anywhere that takes your fancy. Just be sure to be booked in your hotel and enjoying a sundowner at Monument Valley by sunset. You'll have to BYO because alcohol cannot be sold on native land.

​

  • It's worth making the effort to get up early for sunrise as you won't see too many as good as this. It is a good place to learn about Navajo Culture and there are various tours available. Or just do your own self drive 17 mile Tribal Loop. 4 x 4 not required but impassable when wet. With scenery from the old Westerns like this how about some horse riding.

​

  1. Stay at or near Goulding's who are the major players here. They have a variety from cabins, villas, apartments, rooms and houses. They have a restaurant with panoramic views of the valley and feature authentic Navajo and Southwestern cuisine. They sell gas and groceries. They have an indoor swimming pool, free parking, café, ATM, tour desk, sun terrace

  2. Two others you could look at are Fire Tree Bed and Breakfast and Tear Drop Arch B&B

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Road trip map from Monument Valley to the Grand Canyon and Seligman

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​​​​

Monument Valley Tours

13  SEligman AZ - 1N - Birthplace #2 of Historic R66

  • Next stop the Grand Canyon. There are various ways to get involved with this. If you want to ride a mule down into it you need to book very early. Head into the Grand Canyon Village and you will be inundated with ways to spend your money. When you're ready head back to Route 66 and to welcome you back you'll be staying in Seligman the birthplace of "Historic Route 66".

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

​

​​

​

​

Route 66 iconography Seligman real life Radiator Springs kitsch

Image by David Mark from Pixabay 

Route 66 Iconography - Seligman

  • Step back in time to the real life Radiator Springs - Seligman was an inspiration for the animated movie Cars. In 1987 it was given the title of birthplace of the Historic Route 66 thanks to the efforts of some of it's citizens to get the road declared a "historic highway". Full of colourful old cars, kitsch and signs. To turn back the clock head on over to Delgadillo's Snow Cap Drive-in. Go shopping at the Rusty Bolt. Eat carrion at the Roadkill Café / OK Saloon :-) Have a margarita at the Road Runner Gift Shop, Café and Pub. Go boot scootin at the world famous Black Cat Bar. Sleep in a historic landmark motel.

​

  1. Stay at or near the Deluxe Inn *** - excellent location near all of the attractions, free parking, BBQ facilities.

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Road Map of Route 66 from Seligman to Las Vegas Henderson Hoover Dam Kingman Grand Canyon museum

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

14 - 15  las Vegas NV - 2N

  • Have a good old fashioned diner breakfast and head on up via Peach Springs to Kingman on the old road. Pop into the Grand Canyon Caverns for a look. They're not as impressive as what you saw yesterday. Have a look around, there is another Route 66 museum, a visitor centre with souvenirs or maybe stretch your legs and have a coffee. There is a brewery, winery and distillery but it's a bit early in the day for that. Isn't it? 

​

las-vegas-Nevada the strip casinos Eiffel Tower Venice fountains Cesars Palace circus circus

The Vegas Strip

​

  • Half an hour away is Las Vegas and hopefully it's mid week so you can get a great  deal on your hotel. Time for another break from the road as you spend a couple of nights here. Have a flutter, take in a show or two, you know the drill. Head to Senor Frogs and have a Margarita or three. Beware of expensive drinks in your hotel fridge. There are some pretty spectacular golf courses around here if you feel you need   some exercise after sitting in a car for ten days.

​

  1. Stay on the strip around Bellagio. Try some of these for starters, you should be able  to get a swimming pool, half a dozen restaurants and USD$18 per day parking for around USD$50 - $200 Horseshoe Las Vegas formerly Bally's *** - Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel & Casino *** - Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino **** - Caesars Palace Hotel & Casino *****

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​​​

​

Las Vegas Tours

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Road map of Route 66 Las Vegas to Los Angeles finish line Santa Monica Pier Elmers Bottletree ranch Museum Barstow Wigwam Motel

 

16 - 19  lA CA (Venice Beach) - 4N 

  • Hopefully you haven't blown all of your money on the tables. Stop in at Barstow for lunch. You could try Peggy Sue's 50's Diner that has been around since 1954. If you're starting to get a thing for Route 66 Museums you're in luck. There are two more left on the trip. One here in Barstow and it's free!!. There is another one just down the road at Victorville. Keep on going until you reach Santa Monica Pier. Take a selfie with the End of Trail sign. Don't forget to get your certificate of completion from the nearby Last Stop Shop. And one last souvenir. They close at 8pm weekdays and 10pm on weekends. 

​

  1. Stay at or near Venice Suites *** - can park on the street or pay USD$20 for private parking per day, rooftop terrace for people watching - sea views and sunsets, amazing location on Ocean Front Walk, fully equipped kitchen, BBQ facilities, launderette.

​

​

  • If you're not ready to go home there are three more US Road Trips below, one #132 Train Trip from LA to Montreal and a trip from #12 Montreal to St. Johns in Newfoundland. Could be a good way to spend your Vegas winnings.

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Los Angeles Tours

Springfield IL
Saint Louis MO
Springfield MO
Stroud OK
Oklahoma City OK
Amarillo TX
Santa Fe NM
Monument Valley AZ
Seligman AZ
LasVegas NV
Los Angeles CA
Appalachian Way
HP USA App Way
Miami FL
Key West FL

   THE APPALACHIAN WAY       38N      

Road Map of your trip from Key west to new york Cocoa Beach NASA Augusta National Atlanta Jack Daniels Nashville Roanoke Washington DC Intercourse
4th of July Fireworks

Road Trip

Eagle

          HIGHLIGHTS - non stop americana

  •    2500 MILES, 9 STATES, 1 Federal District & 2 TIME ZONEs

​

​Miami 1N - (or Vice Versa)

Key West 3N

Florida City 1N

Miami South Beach 1N

Fort Lauderdale 1N 

Cocoa Beach 3N

St Augustine 3N

Savannah 3N

Stone Mountain Park 2N 

Atlanta 2N

Blue Ridge 2N

Chattanooga 1N

Cascade Hollow 1N

Nashville 2N

Cherokee 1N

Blowing Rock 1N

Peaks of Otter 1N

Gainsville 1N

Washington DC  2N

Ronks 1N

Intercourse1N 

Asbury Park 1N

New York 3N = 38N

​

  • Key Lime Pie

  • Joe's Stone Crab

  • Everglades

  • Key Largo

  • Dollywood

  • Enola Gay

  • Mar-a- Lago

  • Little Havana

  • Joe's Stone Crabs

  • Ocean Drive

  • Lower Broadway

  • A 200 foot buffet

  • Kennedy Space Centre

  • The Pentagon

  • Mason - Dixon Line

  • The White House

  • Fountain of Youth

  • Hemmingway's Cats

  • Clothing Optional Bar

  • Golf World Hall of Fame

  • I Dream of Jeannie & Flipper

  • Birthplace of Coca Cola

  • Major Civil War Sites

  • The Grand Old Opry

  • Gettysburg & Valley Forge

  • Sailfish Capital of the World

  • Most Beautiful city in the USA

  • Most Haunted city in the USA

  • The World's largest Surf Shop

  • The World's best Fried Chicken

  • The Country Music Hall of Fame

  • The World Golf Hall of Fame

  • The World Famous Biltmore Pool

  • The largest bas relief in the world

  • Washington and the National Mall

  • Major Civil and Revolutionary War Sites

  • The World's most famous Golf Course

  • Daytona - the World's most famous beach

  • From Blue Ball to Intercourse to Paradise PA

  • The Venetian - the world's most beautiful pool

  • Blue Ridge Parkway - America's Favourite Drive

  • Martin Luther King Junior's birthplace and grave

  • World renowned Robert Is Here exotic smoothies

​

​

1  Miami Fl - 1N / 1 1 Miles

  • Fly in to Miami and pick up a car🚗 at the airport and drive  to a nearby hotel and relax and have a good nights sleep. If you arrive early enough you could drive straight down to Key West. It would depend on how jet lagged you're feeling. You'll need to get the car for 36 days and drop it off in New York. If you live in the USA and have your own car all the better. Or you could look at buying something and selling it in New York. Don't worry about leaving Miami without seeing anything as you'll get a chance on the way back. As this is a reasonably long trip there will be a cheap option for accommodation where ever possible. And there's always that motel on the edge of town.

​

  1. Stay at or near the Best Western Inn on the Bay & Marina *** - located on an island village in the bay, outdoor swimming pool, fitness centre, restaurant, bar, parking onsite for USD$10 per day

  2. Cheaper option - Gables Inn ** - free onsite parking

  3. SPLURGE - stay at the famous Biltmore Hotel ***** - charged parking onsite, world famous swimming pool, 4 restaurants, golf course, bar

​

​

2 - 4  Key West FL - 3N / 171 m

​

“It’s the best place I’ve ever been any time, anywhere” -  Ernest Hemingway - on Key West

​

  • Next morning head off on one of the US's great road trips down the Overseas Highway to the Florida Keys. Have a coffee on the beachfront, skip breakfast and have brunch at Mrs. Mac's at Key Largo. You can start you Key Lime Pie tasting mission here as she boasts a world famous secret recipe version. Save some room for Key Lime pie at Islamorada where you have the Green Turtle and Lazy Days Restaurant. Perhaps you should get some to go and try it later. You can always come here for a feed on the way back up. Don't forget to pay your respects to Flipper the world's most famous dolphin on your way past.  Check in to your hotel in Key West and start exploring.

​

  1. Stay at or near Douglas House *** - excellent location in the old town just off Duval Street and a short walk from the action, free parking onsite, outdoor swimming pool, tropical gardens, sun terraces, massage

  2. You might also like to see what Airbnb has to offer

​

  • ​Eccentric and beautiful Key West is closer to Cuba than the US and before Castro took power there were regular ferry and air services between the two. Among the attractions are the Hemmingway Home & Museum with it's famous cats, the cemetery with it's humorous epitaphs, the Southernmost Point of the United States and Mallory Square which is full of buskers, street performers and colourful people. They all gather every night to watch the sunset.

​

​​​​

coca-cola-789883_1280_edited.png

Image by Alexandru Strujac from Pixabay

lift-off-693248_1920.jpg

Cape Canaveral

Image by SpaceX-Imagery from Pixabay

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Key Lime Pie Key West Florida USA Mallory square sunset bars nightlife restaurants

Image by rj_snider from Pixabay

Key Lime Pie - isn't green!

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​​​​​​​

​​

​

​

Key West Tours 1

Go to Key West Tours 2

  • If you are feeling like minded with the locals you might pick up a Conch Republic Passport. It could save your life.

​

​

  • Duval Street is the main drag and a pub crawl will see you visiting some of the most famous bars in town. There is an official one you can join for company and fun. There is a rooftop garden bar where you can strip off if the mood takes you. No pictures and towels on seats required. There are many top rated, "iconic" and "world famous" bars around. If you like drinking this is your town. If you don't how about a ghost tour. 

​

​

5  Florida City Fl - 1N / 127 m

  • Have a look at the Florida Keys on your way out and stop off for brunch or an early lunch somewhere by the water. Continue north across the 42 bridges of the Overseas Highway 1. Grab a hotel in Florida City. Get here with enough time to go and visit the Everglades Alligator Farm which is 10 minutes out of town. Or you might want to save your airboat and alligator experiences for the Everglades tomorrow. Check and see if anything is on at the nearby NASCAR track. Or see what live performances are on at the Seminole Theatre. Head into historical Homestead for a stroll around and some surprising dinner options. 

​

  1. Stay at or near Best Western gateway to the Keys - Florida City. Homestead, Everglades *** - free parking, outdoor swimming pool, hot tub, free buffet breakfast you can have by the pool, ATM

  2. Or the Hoosier Hostel ** - free parking, fun leftover from the hippie days with swimming pool, outdoor shower, waterfall, hammocks

​

​

6  Miami south Beach Fl - 1N / 43 m

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Evergaldes National Park Florida lake, surrounded, trees, sunset, landscape, sky, colorful, water _ Piq

Everglades National Park

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​​​​​​

​

Miami Tours

  • When you've seen enough make your way to the Biltmore Hotel and it's world famous  swimming pool to cool off for the afternoon. It is still one of the largest in the world and back in the day many of Hollywood's biggest stars would hang out here. In fact Olympic Champion and Tarzan, Johnny Weissmuller was a swimming instructor here. Head off to your hotel in South Beach and get ready for a night out in party central. Monty's Raw Bar is a great place for sunset. Waterside Happy Hour from 4pm - 7pm with open seafood bar and live music. Rooftop bars are always great at sunset  Ocean Drive isn't known for it's good value prices so here are a few Happy Hours to get things started. 

​

  1. Stay at or near the Colony Hotel *** - secure parking for USD$35 per day, Art Deco hotel (this one is one of the most popular to photograph) located on Ocean Drive 1 minute from the beach right in the heart of everything, restaurant, bar, ATM

  2. A cheaper option is the Bikini Hostel, Cafe & Beer Garden *** - parking onsite for USD$20 per day, 10 minute walk to the beach, bars and restaurants, free breakfast and dinner included, restaurant, bar, garden, ATM

​​

​​

​

7  Fort Lauderdale Fl - 1N / 50 m

  • Have a look around Miami today. Start off in Little Havana for breakfast / brunch. Spend a bit of time here seeing what's around. Get yourself a few Cuban cigars and some rum for down the road. Don't miss lunch at Joe's Stone Crab for a real local delicacy at a real local icon. You may have to wait but it will be worth it. Even if you don't like crabs. Walk off lunch along the Fort Lauderdale Riverwalk and enjoy a little afternoon smoko.

​

  1. Later in the afternoon check in to your hotel at Fort Lauderdale. Stay at or near The Drift Hotel ** - free onsite parking, great location near the beach, shops, restaurants and bars, good price 

​

​

  • Breakfast at the O-B House where Fort Lauderdale comes to have breakfast. Follow the A1A north along the coast. Use this road as much as possible as you head up the coast. Stop in at Palm Beach to see Mar-a-Lago which was famous well before Trump came along. A visit to the historic Breakers Hotel is a must as well. A fascinating book about the history of this area and the personalities involved is Palm Beach Babylon by Murray Weiss and Bill Hoffmann. Truth really is stranger than fiction.

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Fort Lauderdale Tours

 

8 - 10  Cocoa Beach FL - 3N / 191 m

  • Smoko stop in Stuart at the original Jupiter Donuts. Stuart is known as the "Sailfish Capital of the World" so if that's your thing you might want to spend a night or two in this pleasant town. Continue on to Cocoa Beach the setting for I dream of Jeannie. Younger travellers may need to google that one. Cocoa beach is a surf town and a party town. Eleven time world surfing champion Kelly Slater was born and raised here. He even has a statue. It's also next door to the truly amazing Kennedy Space Centre. As you can imagine there's a fair bit to see and do there. Another major attraction is nearby Disneyworld in Orlando. So if 3 days isn't enough time to get to do everything just stretch it out.​​

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Rocket ship take off lift off Cape Kennedy Cape Canaveral USA Florida

Image by David Mark from Pixabay 

Lift Off - Cape Canaveral

  • Stay at or near La Quinta by Wyndham Cocoa Beach Oceanfront *** - onsite parking for USD$10 per day, great location by the beach and the pier, sea, pool and pier views all in  one, free breakfast, outdoor swimming pool, free coffee all day, sun terrace, bar, ATM, sun loungers and beach chairs.

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Cindarellas Palace Disney world Orlando Florida Epcot centre mickey mouse donald duck

Photo by pan xiaozhen on Unsplash

The Walt Disney World Resort - Orlando

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Food and drink map for Cocoa Beach restaurants and bars coconuts mambos suset cafe Tiki bar seafood

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

​​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​​​​​​​​​

Cocoa Beach Tours

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

St. Augustine Tours

11 - 13  St Augustine Fl - 3N / 132 m

  • Pick up lunch along the way and drive onto Daytona Beach for your beach picnic and a swim. Crab lovers will want to visit Crabby Joes on the Sunglow Pier, just drive on over. Rev heads will want to go out to Daytona International Speedway where you you can visit the museum, amusement park or even drive a few laps yourself. St Augustine was founded in 1565 making it one of the oldest settlements in the US. You will hear a lot about Henry Flagler while you're in Florida and it all started when he brought his sickly wife here in the early 1880's. He opened up the state by building a railway service down the coast and erecting major hotels.

​

  1. Stay at or near Casablanca Inn on the bay **** - free parking nearby, free breakfast and cocktails, excellent location on the edge of the colonial quarter and across from the river, restaurant with al fresco dining, bar with Happy Hour

  2. For a cheaper option across the river try Anastasia Inn Saint Augustine ** - charged onsite parking, good location 5 minute walk to the Conch House and the beach, 15 minute walk to the colonial quarter, small swimming pool 

​

​

  • For a rooftop bar at sunset head over to River & Fort. Come dinnertime give some of these a try. Oscar's Old Florida Grill is the place to head for live Bluegrass and Sundowners. Night life here is full of energy and there are many bars and most of them feature live music.  If you're down the beach head to the Conch House for great food and cocktails. Don't miss the famous Reggae Sunday's if you're in town.

​

​

14 - 16  Savannah GA - 3N / 190 m

  • Stop in at the Kingsley Plantation just out of Jacksonville the last remaining antebellum (pre-civil war - you will see this word a lot through Georgia in relation to mansions etc) plantation in Florida. You can explore the slave quarters, kitchen house, Plantation House, waterfront and the other old buildings at this State Historic Site. Continue along the Old Atlantic Highway and make your way through Georgia to the most beautiful city in the USA, Savannah. It is also the most haunted city as well. Fortunately General Sherman spared the city during his March to the Sea during the Civil War.

​

  • While you're here go to the second hand shop and get yourself a cheap sleeping bag of some sheets and a blanket as you'll need them at the next stop. You can probably get something new from one of the discount chains.

​

​​

  1. Best Western Savannah Historic District *** - Private parking for US$30 per day, outdoor swimming pool, good breakfast included

  2. Where Al Capone used to stay at The DeSoto **** - excellent location in the heart of historic Savanah, near restaurants and bars, outdoor rooftop swimming pool with bar, onsite parking for USD$38 per day, 2 restaurants, bar with Happy Hour, café, Fitness Centre, ATM

​

  • There are some famous places to eat around town and some famous dishes like Fried Green Tomatoes and Peach Cobbler. Some of the other favourite restaurants include these 10 places. Head out to Tybee Island for the fantastic setting, views and food at the Crab Shack. after a long lunch make your way to the nearby CoCo’s Sunset Grille for sundowners. With handmade drinks and perfect views of the river, marina and the sunset. You might see Forest coming in on his shrimp boat. Might as well have some more seafood while you're here. It doesn't get any fresher and it's served up with great drinks and music. You may not want to leave Tybee Island. And you probably shouldn't drive. Take an Uber out there as its only a 20 minute drive.

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Savannah Georgia Oak Forest with Spanish Moss south USA

Photo by Jose Llamas on Unsplash

Oak Forest with Spanish Moss - Savannah

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​​

​

​

​

​​

​

​

​

​

Savannah Tours

  • To have an uniquely southern dining experience go to Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room. Line up early and take a big appetite. Leopold’s Ice Cream Parlour opened their doors in 1919 so that in itself is a good enough reason for a visit. Family recipes home made on the premises is another. Another local institution with a long history was the Johnny Harris Restaurant opened in 1924. Although the restaurant is now closed you can still get the same food made by the same people at BowTie Barbeque Co. 

​

​

​

​

17 - 18  Stone Mountain Park GA - 2N / 250 m

  • Have lunch in Augusta and golfers might like to take a look / photo op outside the famous Golf Course. Unfortunately you can't even go down the drive but there is a small sign you could stand in front of and maybe do a lap of the course. Outside the fence. For non-golfers this is probably the most famous and coveted course on the planet. On Friday's you could have lunch at Luigi's where many golfing celebrities have also eaten (11.30am - 2pm). Final stop today is the Stone Mountain Park. You'll be glamping so pick up some meat for a BBQ and some other supplies to keep you going for a couple of days.

​

  • Once a rock quarry and the symbolic birthplace of the Ku Klux Klan. Stone Mountain Park is the site of the Confederate Memorial Carving, the largest bas relief in the world. It took numerous sculptors from 1916 to 1972 to finish the sculpture of three Confederate leaders on horseback. Unfortunately Confederate leaders aren't so popular anymore and are being removed around the country. This one presents more of a problem than most.

​

  • There are two ways to get to the top, walk the trail or take the cable car. When you get there you will be rewarded with amazing views of the Atlanta skyline and the Appalachian Mountains. You could ride up and walk down. In the evening there is a spectacular laser light and sound show. Spend the night here (they have lakefront wooden yurts) and explore tomorrow if you didn't get enough time today. There is a scenic railway around the base a historic square, attractions, dining and shopping options. There are also a couple of championship golf courses here if you feel like a round. Very scenic with the lake and Stone Mountain in the picture.

​

  1. Stay in one of the lakeside yurts with wonderful views over the water and up to the mountain. There is a minimum 2 night stay and you'll need your own bedding. Check in is 2 pm and check out is 11am. Unfortunately alcohol is not permitted. There are 7 different dining options in the campgrounds plus a general store and some gift shops.

  2. For a cheaper option go for the Safari Tent Site

  3. Splurge -  the Evergreen Marriott Resort or the Stone Mountain Inn.

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Stone Mountain Sculpture carving Andrew Jackson lakeside yurts camping cable car golf course

Image by Paul Brennan from Pixabay 

Politically Incorrect Stone Mountain

19 - 20  Atlanta Ga - 2N / 28 m

​

  1. Stay at or near Hyatt House Atlanta Downtown *** - secured parking onsite USD$40 per day, great location near many of the sights and downtown, outdoor pool, fitness centre, bar, sun terrace, free breakfast, ATM, BBQ facilities, minimarket

  2. Slightly cheaper option Barclay Hotel Atlanta Downtown *** - secured parking onsite, reservation needed USD$18 per day, free breakfast and newspaper, 5 - 10 minute walk to the attractions

​

  • There is plenty to see, do, eat and drink within walking distance of the hotel. If you want to have a drink further afield there is MARTA and Uber of course. If you get a chance head out to the Atlanta Belt Line.

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Map of places for eating and drinking in Atlanta Breakfast Club Coke Museum cafe brewpub Hyatt

  1. Sundaze Kitchen - brunch and Mimosa towers until 5pm

  2. Atlanta Breakfast Club - southern breakfast

  3. Apache XLR - food, drinks and live entertainment

  4. Encore Hookah Bar & Bistro - for drinks and hookahs

  5. The Yard Milkshake Bar - another shark tank success

  6. Der Biergarten - al fresco beer garden

  7. STATS Brewpub - draught direct

  8. Baja Fresh Mexican Grill and Dos Bocas (Authentic Cajun, Tex-Mex & Prickly Pear Margaritas)

  9. Bottle Cap Cafe - Coca Cola Pina Colada​

​​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​​​​​​​​​​​

​

Atlanta Tours

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Map of famous places to eat in Atlanta Mary Macs Tearoom Busy bee cafe butter & cream

  1. Majestic Diner - food that pleases since 1929

  2. Manuel's Tavern - "one of the best bars in the US" - Esquire

  3. Butter & Cream - hometown, house made ice cream

  4. Mary Mac's Tea Room - southern cooking since 1945

  5. The Varsity - family owned and operated since 1928

  6. Busy Bee Cafe - since 1947, James Beard award winner

  7. Paschal's - soul food since 1947

  8. Sub Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream - ice cream of the future

 

 

 

21- 22  Blue Ridge GA - 2N / 102 m

  • When your ready head on up to Blue Ridge and get a cabin with a BBQ, outdoor hot tub, fire pit and mountain views. Stock up with local produce on the way. Relax for a couple of days. Cook up a few BBQs. Sit around the fire with a some beers and wines. Go hiking through the forest. Play a round of golf or two on the scenic local courses. Sit in the hot tub with some beers and wines.

​

  1. Stay at or near Bigfoots Hideout in Blue Ridge with Hot Tub! - patio, wifi, a/c, fully equipped kitchen, washing machine, free parking, fire place, BBQ

​

 

 

23  ChatTanooga TN - 1N / 81 m

  • Stop in at Mercier Orchards for a breakfast fit for a king then keep on going through to Chattanooga. Go out to the top of Lookout Mountain and you should be able to see 7 states. Go to the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel for a look around and a check in. If you can resist eating lunch here continue on to Bea's Restaurant, home of the best fried chicken in the world. Spend the night in this charming city that made it on to the New York Times top 45 cities in the world list.

​

  • Stay at or near the Hotel Chalet at The Choo Choo *** - in a historical building, onsite parking US$16 per day, great location surrounded by restaurants and night life of Station Street, several restaurants, bars and a night club with live music, entertainment and comedy, café, ATM

  • Cheaper option The Crash Pad: An Uncommon Hostel - free parking, great location close to Station Street, the world's first LEED Platinum Hostel, full kitchen, free breakfast, laundry facilities

​​​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Chattanooga Tours

24  Cascade Hollow TN - 1n / 104 m

  • Next stop Lynchburg, Tennessee home of Jack Daniels and where you'll doing a tour. Even if you don't like Bourbon - correctly called Tennessee Whiskey you should find it interesting to see how it's made and if you do like Bourbon / Tennessee Whiskey you'll be in heaven. Afterwards head to Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House Restaurant for a typical southern lunch. Mr. Jack used to eat here a hundred years ago. You know - Mr. Jack.  That should soak up some of the alcohol for your drive to the next distillery. After lunch have a browse in the Lynchburg Hardware & General Store if you want some souvenirs. If you're not a drinker or not interested just skip this and head straight for Nashville. Or just do one distillery and see some of the other attractions around the area.​

 

  • The George Dickel Distillery is twenty minutes away and is open for tours from Thursday to Monday. The last tour starts at 3.30pm. These distilleries are two of the most revered and highly respected whiskey brands on the market today.  Compare the two, buy a bottle of each and perhaps spend the evening tasting. You will be in quaint little Cascade Hollow which isn't on a lot of maps and the only accommodation is the Cascade Hollow Lodge so get your booking in early. They have a dining room. It's not on Booking.com so you'll have to do it through their website. Check which days both places are open and tour times.

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Broadway Nashville Tennessee Lower broadway Honky Tonks music city Grand old Opry Country Music Hall of Fame

Broadway - Nashville Tennessee

Image by Garrett Hill from Pixabay  

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​​​

Nashville Tours 1

Go to Nashville Tours 2

 

 

25 - 26  Nashville TN - 2n / 75 m

​

  1. Stay 1 mile away from Broadway across the river at Comfort Inn & Suites Nashville Downtown - Stadium ** - free parking, great location 10 minute walking distance to Lower Broadway over the pedestrian bridge, guitar shaped indoor pool, free buffet breakfast, minimart, ATM

​

​

27  Cherokee NC - 1n / 254 m

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Road Map from Nashville to Cherokee Dollywood Titanic museum Blue Ridge Parkway Smoky Mountains

  1. Stay at or near the Quality Inn Cherokee *** - free parking, private balconies on the river - with walkway, ducks, elk and trout fishing, free hot breakfast, outdoor pool, sun terrace, sun loungers, minimart

  2. Cheaper option Qualla Cabins and Motel * - free parking, great location right on the river, garden, terrace and BBQ, 

​

​

28/30 BLOWING ROCK NC - PEAKS OF OTTER VA - Gainsville VA 

  • 5 minutes north of Cherokee you'll find the southern entry to the Blue Ridge Parkway off to the right. A couple of things worth knowing is the speed limit is 45 mph on the Parkway and there are no Gas / Petrol Stations on it so fill up before you head off. The Marker Map will have gas stations marked on overnight stays and some main roads you cross over. Have a hearty breakfast and then hit the entrancing Blue Ridge Parkway - America's favourite drive.

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

america-Blue Ridge Parkway America's favourite drive entrancing smoky mountains

Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay 

The Blue Ridge Parkway - Americas Favourite Drive

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​​​

​

Blue Ridge Parkway Tours

  • There are plenty of places you'll want to stop as well as the speed limit means you won't be covering the same sort of miles you normally do. There is a non stop string of natural highlights and some wonderful little towns along the way. there are also some pretty amazing man made sights such as the Biltmore Estate. There is some great food, music and small town bars along the journey too. Some people take weeks to go through. You'll do it in three days plus Skyline through Shenandoah National Park. Take a bit longer if you want to get a bit more interactive. The first day is 271 miles, then 206 and 229. Have a look through the tours above⬆️ and there is an app you can download on to your phone which will give you information and stories according to your GPS location.

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Map of thr Blueridge Parkway Sims Ctreek Blowing Rock Wild acres Tunnel Skinny Dip Falls

​

  1. Blowing Rock, stay at Hillwinds Inn - Blowing Rock *** - free parking, excellent location close to the main street, rocking chairs on your porch

  2. A slightly cheaper option Mountainaire Inn and Log Cabins - free parking, excellent location just around the corner from Main Street, fire pit

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Map of Blue Ridge Parkway Day 2 Peaks of Otter Lodge Wrenn Pottery

​

  1. Peaks of Otter stay at Peaks of Otter Lodge *** - free parking, fabulous location on the lake, restaurant, bar / lounge, minimart - on Hotels.com

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Blue Ridge Parkway and Skylie Map Shenandoah National Park

  • Before driving Skyline check and see that is open as it could be closed due to inclement weather. You have to pay an entrance fee to get into Shenandoah National Park. If you want to stretch your legs there is a 3 km self guiding walk called "Story of the Forest" at the Big Meadows Wayside. This is also the only place to get gas on Skyline.

​

  1. Gainsville stay at or near the Hampton Inn Gainsville - Haymarket ** - free public parking nearby, great location near restaurants and bars, indoor pool, fitness centre, free breakfast, minimart

  2. Cheaper option WoodSpring Suites Gainsville ** - free parking onsite - reservation needed

  3. Or if you want to save some money the hotels outside the Manassas Battlefield are a bit cheaper. Try the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Manassas ** - free parking, pool, very good breakfast included, spa & wellness centre, fitness centre

  4. Red Roof Inn PLUS+ Washington DC - Manassas - Free parking, good location - walking distance to eating, drinking and bowling.

​

31 - 32  Washington DC - 2N

  • On your way into Washington, the nations capital stop in at historical Manassas National Battlefield Park one of the top ten civil war sites. You can do a walking tour around the first battlefield and a driving tour around the second. You can also visit the Henry Hill Visitor Center and museum. Two major battles were fought here both being won by the south. Next stop is the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. This is an extension of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and has some very interesting exhibits if you are interested in aviation and space travel. Featured are Enola Gay of Hiroshima infamy, the Space Shuttle Discovery, X15 and many other rare gems. There is a lot to see in this town so if you are into these types of museums and government buildings you might want to add a day or so to give yourself enough time to see everything you want.

​

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Capitol Building Washington DC Mall USA historic Lincoln Memorial Cenotaph

Image by Art Bromage from Pixabay 

The Capitol Building - Washington DC

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​​​​

Washington D.C. Tours

​

  • Being a historic sort of place it is no surprise that Washington has a few famous eating and watering holes worth visiting as well as local signature dishes.  Don't miss Ben's Chili Bowl for a half smoke which is very similar to a hot dog. Presidents and commoners alike have eaten in this Washington institution which has witnessed a lot of history over the years. Head to The Wharf DC for your evening's entertainment. A 24 acre development with restaurants, bars, music venues and a historical fish market. It is only a 10 minute walk from the hotel. In fact get there in time for sundowners.​

​

  1. You don't get much for your accommodation dollar in Washington. Stay at or near citizenM Washington DC Capitol **** - private parking for USD$20 per day, excellent location only 5 minute walk from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, modern hotel where you can control everything in the room from your phone, restaurant and bar, rooftop terrace. You're within walking distance to most things you'll want to see. If you want to travel further afield there are many options.

  2. Another option Hotel Hive *** - parking nearby for USD$24 per day - reservation needed, excellent location 10 minutes walk from the Lincoln Memorial, micro hotel, restaurant, bar - Happy Hour, terrace, cafe

​

​

33  Ronks PA - 1N / 152 m

  • Drive past the Pentagon Building for a gander as you head out to the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center. When you cross the state border into Pennsylvania you will also be crossing the Mason Dixon Line. It came to represent the line between north and south and also where slavery was allowed and where it was illegal. Gettysburg was the scene of a major battle and the turning point in the Civil War. The famous Gettysburg Address was given by Lincoln four months later at a dedication ceremony for the cemetery. You will need a good two or three hours to look around here. You can do a tour by Segway and it takes 3 hours and there are driving tours. There is the Battleground and other places where you could have lunch as well as the oldest restaurant in town the historical 1776 Dobbin House Tavern.

​

  • Make you way to Ronks in the middle of Amish Country and book into your accommodation. You have a choice of styles tonight and if you really like it you could spend both night here.

​

  1. Stay at or near the Inn at Hershey Farm ** - free secured parking, great location close to Amish Buggy Rides and the Sight and Sound Theatre, free buffet breakfast, restaurant serving home cooked meals and freshly baked bread - specialising in Dutch Pennsylvania Dutch dishes  such as Whoopie Pie, on-site bakery, country store, outdoor pool, outdoor fireplace

  2. Or an Amish Farm Stay - various locations

  3. Or stay in a train at the Red Caboose Motel & restaurant ** - free onsite parking, great location near Amish Buggy Rides, restaurant, ice cream parlour, petting zoo

  4. Cheaper option Country Living Inn *** - free parking on-site, good location in Smoketown, restaurant, garden

​

​

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

34  Intercourse PA - 1N / 6 m

  • Don't forget to pick up an I❤️Intercourse Pennsylvania T-shirt and spend the night while you're there. And just to confuse people get a I     Blue Ball T-shirt from Blue Ball. Remember they don't want their photo taken and give their buggies and horses a wide berth on the roads. And don't toot!​​

​

Amish country horse and buggy intercourse

Image by Art David Mark from Pixabay 

Amish Horse & Buggy - don't toot!

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​​

​​​​​​​

Lancaster & Amish Tours

  1. Stay at or near The Inn & Spa at Intercourse Village *** - free private parking, excellent location in the village, free exceptional breakfast, spa and wellness centre, snack bar, bike tours

  2. Or for something cheaper the nearby Best Western Plus Intercourse Village Inn **** - free parking, indoor pool, restaurant, spa & wellness centre and fabulous breakfast included

  3. Or cheaper still the Travelers Rest Motel ** - with free parking and exceptional breakfast included

​

​

​

35  Asbury Park NJ - 1N / 143 M

  • From the turning point in the Civil War to the turning point in the Revolutionary War at the Valley Forge National Historic Park. Valley Forge was very important as Washington's forces survived the harsh winter to fight another day. If you run out of time spend the night and look around tomorrow. You can self drive or take bicycles if you want to give the legs a stretch. Now that your war history education is complete make your way to Bruce Springsteen's hometown, Asbury Park. Have a late lunch and pull in for the best Philly Cheesesteak at Pat's or Geno's. You decide, they are just across the intersection from each other.​

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Map of amish country to New Jersey Asbury Park Beach Blue Ball Intercourse Paradise Pats King of Steaks

  1. Stay at or near the Ocean View Inn ***½ - free parking onsite, great location 10 mins walk to the Stone Pony and 2 minutes from the beach, free breakfast - on Hotels.com

  2. Cheaper option Crystal Inn - Neptune ** - free onsite parking - located in Neptune township 5 minutes drive from Asbury, outdoor swimming pool, 

​

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

buildings around central park in New York New York

Image by igormattio from Pixabay

The Big Apple

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​​

​

​

​

​

​

New York Tours 1

 

36 - 38  New York NY - 3N

​

  1. Stay at or near Ramada by Wyndham New York Times Square West *** - excellent location in the Broadway Theatre District and only 5 minutes walk from Times Square with Metro access, free breakfast, free coffee.

  2. Or you might get a better price at the DoubleTree by Hilton New York Times Square South **** -  equally great location in the Hell's Kitchen district and a 10 minute walk to Times Square, it has a restaurant and fitness centre, parking is US$65 a day so you might want to return that hire car.

​

  • If you still have the travel urge and some dollars left you could take the very scenic and wonderful Adirondack train through the Hudson Valley and Adirondack Mountains to Montreal. From there you could make your way to one of a kind #12 St. John's and Newfoundland. Or you could take the Lake Shore Limited via Boston and Albany to Chicago and drive / ride #66 Route 66 to Los Angeles. Either way you'll have a blast.

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

New York Tours 2

Miami South Beach FL
Florida City FL
Fort Lauderdale FL
Cocoa Beach FL
St Augustine FL
Savannah GA
Stone Mountain Park GA
Atlanta GA
Blue Ridge GA
Chattanooga TN
Cascade Hollow TN
Nashville TN
Cherokee NC
Blowing Rock NC
Peaks of Otter VA
Gainsville VA
Washington DC
Ronks PA
Intercourse PA
Asbury Park NJ
New York NY
Key West 1
NashT1
Home Page Pan
The Pan Handle
New Orleans
Pensacola
Apalachicola
St George Island
Tallahassee
Ichetucknee Springs State Park
Orlando

           THE PAN HANDLE 22N                   

A map of the route from New Orearns to Key West along the Florida Pan Handle

Road Trip

mercury- pale blue convertible

   

  HIGHLIGHTS - beaches, springs & Swamps

​​​

​New Orleans 4N

Pensacola 1N

Apalachicola 1N

St. George Island 1N 

Tallahassee 1N

Ichetucknee Springs State Park 2N

Orlando 3N

St. Pete Beach 3N

Fort Meyers Beach 2N

Key West 4N = 22N

​

  • Tube the Ichetucknee River

  • Oyster Po' Boys & Muffulettas

  • Cafe au Lait & Beignets

  • The National WWII Museum

  • Samuel Zemurray's House

  • New Orleans' Iconic Drinks

  • Set of the Truman Show

  • Stunning Beaches

  • USS Alabama

  • Apalachicola oysters

  • World's Smallest Police Station

  • Ichetucknee Springs 

  • Walt Disney World Resort

  • Kennedy Space Centre

  • The Don CeSar - Pink Palace

  • The Holocaust Museum

  • Drink a Bushwacker

  • Mallory Square Sunsets

  • Conch Republic Passport

  • Key Largo & Flipper

  • Conch fritters & Key Lime Pie

  • Mississippi River Steamboats

  • World’s Luckiest Fishing Village

  • The French Quarter & Bourbon St

  • Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo

  • Stone Crab Capital of the World

  • Jackson Square

  • Lafayette Cemetery

  • Creole & Cajun food

  • St. George Island

  • The Dali museum

  • Tiki Bars

  • The Gulf Coast

  • The Emerald Coast

  • The Forgotten Coast

  • The Paradise Coast

  • The Unforgettable Coast

  • Hemmingway's cats & favourite bar

  • Rosie O’Grady’s Goodtime Emporium

  • The Finest fried chicken on the Planet

​

​

​

1 - 4  New Orleans - 4N

​

  • Fly into New Orleans (pronounced New Or-lins by the locals) aka the Big Easy for it's hedonistic ways. The hotel has pick up for a fee or take the express bus which drops you off in Canal Street and costs USD$1.50.

​

​

  1. Stay at or near the Astor Crowne Plaza New Orleans French Quarter **** - excellent location on the corner of Bourbon and Canal Streets, try to get a room facing Bourbon street with a balcony - or go the other way if you prefer the quiet, rooftop pool with a view and sun loungers, restaurant, bar, fitness centre, ATM

​

  • Another good and cheap way to get around is on the street cars. If you're not here for Mardi Gras you can still go to Mardi Gras World and see what it's all about. If you are coming in any months other than December and January you'll need to make your bookings at least a year out.

​

  • Food here is mainly Cajun and Creole. What is the difference between the two. That is a complicated question with many parts to the answer. A simplistic answer would be to say Creole is city food and Cajun is country food. It's a good idea to eat your meals at odd times here to avoid the crowds. There are many local specialities and iconic restaurants you'll need to try. Cafe du Monde for coffee and beignets (French donuts) and muffalettas (Italian style sandwich), breakfast at Stanley Restaurant, fried chicken from Willie Mae's, Po' Boys from Domilise's, (sandwhich with beef or fried seafood, often oysters), Crawfish Etouffee, Dooky Chase's for authentic Creole, Brennan's the inventors of Bananas Foster and the list goes on and on. ​

​

Overseas Highway to Key west florida Miami

Photo Chase Baker on Unsplash

Image by Laura Kuhn from Pixabay

The Overseas Highway to Key West

New Orleans - aka the Crescent City - aka the Big Easy

new-orleans-1228029_1280.jpg

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Map of tourist attractions New Orleans icons Cafe du Monde House of Voodoo Sazerac Bar Old Absinthe House Blacksmiths bar

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

French Quarter New Orleans Bourbon Street bars nightlife tourist attractions signature cocktails

Image by PDPhotos from Pixabay 

French Quarter - New Orleans

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

New Orleans Tours 1

Go to New Orleans Tours 2

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Pensacola Tours

 

5  PensAcola - 1N / 205 m

  • Pick up your vehicle🚗 and it's time to hit the road. You'll need the car for 10 or 11 days depending on if you want to hang on to it at Fort Myers Beach for an extra day to look around. Drop it off there at Fort Myers. You may need to pick it up or drop it off at the airport at either end. Then you'll take the ferry to Key West and use public transport to get back to Miami. Key West is a pedestrian friendly town and you won't need your wheels.

​

  • The USS Alabama in Mobile is your first main stop. It will probably be lunchtime so why not stop on the way through for a hot dog at the iconic Dew Drop Inn that has been dishing them out since 1924.

​

  • The Ship Museum served in both the Atlantic and the Pacific in WW ll. What adds to the interest are the other exhibits such as a submarine (which had a dog as part of the crew), tanks from various wars and a replica of the European trenches. There is also a monument honouring the dogs which have served the country.

​

  • Continue on to Pensacola where you will spend the night. This is a historic town that was founded in 1559. It has a great beach with plenty of water sports and lively nightlife on Palafox Street (which made the top 10 great streets in USA list). Likewise the Seville Quarter has plenty of ammunition for a Historic Pub Crawl. Have a look at the Naval Aviation Museum which has over 150 restored aircraft as well as a F/A-18 flight simulator you can play on. Pensacola is famous for being the home of  the Blue Angels, the US Navy's flight demonstration squadron. The museum has an observation area if you're lucky enough to be there for practice or a show.

​

​

  1. Stay at or near the Hilton Garden Inn Pensacola Downtown *** - free parking, great location, outdoor swimming pool

​

​

6  Apalachicola - 1N / 172 m

  • There are gorgeous beaches all along this coastline so if you want to add a few days to the trip and overnight somewhere just go for it. First you will come across Destin which has great fishing, swimming, boardwalk and golf courses. If you are interested in aviation and looking at planes don't miss the nearby and free Elgin Air Force Armament Museum. They have a SR-71 Blackbird the superfast spy plane. Grayton Beach is more of an organic hippy style town. It has a fantastic State Park. Next is the town of Seaside where they filmed the movie the Truman Show with Jim Carrey. See if you recognise anything. Panama City Beach has 27 miles of beaches and is a Spring Break sort of place. The Pier Park has 124 shops. Mexico Beach is a laid back get away from it all type of place. Stop anywhere along the way for a swim, a fish, lunch or anything else that takes your fancy.

​

  • Spend the night in the hidden gem that is Apalachicola with it's pre Civil War architecture and some of the friendliest locals around. Stay at the historical Gibson Inn, it has a ghost who is very friendly. Eat the famous Apalachicola oysters.  Being a fishing town it's a good place to get the freshest seafood. Apalachicola has over 900 Historic homes and really is an atmospheric place. Be sure to go to the Raney House Museum to learn the history of this great little town.

​

​

  1. Stay at or near The Gibson Inn **** - free parking, excellent location near the historic area, waterfront and restaurants, built in 1907, restaurant, bar - Happy Hour, sundowners on the verandah, sun terrace, garden

​

​

7  St. George Island - 1n / 11 M

  • A very short drive today so have a sleep in. It would seem a waste to come to this beautiful part of the world and then just take off. So spend another night at laid back and breathtaking St. George Island voted one of the USA's Top 10 beaches. Take the day off and relax at the beach. Or hire a bike and go for a ride. Or head out on a fishing charter. Go through the cocktail list in a Tiki bar. You'll find something you like.

​

  1. Stay at or near Buccaneer Inn - free private parking - reservation needed, beachfront, ATM, outdoor pool and sun terrace

​

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park Natural Springs swimming

Image by PixelAnarchy from Pixabay 

Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park

 

 

8  Tallahassee - 1N / 92 m

  • A short drive today along rural highway 98 through the heart of old Florida. A short distance away is a photo op with the World's smallest police station. Definitely stop for a swim enroute at the crystal clear waters at Wakulla Springs. Or you could take a boat trip. Tallahassee is the capital of Florida but is more like a classical southern city and has a laid back and comfortable pace.

​

​

  1. Stay at or near the DoubleTree by Hilton Tallahassee **** - parking onsite for USD$22 per day, excellent location downtown, restaurant, bar, fitness centre, outdoor swimming pool with sun loungers and sun deck, Starbucks onsite, ATM​​

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Map of eating and drinking in Tallahassee Bullwinkles Saloon Charlie Park The Edison Railroad Square Cascades Park Gaines Street Pies

​

​

9 - 10 Ichetucknee Springs State Park - 2N / 112 m

  • Before you leave town pick up some supplies to keep you going for a couple of days. There are restaurants and shops in Lake City which is 20 miles away from the park. Another short drive today to the unusually named Ichetucknee Springs State Park. It simply means beaver pond. There is a small entrance fee per car and you can't take alcohol into the park.

​

  • If you're here between May and September it's a fantastic place to go tubing on the pristine, warm, clear blue - green waters of the Ichetucknee River. A paddle is recommended. Only 750 people a day are allowed so get in early. It is actually a cluster of 9 large springs that put out 223 million gallons of crystal clear water every day. Other activities in this strikingly beautiful and historic park include birding, kayaking, paddle boarding, canoeing, snorkeling, scuba diving, swimming and hiking. The park has many services and facilities. Spend a couple of days in this natural wonderland. In winter you'll have the place to yourself and you'll see a lot more fauna especially birds without the tubers to scare them off. Even when the weather is cool the water stays at 72 degrees.

​

  1. Stay at Ichetucknee Family Canoe and Cabins just outside the northern entrance to the park. Rent a rustic cabin for two nights. There is a centrally located bathhouse and laundry facilities. It pays to book well ahead if you are coming between May and September. At least more than a month. You will need some form of bedding as well. There is a shop onsite that sells beer, ice, soft drinks and other handy items. There are picnic tables, fire rings and BBQ grills so take some meat. They can help you out with all of your tubing and canoeing arrangements.

​

​

11- 13  Orlando - 2N / 145 m

  • The juxtaposition from the natural world to man made will see you at the global Theme Park Mecca that is - Orlando. It also has a lot of golf courses. 67 within 20 miles of the city. Even Walt Disney World Resort has 3 championship courses. There is a theme park for every age group. So pick one and knock yourself out. Another big question is whether  to stay onsite or offsite. There are pros and cons of course. You're also very close to the Kennedy Space Centre which you may find more appealing. You may even get lucky and coincide your visit with a launch. Orlando itself has plenty to offer and you might decide to ignore the theme parks altogether. Or just hang around the pool and relax. One things for sure. It's a good place to spend money.

​

  1. Stay at the Avanti Palms Resort and Conference Center *** - free secured parking, great location on International Drive near 2 Irish Bars, outdoor swimming pool + Poolside Bar & Grill, hot tub, two restaurants, two bars, Starbucks cafe, 24 hour fitness centre, sun terrace, ATM, minimart, Tour desk, sun loungers

  2. Cheaper nearby option Econo Lodge International Drive ** - free parking onsite - reservation needed, great location on International Drive near 2 Irish Bars, outdoor pool, ATM, cafe, sun loungers

​

  • There are a lot of restaurants, fast food places, shopping and bars along International Drive. There is a cheap and convenient trolley service along this route. Murphy's Pub Orlando is a 1 minute walk and the Lucky Leprechaun Irish Pub is a 5 minute walk away from the hotel.

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Disneyworld Orlando Epcot Centre Florida theme park rides parades

Image by Eduardo Neri Du from Pixabay 

Disneyworld - Orlando

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

 

14 - 16  St Pete Beach - 3N / 112 m

​

  1. Stay at or near Bella Sirena Inn - free public secured parking, excellent location a short walk to restaurants and bars with sea views, full kitchenette, 5 minute walk to the beach, outdoor swimming pool, BBQ, patio, laundry

​

Map of Saint Pete Beach to Clearwater Beach Guppys Billy's Stone Crab Boardwalk John's Pass Village Don Cesar

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

​

​​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

​​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​​

​

​

​​​​​

​

Orlando Tours

  • ​St Petersburg is reinventing itself from being a bit of a party town to a more arty and cultural place. There is a lot of street art and murals to admire around the town. Also the Dali Museum is worth a visit. As is the Holocaust Museum one of the largest in the US and set up by a survivor who fled the Nazis. Have lunch out on St Pete Pier.

​

  • An interesting local icon is the Don CeSar Hotel **** aka the Pink Palace. A legend since it opened in the Gatsby era in 1928. It has had a colourful history with a dead owner hanging around as a ghost, becoming a hospital in the war years, surviving the wrecking ball and being restored to it's former glory. Some of it's well known guests include F. Scott Fitzgerald, Marilyn Monroe and Al Capone. Rooms prices start at about $700 but maybe you could have a coffee and sneak into the pool. 

​

​

17 - 18  Fort Myers Beach - 2N / 134 m

  • Head south over the 4.14 mile Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway bridge. The scariest bridge in Florida. Well the old one was because ships kept running into it. The new one opened in 1987 and is #4 in the US for suicides. A suicide barrier has been installed but it isn't 100 % effective. The rest of the trip to St Myers Beach should be uneventful. Fort Myers Beach is 15 miles away from Fort Myers the city so you could have a look around on the way in and have lunch there. Henry Ford and Thomas Edison had winter homes here next door to each other that you can visit. When you reach the beach book into your hotel drop your gear off then return the car at the Fort Myers Airport. 

​

  • Stay at or near the Shipwreck Motel ** - parking onsite - charges may apply, excellent location on the waterfront surrounded by beach bars and restaurants, tables and chairs along the waterfront, 2 minute walk to the beach and 3 minutes walk to Times Square the main shopping, dining and entertainment area, kitchenette, picnic area with BBQ grills, ATM

​

​

  • There are a range of boat cruises available as well. Including the Tiki Bar Hopping Cruise with Island Time. It's very popular so book ahead. While you're bar hopping how about a haunted Pub Crawl. If you just want to drink normally  you'll find you're well catered for. Speaking of catering have a look at some of these places for a meal. You can also get a feed at these beach bars and watch the sunset. Later on check out the lively night life around.

​

​

19 - 22  Key West - 4N

​​

“It’s the best place I’ve ever been any time, anywhere” -  Ernest Hemingway - on Key West

​

  • Early start in the morning as you have to be at the dock for the Key West Express at 7am for a 8am departure. You won't be able to take your cooler with you so donate it to a worthy recipient in FMB. The dock is 1.4 miles away from your accommodation and the trip takes around 4 hours depending on the weather. There is a ferry service all year but out of season there are a reduced number of sailings.

​

Map of Shipwreck Motel to Key West Express Pier Fort Meyers Beach Florida

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

  1. Stay at or near Douglas House *** - excellent location in the old town just off Duval Street and a short walk from the action, free parking onsite, outdoor swimming pool, tropical gardens, sun terraces, massage

  2. You might also like to see what Airbnb has to offer

​

  • ​Eccentric and beautiful Key West is closer to Cuba than the US and before Castro took power there were regular ferry and air services between the two. Among the attractions are the Hemmingway Home & Museum with it's famous cats, the cemetery with it's humorous epitaphs, the Southernmost Point of the United States and Mallory Square which is full of buskers, street performers and colourful people. They all gather every night to watch the sunset.

​

  • You could spend a day having a look at the rest of the Florida Keys. You can rent scooters, cars, jeeps, electric cars and golf buggies to get around. They might come in handy around Key West as well.

​

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Key West Hemmingway House cats Tourist Attraction florida gardens grounds

Image by  Michelle Maria from Pixabay 

Hemmingway Home & Museum - Key West

  • If you are feeling like minded with the locals you might pick up a Conch Republic Passport. It could save your life. 

​

​

  • Duval Street is the main drag and a pub crawl will see you visiting some of the most famous bars in town. There is an official one you can join for company and fun. There is a rooftop garden bar where you can strip off if the mood takes you. No pictures and towels on seats required. There are many top rated, "iconic" and "world famous" bars around. If you like drinking this is your town. If you don't how about a ghost tour.

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Sunset Key West Florida stunning orange water

Image by Paul Brennan from Pixabay 

Key West Sunset

  • To get back to Miami International Airport you can take the bus which will get you there in about 4 hours. You could hire a car if you wanted to have a scenic drive. If you wanted to spend a few last days in Miami and the Everglades click here.

​

​

​

  • Or you could go the other direction and do the #28 Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico combined with Belize and the Cays. From their you could also head over to #16 Cuba. So many choices. Don't worry about which one you make - you can't go wrong. 

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Go to Key West Tours 1

Key West Tours 2

St Pete Beach
Fort Myers Beach
Key West
Key West 2
NOLAT1
The Music Trail
HP USA Music
Fall Hollow
Clarksdale
French Camp
Nashville
Memphis
Jackson

        THE  MUSIC TRAIL  21N                    

Map of your road trip from Nashvill to New Orleans the Music Trail the Crossroads Jackson Cajun Natchez Memphis

Road Trip

treble-clef-and musical notes
harmonica-

    HIGHLIGHTS - WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

Blues - Country - Bluegrass - rhythm & blues - zydeco - Elvis - Rock 'n' Roll - Indie - Jazz - Soul - Gospel - Rockabilly - Acadian - swamp pop - Cajun - creole

​​​

​Nashville 3N

Fall Hollow 1N 

Memphis 4N

Clarksdale 1N (The Crossroads)

French Camp B&B Inn 1N

Jackson 1N

Vicksburg 2N

Natchez 2N

Breaux Bridge 3N

New Orleans 3N = 21N

​

  • Gruesome Gertie

  • Music City

  • Graceland

  • The Crossroads

  • Grand Old Opry

  • Natchez Trace

  • Elvis's birthplace

  • Memphis Pyramid

  • World's Best Gumbo

  • Alligator Cheesecake

  • The (other) Parthenon

  • Mud Island River Park

  • ​B.B. King's Blues Club

  • Home of Tabasco Sauce

  • The Honkytonk Highway

  • Cajun & Creole specialties

  • Country Music Hall of Fame

  • Hal and Mal’s Jackson Blues

  • The four Major Cotton Ports

  • Follow the Gold Record Road

  • Under-the-Hill-Saloon Natchez

  • Crawfish Capital of the World

  • World famous Peabody Ducks

  • ​Vicksburg National Military Park

  • Songwriting Capital of the World

  • Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken

  • Loveless Café World Famous Biscuits

  • The Country Music Capital of the World

  • The Birthplace of the Blues and Rock ‘n’ Roll

  • The most famous Recording Studio in the World

  • Morgan Freeman's Ground Zero Blues Club #1 in the Nation

  • Puckett's Grocery famous famous handmade cobbler and ice cream

  • Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Glen Campbell, Patsy Cline and many other museums

​

​

1- 3 Nashville - 3N

  • Fly into Nashville and out of New Orleans airport to whichever major connecting airport you decide to go with. Pick the car up🚗 at the airport here here and drop it off at New Orleans Airport when you arrive, on the way out. You'll need it for about 18 days.

​

​

​

  • Stay 1 mile away from Broadway across the river at Comfort Inn & Suites Nashville Downtown - Stadium ** - free parking, great location 10 minute walking distance to Lower Broadway over the pedestrian bridge, guitar shaped indoor pool, free buffet breakfast, minimart, ATM

​

​​​​​​​​

Famous recording studio Sun Studio Elvis Nashville

Photo by Frédéric Barriol on Unsplash

elvis-presley-the king famous singer suspicious minds

Memphis

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

​​

​​

​

​

Nashville Tours 2

Go to Nashville Tours 1

 

4  Fall Hollow - 1N / 92 m

  • Head out towards the Natchez Parkway - the American Music Trail. First stop is breakfast at the Loveless Café (best biscuits ever). Get here before 9 am if you can to avoid the wait. Bring an appetite. It's quite an establishment so you may want to pick up a few souvenirs and supplies for the road. This is the northern terminus of the Natchez Trace Parkway which roughly follows the old Natchez Trace. It was essentially a trade route between the eastern states and the south. Originally cleared by prehistoric animals and then the native American Indians who followed in their footsteps. It is very scenic and filled with reasons to get out of your car such as historical sites, interesting walks, picnics and horse riding etc. The speed limit is 40 mph and the sights are located by mile markers.

​

  • Justin Timberlake has a house in the quaint and quirky little town of Leiper's Fork. Keith and Nicole did have a house here but they've sold up. Stop by and see what the attraction is. It was the location of the original Puckett's Grocery now called Fox and Locke. Stop where ever you feel like and finish up at Fall Hollow where you will spend the night. Plenty to see, do and eat along the way.

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Map of your road trip aling the Natchez Trace ancient trade route Loveless cafe Leipers Fork Primm Springs Tobacco Farm Fall Hollow

  1. Natchez Trace Parkway Bridge - scenic Birdsong Hollow Bridge

  2. Primm Springs Horse Riding -  for beginners to expert riders

  3. Fisher's Off Road Rentals - 4 hour guided tour

  4. Baker Bluff to Jackson Falls Walk - half hour moderate walk

  5. Tobacco Farm and Old Trace Drive - 10 minute walking loop then a 2 mile drive on the old trace

​

  1. Stay in a cabin (electric or primitive) or Bed and Breakfast Room if you want a bit more luxury at the Fall Hollow Resort Campground and B&B - porch with creek view, tell them you need linens for the cabins, firewood and ice is available, there is a restaurant onsite as well as some other dining options in nearby Hohenwald.

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

natchez-trace-parkway-Scenic road trip camping

Image by Falkenpost from Pixabay 

The Natchez Parkway

5 - 7  Memphis - 4N / 201 m

  • Stops today include the Meriwether Lewis Site and the Outpost Pickwick Dam which has great homemade pies, cakes and the best BBQ around. Have a picnic lunch by the dam. Nearby is the Shiloh National Military Park where you can do a self guided car tour of a major battlefield in the Civil War. Carry on to Memphis the birthplace of rock n roll and stay at the Peabody Memphis with the famous ducks.  If it is out of your budget range just come to see the ceremony and stick around for Sunday Brunch or High Tea. You will want to stay near Beale Street the Home of the Blues where the night time action happens. One famous name here is B.B. King who has a Blues Club with a big neon guitar outside.

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Map of your road trip from Fall Hollow Resrt to Memphis Shiloh Military Park The Outpost Meriwether

  • Stay at or near MOXY Memphis Downtown *** - private parking onsite USD$25 per day, excellent location downtown on Main Street by the park and a 10 minute walk from Beale Street, welcome cocktail, outdoor fire pit, cocktail and espresso bar, pinball machines, clean and modern, fitness centre, restaurant, bar, night club, terrace, outdoor furniture, tour desk, barber / beauty shop

  • Splurge at the Peabody Memphis **** - parking for USD$26 per day, no reservation required, excellent location in downtown 5 minutes away from Beale Street, world famous ducks, fine dining, indoor pool, fitness centre, full service spa, ATM, bar

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Breale Street Memphis live music nightlife ribs BB King

Image by Bruce Emmerling from Pixabay 

Beale Street - Memphis

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​​​​​​​​

Memphis Tours

  • Marlowe's BBQ was Elvis's favourite restaurant and they are the best BBQ place in Memphis. Another one he loved was the Arcade Restaurant where he used to get the famous fried peanut butter and banana sandwich. It is the oldest café in town. There are quite a few other historical restaurants you may like to try.

​

​

​

8  Clarksdale - 1N / 79 m

​

  1. Stay at or near Auberge Clarksdale Blues Motel - free public parking, excellent location in the centre of town and a 4 minute walk to Ground Zero, evening entertainment, shared bathroom, 

​

  • Robert Johnson was a Mississippi blues singer and songwriter. As the story goes, at the stroke of midnight on a dark and moonless night he wandered down to the Crossroads of highways 49 and 61 and made a deal with the devil. In exchange for his soul the devil tuned his guitar. Doesn't sound like much of a deal but apparently his guitar playing improved greatly. Unfortunately he died early at the age of 27 and was said  to be found on all fours baying at the moon the night he died. His songs have influenced such heavy weights as Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton and the Rolling Stones.

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Map of Clarksdale the home of the Blues the Crossroads Robert Johnson Southern food Delta Blues Museum Morgan Freeman Ground Zero

  1. Abe's BBQ - is next to the Crossroads and has been around since 1924

  2. Hooker Grocery & Eatery - restaurant, bar and live music

  3. Our Grandma's House of Pancakes - just like Grandma used to cook

  4. Bluesberry Cafe - live music for breakfast

  5. Hambone Art & Music - art, music, people and fun

​

 

9  French Camp B&B Inn - 1N

  • Back on the Trace today. Breakfast at Grandma's or the Bluesberry. Head back to the Natchez Trace Parkway Visitors Centre and pick up your souvenir patch among other things. This is a good place to learn all about the Trace. Take a hike to a to a nearby Chickasaw Village site on the Trace. Then go to the King's first home. Elvis was a twin but his brother was stillborn. You can see the two room house his father built and the associated museum. You can do a driving tour around town with 14 Elvis places to stop off at. Download the list here.  Have a look at some of the murals around town and maybe grab a coffee at Johnnies drive in just as Elvis might have. Head down the road and spend the night at the historical log cabin village of the French Camp B&B Inn. They have a restaurant onsite.​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Map of your road trip from Clarksdale to French Camp Bed and Breakfast Inn log cabin village

10  Jackson - 1N / 91 m

​

  1. Stay at or near the Hilton Garden Inn Jackson Downtown *** - private parking onsite for USD$20 per day - reservation needed, good location downtown walking distance to restaurants , bars and clubs, indoor pool and hot tub, minimart, restaurant, bar, fitness centre, ATM

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Map of Jackson with restaaurants bars live music the Blues oldst bar Ole Tavern Jonny T's Freds Soul Food Alamo Theatre Sweetie Pies Frying Bird

  1. Ole Tavern on George Street - the oldest bar in Jackson

  2. Hal & Mal's - a fun place with the lot

  3. Mississippi Symphony Association - set the bar a bit higher

  4. Mayflower Cafe - since 1935, the oldest restaurant in the city and very close to the hotel

  5. F. Jones Corner - a registered historic place

  6. Alamo Theatre - since 1949

  7. Johnny T's Bistro & Blues - good food, times and music

  8. Fred's Soul Food Restaurant - get some soul food in the city with soul

​

​

​

11 - 12  Vicksburg - 2N / 47 m

  • Start off at Fred's Soul Food for a good old fashioned country breakfast. Short drive today to the historic French built city of Vicksburg that sits on a cliff above the Mississippi. It is famous for being held siege during the Civil War. Many of it's antebellum (pre war) mansions survived the war and many of them are open to the public and also double as B & B's. Visit the Vicksburg National Military Park to find out why it was an important battle in the Civil war. You can do a self drive tour. The first bottle of Coca Cola was bottled here and there is a museum. 

​

  1. Stay at or near Studio 6 Vicksburg, MS - Downtown ** - free parking, great location downtown close to the rooftop bar & grill, BBQ facilities, snack bar, laundry

  2. For a splurge stay in the antebellum mansion Bazsinsky House *** - free parking, excellent location downtown near restaurants and bars, the home was completed 2 years prior to the siege of Vicksburg, free Full Southern Breakfast served family style, garden, tennis court, spa bath

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Map of Vicksburg Heavy D's Rusty's Riverfront Grill Coca Cola Museum Riverfront Murals

  1. The Biscuit Company of Vicksburg - food, drinks and live music, the Catfish specialists (near the Coke museum)

  2. Main Street Market Cafe - Betty's legendary biscuits

  3. The Historic Klondike trading Post - go for the food, stay for the fun

  4. Heavy D's Sports Bar & Pool Hall - you're amongst friends

​

​

13 - 14  Natchez - 2N / 81 m

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

casino-boat-Natchez Mississippi Rivers riverboat sunset bridge

Image by 1778011 from Pixabay 

Mississippi Sunset - Natchez

  1. Stay at the Mark Twain Guesthouse - above the Under-the-Hill-Saloon if you can get a booking. They only have three rooms. This area was the improper side of town and had a reputation far along the Mississippi. This building is the only survivor of that historic era and is a must visit even if you don't stay here. It can get noisy here on a big night.

  2. Stay next door at River Edge Suites - 3 suites in a historic antebellum building 

  3. Stay at or near Natchez Grand Hotel on the River *** - on-site parking, excellent riverfront location a couple of blocks from restaurants and bars and 10 minutes walk to the Under-the Hill-Saloon, beautiful sunsets, swimming pool, fitness centre, bar, free buffet breakfast

​

​

15 - 17  Breaux Bridge - 3N / 156 m

  • Early start today if you're playing golf at the prison. Otherwise take it easy. Stop in at the L & M Bakery in Woodville for breakfast or morning smoko. Then on to the Louisiana State Penitentiary Museum. Aka Angola it started life as a slave plantation. See "Gruesome Gertie" the electric chair that has killed 87 people. This prison has a pretty horrific past and many of the inmates are serving 50 years to life or are on death row. As you can imagine there are other interesting exhibits here as well. Why not squeeze in a round at the Prison View golf course while you're out here.​​​​​​

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Map of your road trip from Natchez to Breaux Bridge Loisiana State Penetentiary The Myrtles Plantation Tiger Truck Stop

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

cajun-cabin-Louisiana swamps crawfish crawdad zydeco Bayou boudin sausage Cajun Mardi Grass

Image by JamesDeMers from Pixabay 

Cajun Cabin - Louisiana

  • This is the gateway to authentic Cajun culture in Louisiana. The Cajuns came from a group of French families who settled in Nova Scotia in the 17th century known as Acadians. The British arrived and started a policy of ethnic cleansing and other brutal measures. The Acadians were separated and scattered until some of them started finding their way to Louisiana where the Spanish welcomed them and word went out that there was a New Arcadie in the south. As they mixed with the other influences such as the Spanish, French, German and American Indians they became known as Cajuns. In Breaux Bridge you will feel like you have been in a time machine and gone back to another era.

​

  1. Stay at the Bayou Cabins down by the Bayou Teche. Enjoy traditional Cajun hospitality as well as their traditional food.

​

​

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Map of a Cajun Pub crawl in Breaux Bridge John's Bar Lil Goldmine

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

  1. Antler Hooves - Bar & Grill with Live Music

  2. Buck & Johnny's - Zydeco Breakfast

  3. Lil Goldmine - Friday DJ and free food

  4. Hoppers Icehouse - Speakeasy

  5. Rainbow Daiquiris - Cocktails and Poker Machines

  6. Tante Marie - Restaurant, Bar & Cafe with Cajun Jam 11am - 1pm weekends

  7. La Poussiere - Authentic Cajun Dancehall

  8. John's Bar - Burgers and Nightlife

  9. Lil's on the Teche - DJ's, Karaoke and Live Music

​

​

18 - 20  New Orleans - 3N / 172 m

​

​

america-New Orleans Mississippi River casino jazz music bridge crescent city

Image by Charlottees from Pixabay 

New Orleans

  • Stay at or near the Astor Crowne Plaza New Orleans French Quarter **** - excellent location on the corner of Bourbon and Canal Streets, try to get a room facing Bourbon street with a balcony - or go the other way if you prefer the quiet, rooftop pool with a view and sun loungers, restaurant, bar, fitness centre, ATM

​

  • ​Another good and cheap way to get around is on the street cars. If you're not here for Mardi Gras you can still go to Mardi Gras World and see what it's all about. If you are coming in any months other than December and January you'll need to make your bookings at least a year out.

​

  • ​Food here is mainly Cajun and Creole. What is the difference between the two. That is a complicated question with many parts to the answer. A simplistic answer would be to say Creole is city food and Cajun is country food. It's a good idea to eat your meals at odd times here to avoid the crowds. There are many local specialities and iconic restaurants you'll need to try. Cafe du Monde for coffee and beignets (French donuts) and muffalettas (Italian style sandwich), breakfast at Stanley Restaurant, fried chicken from Willie Mae's, Po' Boys from Domilise's, (sandwhich with beef or fried seafood, often oysters), Crawfish Etouffee, Dooky Chase's for authentic Creole, Brennan's the inventors of Bananas Foster and the list goes on and on. 

​

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

Map of New Orleans icons Sazerac Bar Old Absinthe House Antiones Restaurant House of Voodoo Cafe du Monde

​​

  • Time to fly home, or if you don't want the good times to end why not carry on to Key West via the Florida Pan Handle with itinerary #120. 

Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go-to font for titles, paragraphs & more.

New Orleans Tours 2

Go to New Orleans Tours 1

Vicksburg
Natchez
Breaux Bridge
New Orleans
NashT2
NOLAT2
bottom of page