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The allure of the southern USA has been calling me for years. I wanted to experience that famous Southern charm, the music, the moss-laden trees, the accent, the mountains, and all the colourful cities and quirks that make up the southern states.
Itâs a big area yâall, so coming up with a
south US road trip itinerary
was no mean feat. We found our priorities, including the Blue Ridge Parkway, New Orleans and Charleston and built it out from that. What we came up with was a fascinating trip through five states that far exceeded our Southern dreams.
So hereâs our South USA road trip itinerary, including all the details of what we did, where we stayed and where we ate â itâs all you need to plan a perfect road trip in southern USA.
For more road trip inspiration, see our guides to the
22 best American road trips
, bucket list
family vacation ideas
, an epic
California road trip
and this
Pacific Coast Highway itinerary
.
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I get a small commission if you buy something (at no extra cost to you). Itâs one of the ways I keep this blog going. Thanks a million for your support. You can read more about my affiliate policyÂ
here
.
Southern USA road trip at a glance
Days 1-2: Atlanta
Days 2-4: Blue Ridge / Smoky Mountains
Day 4: Blue Ridge Parkway
Days 4-7: Asheville
Days 7-10: Charleston
Days 10-13: Savannah
(Days 13-14: Tallahassee or Montgomery)
(Days 14-15: Mobile)
Days 15-20: New Orleans
(Days 20-21: Jackson)
(Days 21-23: Memphis)
(Days 23-26: Nashville)
We went to all the places that arenât in brackets. However, if you have time, you could also add the places in brackets, heading to Montgomery or Tallahassee and/or Mobile (rather than flying between Savannah and New Orleans). And following New Orleans, you could add Jackson, Memphis and Nashville (or follow the Natchez Trace Parkway straight to Nashville). This would make it the ultimate South USA road trip!
USA Southeast Road Trip Map
Where is southern USA?
First of all, itâs not easy to define âsouthern USAâ as although it can include everything south of the Mason-Dixie line and as far west as Louisiana and Arkansas, most definitions hone in on the central states, leaving out the states north of Tennessee and North Carolina, and also sometimes Florida.
For the sake of this South USA itinerary, weâre focusing on the Carolinas, Georgia and Louisiana, with the option of adding stops in Tennessee, the Florida panhandle, Alabama and Mississippi for an in-depth deep south road trip itinerary.
Our priorities and how we planned our road trip in southern USA
Planning a three-week Southern USA road trip was a daunting task â thereâs so much to try and fit in and so many options to choose from.
For us, we were somewhat limited by time and traveling with an almost-two-year-old. We didnât want to do too many long journeys, plus we also favour a slower mode of travel, ideally spending at least 2-3 nights in any one place.
You could do the same itinerary in a shorter (or longer) amount of time, or pick and choose from the destinations to craft your ideal southeast road trip itinerary.
As withÂ
all the itineraries on Bridges and Balloons
, we have a special focus on creating handpicked itineraries that are filled with special places to stay and things to experience â think beautiful design, plenty of character and amazing locations â plus heaps of cake, independent bookshops, farmers markets and parks. We like to do a local style of travel, so we donât always hit all the âmust-seesâ, preferring to soak up the atmosphere and experience local life.
Read more about our style here
.
Iâll also be writing detailed blog posts for each destination with extra tips and advice.
How we got around on our Southern USA road trip
We hired a car all the way from Atlanta to Savannah, and then flew from Savannah to New Orleans (although you could drive between the two if you have the extra time).
As always, we used
Discover Cars
 as thatâs where weâve always found the best deals. Itâs a booking agent for many car hire companies, and the best deal they found for us was with Alamo. We opted for a Dodge Grand Caravan (same as we had in California), which is an SUV-style car that allowed plenty of room for Otisâ stuff.
If you donât want to drive, you could take buses instead, although of course that gives you less flexibility about where you stop. Public transport isnât great in the States, and distances between places are large, so hiring a car is definitely helpful for a road trip in the south.
Iâve included the driving times in the section for each destination below.
Find the best deals on car hire
We recommend
Discover Cars
for booking your rental car. They search all the top companies and always tend to find the best deals. We use them every time.
Weather and what to pack for a road trip in the south in November
Although the South has a reputation for being hot, we were there in November and the temperatures were pretty chilly. We had a few warm days at around 23 Celsius, but mostly it hovered around 15, sometimes going down to 8. We needed the heating on in all the places we stayed, even in New Orleans.
That said, the temperature in November varies a lot, so Iâd pack layers and keep an eye on the weather forecast. The sun makes a big difference, and we had quite a few days where weâd be wearing t-shirts in the sun in the mornings and then wearing a scarf in the afternoon in the shade.
Our South USA road trip budget
When we travel, we tend to mix budget and high-end options â
for example, staying in a simple hotel some nights and then splashing out on a luxury option here and there. We take the same approach with food. And weâre also big fans of the sharing economy, so we do home exchanges when we can (see our guide to
Home Exchange
).
On this particular trip, we did home exchanges in the Smoky
Mountains and New Orleans, but the rest was Airbnb, plus a couple of hotels. The
home exchanges helped keep our costs down, but in the budget, Iâm including the
prices of equivalent Airbnbs, so you know what to expect.
Do remember that the USA doesnât include sales tax in its
prices, so you have to account for that when looking at costs, plus youâre
expected to tip around 20% on food and drinks orders.
Accommodation:
 $75 â $220 per night for two
people (total of $2,080 for 17 nights)
The accommodation cost of $2,080 for the whole trip includes three nights in hotels and the rest is Airbnb.
Car hire:
 $470 (plus $83 for a car seat)Â
This was for 13 days, including the transfer fee for picking it up and dropping it off in different locations. We went for an intermediate sized car, so it would be cheaper if you chose compact or small. We usedÂ
Rentalcars.comÂ
to book our car.
Fuel:
 $237Â
Food and drinks:
 $50-$100 per day (for two adults
and one child)
This varies a lot as it depends on how much self-catering you do, plus the type of restaurant you go to. For example, the most expensive meal we had was lunch at Basic Kitchen in Charleston, which cost $70 for the three of us, whereas our lunch at Mercier Orchards near Blue Ridge was $25.
Portion sizes are huge in the USA, so you can often get away with just sharing one dish between two. We saved a lot of money by often self-catering. And we also didnât drink on this trip (I was pregnant and Steve was recovering from glandular fever). You could easily add an extra $50 per day if you added alcohol into the equation.
As a quick guide, a coffee costs around $2.50 including a tip; a fancy donut is $4; and a brunch for two in a mid-range cafe/restaurant, including coffee is $30.
Tours and entrance prices:Â
$472 for two people
We visited very relatively few paid attractions on this trip, so this cost is quite low. Instead, we mostly stuck to free attractions and simply explored the town on foot. This cost would quickly go up if you wanted to visit more attractions. The fees we did pay, per person, were: Blue Ridge Scenic Railway ($45); Asheville Pinball Museum ($15); Charleston carriage ride ($28); Magnolia Plantation ($28); Charleston Childrenâs Museum ($12); Savannah Trolley Tour ($34); Wormsloe Plantation ($10); Mardi Gras World ($22); New Orleans Botanical Garden ($8); Storyland ($5).
Road Trip Southern USA: Our Itinerary
Atlanta
Days 1-2
The centre of countless African American political and cultural movements, and considered the Southâs unofficial capital, Atlanta is an exciting, diverse city where you can spend days exploring its history, cuisine and getting to know its people.
What to do in Atlanta
Top of your list should be seeing the Martin Luther King Junior Historic Site, an area that covers several blocks and includes Kingâs birth home, the church that he and his father preached at, his grave site, and exhibitions about Kingâs life and the Civil Rights movement. You can also walk from there along a 1.5-mile trail to the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum. The Civil Rights movement is one of
the main things Atlanta is known for
.
Other popular attractions include the Center for Civil and Human Rights, the College Football Hall of Fame, Childrenâs Museum and the High Museum of Art.
The aquarium is popular but not recommended as they hold dolphins and beluga whales, which is a huge animal welfare issue.
I also recommend walking part of the BeltLine, a former railway line thatâs been converted into 33 miles of walking and cycling paths (eventually, there will be streetcars too). The Eastside Trail is a centre for hipster markets, eateries and craft beer bars.
Accommodation in Atlanta
We hadnât originally planned to stay the night in Atlanta, so we got a last-minute deal for the
Aloft Hotel
. Its style is a little too âfunkyâ for my taste, but it deserves its reputation as a chain of hotels that stands out for its young, modern design and additional extras such as free waffles in the morning and lively lobby bars by night. Itâs also clean and comfortable with affordable prices, making it a good option if youâre looking for somewhere central (itâs a 5-minute walk from Centennial Olympic Park). Our room cost $120 for the night.
Book your stay here
.
For something a bit more characterful, I would choose
Sugar Magnolia B&B
, which sounds like a place to experience quintessential Southern hospitality while enjoying the back porch or getting cosy by the fire.
Where to eat and drink in Atlanta
Atlanta has a wealth of great food, including Southern classics and worldwide cuisine. Here are a few recommendations.
The trendy
Krog Street Market
, where you can choose from around 15 different food stalls (we loved
Pho Nam
and Suzy Siuâs Baos, and be sure to finish your meal with an ice cream from
Jeniâs Splendid Ice Creams
!).
Ponce City Market
is another good option where you need to try the donuts at
Five Daughters Bakery
.
We also recommend breakfast at
Atlanta Breakfast Club
(donât miss the cinnamon buns!)
Places we didnât try, but that look excellent include:
Bacchanalia
and
Ladybird Grove and Mess Hall
.
Getting to
and around Atlanta
We drove everywhere we needed to go in Atlanta, or walked around downtown from our hotel. However, if you donât have a car, you can get around using the bus, railway or tram. You can use the
Marta website
to plan your journey on the bus, tram or streetcar.
The drive from the airport to downtown Atlanta took about 15 minutes.
Blue Ridge
/ Smoky Mountains
Days 2-4
Thereâs something magical simply in the name, the Great Smokies, and the reality lives up to the enchantment. Cloaked in a perpetual blue haze, the Great Smoky Mountains National Mark, along the Tennessee-North Carolina border, is part of the southern Appalachians, and the USAâs most visited national park.
We stayed an hour outside the park in Murphy, near Blue Ridge. This is a good jumping-off point for exploring both the Smokies and the Chattahoochee National Forest.
Things to do in the Smoky Mountains
One of the best things we did in the area was go on the
Blue Ridge Scenic Railway
, an open-air train journey that takes you to McCaysville and Copperhill â two neighbouring towns that straddle the Georgia/Tennessee border (you can stand with one foot in each). Thereâs not an awful lot to do in the towns, but Otis loved the train ride, so itâs an ideal family activity. It cost $45 per adult and was free for Otis.
We also enjoyed the views from the top of Panther Top Lookout Tower (just outside Murphy).
Visiting
Mercier Orchards
was another great family-friendly activity. We took a tractor ride to the orchard where we could pick our own apples (they do other fruits throughout the year) and also did some cider and fudge tasting back at the shop, which is a huge place filled with gifts and many, many apple products.
Inside the Smoky Mountain National Park, some of the top things to do include climbing Clingmanâs Dome (this involves a 0.5-mile easy climb and views from an impressive observation tower) or visiting one of the many waterfalls. This page on
hikes in the Smokies
has loads of useful info on the different types of hikes, including info on difficulty levels and access. And if youâre definitely looking for a short hike, this page has lots of details on
short day hikes in the Smokies
.
Blue Ridge is a sweet town to explore with lots of upscale boutiques alongside local souvenir shops, and many sweet treats, including a fudge shop and a cake shop owned by one of the winners of Cupcake Wars.
Do like we did and go in the autumn when youâll get to see the fabulous fall colours. Itâs one of the USAâs top leaf-peeping destinations.
The Smoky Mountains are part of the Appalachians, so you can also walk part of the Appalachian Trail while there. One popular option is the
Charles Bunion Trail
.
A more popular place to stay when exploring the Smokies is Gatlinburg, but we wanted somewhere quieter (Gatlinburg is super touristy and busy). That said, Gatlinburg is also close to Pigeon Forge, home of Dolly Partonâs Dollywood, so if youâre a big Dolly fan, you could also base yourself around there. Read more about
things to do in Gatlinburg
.
Accommodation
in the Smoky Mountains
We stayed in the cutest cabin,
The Hemlock House
, near Murphy, North Carolina. Itâs everything that cabin dreams are made of, surrounded by forest, and with the cosiest interiors you could wish for. Itâs stylishly done, with a mix of modern and vintage touches, twinkly lights and a fire for snuggling in front of by nightfall.
From the front, the cabin looks tiny, but it actually has three floors and includes two bedrooms, a kitchen/lounge area, a full bathroom, a shower room, and a laundry cupboard (with washer and dryer). A sâmores kit is also provided for use on the outdoor fire pit. And there are kidsâ toys as well, which was a bonus for Otis.
The Hemlock House starts at $2105 per night.
Book Hemlock House here
.
Where to
eat and drink in the Smoky Mountains
If staying in a cabin, I think the best option is to take advantage of your setting and self-cater amid the coziness. Thatâs what we did.
Chevelleâs 66 was recommended by our hosts.
We also heard great things about Black Sheep and Harvest on Main in Blue Ridge. And we can vouch for the cakes from
The Sweet Shoppe
.
In Macaysville/Cooperhill, the picking for vegetarians were very slim. We ate at Katzâs New York Deli, which is not the same as the famous one, but did have good bagels.
There are a few branches of the
Rum Cake Lady
in the area, which is famous for its rum bundt cakes. They were a little too sweet for me, but theyâre legendary, so you may find you love them!
Getting to and around the Smoky Mountains
The drive from Atlanta to Murphy took just over two hours. Although there are a few bus services, you would struggle in this area without a car, as the buses are few and far between. If youâre carless, it might be better to stay in Gatlinburg, where there is more public transport, including to the Smoky Mountain National Park.
Blue Ridge
Parkway
Day 4
One of the main reasons we did this trip was to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway in autumn and see all the seasonal leaves. It was a gamble as you canât bank on nature and all the variables that go into when the leaves will change â a storm could blow them off, hot weather can cause delays or cold the opposite â you just have to hope for the best.
In that respect, we were lucky: we just missed âpeak colourâ but it still had the wow factor weâd been hoping for. Moreover, we drove on a clear and sunny day, so the views were wide and awesome.
That said, I think the Blue Ridge Parkway is likely worth driving at any time of year as the road and views are stunning. The whole thing is 469 miles long, starting at Shenandoah National Park and ending at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The speed limit is 45mph, so it would take about 15 hours to drive the whole thing. We just did one section from Balsam to Asheville, but one day Iâd love to do it all.
There are lots of viewpoints along the way (we stopped at pretty much every one we passed!), and there are also plenty of hikes to choose from. We did a short one called the Graveyard Fields Loop Trail, which was easy to do with Otis and included a beautiful waterfall.
This website has a really useful
route planner
with details of where to stay and things to do along the whole length of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Where to stay on the Blue Ridge Parkway
We stayed in Asheville, which I cover in the next section, but there are lots more options if you want to drive more of the parkway. The route planner I shared above has lots of options.
Where to eat on the Blue Ridge Parkway
There arenât many places to eat on the parkway itself, so you may need to bring a pack lunch to enjoy at a picnic spot, or else you can leave the parkway to eat.
This map
lists all the different options on or near the parkway.
There were no options for us between Balsam and Asheville (the Pisgah Inn was closed), so we ate just before we got on at Balsam (at Burger King of all places because we wanted to try the Impossible Whopper, which I can now confirm tastes just as I remember a real Whopper did).
Getting to and around the Blue Ridge Parkway
It took us about three hours to drive from Balsam to Asheville along the parkway, which included all the stops at the viewpoints. We were at Graveyard Falls for another hour or so, so in total our whole time on the parkway was about 4-5 hours. It also took about 1.5 hours to drive from our cabin near Murphy to Balsam.
Asheville
Days 4-7
Asheville was a dream for us â a liberally minded mountain town filled with art, creativity, great food, and surrounded by stunning nature. Itâs just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, so itâs an ideal place to stay along the way. We loved every bit of it, and hereâs a post with our 31 favourite
things to do in Asheville
.
Things to
do in Asheville
Many people use Asheville as a base to explore the surrounding nature and multitude of different hikes and outdoor sports, but the city itself is also worth exploring. These were some of our favourite
things to do in Asheville:
Explore the River Arts District, where you can discover around 200 artists in 22 buildings along the French Broad River. Many of the studios are open on weekdays, but youâll find the most open on Fridays and Saturdays.
Go to the
Pinball Museum
, where you can pay $17 to play an unlimited amount of pinball and classic arcade games. So much fun!
Walk around downtown and explore all the cute cafes, breweries and shops, including Mast General Store, East Fork Pottery and
Asheville Emporium
. Asheville has an especially good selection of bookshops, including:
Malaprops Bookstore
,
Downtown Books
,
Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar
and
Firestorm Books
.
Also be sure to explore trendy West Asheville, where we stayed, which has a plethora of creative shops, restaurants and cafes (favourites included Firestorm Books,
Flora
, and
Hole Doughnuts
).
We didnât do this, but the Biltmore Estate is one of the most popular attractions in Asheville. Itâs the largest private residence in the USA.
Other popular attractions include the Folk Art Centre, the Asheville Art Museum, the Smoky Mountain Adventure Centre and Brew-ed beer walking tours.
Read more in our guide to
31 things to love about Asheville
.
Accommodation
in Asheville
We chose to stay in West Asheville, a residential area with a hip reputation where there are plenty of Airbnbs on offer. The one we stayed at is no longer available, but we also have a guide to the
best Airbnbs in Asheville
and the best
Asheville VRBO cabins
.
Where to
eat and drink in Asheville
Asheville is filled with great places to eat and drink and is particularly famous for its craft beer scene. A few of our favourites were:
Chai Pani
for A+ Indian food
Hole Doughnuts
for made-to-order doughnuts
The
Baked Pie Company
for the best pies ever (they do a pie flight, so you can try out three different pies)
Sunny Point Café
for brunch (the oatmeal pancakes are divine)
White Labs Kitchen & Tap
for beer and pizza
For tea, head to
Dobra Tea
Getting to and around Asheville
We covered how we got to Asheville from the Smoky Mountains in the section above on the Blue Ridge Parkway. If we hadnât driven on the Blue Ridge Parkway, the journey from Murphy to Asheville would have only taken two hours.
Once in Asheville, we drove most places, but also did one full day of walking from our place in West Asheville to downtown and back via the River Arts (the walk was about an hour each way).
Charleston
Days 7-10
Charleston is one of the most pristine cities Iâve ever visited, filled with row after row of colourful, perfectly kept houses. Add to that a hefty dose of Southern charm, horses and carriages roaming the streets, and a plethora of historic houses, and you feel like youâve stepped back in time to the 18
th
Century.
If youâre travelling with kids, see our guide to
16 unmissable things to do in Charleston with kids
.
Things to do in Charleston
Wander the streets, admiring all the colourful houses. Rainbow Row is particularly beautiful. And the Battery is lovely for a stroll along the waterfront.
Visit the Angel Oak, just outside of the city.
Visit some of the historic houses, such as the Nathaniel Russell House or Heyward-Washington House.
If you have kids, the
Childrenâs Museum of the Lowcountry
is amazing. It includes a mini play supermarket, which Otis loved.
Take a carriage tour around the centre to learn a little more about the history and to simply take part in one of the cityâs most quintessential activities. We went with
Palmetto Carriage Works
, and our guide was both friendly and knowledgeable. It costs $50 per adult and $40 per child.
Charleston has a very troubled past. It was the USAâs biggest slave port, and thousands of enslaved people lost their lives there. To better understand the past and the context of the city, I recommend visiting the
Magnolia Plantation
and doing the Slavery to Freedom tour, where the guide doesnât shy away from the brutality of slavery and takes you on a journey from slavery through the Jim Crow era to today. It includes a tour of four cabins that were used by enslaved people. Be aware that many plantation tours gloss over slavery, so it pays to do your research first and find one that pays respect to the enslaved people. Entry to the plantation costs $32 per adult and $16 per kid.
Another place to visit to learn more slavery is the
Old Slave Mart Museum
in Charleston centre.
Accommodation
in Charleston
Charleston has a plethora of beautiful homes to stay in, be they Airbnbs, hotels or guesthouses. We chose to stay in Airbnb/rental properties as we wanted a taste of local Charleston life. We stayed in two different properties and have also written a guide to the
best Airbnbs in Charleston
. If youâd prefer a hotel, weâve also curated a guide to the
most stylish hotels in Charleston
(good if youâre travelling with or without kids).
The Little Pink House
is the epitome of charming â just look at how cute it is, both inside and out. Despite being a small house, the inside is deceptively spacious, and we didnât feel cramped, even with Otis in tow. From the pink exterior to the vintage furniture, everything is sweetly styled with both elegance and charm. There are two bathrooms (one shower), one bedroom, a living/kitchen area and even a laundry space. Plus, the porch and balcony areas give added living space too.
Book your stay here
.
Where to
eat and drink in Charleston
Basic Kitchen
for health food in upscale, hip surrounds.
Daps
for breakfast.
Brown Dog Deli
for a huge selection of gourmet sandwiches (including lots of veggie options).
Sublime biscuits at
Callieâs Hot Little Biscuit
.
And an impressive selection of cakes and cookies at
Sugar Bakeshop
.
Getting to
and around Charleston
The journey from Asheville to Charleston takes four hours. Itâs highway nearly the whole way, so not the most scenic drive (especially after having done the Blue Ridge Parkway).
Once in Charleston, thereâs a shuttle bus that can take you to most of the major sights, but we drove or walked most places. We never had an issue with finding a parking space (thereâs a large parking lot near the City Market). And we had parking spaces included at our accommodation. It was particularly handy having a car to drive out to the Magnolia Plantation.
Savannah
Days 10-13
Trees draped in hanging Spanish moss, an artsy population fuelled by one of the countyâs best art schools, picturesque squares, and a laid-back Southern charm are just some of the things that combine to make Savannah arguably Georgiaâs most beautiful city. Â
See our full
Savannah travel guide
and our tips for the best
things to do in Savannah with kids
.
Things to do in Savannah
Head to Forsyth Park for a photo in front of the famous fountain. Plus itâs also just a gorgeous park with lots of the mossy trees and a great childrenâs playground. We also loved the Saturday Farmerâs Market.
Jump on one of the iconic trolley tours, which is a handy way to get around all the main sights while also learning some history along the way (plus Otis loved it!). We went with
Old Town Trolley Tours
.
One of the best things to do in Savannah is simply wander the streets, enjoying all the beautiful architecture. The city centre, from the river up to Forsyth Park, is built around 14 public squares that add an appealing grandeur and greenery to the city.
There are tons of galleries in the city, partly because itâs home to SCAD, one of the USAâs best art colleges. Head to the SCAD Shop, which is part shop, part gallery, plus there are lots of independent galleries around that area.
Head to City Market, an open-air shopping district with pedestrianised streets. Itâs home to one of the branches of
Byrdâs Cookies
, which is a perfect place for gifts.
River Street, which lines the water, is one of the most popular tourist attractions, but as such, itâs very busy and commercialised. I didnât find it as charming as the rest of the city.
The alley of oaks at Wormsloe is one of the most iconic Savannah sights, and it really is breathtaking. However, Wormsloe is an old plantation and Iâve heard that the tours gloss over the history of slavery and focus on the architecture and life of the colonialists instead, so I definitely wouldnât recommend doing a tour. Instead head to somewhere like Magnolia Plantation in Charleston or the Whitney Plantation in New Orleans.
Also head up to the Starland District, which has lots of street art and independent shops, including Gypsy World and Graveface Records.
We had really wanted to go to the
Childrenâs Museum
, which looks amazing, but it was sadly closed because of a wine festival the weekend we were there.
Take a day trip to Tybee Island, the cityâs laidback seaside escape. just 20 minutes from downtown.
Accommodation
in Savannah
We have a guide to
where to stay in Savannah with kids
.
We stayed at a
Sonder apartment on Broughton Street
. Sonder is between a hip, boutique hotel and an apartment rental. You get all the comfort and convenience of an apartment (fully equipped kitchen, laundry, living space, etc) but with the quality of a well-designed hotel.
Itâs a great concept and ideal for families who want a bit more space (weâre quickly learning that sitting in the dark in a hotel room once Otis is asleep at 7 pm is far from ideal!). Plus itâs a good price, starting at $127 a night.
Book your stay now
.
Our only mistake was that we booked an apartment where the bedroom was on the corner of a busy street. This would be fine if it was just me and Steve as we could wear earplugs, but the noise did wake Otis up.
If youâre booking this particular building in Savannah (East Broughton Street), Iâd recommend booking an apartment where the bedroom is set back from the street (there are plenty available).
Where to eat and drink in Savannah
Leopoldâs Ice Cream
is the oldest ice cream shop in the USA and regularly makes the top 10 lists. I can vouch that it deserves that accolade.
Starland Yard
has a few food trucks and an excellent pizza restaurant called
Vittoria Pizzeria
.
The
Sentient Bean
near Forsyth Park is a good stop for casual veggie food in studenty surroundings.
Getting to
and around Savannah
The journey
from Charleston to Savannah is about two hours.
Once in Savannah, you donât really need a car aside from visiting the plantations or sights outside of the city. We parked in one of the city parking garages near our place on East Broughton Street and only used the car to drive up to the Starland District (although we could have taken public transport there too) and to Wormsloe.
The rest of the time, we got around either on foot or on the trolley. I highly recommend the trolley as it goes to all the major sights, runs frequently (we never waited more than 15 mins), and itâs nice to hear about some of the history and culture as you travel.
New Orleans
Days 13-18
Oh, New Orleans! I kind of knew Iâd love it before I got there, and the reality lived up to the hype. We were there for five nights, which allowed us to explore lots of different areas and really soak up the cityâs vibe. Itâs one of the most creative places Iâve been to, and you can feel that on every street.
Things to do in New Orleans
Wander the French Quarter and discover all the beauty, charm, craziness and partying that make up New Orleans. The area around Jackson Square is somewhat overwhelming, teeming with people and in-your-face tourism. And Bourbon Street is where all the out-of-town revellers go to drink lurid cocktails from giant glasses you can hang around your neck! We preferred Royal Street, which is a little more sedate and lined with galleries and boutiques. The architecture is gorgeous and I recommend popping into some of the eclectic shops, including
Fifi Mahonyâs
, Voo-doo Bone Lady and
Faulkner House Books
. Thereâs live music everywhere.
Walk around the different districts to get a feel for the different characters of the city. We loved the Garden District, which is gorgeous to wander around with street after street of beautiful homes, boutiques and restaurants. The Marigny and Bywater are also great for spotting colourful houses and interesting shops and restaurants. Crescent Park in the Bywater is ideal for a stroll along the waterfront.
Frenchmen Street is the place to head to for live music. We didnât make it there, but
The Spotted Cat
comes highly recommended.
Mardi Gras World
is a fun place to visit to learn more about the big event â itâs where they make lots of the floats, so you can do a guided or self-guided tour around the workshop, learning about how theyâre all made and seeing many of the final designs up close.
Walk at least part of Magazine Street, which is six miles of independent shops and businesses, including
Peaches Records
and lots of little gallery shops.
City Park is twice the size of Central Park and filled with so many things to do, including:
botanical gardens
(which include the
Historic Train Garden
where kids will love seeing a little train riding around a miniature New Orelans);
Storyland
where kids can be entertained by giant sculptures from childrenâs stories;
a modern art museum and 11-acre sculpture garden
; an
amusement park
; boating lake;
mini golf
,
childrenâs museum
and more. You could easily spend a whole day there.
If youâre in New Orleans on a Saturday, go to a Second Lines parade for a taste of Mardi Gras festivities.
Ride one of the historic streetcars down Canal Street or St Charles Avenue.
Accommodation in New Orleans
We had two nights in the
Catahoula
Hotel, a hip boutique hotel with minimalist, industrial-style rooms and a beautiful modern vintage Pisco bar, which also serves delicious plant-based, south-east asian food. Itâs a bar as much as a hotel and has a buzz by night. The patio and roof deck are particularly striking with a three-storey mural and pretty festoon lighting.
The hotel is ideally suited to a hip, young crowd, and the premier rooms have plenty of space if youâre travelling with a baby/toddler. That said, nowadays, with Otis, I prefer an apartment to a hotel room, so Iâd also recommend checking out the Catahoula Hotelâs apartments.
The hotel is situated in the Central Business District of New Orleans, which isnât the most characterful spot in the city, but does have lots of good cafes, plus itâs within walking distance of both the French Quarter (10 mins) and the Garden District (15 mins). Rooms start at $109 per night.
Book your stay here now
.
For the remainder of our time in New Orleans, we did a home exchange in Mid City, right next to City Park. We stayed in a gorgeous Arts and Crafts house in a residential area, which was a fantastic taste of local life. Being next to City Park, it was a very family-friendly area and also close to the Canal Streetcar (just 15 mins to the French Quarter).
It was a peaceful place to stay, so a good option for families. The Home Exchange we did isnât on Airbnb, but there are plenty of other rentals available in the area.
If we hadnât done a home exchange, I would have also looked at options in the
Garden District
,
Marigny
and
Bywater
.
Where to
eat and drink in New Orleans
You have to try a beignet while in town. The most famous is from
Café du Monde
. The queue was huge when we were there, but the café is giant, so we only had to wait 15 minutes and the beignet was definitely worth the wait.
Café Beignet
is another very good option â itâs a much smaller cafe, but also has a much shorter queue. The beignets are different in each one, so I recommend going to both!
Go to
District Donuts
to try what I think are a contender for best doughnuts in the world!
Willa Jean
is a popular spot for breakfast. The baked goods are A+. I had a delicious homemade apple pop tart with a bourbon glaze, and the biscuits are melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
Surreyâs
has perhaps the best breakfast in town. Donât miss the local speciality â bananas foster. Oh my, Iâd go back to NOLA just for that (and the donuts from District)
High-end Israeli food at
Shaya
.
A dazzling array of hot dogs at
Dat Dog
, including four vegan sausage options and so many toppings to choose from.
Weâre vegetarians so we didnât get to try all the local cuisine, which is very seafood heavy, but friends have recommended:
Commanderâs Palace
,
Brigtsenâs
, Galatoireâs and
Parkway Bakery and Tavern
.
Getting to
and around New Orleans
We flew to New Orleans from Savannah as we were short on time (the drive is 9.5 hours, so youâd need to break it up along the way. If weâd had more time, weâd have stopped at Tallahassee or Montgomery, and perhaps Mobile too. Iâve written a little about them below.
We didnât hire a car in New Orleans, and mostly got around on foot, cable car and bus, with the odd Uber when we were short on time. We walked as much as we could, as thatâs the best way to really soak in the character of the city.
Buses and cable cars are reasonably priced ($1.25 per journey or $3 for a day ticket) and easy to navigate using Google Maps.
How to extend this road trip
As outlined in the itinerary and map at the top of the post, Iâve offered some suggestions for how to extend this southern US road trip, including stops in
Tallahassee
,
Montgomery
,
Mobile
,
Jackson
,
Memphis
and
Nashville
. As we didnât go to see these places, Iâve linked to blog posts/articles that could be useful for planning a trip there. Hereâs an extra for
things to do in Nashville with kids
.
Our top travel planning tips
If youâre planning a trip, be sure to have a look at all our
top travel planning tips
, including how to save money with the best credit cards, what to bring, and all our favourite tools and tricks.
For car rentals, we recommend booking with
Discover Cars
. Weâve found they always have the cheapest deals for mainstream retailers.
We found great last-minute deals onÂ
Booking.com
, getting a discount of up to 60%.
Have you ever considered a
home exchange
? Itâs our favourite way to travel (and the most affordable).
Our favourite place to book flights isÂ
Skyscanner
 â again, they always have great deals.
Donât forget your travel insurance! We recommendÂ
True Traveller
 who offer reliable, comprehensive cover, including medical, evacuation, baggage and a range of adventure sports and activities. You can buy True Traveller insurance even when youâve left home, which is unusual for travel insurance companies.
If youâre travelling with kids, donât miss our full
family travel section
. |
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# Road Trip: Southern USA â An Epic Deep South Itinerary
by [Victoria](https://bridgesandballoons.com/author/victoria/ "View all posts by Victoria")
Last updated on March 11, 2026
The allure of the southern USA has been calling me for years. I wanted to experience that famous Southern charm, the music, the moss-laden trees, the accent, the mountains, and all the colourful cities and quirks that make up the southern states.
Itâs a big area yâall, so coming up with a **south US road trip itinerary** was no mean feat. We found our priorities, including the Blue Ridge Parkway, New Orleans and Charleston and built it out from that. What we came up with was a fascinating trip through five states that far exceeded our Southern dreams.
So hereâs our South USA road trip itinerary, including all the details of what we did, where we stayed and where we ate â itâs all you need to plan a perfect road trip in southern USA.
For more road trip inspiration, see our guides to the [22 best American road trips](https://bridgesandballoons.com/best-road-trips-usa/), bucket list [family vacation ideas](https://bridgesandballoons.com/family-vacation-ideas/), an epic [California road trip](https://bridgesandballoons.com/california-road-trip-itinerary/) and this [Pacific Coast Highway itinerary](https://bridgesandballoons.com/pacific-coast-highway-road-trip-itinerary/).
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I get a small commission if you buy something (at no extra cost to you). Itâs one of the ways I keep this blog going. Thanks a million for your support. You can read more about my affiliate policy [here](https://bridgesandballoons.com/advertising-collaborations-press-trips/).
Table of Contents
- [Southern USA road trip at a glance](https://bridgesandballoons.com/southern-usa-road-trip/#h-southern-usa-road-trip-at-a-glance)
- [Road Trip Southern USA: Our Itinerary](https://bridgesandballoons.com/southern-usa-road-trip/#h-road-trip-southern-usa-our-itinerary)
- [Atlanta](https://bridgesandballoons.com/southern-usa-road-trip/#h-atlanta)
- [Blue Ridge / Smoky Mountains](https://bridgesandballoons.com/southern-usa-road-trip/#h-blue-ridge-smoky-mountains)
- [Blue Ridge Parkway](https://bridgesandballoons.com/southern-usa-road-trip/#h-blue-ridge-parkway)
- [Asheville](https://bridgesandballoons.com/southern-usa-road-trip/#h-asheville)
- [Charleston](https://bridgesandballoons.com/southern-usa-road-trip/#h-charleston)
- [Savannah](https://bridgesandballoons.com/southern-usa-road-trip/#h-savannah)
- [New Orleans](https://bridgesandballoons.com/southern-usa-road-trip/#h-new-orleans)
- [How to extend this road trip](https://bridgesandballoons.com/southern-usa-road-trip/#h-how-to-extend-this-road-trip)
***
See all our [road trip itineraries](https://bridgesandballoons.com/road-trips/) here. And donât miss our guide to [how to plan a road trip](https://bridgesandballoons.com/how-to-plan-a-road-trip/).
***
## **Southern USA road trip at a glance**
- Days 1-2: Atlanta
- Days 2-4: Blue Ridge / Smoky Mountains
- Day 4: Blue Ridge Parkway
- Days 4-7: Asheville
- Days 7-10: Charleston
- Days 10-13: Savannah
- (Days 13-14: Tallahassee or Montgomery)
- (Days 14-15: Mobile)
- Days 15-20: New Orleans
- (Days 20-21: Jackson)
- (Days 21-23: Memphis)
- (Days 23-26: Nashville)
We went to all the places that arenât in brackets. However, if you have time, you could also add the places in brackets, heading to Montgomery or Tallahassee and/or Mobile (rather than flying between Savannah and New Orleans). And following New Orleans, you could add Jackson, Memphis and Nashville (or follow the Natchez Trace Parkway straight to Nashville). This would make it the ultimate South USA road trip\!
### USA Southeast Road Trip Map
### Where is southern USA?
First of all, itâs not easy to define âsouthern USAâ as although it can include everything south of the Mason-Dixie line and as far west as Louisiana and Arkansas, most definitions hone in on the central states, leaving out the states north of Tennessee and North Carolina, and also sometimes Florida.
For the sake of this South USA itinerary, weâre focusing on the Carolinas, Georgia and Louisiana, with the option of adding stops in Tennessee, the Florida panhandle, Alabama and Mississippi for an in-depth deep south road trip itinerary.
### Our priorities and how we planned our road trip in southern USA
Planning a three-week Southern USA road trip was a daunting task â thereâs so much to try and fit in and so many options to choose from.
For us, we were somewhat limited by time and traveling with an almost-two-year-old. We didnât want to do too many long journeys, plus we also favour a slower mode of travel, ideally spending at least 2-3 nights in any one place.
You could do the same itinerary in a shorter (or longer) amount of time, or pick and choose from the destinations to craft your ideal southeast road trip itinerary.
As with [all the itineraries on Bridges and Balloons](https://bridgesandballoons.com/unique-itineraries/), we have a special focus on creating handpicked itineraries that are filled with special places to stay and things to experience â think beautiful design, plenty of character and amazing locations â plus heaps of cake, independent bookshops, farmers markets and parks. We like to do a local style of travel, so we donât always hit all the âmust-seesâ, preferring to soak up the atmosphere and experience local life. [Read more about our style here](https://bridgesandballoons.com/about/).
Iâll also be writing detailed blog posts for each destination with extra tips and advice.
### How we got around on our Southern USA road trip
We hired a car all the way from Atlanta to Savannah, and then flew from Savannah to New Orleans (although you could drive between the two if you have the extra time).
As always, we used [Discover Cars](https://bridgesandballoons.com/recommends/discover-cars/ "Discover Cars") as thatâs where weâve always found the best deals. Itâs a booking agent for many car hire companies, and the best deal they found for us was with Alamo. We opted for a Dodge Grand Caravan (same as we had in California), which is an SUV-style car that allowed plenty of room for Otisâ stuff.
If you donât want to drive, you could take buses instead, although of course that gives you less flexibility about where you stop. Public transport isnât great in the States, and distances between places are large, so hiring a car is definitely helpful for a road trip in the south.
Iâve included the driving times in the section for each destination below.
### Find the best deals on car hire
We recommend [Discover Cars](https://bridgesandballoons.com/recommends/discover-cars/ "Discover Cars") for booking your rental car. They search all the top companies and always tend to find the best deals. We use them every time.
[Find the best deals](http://www.kqzyfj.com/click-7493681-13754530)
### Weather and what to pack for a road trip in the south in November
Although the South has a reputation for being hot, we were there in November and the temperatures were pretty chilly. We had a few warm days at around 23 Celsius, but mostly it hovered around 15, sometimes going down to 8. We needed the heating on in all the places we stayed, even in New Orleans.
That said, the temperature in November varies a lot, so Iâd pack layers and keep an eye on the weather forecast. The sun makes a big difference, and we had quite a few days where weâd be wearing t-shirts in the sun in the mornings and then wearing a scarf in the afternoon in the shade.
### Our South USA road trip budget
When we travel, we tend to mix budget and high-end options â
for example, staying in a simple hotel some nights and then splashing out on a luxury option here and there. We take the same approach with food. And weâre also big fans of the sharing economy, so we do home exchanges when we can (see our guide to [Home Exchange](https://bridgesandballoons.com/home-exchange/)).
On this particular trip, we did home exchanges in the Smoky Mountains and New Orleans, but the rest was Airbnb, plus a couple of hotels. The home exchanges helped keep our costs down, but in the budget, Iâm including the prices of equivalent Airbnbs, so you know what to expect.
Do remember that the USA doesnât include sales tax in its prices, so you have to account for that when looking at costs, plus youâre expected to tip around 20% on food and drinks orders.
**Accommodation:** \$75 â \$220 per night for two people (total of \$2,080 for 17 nights)
The accommodation cost of \$2,080 for the whole trip includes three nights in hotels and the rest is Airbnb.
**Car hire:** \$470 (plus \$83 for a car seat)
This was for 13 days, including the transfer fee for picking it up and dropping it off in different locations. We went for an intermediate sized car, so it would be cheaper if you chose compact or small. We used [Rentalcars.com](https://bridgesandballoons.com/recommends/rental-cars/) to book our car.
**Fuel:** \$237
**Food and drinks:** \$50-\$100 per day (for two adults and one child)
This varies a lot as it depends on how much self-catering you do, plus the type of restaurant you go to. For example, the most expensive meal we had was lunch at Basic Kitchen in Charleston, which cost \$70 for the three of us, whereas our lunch at Mercier Orchards near Blue Ridge was \$25.
Portion sizes are huge in the USA, so you can often get away with just sharing one dish between two. We saved a lot of money by often self-catering. And we also didnât drink on this trip (I was pregnant and Steve was recovering from glandular fever). You could easily add an extra \$50 per day if you added alcohol into the equation.
As a quick guide, a coffee costs around \$2.50 including a tip; a fancy donut is \$4; and a brunch for two in a mid-range cafe/restaurant, including coffee is \$30.
**Tours and entrance prices:** \$472 for two people
We visited very relatively few paid attractions on this trip, so this cost is quite low. Instead, we mostly stuck to free attractions and simply explored the town on foot. This cost would quickly go up if you wanted to visit more attractions. The fees we did pay, per person, were: Blue Ridge Scenic Railway (\$45); Asheville Pinball Museum (\$15); Charleston carriage ride (\$28); Magnolia Plantation (\$28); Charleston Childrenâs Museum (\$12); Savannah Trolley Tour (\$34); Wormsloe Plantation (\$10); Mardi Gras World (\$22); New Orleans Botanical Garden (\$8); Storyland (\$5).
## Road Trip Southern USA: Our Itinerary
## Atlanta
*Days 1-2*
The centre of countless African American political and cultural movements, and considered the Southâs unofficial capital, Atlanta is an exciting, diverse city where you can spend days exploring its history, cuisine and getting to know its people.
### What to do in Atlanta
- Top of your list should be seeing the Martin Luther King Junior Historic Site, an area that covers several blocks and includes Kingâs birth home, the church that he and his father preached at, his grave site, and exhibitions about Kingâs life and the Civil Rights movement. You can also walk from there along a 1.5-mile trail to the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum. The Civil Rights movement is one of [the main things Atlanta is known for](https://www.belaroundtheworld.com/what-is-atlanta-known-for/).
- Other popular attractions include the Center for Civil and Human Rights, the College Football Hall of Fame, Childrenâs Museum and the High Museum of Art.
- The aquarium is popular but not recommended as they hold dolphins and beluga whales, which is a huge animal welfare issue.
- I also recommend walking part of the BeltLine, a former railway line thatâs been converted into 33 miles of walking and cycling paths (eventually, there will be streetcars too). The Eastside Trail is a centre for hipster markets, eateries and craft beer bars.
### Accommodation in Atlanta
- We hadnât originally planned to stay the night in Atlanta, so we got a last-minute deal for the [Aloft Hotel](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/aloft-downtown-atlanta.en.html?aid=1207743&no_rooms=1&group_adults=1). Its style is a little too âfunkyâ for my taste, but it deserves its reputation as a chain of hotels that stands out for its young, modern design and additional extras such as free waffles in the morning and lively lobby bars by night. Itâs also clean and comfortable with affordable prices, making it a good option if youâre looking for somewhere central (itâs a 5-minute walk from Centennial Olympic Park). Our room cost \$120 for the night. [Book your stay here](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/aloft-downtown-atlanta.en.html?aid=1207743&no_rooms=1&group_adults=1).
- For something a bit more characterful, I would choose [Sugar Magnolia B\&B](https://sugarmagnoliabb.com/), which sounds like a place to experience quintessential Southern hospitality while enjoying the back porch or getting cosy by the fire.
### Where to eat and drink in Atlanta
Atlanta has a wealth of great food, including Southern classics and worldwide cuisine. Here are a few recommendations.
- The trendy [Krog Street Market](https://krogstreetmarket.com/), where you can choose from around 15 different food stalls (we loved [Pho Nam](http://phonamatl.com/) and Suzy Siuâs Baos, and be sure to finish your meal with an ice cream from [Jeniâs Splendid Ice Creams](https://jenis.com/)!).
- [Ponce City Market](https://poncecitymarket.com/) is another good option where you need to try the donuts at [Five Daughters Bakery](https://fivedaughtersbakery.com/).
- We also recommend breakfast at [Atlanta Breakfast Club](https://www.facebook.com/abc249/) (donât miss the cinnamon buns!)
- Places we didnât try, but that look excellent include: [Bacchanalia](http://www.starprovisions.com/bacchanalia/) and [Ladybird Grove and Mess Hall](http://www.ladybirdatlanta.com/).
### Getting to and around Atlanta
We drove everywhere we needed to go in Atlanta, or walked around downtown from our hotel. However, if you donât have a car, you can get around using the bus, railway or tram. You can use the [Marta website](https://www.itsmarta.com/) to plan your journey on the bus, tram or streetcar.
The drive from the airport to downtown Atlanta took about 15 minutes.
## Blue Ridge / Smoky Mountains
*Days 2-4*
Thereâs something magical simply in the name, the Great Smokies, and the reality lives up to the enchantment. Cloaked in a perpetual blue haze, the Great Smoky Mountains National Mark, along the Tennessee-North Carolina border, is part of the southern Appalachians, and the USAâs most visited national park.
We stayed an hour outside the park in Murphy, near Blue Ridge. This is a good jumping-off point for exploring both the Smokies and the Chattahoochee National Forest.
### Things to do in the Smoky Mountains
- One of the best things we did in the area was go on the [Blue Ridge Scenic Railway](https://brscenic.com/), an open-air train journey that takes you to McCaysville and Copperhill â two neighbouring towns that straddle the Georgia/Tennessee border (you can stand with one foot in each). Thereâs not an awful lot to do in the towns, but Otis loved the train ride, so itâs an ideal family activity. It cost \$45 per adult and was free for Otis.
- We also enjoyed the views from the top of Panther Top Lookout Tower (just outside Murphy).
- Visiting [Mercier Orchards](https://www.mercier-orchards.com/) was another great family-friendly activity. We took a tractor ride to the orchard where we could pick our own apples (they do other fruits throughout the year) and also did some cider and fudge tasting back at the shop, which is a huge place filled with gifts and many, many apple products.
- Inside the Smoky Mountain National Park, some of the top things to do include climbing Clingmanâs Dome (this involves a 0.5-mile easy climb and views from an impressive observation tower) or visiting one of the many waterfalls. This page on [hikes in the Smokies](https://www.outdoorproject.com/travel/16-must-do-hikes-great-smoky-mountain-national-park) has loads of useful info on the different types of hikes, including info on difficulty levels and access. And if youâre definitely looking for a short hike, this page has lots of details on [short day hikes in the Smokies](https://wanderingwheatleys.com/best-day-hikes-in-the-smoky-mountains/).
- Blue Ridge is a sweet town to explore with lots of upscale boutiques alongside local souvenir shops, and many sweet treats, including a fudge shop and a cake shop owned by one of the winners of Cupcake Wars.
- Do like we did and go in the autumn when youâll get to see the fabulous fall colours. Itâs one of the USAâs top leaf-peeping destinations.
- The Smoky Mountains are part of the Appalachians, so you can also walk part of the Appalachian Trail while there. One popular option is the [Charles Bunion Trail](https://www.alltrails.com/en-gb/ar/trail/us/tennessee/charlies-bunion-via-appalachian-trail).
- A more popular place to stay when exploring the Smokies is Gatlinburg, but we wanted somewhere quieter (Gatlinburg is super touristy and busy). That said, Gatlinburg is also close to Pigeon Forge, home of Dolly Partonâs Dollywood, so if youâre a big Dolly fan, you could also base yourself around there. Read more about [things to do in Gatlinburg](https://www.gatlinburg.com/to-do/attractions/).
### Accommodation in the Smoky Mountains
We stayed in the cutest cabin, [The Hemlock House](https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/721708885842675583), near Murphy, North Carolina. Itâs everything that cabin dreams are made of, surrounded by forest, and with the cosiest interiors you could wish for. Itâs stylishly done, with a mix of modern and vintage touches, twinkly lights and a fire for snuggling in front of by nightfall.
From the front, the cabin looks tiny, but it actually has three floors and includes two bedrooms, a kitchen/lounge area, a full bathroom, a shower room, and a laundry cupboard (with washer and dryer). A sâmores kit is also provided for use on the outdoor fire pit. And there are kidsâ toys as well, which was a bonus for Otis.
The Hemlock House starts at \$2105 per night. [Book Hemlock House here](https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/721708885842675583).
### Where to eat and drink in the Smoky Mountains
If staying in a cabin, I think the best option is to take advantage of your setting and self-cater amid the coziness. Thatâs what we did.
- Chevelleâs 66 was recommended by our hosts.
- We also heard great things about Black Sheep and Harvest on Main in Blue Ridge. And we can vouch for the cakes from [The Sweet Shoppe](https://thesweetsouth.com/).
- In Macaysville/Cooperhill, the picking for vegetarians were very slim. We ate at Katzâs New York Deli, which is not the same as the famous one, but did have good bagels.
- There are a few branches of the [Rum Cake Lady](https://www.rumcakelady.com/) in the area, which is famous for its rum bundt cakes. They were a little too sweet for me, but theyâre legendary, so you may find you love them\!
### Getting to and around the Smoky Mountains
The drive from Atlanta to Murphy took just over two hours. Although there are a few bus services, you would struggle in this area without a car, as the buses are few and far between. If youâre carless, it might be better to stay in Gatlinburg, where there is more public transport, including to the Smoky Mountain National Park.
## Blue Ridge Parkway
*Day 4*
One of the main reasons we did this trip was to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway in autumn and see all the seasonal leaves. It was a gamble as you canât bank on nature and all the variables that go into when the leaves will change â a storm could blow them off, hot weather can cause delays or cold the opposite â you just have to hope for the best.
In that respect, we were lucky: we just missed âpeak colourâ but it still had the wow factor weâd been hoping for. Moreover, we drove on a clear and sunny day, so the views were wide and awesome.
That said, I think the Blue Ridge Parkway is likely worth driving at any time of year as the road and views are stunning. The whole thing is 469 miles long, starting at Shenandoah National Park and ending at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The speed limit is 45mph, so it would take about 15 hours to drive the whole thing. We just did one section from Balsam to Asheville, but one day Iâd love to do it all.
There are lots of viewpoints along the way (we stopped at pretty much every one we passed!), and there are also plenty of hikes to choose from. We did a short one called the Graveyard Fields Loop Trail, which was easy to do with Otis and included a beautiful waterfall.
This website has a really useful [route planner](https://www.blueridgeparkway.org/plan-your-parkway-trip/) with details of where to stay and things to do along the whole length of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
### Where to stay on the Blue Ridge Parkway
We stayed in Asheville, which I cover in the next section, but there are lots more options if you want to drive more of the parkway. The route planner I shared above has lots of options.
### Where to eat on the Blue Ridge Parkway
There arenât many places to eat on the parkway itself, so you may need to bring a pack lunch to enjoy at a picnic spot, or else you can leave the parkway to eat. [This map](https://www.blueridgeparkway.org/parkway-map/) lists all the different options on or near the parkway.
There were no options for us between Balsam and Asheville (the Pisgah Inn was closed), so we ate just before we got on at Balsam (at Burger King of all places because we wanted to try the Impossible Whopper, which I can now confirm tastes just as I remember a real Whopper did).
### Getting to and around the Blue Ridge Parkway
It took us about three hours to drive from Balsam to Asheville along the parkway, which included all the stops at the viewpoints. We were at Graveyard Falls for another hour or so, so in total our whole time on the parkway was about 4-5 hours. It also took about 1.5 hours to drive from our cabin near Murphy to Balsam.
## Asheville
*Days 4-7*
Asheville was a dream for us â a liberally minded mountain town filled with art, creativity, great food, and surrounded by stunning nature. Itâs just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, so itâs an ideal place to stay along the way. We loved every bit of it, and hereâs a post with our 31 favourite [things to do in Asheville](https://bridgesandballoons.com/things-to-do-asheville-nc/).
### Things to do in Asheville
Many people use Asheville as a base to explore the surrounding nature and multitude of different hikes and outdoor sports, but the city itself is also worth exploring. These were some of our favourite [things to do in Asheville:](https://bridgesandballoons.com/things-to-do-asheville-nc/)
- Explore the River Arts District, where you can discover around 200 artists in 22 buildings along the French Broad River. Many of the studios are open on weekdays, but youâll find the most open on Fridays and Saturdays.
- Go to the [Pinball Museum](https://ashevillepinball.com/), where you can pay \$17 to play an unlimited amount of pinball and classic arcade games. So much fun\!
- Walk around downtown and explore all the cute cafes, breweries and shops, including Mast General Store, East Fork Pottery and [Asheville Emporium](http://asheville-emporium.com/). Asheville has an especially good selection of bookshops, including: [Malaprops Bookstore](https://www.malaprops.com/), [Downtown Books](http://www.dbnbooks.com/), [Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar](https://www.facebook.com/batteryparkbookexchange/) and [Firestorm Books](https://www.firestorm.coop/).
- Also be sure to explore trendy West Asheville, where we stayed, which has a plethora of creative shops, restaurants and cafes (favourites included Firestorm Books, [Flora](https://florabotanicalliving.com/), and [Hole Doughnuts](https://www.hole-doughnuts.com/)).
- We didnât do this, but the Biltmore Estate is one of the most popular attractions in Asheville. Itâs the largest private residence in the USA.
- Other popular attractions include the Folk Art Centre, the Asheville Art Museum, the Smoky Mountain Adventure Centre and Brew-ed beer walking tours.
- Read more in our guide to [31 things to love about Asheville](https://bridgesandballoons.com/things-to-do-asheville-nc/).
### Accommodation in Asheville
We chose to stay in West Asheville, a residential area with a hip reputation where there are plenty of Airbnbs on offer. The one we stayed at is no longer available, but we also have a guide to the [best Airbnbs in Asheville](https://bridgesandballoons.com/airbnb-asheville-nc/) and the best [Asheville VRBO cabins](https://bridgesandballoons.com/vrbo-asheville-nc/).
### Where to eat and drink in Asheville
Asheville is filled with great places to eat and drink and is particularly famous for its craft beer scene. A few of our favourites were:
- [Chai Pani](https://www.chaipani.com/asheville) for A+ Indian food
- [Hole Doughnuts](https://www.hole-doughnuts.com/) for made-to-order doughnuts
- The [Baked Pie Company](https://www.bakedpiecompany.com/) for the best pies ever (they do a pie flight, so you can try out three different pies)
- [Sunny Point Café](https://sunnypointcafe.com/) for brunch (the oatmeal pancakes are divine)
- [White Labs Kitchen & Tap](https://whitelabs.com/) for beer and pizza
- For tea, head to [Dobra Tea](https://www.dobratea.com/)
### Getting to and around Asheville
We covered how we got to Asheville from the Smoky Mountains in the section above on the Blue Ridge Parkway. If we hadnât driven on the Blue Ridge Parkway, the journey from Murphy to Asheville would have only taken two hours.
Once in Asheville, we drove most places, but also did one full day of walking from our place in West Asheville to downtown and back via the River Arts (the walk was about an hour each way).
## Charleston
*Days 7-10*
Charleston is one of the most pristine cities Iâve ever visited, filled with row after row of colourful, perfectly kept houses. Add to that a hefty dose of Southern charm, horses and carriages roaming the streets, and a plethora of historic houses, and you feel like youâve stepped back in time to the 18th Century.
If youâre travelling with kids, see our guide to [16 unmissable things to do in Charleston with kids](https://bridgesandballoons.com/things-to-do-in-charleston-sc-with-kids/).
### Things to do in Charleston
- Wander the streets, admiring all the colourful houses. Rainbow Row is particularly beautiful. And the Battery is lovely for a stroll along the waterfront.
- Visit the Angel Oak, just outside of the city.
- Visit some of the historic houses, such as the Nathaniel Russell House or Heyward-Washington House.
- If you have kids, the [Childrenâs Museum of the Lowcountry](http://explorecml.org/) is amazing. It includes a mini play supermarket, which Otis loved.
- Take a carriage tour around the centre to learn a little more about the history and to simply take part in one of the cityâs most quintessential activities. We went with [Palmetto Carriage Works](https://palmettocarriage.com/), and our guide was both friendly and knowledgeable. It costs \$50 per adult and \$40 per child.
- Charleston has a very troubled past. It was the USAâs biggest slave port, and thousands of enslaved people lost their lives there. To better understand the past and the context of the city, I recommend visiting the [Magnolia Plantation](https://www.magnoliaplantation.com/) and doing the Slavery to Freedom tour, where the guide doesnât shy away from the brutality of slavery and takes you on a journey from slavery through the Jim Crow era to today. It includes a tour of four cabins that were used by enslaved people. Be aware that many plantation tours gloss over slavery, so it pays to do your research first and find one that pays respect to the enslaved people. Entry to the plantation costs \$32 per adult and \$16 per kid.
- Another place to visit to learn more slavery is the [Old Slave Mart Museum](http://www.oldslavemartmuseum.com/) in Charleston centre.
### Accommodation in Charleston
Charleston has a plethora of beautiful homes to stay in, be they Airbnbs, hotels or guesthouses. We chose to stay in Airbnb/rental properties as we wanted a taste of local Charleston life. We stayed in two different properties and have also written a guide to the [best Airbnbs in Charleston](https://bridgesandballoons.com/airbnb-charleston-sc/). If youâd prefer a hotel, weâve also curated a guide to the [most stylish hotels in Charleston](https://bridgesandballoons.com/family-hotels-in-charleston-sc/) (good if youâre travelling with or without kids).
- [The Little Pink House](https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1080388140558303540) is the epitome of charming â just look at how cute it is, both inside and out. Despite being a small house, the inside is deceptively spacious, and we didnât feel cramped, even with Otis in tow. From the pink exterior to the vintage furniture, everything is sweetly styled with both elegance and charm. There are two bathrooms (one shower), one bedroom, a living/kitchen area and even a laundry space. Plus, the porch and balcony areas give added living space too. [Book your stay here](https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1080388140558303540).
### Where to eat and drink in Charleston
- [Basic Kitchen](https://basickitchen.com/) for health food in upscale, hip surrounds.
- [Daps](http://dapsbreakfast.com/) for breakfast.
- [Brown Dog Deli](https://www.browndogdeli.com/) for a huge selection of gourmet sandwiches (including lots of veggie options).
- Sublime biscuits at [Callieâs Hot Little Biscuit](https://calliesbiscuits.com/).
- And an impressive selection of cakes and cookies at [Sugar Bakeshop](https://www.sugarbakeshopchs.com/).
### Getting to and around Charleston
The journey from Asheville to Charleston takes four hours. Itâs highway nearly the whole way, so not the most scenic drive (especially after having done the Blue Ridge Parkway).
Once in Charleston, thereâs a shuttle bus that can take you to most of the major sights, but we drove or walked most places. We never had an issue with finding a parking space (thereâs a large parking lot near the City Market). And we had parking spaces included at our accommodation. It was particularly handy having a car to drive out to the Magnolia Plantation.
## Savannah
*Days 10-13*
Trees draped in hanging Spanish moss, an artsy population fuelled by one of the countyâs best art schools, picturesque squares, and a laid-back Southern charm are just some of the things that combine to make Savannah arguably Georgiaâs most beautiful city.
See our full [Savannah travel guide](https://bridgesandballoons.com/fun-things-to-do-in-savannah-ga/) and our tips for the best [things to do in Savannah with kids](https://bridgesandballoons.com/things-do-do-in-savannah-ga-with-kids/).
### Things to do in Savannah
- Head to Forsyth Park for a photo in front of the famous fountain. Plus itâs also just a gorgeous park with lots of the mossy trees and a great childrenâs playground. We also loved the Saturday Farmerâs Market.
- Jump on one of the iconic trolley tours, which is a handy way to get around all the main sights while also learning some history along the way (plus Otis loved it!). We went with [Old Town Trolley Tours](https://www.trolleytours.com/savannah).
- One of the best things to do in Savannah is simply wander the streets, enjoying all the beautiful architecture. The city centre, from the river up to Forsyth Park, is built around 14 public squares that add an appealing grandeur and greenery to the city.
- There are tons of galleries in the city, partly because itâs home to SCAD, one of the USAâs best art colleges. Head to the SCAD Shop, which is part shop, part gallery, plus there are lots of independent galleries around that area.
- Head to City Market, an open-air shopping district with pedestrianised streets. Itâs home to one of the branches of [Byrdâs Cookies](https://www.byrdcookiecompany.com/), which is a perfect place for gifts.
- River Street, which lines the water, is one of the most popular tourist attractions, but as such, itâs very busy and commercialised. I didnât find it as charming as the rest of the city.
- The alley of oaks at Wormsloe is one of the most iconic Savannah sights, and it really is breathtaking. However, Wormsloe is an old plantation and Iâve heard that the tours gloss over the history of slavery and focus on the architecture and life of the colonialists instead, so I definitely wouldnât recommend doing a tour. Instead head to somewhere like Magnolia Plantation in Charleston or the Whitney Plantation in New Orleans.
- Also head up to the Starland District, which has lots of street art and independent shops, including Gypsy World and Graveface Records.
- We had really wanted to go to the [Childrenâs Museum](https://chsgeorgia.org/SCM), which looks amazing, but it was sadly closed because of a wine festival the weekend we were there.
- Take a day trip to Tybee Island, the cityâs laidback seaside escape. just 20 minutes from downtown.
### Accommodation in Savannah
We have a guide to [where to stay in Savannah with kids](https://bridgesandballoons.com/where-to-stay-in-savannah-ga-with-kids/).
We stayed at a [Sonder apartment on Broughton Street](https://go.skimresources.com/?id=148821X1613964&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sonder.com%2Fdestinations%2Fsavannah%2FSonder-Drayton-Apartments-Airy-1BR%2Fc28235%3Fsleeps%3D1). Sonder is between a hip, boutique hotel and an apartment rental. You get all the comfort and convenience of an apartment (fully equipped kitchen, laundry, living space, etc) but with the quality of a well-designed hotel.
Itâs a great concept and ideal for families who want a bit more space (weâre quickly learning that sitting in the dark in a hotel room once Otis is asleep at 7 pm is far from ideal!). Plus itâs a good price, starting at \$127 a night. [Book your stay now](https://go.skimresources.com/?id=148821X1613964&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sonder.com%2Fdestinations%2Fsavannah%2FSonder-Drayton-Apartments-Airy-1BR%2Fc28235%3Fsleeps%3D1).
Our only mistake was that we booked an apartment where the bedroom was on the corner of a busy street. This would be fine if it was just me and Steve as we could wear earplugs, but the noise did wake Otis up.
If youâre booking this particular building in Savannah (East Broughton Street), Iâd recommend booking an apartment where the bedroom is set back from the street (there are plenty available).
### Where to eat and drink in Savannah
- [Leopoldâs Ice Cream](https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g60814-d636805-Reviews-Leopold_s_Ice_Cream-Savannah_Georgia.html) is the oldest ice cream shop in the USA and regularly makes the top 10 lists. I can vouch that it deserves that accolade.
- [Starland Yard](https://www.starlandyard.com/) has a few food trucks and an excellent pizza restaurant called [Vittoria Pizzeria](https://www.vittoriapizzeria.com/).
- The [Sentient Bean](http://www.sentientbean.com/) near Forsyth Park is a good stop for casual veggie food in studenty surroundings.
### Getting to and around Savannah
The journey from Charleston to Savannah is about two hours.
Once in Savannah, you donât really need a car aside from visiting the plantations or sights outside of the city. We parked in one of the city parking garages near our place on East Broughton Street and only used the car to drive up to the Starland District (although we could have taken public transport there too) and to Wormsloe.
The rest of the time, we got around either on foot or on the trolley. I highly recommend the trolley as it goes to all the major sights, runs frequently (we never waited more than 15 mins), and itâs nice to hear about some of the history and culture as you travel.
## New Orleans
*Days 13-18*
Oh, New Orleans! I kind of knew Iâd love it before I got there, and the reality lived up to the hype. We were there for five nights, which allowed us to explore lots of different areas and really soak up the cityâs vibe. Itâs one of the most creative places Iâve been to, and you can feel that on every street.
### Things to do in New Orleans
- Wander the French Quarter and discover all the beauty, charm, craziness and partying that make up New Orleans. The area around Jackson Square is somewhat overwhelming, teeming with people and in-your-face tourism. And Bourbon Street is where all the out-of-town revellers go to drink lurid cocktails from giant glasses you can hang around your neck! We preferred Royal Street, which is a little more sedate and lined with galleries and boutiques. The architecture is gorgeous and I recommend popping into some of the eclectic shops, including [Fifi Mahonyâs](https://www.fifimahonys.com/), Voo-doo Bone Lady and [Faulkner House Books](https://faulknerhouse.net/). Thereâs live music everywhere.
- Walk around the different districts to get a feel for the different characters of the city. We loved the Garden District, which is gorgeous to wander around with street after street of beautiful homes, boutiques and restaurants. The Marigny and Bywater are also great for spotting colourful houses and interesting shops and restaurants. Crescent Park in the Bywater is ideal for a stroll along the waterfront.
- Frenchmen Street is the place to head to for live music. We didnât make it there, but [The Spotted Cat](https://www.spottedcatmusicclub.com/) comes highly recommended.
- [Mardi Gras World](https://mardigrasworld.com/) is a fun place to visit to learn more about the big event â itâs where they make lots of the floats, so you can do a guided or self-guided tour around the workshop, learning about how theyâre all made and seeing many of the final designs up close.
- Walk at least part of Magazine Street, which is six miles of independent shops and businesses, including [Peaches Records](https://www.peachesrecordsandtapes.com/) and lots of little gallery shops.
- City Park is twice the size of Central Park and filled with so many things to do, including: [botanical gardens](https://neworleanscitypark.com/botanical-garden) (which include the [Historic Train Garden](http://neworleanscitypark.com/in-the-park/train-garden) where kids will love seeing a little train riding around a miniature New Orelans); [Storyland](http://neworleanscitypark.com/in-the-park/storyland) where kids can be entertained by giant sculptures from childrenâs stories; [a modern art museum and 11-acre sculpture garden](https://neworleanscitypark.org/visit-city-park/new-orleans-museum-of-art/); an [amusement park](http://neworleanscitypark.com/in-the-park/carousel-gardens); boating lake; [mini golf](https://neworleanscitypark.com/in-the-park/city-putt), [childrenâs museum](http://neworleanscitypark.com/in-the-park/louisiana-childrens-museum) and more. You could easily spend a whole day there.
- If youâre in New Orleans on a Saturday, go to a Second Lines parade for a taste of Mardi Gras festivities.
- Ride one of the historic streetcars down Canal Street or St Charles Avenue.
### Accommodation in New Orleans
We had two nights in the [Catahoula](https://catahoulahotel.com/) Hotel, a hip boutique hotel with minimalist, industrial-style rooms and a beautiful modern vintage Pisco bar, which also serves delicious plant-based, south-east asian food. Itâs a bar as much as a hotel and has a buzz by night. The patio and roof deck are particularly striking with a three-storey mural and pretty festoon lighting.
The hotel is ideally suited to a hip, young crowd, and the premier rooms have plenty of space if youâre travelling with a baby/toddler. That said, nowadays, with Otis, I prefer an apartment to a hotel room, so Iâd also recommend checking out the Catahoula Hotelâs apartments.
The hotel is situated in the Central Business District of New Orleans, which isnât the most characterful spot in the city, but does have lots of good cafes, plus itâs within walking distance of both the French Quarter (10 mins) and the Garden District (15 mins). Rooms start at \$109 per night. [Book your stay here now](https://catahoulahotel.com/).
For the remainder of our time in New Orleans, we did a home exchange in Mid City, right next to City Park. We stayed in a gorgeous Arts and Crafts house in a residential area, which was a fantastic taste of local life. Being next to City Park, it was a very family-friendly area and also close to the Canal Streetcar (just 15 mins to the French Quarter).
It was a peaceful place to stay, so a good option for families. The Home Exchange we did isnât on Airbnb, but there are plenty of other rentals available in the area.
If we hadnât done a home exchange, I would have also looked at options in the [Garden District](https://airbnb.pvxt.net/eMX5j), [Marigny](https://www.airbnb.co.uk/s/Marigny--New-Orleans--LA--United-States/homes) and [Bywater](https://airbnb.pvxt.net/r3rq3).
### Where to eat and drink in New Orleans
- You have to try a beignet while in town. The most famous is from [CafĂ© du Monde](https://shop.cafedumonde.com/). The queue was huge when we were there, but the cafĂ© is giant, so we only had to wait 15 minutes and the beignet was definitely worth the wait. [CafĂ© Beignet](https://www.cafebeignet.com/) is another very good option â itâs a much smaller cafe, but also has a much shorter queue. The beignets are different in each one, so I recommend going to both\!
- Go to [District Donuts](https://www.districtdonuts.com/) to try what I think are a contender for best doughnuts in the world\!
- [Willa Jean](https://willajean.com/) is a popular spot for breakfast. The baked goods are A+. I had a delicious homemade apple pop tart with a bourbon glaze, and the biscuits are melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
- [Surreyâs](http://www.surreysnola.com/) has perhaps the best breakfast in town. Donât miss the local speciality â bananas foster. Oh my, Iâd go back to NOLA just for that (and the donuts from District)
- High-end Israeli food at [Shaya](https://www.shayarestaurant.com/).
- A dazzling array of hot dogs at [Dat Dog](https://www.datdog.com/), including four vegan sausage options and so many toppings to choose from.
- Weâre vegetarians so we didnât get to try all the local cuisine, which is very seafood heavy, but friends have recommended: [Commanderâs Palace](https://www.commanderspalace.com/), [Brigtsenâs](https://www.brigtsens.com/), Galatoireâs and [Parkway Bakery and Tavern](https://parkwaypoorboys.com/).
### Getting to and around New Orleans
We flew to New Orleans from Savannah as we were short on time (the drive is 9.5 hours, so youâd need to break it up along the way. If weâd had more time, weâd have stopped at Tallahassee or Montgomery, and perhaps Mobile too. Iâve written a little about them below.
We didnât hire a car in New Orleans, and mostly got around on foot, cable car and bus, with the odd Uber when we were short on time. We walked as much as we could, as thatâs the best way to really soak in the character of the city.
Buses and cable cars are reasonably priced (\$1.25 per journey or \$3 for a day ticket) and easy to navigate using Google Maps.
## How to extend this road trip
As outlined in the itinerary and map at the top of the post, Iâve offered some suggestions for how to extend this southern US road trip, including stops in [Tallahassee](https://www.travlinmad.com/blog/what-to-do-in-tallahassee-florida), [Montgomery](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/03/travel/what-to-do-36-hours-in-montgomery-alabama.html), [Mobile](https://www.ytravelblog.com/things-to-do-in-mobile-alabama/), [Jackson](https://www.ytravelblog.com/fun-things-to-do-in-jackson-ms/), [Memphis](https://handluggageonly.co.uk/12-of-the-best-things-to-do-in-memphis-tennessee/) and [Nashville](https://www.thrillist.com/lifestyle/nashville/things-to-do-in-nashville). As we didnât go to see these places, Iâve linked to blog posts/articles that could be useful for planning a trip there. Hereâs an extra for [things to do in Nashville with kids](https://www.crazyfamilyadventure.com/things-to-do-in-nashville-with-kids/).
### Our top travel planning tips
If youâre planning a trip, be sure to have a look at all our [top travel planning tips](https://bridgesandballoons.com/travel-gear-and-products/), including how to save money with the best credit cards, what to bring, and all our favourite tools and tricks.
For car rentals, we recommend booking with [Discover Cars](https://bridgesandballoons.com/recommends/discover-cars/ "Discover Cars"). Weâve found they always have the cheapest deals for mainstream retailers.
We found great last-minute deals on [Booking.com](https://bridgesandballoons.com/recommends/booking/ "Booking"), getting a discount of up to 60%.
Have you ever considered a [home exchange](https://bridgesandballoons.com/home-exchange/)? Itâs our favourite way to travel (and the most affordable).
Our favourite place to book flights is [Skyscanner](https://bridgesandballoons.com/recommends/skyscanner/ "Skyscanner") â again, they always have great deals.
Donât forget your travel insurance! We recommend [True Traveller](https://bridgesandballoons.com/recommends/true-traveller/ "True Traveller") who offer reliable, comprehensive cover, including medical, evacuation, baggage and a range of adventure sports and activities. You can buy True Traveller insurance even when youâve left home, which is unusual for travel insurance companies.
If youâre travelling with kids, donât miss our full [family travel section](https://bridgesandballoons.com/creative-family-travel-guides/).
### Found this post useful? Share it on Pinterest
## Our road trip itineraries
See all our [road trip itineraries](https://bridgesandballoons.com/road-trips/) here. And donât miss our guide to [how to plan a road trip](https://bridgesandballoons.com/how-to-plan-a-road-trip/).
**UK**: [Best UK road trips](https://bridgesandballoons.com/best-uk-road-trips-itinerary/) \| [Best Scotland road trips](https://bridgesandballoons.com/best-scotland-road-trips/)
**Europe road trips:** [Best Europe road trips](https://bridgesandballoons.com/best-europe-road-trips/) \| [How to plan a France road trip](https://bridgesandballoons.com/france-road-trip/) \| [France itineraries](https://bridgesandballoons.com/france-itinerary-ideas/) \|[France â Provence road trip](https://bridgesandballoons.com/south-of-france-itinerary-road-trip-provence/) \| [France â West Coast road trip](https://bridgesandballoons.com/france-west-coast-road-trip-itinerary/) \| [Best Greece road trips](https://bridgesandballoons.com/best-greece-road-trips/) \| [Best Italy road trips](https://bridgesandballoons.com/best-italy-road-trips/) \| [Italy: Amalfi Coast, Rome and Tuscany road trip](https://bridgesandballoons.com/italian-road-trip-amalfi-coast/) \| [Italy: Trentino road trip](https://bridgesandballoons.com/trentino-dolomites-itinerary/) \| [Iceland road trip](https://bridgesandballoons.com/iceland-itinerary-5-days-winter/) \|[Best Portugal road trips](https://bridgesandballoons.com/road-trip-portugal-10-days/) \|[Slovenia road trip](https://bridgesandballoons.com/10-day-slovenia-road-trip/) \| [Best Spain road trips](https://bridgesandballoons.com/best-spain-road-trips/) \| [The most colourful road trip in Europe (France, Italy and Switzerland)](https://bridgesandballoons.com/road-trip-europe-france-switzerland-italy/)
**USA:** [Boston to Maine road trip](https://bridgesandballoons.com/the-ultimate-boston-to-maine-road-trip-itinerary/) \| [Ultimate California road trip](https://bridgesandballoons.com/california-road-trip-itinerary/) \| [New England road trip](https://bridgesandballoons.com/new-england-road-trip/) \| [Oregon road trip](https://bridgesandballoons.com/oregon-road-trip/) \| [Pacific Coast Highway](https://bridgesandballoons.com/pacific-coast-highway-road-trip-itinerary/) \| [San Francisco to Seattle](https://bridgesandballoons.com/san-francisco-to-seattle-road-trip/) \| [Southern USA road trip](https://bridgesandballoons.com/southern-usa-road-trip/) \| [Texas road trip](https://bridgesandballoons.com/texas-road-trip/) \| [The best USA road trips](https://bridgesandballoons.com/best-road-trips-usa/)
**Africa road trips:** [Cape Peninsula road trip](https://bridgesandballoons.com/cape-peninsula-road-trip/)
**Australasia road trips:** [New Zealand North Island road trip](https://bridgesandballoons.com/new-zealand-north-island-itinerary/) \| [New Zealand South Island road trip](https://bridgesandballoons.com/new-zealand-road-trip-itinerary/)
Categories [Family travel](https://bridgesandballoons.com/category/family-travel/), [Georgia](https://bridgesandballoons.com/category/travel/usa/georgia/), [New Orleans](https://bridgesandballoons.com/category/travel/usa/new-orleans/), [North Carolina Travel Tips and Stories](https://bridgesandballoons.com/category/travel/usa/north-carolina/), [Road trips](https://bridgesandballoons.com/category/travel-itineraries/road-trip/), [South Carolina](https://bridgesandballoons.com/category/travel/usa/south-carolina/), [Travel itineraries](https://bridgesandballoons.com/category/travel-itineraries/), [USA Travel Tips and Stories](https://bridgesandballoons.com/category/travel/usa/) Tags [Asheville](https://bridgesandballoons.com/tag/asheville/), [Atlanta](https://bridgesandballoons.com/tag/atlanta/), [Blue Ridge Parkway](https://bridgesandballoons.com/tag/blue-ridge-parkway/), [Charleston](https://bridgesandballoons.com/tag/charleston/), [savannah](https://bridgesandballoons.com/tag/savannah/)
[How to plan the ultimate France road trip](https://bridgesandballoons.com/france-road-trip/)
[31 reasons to love Asheville, NC](https://bridgesandballoons.com/things-to-do-asheville-nc/)
## 7 thoughts on âRoad Trip: Southern USA â An Epic Deep South Itineraryâ
1. Laura
[January 18, 2020 at 9:08 am](https://bridgesandballoons.com/southern-usa-road-trip/#comment-208364)
I am so glad I stumbled on this! Iâm from London and just off on a backpacking trip around the Southern US at 5 months pregnant. My husband and I love to travel and want to make the most of my energy in the second trimester. There have been a lot of naysayers but we are so inspired by your blog. We canât wait to travel with our baby too. Thank you\!
[Reply](https://bridgesandballoons.com/southern-usa-road-trip/#comment-208364)
2. Ite
[February 27, 2020 at 3:08 pm](https://bridgesandballoons.com/southern-usa-road-trip/#comment-208853)
Great information and tips! Thank you for sharing. We are planning to go this summer, a similar route with also Nashville and Memphis.
Greetings from the Netherland
[Reply](https://bridgesandballoons.com/southern-usa-road-trip/#comment-208853)
3. Dirk
[March 26, 2020 at 10:30 am](https://bridgesandballoons.com/southern-usa-road-trip/#comment-209136)
Cool stuff. We are planning a trip in 2022 and def want to hit the south. Thanks for the insight.
[Reply](https://bridgesandballoons.com/southern-usa-road-trip/#comment-209136)
4. [Victoria](http://traveltori.blog/)
[May 6, 2020 at 4:04 am](https://bridgesandballoons.com/southern-usa-road-trip/#comment-209599)
I am planning a Southern USA road trip and this blog post is super useful, thank you so much! Also, your photos are beautiful\!
[Reply](https://bridgesandballoons.com/southern-usa-road-trip/#comment-209599)
- Victoria
[May 9, 2020 at 7:57 pm](https://bridgesandballoons.com/southern-usa-road-trip/#comment-209629)
Thank you! So pleased it was useful đ
[Reply](https://bridgesandballoons.com/southern-usa-road-trip/#comment-209629)
5. Lindsey Threlkeld
[July 26, 2020 at 5:35 pm](https://bridgesandballoons.com/southern-usa-road-trip/#comment-210353)
Iâm from the South and have lived in Atlanta, Savannah and Nashville. When I meet people wanting to roadtrip the southern US, this is almost the exact itinerary I recommend to them! A couple extra tidbits Iâd recommend: MaryMacâs near Piedmont Park in Atlanta for the best real southern food (tell them itâs your first time and you get a free sampling of hoppin john), the Prohibition Museum in Savannah (designed by the same people who created the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and with a prohibition speakeasy at the end of the tour) and Vinny Van Goghs right next door for pizza (cash only but has an ATM inside), and a stop in Dillard, Elijay or Clayton en route from Atlanta to the Blue Ridge. Elijay and Clayton are both charming, small mountain towns with a vibrant food and arts scene, and Dillard has the R.M. Rose Whiskey Distillery and is the jumping off point for the North Georgia Wine Trail. Happy travels\!
[Reply](https://bridgesandballoons.com/southern-usa-road-trip/#comment-210353)
6. Bryson Fico
[April 30, 2021 at 6:16 pm](https://bridgesandballoons.com/southern-usa-road-trip/#comment-212808)
We love your itinerary and the route you selected. We are excited to plan a Southern USA road trip in 2022. Savannah, Nashville, and the Smokeys are definite stops on our list.
[Reply](https://bridgesandballoons.com/southern-usa-road-trip/#comment-212808)
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| Readable Markdown | Last updated on March 11, 2026
The allure of the southern USA has been calling me for years. I wanted to experience that famous Southern charm, the music, the moss-laden trees, the accent, the mountains, and all the colourful cities and quirks that make up the southern states.
Itâs a big area yâall, so coming up with a **south US road trip itinerary** was no mean feat. We found our priorities, including the Blue Ridge Parkway, New Orleans and Charleston and built it out from that. What we came up with was a fascinating trip through five states that far exceeded our Southern dreams.
So hereâs our South USA road trip itinerary, including all the details of what we did, where we stayed and where we ate â itâs all you need to plan a perfect road trip in southern USA.
For more road trip inspiration, see our guides to the [22 best American road trips](https://bridgesandballoons.com/best-road-trips-usa/), bucket list [family vacation ideas](https://bridgesandballoons.com/family-vacation-ideas/), an epic [California road trip](https://bridgesandballoons.com/california-road-trip-itinerary/) and this [Pacific Coast Highway itinerary](https://bridgesandballoons.com/pacific-coast-highway-road-trip-itinerary/).
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I get a small commission if you buy something (at no extra cost to you). Itâs one of the ways I keep this blog going. Thanks a million for your support. You can read more about my affiliate policy [here](https://bridgesandballoons.com/advertising-collaborations-press-trips/).
## **Southern USA road trip at a glance**
- Days 1-2: Atlanta
- Days 2-4: Blue Ridge / Smoky Mountains
- Day 4: Blue Ridge Parkway
- Days 4-7: Asheville
- Days 7-10: Charleston
- Days 10-13: Savannah
- (Days 13-14: Tallahassee or Montgomery)
- (Days 14-15: Mobile)
- Days 15-20: New Orleans
- (Days 20-21: Jackson)
- (Days 21-23: Memphis)
- (Days 23-26: Nashville)
We went to all the places that arenât in brackets. However, if you have time, you could also add the places in brackets, heading to Montgomery or Tallahassee and/or Mobile (rather than flying between Savannah and New Orleans). And following New Orleans, you could add Jackson, Memphis and Nashville (or follow the Natchez Trace Parkway straight to Nashville). This would make it the ultimate South USA road trip\!
### USA Southeast Road Trip Map
### Where is southern USA?
First of all, itâs not easy to define âsouthern USAâ as although it can include everything south of the Mason-Dixie line and as far west as Louisiana and Arkansas, most definitions hone in on the central states, leaving out the states north of Tennessee and North Carolina, and also sometimes Florida.
For the sake of this South USA itinerary, weâre focusing on the Carolinas, Georgia and Louisiana, with the option of adding stops in Tennessee, the Florida panhandle, Alabama and Mississippi for an in-depth deep south road trip itinerary.
### Our priorities and how we planned our road trip in southern USA
Planning a three-week Southern USA road trip was a daunting task â thereâs so much to try and fit in and so many options to choose from.
For us, we were somewhat limited by time and traveling with an almost-two-year-old. We didnât want to do too many long journeys, plus we also favour a slower mode of travel, ideally spending at least 2-3 nights in any one place.
You could do the same itinerary in a shorter (or longer) amount of time, or pick and choose from the destinations to craft your ideal southeast road trip itinerary.
As with [all the itineraries on Bridges and Balloons](https://bridgesandballoons.com/unique-itineraries/), we have a special focus on creating handpicked itineraries that are filled with special places to stay and things to experience â think beautiful design, plenty of character and amazing locations â plus heaps of cake, independent bookshops, farmers markets and parks. We like to do a local style of travel, so we donât always hit all the âmust-seesâ, preferring to soak up the atmosphere and experience local life. [Read more about our style here](https://bridgesandballoons.com/about/).
Iâll also be writing detailed blog posts for each destination with extra tips and advice.
### How we got around on our Southern USA road trip
We hired a car all the way from Atlanta to Savannah, and then flew from Savannah to New Orleans (although you could drive between the two if you have the extra time).
As always, we used [Discover Cars](https://bridgesandballoons.com/recommends/discover-cars/ "Discover Cars") as thatâs where weâve always found the best deals. Itâs a booking agent for many car hire companies, and the best deal they found for us was with Alamo. We opted for a Dodge Grand Caravan (same as we had in California), which is an SUV-style car that allowed plenty of room for Otisâ stuff.
If you donât want to drive, you could take buses instead, although of course that gives you less flexibility about where you stop. Public transport isnât great in the States, and distances between places are large, so hiring a car is definitely helpful for a road trip in the south.
Iâve included the driving times in the section for each destination below.
### Find the best deals on car hire
We recommend [Discover Cars](https://bridgesandballoons.com/recommends/discover-cars/ "Discover Cars") for booking your rental car. They search all the top companies and always tend to find the best deals. We use them every time.
### Weather and what to pack for a road trip in the south in November
Although the South has a reputation for being hot, we were there in November and the temperatures were pretty chilly. We had a few warm days at around 23 Celsius, but mostly it hovered around 15, sometimes going down to 8. We needed the heating on in all the places we stayed, even in New Orleans.
That said, the temperature in November varies a lot, so Iâd pack layers and keep an eye on the weather forecast. The sun makes a big difference, and we had quite a few days where weâd be wearing t-shirts in the sun in the mornings and then wearing a scarf in the afternoon in the shade.
### Our South USA road trip budget
When we travel, we tend to mix budget and high-end options â
for example, staying in a simple hotel some nights and then splashing out on a luxury option here and there. We take the same approach with food. And weâre also big fans of the sharing economy, so we do home exchanges when we can (see our guide to [Home Exchange](https://bridgesandballoons.com/home-exchange/)).
On this particular trip, we did home exchanges in the Smoky Mountains and New Orleans, but the rest was Airbnb, plus a couple of hotels. The home exchanges helped keep our costs down, but in the budget, Iâm including the prices of equivalent Airbnbs, so you know what to expect.
Do remember that the USA doesnât include sales tax in its prices, so you have to account for that when looking at costs, plus youâre expected to tip around 20% on food and drinks orders.
**Accommodation:** \$75 â \$220 per night for two people (total of \$2,080 for 17 nights)
The accommodation cost of \$2,080 for the whole trip includes three nights in hotels and the rest is Airbnb.
**Car hire:** \$470 (plus \$83 for a car seat)
This was for 13 days, including the transfer fee for picking it up and dropping it off in different locations. We went for an intermediate sized car, so it would be cheaper if you chose compact or small. We used [Rentalcars.com](https://bridgesandballoons.com/recommends/rental-cars/) to book our car.
**Fuel:** \$237
**Food and drinks:** \$50-\$100 per day (for two adults and one child)
This varies a lot as it depends on how much self-catering you do, plus the type of restaurant you go to. For example, the most expensive meal we had was lunch at Basic Kitchen in Charleston, which cost \$70 for the three of us, whereas our lunch at Mercier Orchards near Blue Ridge was \$25.
Portion sizes are huge in the USA, so you can often get away with just sharing one dish between two. We saved a lot of money by often self-catering. And we also didnât drink on this trip (I was pregnant and Steve was recovering from glandular fever). You could easily add an extra \$50 per day if you added alcohol into the equation.
As a quick guide, a coffee costs around \$2.50 including a tip; a fancy donut is \$4; and a brunch for two in a mid-range cafe/restaurant, including coffee is \$30.
**Tours and entrance prices:** \$472 for two people
We visited very relatively few paid attractions on this trip, so this cost is quite low. Instead, we mostly stuck to free attractions and simply explored the town on foot. This cost would quickly go up if you wanted to visit more attractions. The fees we did pay, per person, were: Blue Ridge Scenic Railway (\$45); Asheville Pinball Museum (\$15); Charleston carriage ride (\$28); Magnolia Plantation (\$28); Charleston Childrenâs Museum (\$12); Savannah Trolley Tour (\$34); Wormsloe Plantation (\$10); Mardi Gras World (\$22); New Orleans Botanical Garden (\$8); Storyland (\$5).
## Road Trip Southern USA: Our Itinerary
## Atlanta
*Days 1-2*
The centre of countless African American political and cultural movements, and considered the Southâs unofficial capital, Atlanta is an exciting, diverse city where you can spend days exploring its history, cuisine and getting to know its people.
### What to do in Atlanta
- Top of your list should be seeing the Martin Luther King Junior Historic Site, an area that covers several blocks and includes Kingâs birth home, the church that he and his father preached at, his grave site, and exhibitions about Kingâs life and the Civil Rights movement. You can also walk from there along a 1.5-mile trail to the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum. The Civil Rights movement is one of [the main things Atlanta is known for](https://www.belaroundtheworld.com/what-is-atlanta-known-for/).
- Other popular attractions include the Center for Civil and Human Rights, the College Football Hall of Fame, Childrenâs Museum and the High Museum of Art.
- The aquarium is popular but not recommended as they hold dolphins and beluga whales, which is a huge animal welfare issue.
- I also recommend walking part of the BeltLine, a former railway line thatâs been converted into 33 miles of walking and cycling paths (eventually, there will be streetcars too). The Eastside Trail is a centre for hipster markets, eateries and craft beer bars.
### Accommodation in Atlanta
- We hadnât originally planned to stay the night in Atlanta, so we got a last-minute deal for the [Aloft Hotel](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/aloft-downtown-atlanta.en.html?aid=1207743&no_rooms=1&group_adults=1). Its style is a little too âfunkyâ for my taste, but it deserves its reputation as a chain of hotels that stands out for its young, modern design and additional extras such as free waffles in the morning and lively lobby bars by night. Itâs also clean and comfortable with affordable prices, making it a good option if youâre looking for somewhere central (itâs a 5-minute walk from Centennial Olympic Park). Our room cost \$120 for the night. [Book your stay here](https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/aloft-downtown-atlanta.en.html?aid=1207743&no_rooms=1&group_adults=1).
- For something a bit more characterful, I would choose [Sugar Magnolia B\&B](https://sugarmagnoliabb.com/), which sounds like a place to experience quintessential Southern hospitality while enjoying the back porch or getting cosy by the fire.
### Where to eat and drink in Atlanta
Atlanta has a wealth of great food, including Southern classics and worldwide cuisine. Here are a few recommendations.
- The trendy [Krog Street Market](https://krogstreetmarket.com/), where you can choose from around 15 different food stalls (we loved [Pho Nam](http://phonamatl.com/) and Suzy Siuâs Baos, and be sure to finish your meal with an ice cream from [Jeniâs Splendid Ice Creams](https://jenis.com/)!).
- [Ponce City Market](https://poncecitymarket.com/) is another good option where you need to try the donuts at [Five Daughters Bakery](https://fivedaughtersbakery.com/).
- We also recommend breakfast at [Atlanta Breakfast Club](https://www.facebook.com/abc249/) (donât miss the cinnamon buns!)
- Places we didnât try, but that look excellent include: [Bacchanalia](http://www.starprovisions.com/bacchanalia/) and [Ladybird Grove and Mess Hall](http://www.ladybirdatlanta.com/).
### Getting to and around Atlanta
We drove everywhere we needed to go in Atlanta, or walked around downtown from our hotel. However, if you donât have a car, you can get around using the bus, railway or tram. You can use the [Marta website](https://www.itsmarta.com/) to plan your journey on the bus, tram or streetcar.
The drive from the airport to downtown Atlanta took about 15 minutes.
## Blue Ridge / Smoky Mountains
*Days 2-4*
Thereâs something magical simply in the name, the Great Smokies, and the reality lives up to the enchantment. Cloaked in a perpetual blue haze, the Great Smoky Mountains National Mark, along the Tennessee-North Carolina border, is part of the southern Appalachians, and the USAâs most visited national park.
We stayed an hour outside the park in Murphy, near Blue Ridge. This is a good jumping-off point for exploring both the Smokies and the Chattahoochee National Forest.
### Things to do in the Smoky Mountains
- One of the best things we did in the area was go on the [Blue Ridge Scenic Railway](https://brscenic.com/), an open-air train journey that takes you to McCaysville and Copperhill â two neighbouring towns that straddle the Georgia/Tennessee border (you can stand with one foot in each). Thereâs not an awful lot to do in the towns, but Otis loved the train ride, so itâs an ideal family activity. It cost \$45 per adult and was free for Otis.
- We also enjoyed the views from the top of Panther Top Lookout Tower (just outside Murphy).
- Visiting [Mercier Orchards](https://www.mercier-orchards.com/) was another great family-friendly activity. We took a tractor ride to the orchard where we could pick our own apples (they do other fruits throughout the year) and also did some cider and fudge tasting back at the shop, which is a huge place filled with gifts and many, many apple products.
- Inside the Smoky Mountain National Park, some of the top things to do include climbing Clingmanâs Dome (this involves a 0.5-mile easy climb and views from an impressive observation tower) or visiting one of the many waterfalls. This page on [hikes in the Smokies](https://www.outdoorproject.com/travel/16-must-do-hikes-great-smoky-mountain-national-park) has loads of useful info on the different types of hikes, including info on difficulty levels and access. And if youâre definitely looking for a short hike, this page has lots of details on [short day hikes in the Smokies](https://wanderingwheatleys.com/best-day-hikes-in-the-smoky-mountains/).
- Blue Ridge is a sweet town to explore with lots of upscale boutiques alongside local souvenir shops, and many sweet treats, including a fudge shop and a cake shop owned by one of the winners of Cupcake Wars.
- Do like we did and go in the autumn when youâll get to see the fabulous fall colours. Itâs one of the USAâs top leaf-peeping destinations.
- The Smoky Mountains are part of the Appalachians, so you can also walk part of the Appalachian Trail while there. One popular option is the [Charles Bunion Trail](https://www.alltrails.com/en-gb/ar/trail/us/tennessee/charlies-bunion-via-appalachian-trail).
- A more popular place to stay when exploring the Smokies is Gatlinburg, but we wanted somewhere quieter (Gatlinburg is super touristy and busy). That said, Gatlinburg is also close to Pigeon Forge, home of Dolly Partonâs Dollywood, so if youâre a big Dolly fan, you could also base yourself around there. Read more about [things to do in Gatlinburg](https://www.gatlinburg.com/to-do/attractions/).
### Accommodation in the Smoky Mountains
We stayed in the cutest cabin, [The Hemlock House](https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/721708885842675583), near Murphy, North Carolina. Itâs everything that cabin dreams are made of, surrounded by forest, and with the cosiest interiors you could wish for. Itâs stylishly done, with a mix of modern and vintage touches, twinkly lights and a fire for snuggling in front of by nightfall.
From the front, the cabin looks tiny, but it actually has three floors and includes two bedrooms, a kitchen/lounge area, a full bathroom, a shower room, and a laundry cupboard (with washer and dryer). A sâmores kit is also provided for use on the outdoor fire pit. And there are kidsâ toys as well, which was a bonus for Otis.
The Hemlock House starts at \$2105 per night. [Book Hemlock House here](https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/721708885842675583).
### Where to eat and drink in the Smoky Mountains
If staying in a cabin, I think the best option is to take advantage of your setting and self-cater amid the coziness. Thatâs what we did.
- Chevelleâs 66 was recommended by our hosts.
- We also heard great things about Black Sheep and Harvest on Main in Blue Ridge. And we can vouch for the cakes from [The Sweet Shoppe](https://thesweetsouth.com/).
- In Macaysville/Cooperhill, the picking for vegetarians were very slim. We ate at Katzâs New York Deli, which is not the same as the famous one, but did have good bagels.
- There are a few branches of the [Rum Cake Lady](https://www.rumcakelady.com/) in the area, which is famous for its rum bundt cakes. They were a little too sweet for me, but theyâre legendary, so you may find you love them\!
### Getting to and around the Smoky Mountains
The drive from Atlanta to Murphy took just over two hours. Although there are a few bus services, you would struggle in this area without a car, as the buses are few and far between. If youâre carless, it might be better to stay in Gatlinburg, where there is more public transport, including to the Smoky Mountain National Park.
## Blue Ridge Parkway
*Day 4*
One of the main reasons we did this trip was to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway in autumn and see all the seasonal leaves. It was a gamble as you canât bank on nature and all the variables that go into when the leaves will change â a storm could blow them off, hot weather can cause delays or cold the opposite â you just have to hope for the best.
In that respect, we were lucky: we just missed âpeak colourâ but it still had the wow factor weâd been hoping for. Moreover, we drove on a clear and sunny day, so the views were wide and awesome.
That said, I think the Blue Ridge Parkway is likely worth driving at any time of year as the road and views are stunning. The whole thing is 469 miles long, starting at Shenandoah National Park and ending at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The speed limit is 45mph, so it would take about 15 hours to drive the whole thing. We just did one section from Balsam to Asheville, but one day Iâd love to do it all.
There are lots of viewpoints along the way (we stopped at pretty much every one we passed!), and there are also plenty of hikes to choose from. We did a short one called the Graveyard Fields Loop Trail, which was easy to do with Otis and included a beautiful waterfall.
This website has a really useful [route planner](https://www.blueridgeparkway.org/plan-your-parkway-trip/) with details of where to stay and things to do along the whole length of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
### Where to stay on the Blue Ridge Parkway
We stayed in Asheville, which I cover in the next section, but there are lots more options if you want to drive more of the parkway. The route planner I shared above has lots of options.
### Where to eat on the Blue Ridge Parkway
There arenât many places to eat on the parkway itself, so you may need to bring a pack lunch to enjoy at a picnic spot, or else you can leave the parkway to eat. [This map](https://www.blueridgeparkway.org/parkway-map/) lists all the different options on or near the parkway.
There were no options for us between Balsam and Asheville (the Pisgah Inn was closed), so we ate just before we got on at Balsam (at Burger King of all places because we wanted to try the Impossible Whopper, which I can now confirm tastes just as I remember a real Whopper did).
### Getting to and around the Blue Ridge Parkway
It took us about three hours to drive from Balsam to Asheville along the parkway, which included all the stops at the viewpoints. We were at Graveyard Falls for another hour or so, so in total our whole time on the parkway was about 4-5 hours. It also took about 1.5 hours to drive from our cabin near Murphy to Balsam.
## Asheville
*Days 4-7*
Asheville was a dream for us â a liberally minded mountain town filled with art, creativity, great food, and surrounded by stunning nature. Itâs just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, so itâs an ideal place to stay along the way. We loved every bit of it, and hereâs a post with our 31 favourite [things to do in Asheville](https://bridgesandballoons.com/things-to-do-asheville-nc/).
### Things to do in Asheville
Many people use Asheville as a base to explore the surrounding nature and multitude of different hikes and outdoor sports, but the city itself is also worth exploring. These were some of our favourite [things to do in Asheville:](https://bridgesandballoons.com/things-to-do-asheville-nc/)
- Explore the River Arts District, where you can discover around 200 artists in 22 buildings along the French Broad River. Many of the studios are open on weekdays, but youâll find the most open on Fridays and Saturdays.
- Go to the [Pinball Museum](https://ashevillepinball.com/), where you can pay \$17 to play an unlimited amount of pinball and classic arcade games. So much fun\!
- Walk around downtown and explore all the cute cafes, breweries and shops, including Mast General Store, East Fork Pottery and [Asheville Emporium](http://asheville-emporium.com/). Asheville has an especially good selection of bookshops, including: [Malaprops Bookstore](https://www.malaprops.com/), [Downtown Books](http://www.dbnbooks.com/), [Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar](https://www.facebook.com/batteryparkbookexchange/) and [Firestorm Books](https://www.firestorm.coop/).
- Also be sure to explore trendy West Asheville, where we stayed, which has a plethora of creative shops, restaurants and cafes (favourites included Firestorm Books, [Flora](https://florabotanicalliving.com/), and [Hole Doughnuts](https://www.hole-doughnuts.com/)).
- We didnât do this, but the Biltmore Estate is one of the most popular attractions in Asheville. Itâs the largest private residence in the USA.
- Other popular attractions include the Folk Art Centre, the Asheville Art Museum, the Smoky Mountain Adventure Centre and Brew-ed beer walking tours.
- Read more in our guide to [31 things to love about Asheville](https://bridgesandballoons.com/things-to-do-asheville-nc/).
### Accommodation in Asheville
We chose to stay in West Asheville, a residential area with a hip reputation where there are plenty of Airbnbs on offer. The one we stayed at is no longer available, but we also have a guide to the [best Airbnbs in Asheville](https://bridgesandballoons.com/airbnb-asheville-nc/) and the best [Asheville VRBO cabins](https://bridgesandballoons.com/vrbo-asheville-nc/).
### Where to eat and drink in Asheville
Asheville is filled with great places to eat and drink and is particularly famous for its craft beer scene. A few of our favourites were:
- [Chai Pani](https://www.chaipani.com/asheville) for A+ Indian food
- [Hole Doughnuts](https://www.hole-doughnuts.com/) for made-to-order doughnuts
- The [Baked Pie Company](https://www.bakedpiecompany.com/) for the best pies ever (they do a pie flight, so you can try out three different pies)
- [Sunny Point Café](https://sunnypointcafe.com/) for brunch (the oatmeal pancakes are divine)
- [White Labs Kitchen & Tap](https://whitelabs.com/) for beer and pizza
- For tea, head to [Dobra Tea](https://www.dobratea.com/)
### Getting to and around Asheville
We covered how we got to Asheville from the Smoky Mountains in the section above on the Blue Ridge Parkway. If we hadnât driven on the Blue Ridge Parkway, the journey from Murphy to Asheville would have only taken two hours.
Once in Asheville, we drove most places, but also did one full day of walking from our place in West Asheville to downtown and back via the River Arts (the walk was about an hour each way).
## Charleston
*Days 7-10*
Charleston is one of the most pristine cities Iâve ever visited, filled with row after row of colourful, perfectly kept houses. Add to that a hefty dose of Southern charm, horses and carriages roaming the streets, and a plethora of historic houses, and you feel like youâve stepped back in time to the 18th Century.
If youâre travelling with kids, see our guide to [16 unmissable things to do in Charleston with kids](https://bridgesandballoons.com/things-to-do-in-charleston-sc-with-kids/).
### Things to do in Charleston
- Wander the streets, admiring all the colourful houses. Rainbow Row is particularly beautiful. And the Battery is lovely for a stroll along the waterfront.
- Visit the Angel Oak, just outside of the city.
- Visit some of the historic houses, such as the Nathaniel Russell House or Heyward-Washington House.
- If you have kids, the [Childrenâs Museum of the Lowcountry](http://explorecml.org/) is amazing. It includes a mini play supermarket, which Otis loved.
- Take a carriage tour around the centre to learn a little more about the history and to simply take part in one of the cityâs most quintessential activities. We went with [Palmetto Carriage Works](https://palmettocarriage.com/), and our guide was both friendly and knowledgeable. It costs \$50 per adult and \$40 per child.
- Charleston has a very troubled past. It was the USAâs biggest slave port, and thousands of enslaved people lost their lives there. To better understand the past and the context of the city, I recommend visiting the [Magnolia Plantation](https://www.magnoliaplantation.com/) and doing the Slavery to Freedom tour, where the guide doesnât shy away from the brutality of slavery and takes you on a journey from slavery through the Jim Crow era to today. It includes a tour of four cabins that were used by enslaved people. Be aware that many plantation tours gloss over slavery, so it pays to do your research first and find one that pays respect to the enslaved people. Entry to the plantation costs \$32 per adult and \$16 per kid.
- Another place to visit to learn more slavery is the [Old Slave Mart Museum](http://www.oldslavemartmuseum.com/) in Charleston centre.
### Accommodation in Charleston
Charleston has a plethora of beautiful homes to stay in, be they Airbnbs, hotels or guesthouses. We chose to stay in Airbnb/rental properties as we wanted a taste of local Charleston life. We stayed in two different properties and have also written a guide to the [best Airbnbs in Charleston](https://bridgesandballoons.com/airbnb-charleston-sc/). If youâd prefer a hotel, weâve also curated a guide to the [most stylish hotels in Charleston](https://bridgesandballoons.com/family-hotels-in-charleston-sc/) (good if youâre travelling with or without kids).
- [The Little Pink House](https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1080388140558303540) is the epitome of charming â just look at how cute it is, both inside and out. Despite being a small house, the inside is deceptively spacious, and we didnât feel cramped, even with Otis in tow. From the pink exterior to the vintage furniture, everything is sweetly styled with both elegance and charm. There are two bathrooms (one shower), one bedroom, a living/kitchen area and even a laundry space. Plus, the porch and balcony areas give added living space too. [Book your stay here](https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1080388140558303540).
### Where to eat and drink in Charleston
- [Basic Kitchen](https://basickitchen.com/) for health food in upscale, hip surrounds.
- [Daps](http://dapsbreakfast.com/) for breakfast.
- [Brown Dog Deli](https://www.browndogdeli.com/) for a huge selection of gourmet sandwiches (including lots of veggie options).
- Sublime biscuits at [Callieâs Hot Little Biscuit](https://calliesbiscuits.com/).
- And an impressive selection of cakes and cookies at [Sugar Bakeshop](https://www.sugarbakeshopchs.com/).
### Getting to and around Charleston
The journey from Asheville to Charleston takes four hours. Itâs highway nearly the whole way, so not the most scenic drive (especially after having done the Blue Ridge Parkway).
Once in Charleston, thereâs a shuttle bus that can take you to most of the major sights, but we drove or walked most places. We never had an issue with finding a parking space (thereâs a large parking lot near the City Market). And we had parking spaces included at our accommodation. It was particularly handy having a car to drive out to the Magnolia Plantation.
## Savannah
*Days 10-13*
Trees draped in hanging Spanish moss, an artsy population fuelled by one of the countyâs best art schools, picturesque squares, and a laid-back Southern charm are just some of the things that combine to make Savannah arguably Georgiaâs most beautiful city.
See our full [Savannah travel guide](https://bridgesandballoons.com/fun-things-to-do-in-savannah-ga/) and our tips for the best [things to do in Savannah with kids](https://bridgesandballoons.com/things-do-do-in-savannah-ga-with-kids/).
### Things to do in Savannah
- Head to Forsyth Park for a photo in front of the famous fountain. Plus itâs also just a gorgeous park with lots of the mossy trees and a great childrenâs playground. We also loved the Saturday Farmerâs Market.
- Jump on one of the iconic trolley tours, which is a handy way to get around all the main sights while also learning some history along the way (plus Otis loved it!). We went with [Old Town Trolley Tours](https://www.trolleytours.com/savannah).
- One of the best things to do in Savannah is simply wander the streets, enjoying all the beautiful architecture. The city centre, from the river up to Forsyth Park, is built around 14 public squares that add an appealing grandeur and greenery to the city.
- There are tons of galleries in the city, partly because itâs home to SCAD, one of the USAâs best art colleges. Head to the SCAD Shop, which is part shop, part gallery, plus there are lots of independent galleries around that area.
- Head to City Market, an open-air shopping district with pedestrianised streets. Itâs home to one of the branches of [Byrdâs Cookies](https://www.byrdcookiecompany.com/), which is a perfect place for gifts.
- River Street, which lines the water, is one of the most popular tourist attractions, but as such, itâs very busy and commercialised. I didnât find it as charming as the rest of the city.
- The alley of oaks at Wormsloe is one of the most iconic Savannah sights, and it really is breathtaking. However, Wormsloe is an old plantation and Iâve heard that the tours gloss over the history of slavery and focus on the architecture and life of the colonialists instead, so I definitely wouldnât recommend doing a tour. Instead head to somewhere like Magnolia Plantation in Charleston or the Whitney Plantation in New Orleans.
- Also head up to the Starland District, which has lots of street art and independent shops, including Gypsy World and Graveface Records.
- We had really wanted to go to the [Childrenâs Museum](https://chsgeorgia.org/SCM), which looks amazing, but it was sadly closed because of a wine festival the weekend we were there.
- Take a day trip to Tybee Island, the cityâs laidback seaside escape. just 20 minutes from downtown.
### Accommodation in Savannah
We have a guide to [where to stay in Savannah with kids](https://bridgesandballoons.com/where-to-stay-in-savannah-ga-with-kids/).
We stayed at a [Sonder apartment on Broughton Street](https://go.skimresources.com/?id=148821X1613964&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sonder.com%2Fdestinations%2Fsavannah%2FSonder-Drayton-Apartments-Airy-1BR%2Fc28235%3Fsleeps%3D1). Sonder is between a hip, boutique hotel and an apartment rental. You get all the comfort and convenience of an apartment (fully equipped kitchen, laundry, living space, etc) but with the quality of a well-designed hotel.
Itâs a great concept and ideal for families who want a bit more space (weâre quickly learning that sitting in the dark in a hotel room once Otis is asleep at 7 pm is far from ideal!). Plus itâs a good price, starting at \$127 a night. [Book your stay now](https://go.skimresources.com/?id=148821X1613964&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sonder.com%2Fdestinations%2Fsavannah%2FSonder-Drayton-Apartments-Airy-1BR%2Fc28235%3Fsleeps%3D1).
Our only mistake was that we booked an apartment where the bedroom was on the corner of a busy street. This would be fine if it was just me and Steve as we could wear earplugs, but the noise did wake Otis up.
If youâre booking this particular building in Savannah (East Broughton Street), Iâd recommend booking an apartment where the bedroom is set back from the street (there are plenty available).
### Where to eat and drink in Savannah
- [Leopoldâs Ice Cream](https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g60814-d636805-Reviews-Leopold_s_Ice_Cream-Savannah_Georgia.html) is the oldest ice cream shop in the USA and regularly makes the top 10 lists. I can vouch that it deserves that accolade.
- [Starland Yard](https://www.starlandyard.com/) has a few food trucks and an excellent pizza restaurant called [Vittoria Pizzeria](https://www.vittoriapizzeria.com/).
- The [Sentient Bean](http://www.sentientbean.com/) near Forsyth Park is a good stop for casual veggie food in studenty surroundings.
### Getting to and around Savannah
The journey from Charleston to Savannah is about two hours.
Once in Savannah, you donât really need a car aside from visiting the plantations or sights outside of the city. We parked in one of the city parking garages near our place on East Broughton Street and only used the car to drive up to the Starland District (although we could have taken public transport there too) and to Wormsloe.
The rest of the time, we got around either on foot or on the trolley. I highly recommend the trolley as it goes to all the major sights, runs frequently (we never waited more than 15 mins), and itâs nice to hear about some of the history and culture as you travel.
## New Orleans
*Days 13-18*
Oh, New Orleans! I kind of knew Iâd love it before I got there, and the reality lived up to the hype. We were there for five nights, which allowed us to explore lots of different areas and really soak up the cityâs vibe. Itâs one of the most creative places Iâve been to, and you can feel that on every street.
### Things to do in New Orleans
- Wander the French Quarter and discover all the beauty, charm, craziness and partying that make up New Orleans. The area around Jackson Square is somewhat overwhelming, teeming with people and in-your-face tourism. And Bourbon Street is where all the out-of-town revellers go to drink lurid cocktails from giant glasses you can hang around your neck! We preferred Royal Street, which is a little more sedate and lined with galleries and boutiques. The architecture is gorgeous and I recommend popping into some of the eclectic shops, including [Fifi Mahonyâs](https://www.fifimahonys.com/), Voo-doo Bone Lady and [Faulkner House Books](https://faulknerhouse.net/). Thereâs live music everywhere.
- Walk around the different districts to get a feel for the different characters of the city. We loved the Garden District, which is gorgeous to wander around with street after street of beautiful homes, boutiques and restaurants. The Marigny and Bywater are also great for spotting colourful houses and interesting shops and restaurants. Crescent Park in the Bywater is ideal for a stroll along the waterfront.
- Frenchmen Street is the place to head to for live music. We didnât make it there, but [The Spotted Cat](https://www.spottedcatmusicclub.com/) comes highly recommended.
- [Mardi Gras World](https://mardigrasworld.com/) is a fun place to visit to learn more about the big event â itâs where they make lots of the floats, so you can do a guided or self-guided tour around the workshop, learning about how theyâre all made and seeing many of the final designs up close.
- Walk at least part of Magazine Street, which is six miles of independent shops and businesses, including [Peaches Records](https://www.peachesrecordsandtapes.com/) and lots of little gallery shops.
- City Park is twice the size of Central Park and filled with so many things to do, including: [botanical gardens](https://neworleanscitypark.com/botanical-garden) (which include the [Historic Train Garden](http://neworleanscitypark.com/in-the-park/train-garden) where kids will love seeing a little train riding around a miniature New Orelans); [Storyland](http://neworleanscitypark.com/in-the-park/storyland) where kids can be entertained by giant sculptures from childrenâs stories; [a modern art museum and 11-acre sculpture garden](https://neworleanscitypark.org/visit-city-park/new-orleans-museum-of-art/); an [amusement park](http://neworleanscitypark.com/in-the-park/carousel-gardens); boating lake; [mini golf](https://neworleanscitypark.com/in-the-park/city-putt), [childrenâs museum](http://neworleanscitypark.com/in-the-park/louisiana-childrens-museum) and more. You could easily spend a whole day there.
- If youâre in New Orleans on a Saturday, go to a Second Lines parade for a taste of Mardi Gras festivities.
- Ride one of the historic streetcars down Canal Street or St Charles Avenue.
### Accommodation in New Orleans
We had two nights in the [Catahoula](https://catahoulahotel.com/) Hotel, a hip boutique hotel with minimalist, industrial-style rooms and a beautiful modern vintage Pisco bar, which also serves delicious plant-based, south-east asian food. Itâs a bar as much as a hotel and has a buzz by night. The patio and roof deck are particularly striking with a three-storey mural and pretty festoon lighting.
The hotel is ideally suited to a hip, young crowd, and the premier rooms have plenty of space if youâre travelling with a baby/toddler. That said, nowadays, with Otis, I prefer an apartment to a hotel room, so Iâd also recommend checking out the Catahoula Hotelâs apartments.
The hotel is situated in the Central Business District of New Orleans, which isnât the most characterful spot in the city, but does have lots of good cafes, plus itâs within walking distance of both the French Quarter (10 mins) and the Garden District (15 mins). Rooms start at \$109 per night. [Book your stay here now](https://catahoulahotel.com/).
For the remainder of our time in New Orleans, we did a home exchange in Mid City, right next to City Park. We stayed in a gorgeous Arts and Crafts house in a residential area, which was a fantastic taste of local life. Being next to City Park, it was a very family-friendly area and also close to the Canal Streetcar (just 15 mins to the French Quarter).
It was a peaceful place to stay, so a good option for families. The Home Exchange we did isnât on Airbnb, but there are plenty of other rentals available in the area.
If we hadnât done a home exchange, I would have also looked at options in the [Garden District](https://airbnb.pvxt.net/eMX5j), [Marigny](https://www.airbnb.co.uk/s/Marigny--New-Orleans--LA--United-States/homes) and [Bywater](https://airbnb.pvxt.net/r3rq3).
### Where to eat and drink in New Orleans
- You have to try a beignet while in town. The most famous is from [CafĂ© du Monde](https://shop.cafedumonde.com/). The queue was huge when we were there, but the cafĂ© is giant, so we only had to wait 15 minutes and the beignet was definitely worth the wait. [CafĂ© Beignet](https://www.cafebeignet.com/) is another very good option â itâs a much smaller cafe, but also has a much shorter queue. The beignets are different in each one, so I recommend going to both\!
- Go to [District Donuts](https://www.districtdonuts.com/) to try what I think are a contender for best doughnuts in the world\!
- [Willa Jean](https://willajean.com/) is a popular spot for breakfast. The baked goods are A+. I had a delicious homemade apple pop tart with a bourbon glaze, and the biscuits are melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
- [Surreyâs](http://www.surreysnola.com/) has perhaps the best breakfast in town. Donât miss the local speciality â bananas foster. Oh my, Iâd go back to NOLA just for that (and the donuts from District)
- High-end Israeli food at [Shaya](https://www.shayarestaurant.com/).
- A dazzling array of hot dogs at [Dat Dog](https://www.datdog.com/), including four vegan sausage options and so many toppings to choose from.
- Weâre vegetarians so we didnât get to try all the local cuisine, which is very seafood heavy, but friends have recommended: [Commanderâs Palace](https://www.commanderspalace.com/), [Brigtsenâs](https://www.brigtsens.com/), Galatoireâs and [Parkway Bakery and Tavern](https://parkwaypoorboys.com/).
### Getting to and around New Orleans
We flew to New Orleans from Savannah as we were short on time (the drive is 9.5 hours, so youâd need to break it up along the way. If weâd had more time, weâd have stopped at Tallahassee or Montgomery, and perhaps Mobile too. Iâve written a little about them below.
We didnât hire a car in New Orleans, and mostly got around on foot, cable car and bus, with the odd Uber when we were short on time. We walked as much as we could, as thatâs the best way to really soak in the character of the city.
Buses and cable cars are reasonably priced (\$1.25 per journey or \$3 for a day ticket) and easy to navigate using Google Maps.
## How to extend this road trip
As outlined in the itinerary and map at the top of the post, Iâve offered some suggestions for how to extend this southern US road trip, including stops in [Tallahassee](https://www.travlinmad.com/blog/what-to-do-in-tallahassee-florida), [Montgomery](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/03/travel/what-to-do-36-hours-in-montgomery-alabama.html), [Mobile](https://www.ytravelblog.com/things-to-do-in-mobile-alabama/), [Jackson](https://www.ytravelblog.com/fun-things-to-do-in-jackson-ms/), [Memphis](https://handluggageonly.co.uk/12-of-the-best-things-to-do-in-memphis-tennessee/) and [Nashville](https://www.thrillist.com/lifestyle/nashville/things-to-do-in-nashville). As we didnât go to see these places, Iâve linked to blog posts/articles that could be useful for planning a trip there. Hereâs an extra for [things to do in Nashville with kids](https://www.crazyfamilyadventure.com/things-to-do-in-nashville-with-kids/).
### Our top travel planning tips
If youâre planning a trip, be sure to have a look at all our [top travel planning tips](https://bridgesandballoons.com/travel-gear-and-products/), including how to save money with the best credit cards, what to bring, and all our favourite tools and tricks.
For car rentals, we recommend booking with [Discover Cars](https://bridgesandballoons.com/recommends/discover-cars/ "Discover Cars"). Weâve found they always have the cheapest deals for mainstream retailers.
We found great last-minute deals on [Booking.com](https://bridgesandballoons.com/recommends/booking/ "Booking"), getting a discount of up to 60%.
Have you ever considered a [home exchange](https://bridgesandballoons.com/home-exchange/)? Itâs our favourite way to travel (and the most affordable).
Our favourite place to book flights is [Skyscanner](https://bridgesandballoons.com/recommends/skyscanner/ "Skyscanner") â again, they always have great deals.
Donât forget your travel insurance! We recommend [True Traveller](https://bridgesandballoons.com/recommends/true-traveller/ "True Traveller") who offer reliable, comprehensive cover, including medical, evacuation, baggage and a range of adventure sports and activities. You can buy True Traveller insurance even when youâve left home, which is unusual for travel insurance companies.
If youâre travelling with kids, donât miss our full [family travel section](https://bridgesandballoons.com/creative-family-travel-guides/).
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