Deep South - 3 stage road trip (Part 1 of 3)

Hi Everyone! I am from the UK and planning a road trip across the Deep South in 3 stages end of August to mid/end September.

First Leg - Atlanta - Huntsville - Starkville - Clarksdale - Natchez - New Orleans

I land in Atlanta on Tuesday 28th August and need to be in New Orleans by Thursday 6th September and am trying to take in some sports tourism as well as get a good feel for the culture of the area, so blues and civil war sites are of interest. This leg I will be travelling alone, before picking up my wife and sister in law in NOLA to start “Leg 2”. I am planning on seeing the Braves on the Wednesday after I land then heading to Huntsville to see some High School football on Thursday night, see the Space and Rocket museum there then to starkville to see Miss State play on Saturday night. From there I had in mind to take the Trace north and cut across to Clarksdale to get on Route 61 down to Natchez (catching the Trace again part way down) before heading south again to New Orleans. A few questions!!

1. Do you think this is doable in the time allowed?
2. What would people advise in terms of must see and do’s given the locations and timings?
3. Do you think I can get up to Lynchburg, TN en route from Atlanta to Huntsville without building in too much driving? I would like to see where JD comes from.
4. Does anyone consider it dangerous or inadvisable to travel alone in these areas?
5. I am keen to drive some of the Trace Parkway - is this recommended?
6. What else am I potentially missing by going a different route?

All other help/advice/contributions would be gratefully received.

Thanks

Banny

Welcome to the RTA Forum!

I think you've got a very solid plan. You've got a lot of things you're trying to fit in, but nothing that seems unreasonable at all.

Adding at a stop at JD would only add about an hour of driving - the distance from Atlanta to Lynchburg is basically the same as the distance from Atlanta to Huntsville, and then its only an hour drive from Lynchburg to Huntsville.

I assume you've already checked the sports schedules? High School Football is usually a Friday night event, although there are always exceptions, especially early in the season before the NFL gets started. For the college game, make sure you arrive plenty early to also partake in all the tailgating and other pregame festivities.

The trace is a very nice drive and something think you'll enjoy, and I also like your plan to come back down through the Mississippi Delta. When you do that, I would try to fit in a stop at the Vicksburg battlefield, a huge civil war site, with lots of interesting monuments and historical info.

Like Michael, your plan sounds pretty do-able though I sure hope you've checked schedules. At our HS's in California, Thursday night is usually the Freshmen and Junior Varsity teams playing.

Allow most of the day for the US Space and Rocket Center. If you *really* like space history, try to call ahead to reserve the Marshall Space Flight Center tour. It's extra cost but to us, it was VERY worth the money. They only do one tour a day and sometimes they fill quickly. You can reserve that tour by calling the US Space and Rocket Center 30 days ahead of time. Here's some information you need.


Donna

Hi Michael and thank you for your very kind response! You and Donna have given me a lot of confidence! Lynchburg is now definitely on my itinerary, as is Vicksburg which I hope to either stop over at or visit on my route down to Natchez. It sounds a very interesting place! I have double checked on the football game and it is definitely the Thursday evening. Like you say, maybe it is an early season thing as all other games are on the Friday night.

Thanks once again for taking the time to respond and help me. I am very grateful! Let me know if you are ever roadtripping around the UK - I would be glad to return the favour!!

Thanks Donna for your very helpful response. It is lucky that the High School game is on the Thursday as I don’t think I could do the Friday, but as per advice I have double checked timings etc! Your hints and tips on the Space and Rocket Centre are very helpful. I will try and book the tour (and possibly one of their films too!). I would like longer there but I have around a 200 mile onward trip to Starkville so I think I will try and get there first thing and spend the entire morning. See how it goes!!

Thank you once again for responding. It is so helpful to have an online community like this when planning a trip!!