Deep South Road Trip HELP !

[Phil Spencer]

Hi Guys
I'm very new to this forum and road trip planning !

My wife and I want to make the following trip - any suggestions , help or advice would be welcome
We want to stay on quiet roads and avoid the highways where possible
Can anyone suggest hotels or B&B along the way?

arrive Washington DC (2 days)
Then through Smoky Mountains - Blue Ridge Parkway (3 days) (which towns are best to stay at ? )
Nashville (3 days)
Tupelo (1 day) (via trace parkway)
Memphis (3 days)
Natchez (2 days)
New Orleans (2 days) - fly home

Cheers

Phil

[DonnaR57]

Welcome to RTA! That sounds like a great trip in the planning. When will this trip take place?

Hotels and B&B's.....well, here in the States, B&B's aren't necessarily your low-cost option. What are you looking for in a hotel or B&B? There are a number of different chains with a wide-variety of pricing, from 5-star high-prices to 1-star I'm-on-a-strict-budget prices.

If you're looking for quiet roads, the state and US highways are generally less populated than the Interstate "blue highways". County roads are even quieter, but you may also get stuck behind Farmer John's tractor going 5 mph for 10 miles. :-)


Donna

[Phil Spencer]

Hi Donna
Thanks for your reply
We are looking at visiting in late May
If you have any other suggestions or ideas of hotels & unique eating places that would be great
Some off the tourist trial places would be good for us to visit
Thanks
Phil

[Mark Sedenquist]

Turns out that some of our most active members really know this area well. Here are some threads that you might find helpful (I've driven all of these roads over the years -- you are going to have some fun).

The Skyline Drive (SD) through Shenandoah National Park (SNP) follows the crest of the Blue Ridge... - (Foy)


Here are a few more thoughts concerning the Skyline Drive (SD), the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP), Shenandoah National Park (SNP), and Great Smokey Mountains National Park (GSMNP):

We have a couple of route articles about sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Here is the northern stretch from Cherokee, North Carolina to Cumberland Knob

The Shack-up Inn could be on your list of possible lodging choices -- Here's a short field report by Peter Thody and another one by KathyK in 2007

Highway 61 is not on your direct route -- but if you read this book review I wrote about Tim Steils book about the highway, you'll start to get some ideas for your route.

Mountain View, Arkansas is another place to consider adding to your schedule. Every night, musicians gather in the town square and play music all night. There is also the Ozark Folk Center...

Here are some of the routes that we've published in the region....

Obviously, Tupelo is the birthplace of Elvis -- this route follows the Trace to Tupelo.

And then Tupelo to Nashville...

And this one, is a very great route for seeing the plantation properties along the Great River Road

So... please take a look and see what sorts of things appeal to you the most.

Mark

[Phil Spencer]

Can anyone help to confirm which places or towns are dry around the Smoky Mountains / Nashville / Memphis / Natchez areas ?
If there are still dry areas, can you get a beer in a restaurant ?

Thanks
Phil

Moderator Note: Please keep all questions about the same trip in the same thread.

[Foy]

Phil,

The occurrence of "dry" areas is subject to the many vagaries of state and local law, each of which may change without notice. There are, however, some generalities you may reasonably assume to be correct:

Smokies: of the locales listed, your greatest likelihood of encountering dry towns or counties is around the Smokies, particularly on the NC side. That said, the city of Asheville, in Buncombe County, is enjoying a rapidly expanding reputation as a craft brewing Mecca, and the New Belgium Brewing Company is building a large commercial brewery there. I would think some elementary research using the names of the NC and TN counties included within and adjoining the Great Smoky Mountains NP would generate some current information about beer, wine, and liquor sales.

Nashville and Memphis, TN: Both are pretty much the Wild, Wild West from my perspective. You'll likely find some dry counties and towns outside of Nashville and Memphis, particularly in far northwest Mississippi just outside of Memphis, but I'd be very surprised to learn of material restrictions to alcohol sales within the cities themselves.

Natchez: Anecdotal only: Mississippi is the second most likely of the listed areas to find dry counties and towns, behind far southwestern NC. I recall researching Natchez as a Sunday night stopover on a RoadTrip from Houston to Raleigh and learning that Natchez was dry on Sundays. Easy enough to confirm as noted above.

Also in general, you're somewhat more likely to find "dry on Sundays" than totally dry. And "dry on Sundays" oftentimes means that "to go" alcohol sales are prohibited on Sundays, with restaurant and bar sales generally allowed after about the noon hour.

Foy

[Phil Spencer]

Driving from Washington DC through the BRP can anyone tell me if the Peaks of Otter is a good place to stay over?
Any other suggestions of off the Beaton track locations?
Thanks
Phil

[Pmount]

Last October while driving the BRP we went off the parkway for lunch and gas at Blowing Rock, NC. It was an unexpected, delightful stop. We camp along the way so I can't help you with lodging.
A few thoughts about the earlier comments about Sunday and alcohol; be aware that a lot of resturants in the south are closed on Sunday. We have run into that more often than dry areas. In dry areas across the south we have been offered to purchase a 'membership', basically a surcharge to your drink, and we have been 'sponsored' by a member (whom we never met).

October 2014
"Just past the Moses H. Cone home, Flat Top Manor, we drove off the parkway into Blowing Rock, NC for gas and lunch. This is a very upscale and crowded town. One restaurant even had parking spaces with a white board at each space which had names and reserved times for that day. We enjoyed a very tasty lunch at Blowing Rock Ale House and Brewery."

- See more at: http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum....hXIlouyI.dpuf

Driving the BRP and Natchez Trace will definitley give you a slower, and much more enjoyable drive - Enjoy.
-Pat

[Phil Spencer]

As part of my USA road trip in May 16, we are planning 3 days in Nashville.
Does anyone know how early you can book tickets for the Opry or Ryman?
If anyone can give me a few pointers, that would be great.
We are from the UK, so any local info or tips would be very welcome

Thanks
Phil

Mod note. As previously requested, please keep all questions regarding this trip in this thread.

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

Well, those are relatively straightforward questions with direct answers.

Tickets for shows at the Ryman Auditorium are available directly from the Ryman. You can see a calendar of their upcoming events (with links to ticket sales) HERE.

The same is true of the Grand Ole Opry. Their calendar of events (and ticket sales) are HERE.

AZBuck