Chicago round trip

[stuarta]

Ok so Chicago to Chicago is still the cheapest but does seem a waste of a couple days driving down when my wife's main focus is Nashville and Memphis. So thinking on Nashville to Nashville I'm looking to see what I can change to drop the price. I'm not sure if we would be interested in Mammoth Cave to be honest so would be looking at some sites around Pigeon Forge and possibly Tupelo on the way to Memphis

Scooting around the idea of

Sat - Nashville airport
Sun - Pigeon Forge
Mon - Pigeon Forge
Tues - Lynchburg
Wed - Tupelo
Thur - Memphis
Fri - Memphis
Sat - Memphis
Sun - Nashville
Mon - Nashville
Tue - Nashville
Wed fly home

Memphis mainly looking at Graceland's which I guess will take a day and maybe trip on the Mississippi another day. Nashville she wants to go to the Opry and Bluebird cafe but could shave a day of Nashville if necessary unless stuff to do for 2 full days

[Midwest Michael]

If direct flights are a priority, then I would also look at Atlanta and possibly Charlotte. Both have direct flights to London and are a fair bit closer than Chicago to most of your priority destinations.

If you still want to start from Chicago, it will work - and if you want to hit Indianapolis, that's certainly a consideration, you just hadn't mentioned it previously. But as Donna mentioned, make sure you're factoring in all of the costs. Chicago is city where you might not want a car - and if you're staying downtown, it's pretty easy to have to pay $50 a day just for parking. Alternatively, you would wait to pick up your car rental, but if you're planning to wait until after exploring Chicago to pick up the car from the airport, OHare is on the opposite side of the city from where you'll be traveling - so that adds a fair amount of time.

One other less conventional idea to consider would be flying in and out of Chicago for your transatlantic leg, but then look at a separate domestic flight to Nashville. There's quite a few nonstop flights from Chicago to Nashville every day, both on major carriers American and United, as well as discount Southwest Airlines, and possibly the Ultra Low Cost Frontier or Spirit. Keep in mind, Southwest Airlines basically requires you to book direct on their website (they generally will not appear on google flights, skyscanner, or any other online flight booking site) and the ULCCs will have high fees for bags and any other extras.

[stuarta]

Ok going to look properly on Sunday to try and get it nailed. I think I'm still preferring Chicago just to say we've been there and 5hr drive is nothing to us really. Is Chicago driving like LA or more like NY? Thinking the first night we'd stay near the airport and head back for 2 nights on the way back.

Quite like the idea of the observation deck and not sure if the water taxi would help us stay out a bit further to save driving or even staying back near the airport and getting the train in

[Midwest Michael]

Water taxi in Chicago is much more of a novelty than it is a real transportation method. It certainly won't get you anywhere near the airport.

The train (blue line) from O'Hare to downtown takes 45 minutes to an hour. Driving with no traffic is about 30 minutes, but no traffic is pretty rare and it can easily take well over an hour in heavy traffic. You'll certainly want to balance the costs with the travel time if considering staying near the airport.

[stuarta]

Ok thanks. Just trying to work out where to stay in Chicago on the way back. Would be driving in from St Louis, stop the night, then a full day and the night then check out for a late evening flight.

I think staying outside and getting CTA seems better option especially looking at hotel parking fees

[stuarta]

Sorry sudden change of plan. Now almost certain on Nashville - Nashville and driving through Memphis to Dallas, back via Oklahoma City and back to Nashville. Stopping at Hot Springs on the way to Dallas and Joplin and Williamsville as a rough guess for the way back but open to suggestions. So far 3 nights in Dallas which I think might be too much and 2 in Nashville on way back.

Hopefully some nice roads from Oklahoma

[DonnaR57]

Oklahoma City to St Louis is pretty much I-44, which is the route of the old US-66.

In Dallas, there are a few things to see/do. The first and foremos, there's the Sixth Floor Museums at Dealey Plaza.


Donna

[stuarta]

Ok great thanks, don't think we'll go as far north as St Louis but feels better. We've got more interest in Dallas than Chicago so makes sense and less miles.

Will definitely do Dealey Plaza, was hoping to find a rodeo but not sure midweek and just realised Gas Monkey Garage is in Dallas.

Just some suggested places and roads on the way back to Nashville. Don't like repeating roads and rather do a loop

[DonnaR57]

When you mentioned Oklahoma City and Joplin on the way back, I-44 came immediately to mind. I've been up/down that a few times.

If Joplin is in your "must stop" list, then I'd suggest US-60 across Missouri. A couple of places of interest might be Mansfield, MO (home of Laura Ingalls Wilder), Sikeston MO (original restaurant Lambert's of "throwed rolls" fame). You'd cross the river at Cairo IL and could head to Paducah, KY (American Quilt Museum, for one). Then head down I-24 to Nashville. There, Land Between the Lakes might be a nice scenic stop (or two) before Nashville.

I don't know about the current state of US-60 (construction, etc), nor about the Cairo Bridge (which MoDOT and IL-DOT just said it reopened). Give me another few weeks and I'll know more about those, firsthand. Watch for my trip report.

Donna

[stuarta]

Amazing thank you. Joplin and Williamsville was just me plucking a place on Google maps to break the drive