Chicago round trip

[AZBuck]

If St. Louis is out due to the lack of direct flights, then have a look at flying in and out of Atlanta. There are direct flights both ways between Heathrow and Hartsfield. They are a bit more costly than what you said you could get by using O'Hare as your point of entry and departure and, of course, I don't know that you're planning on using Heathrow as you airport in the UK.

As Michael pointed out earlier, every day you don't spend simply driving from Point 'A' to Point 'B' saves on the cost of the driving portion of your trip. Using Atlanta rather than Chicago would save you roughly 500 mi (800 km) in driving and would still let you hit the Great Smokies/Pigeon Forge, Memphis and Nashville. But whatever you decide to do, I would do it soon. Airfare prices and lodging costs tend to rise in price as time progresses. That is especially true this year everybody seems to want to get back to travelling after the COVID shutdowns.

AZBuck

[stuarta]

We aren't doing Chicago anymore, flying in and out of Nashville, trip through Memphis, Dallas, Houston, Slidell, Cullman and back to Nashville.

At the moment looking for a decent route from Slidell - Cullman and either intestate up the i59 or US11 or i10

[AZBuck]

There actually aren't a whole lot of roads to choose from between those two points other than the road I-59 'replaced', US-11. Once you've reached Tuscaloosa, AL-69 does offer a backroad close-to-the-ground alternative.

AZBuck

[glc]

You could take some combination of I-10 and US-90 out of Slidell to Mobile, then US-43 to Tuscaloosa. You may hit some pretty heavy beach traffic on US-90 so be prepared to jump back to I-10. Take I-65 through/around Mobile. This would be a pretty full day - at least 9 hours.

[stuarta]

Ok thanks, I think 9hrs pushing it a bit. I did read that US11 possibly got some nice towns to run through compared to the interstate, but wasn't sure if we missed out anything by going via Mobile and i10/65.

Sounds like it's gonna be a pretty boring drive and early arrival for the bed for the night in Cullman

[Lifemagician]

Just a thought that was touched on before by Midwest Michael and AZBuck. I don't usually like booking lodging ahead of time on road trips if I can help it. I remember one time I was in western North Dakota at Teddy Roosevelt National Park and had foolishly booked a room in Fargo that night. I should have followed my own advice and waited to book because I was forced to travel 6 hours late in the day across the entire state when I wasn't ready. On the flip side I was in Amarillo and was going to book in Albuquerque but this time I held off. I was smart to do so as I arrived around 2pm (far earlier than I expected) and since I didn't need to spend time in that area, I kept driving another 4 hours until I reached the Wigwam in Holbrook, AZ which in turn helped me now have a couple hours to hike in Petrified Forest National Park the next morning.

************

The true American road trip is finding your room at the end of each day. You know, like in Psycho!

In all my trips, I have rarely booked anything. But the two times I thought it was prudent to do so, I quickly learned my lesson.

First time was from Boston to London ON, when there were so many road works along the interstate, that I arrived at my hotel well after 10pm. If I had not booked I would have stopped and found myself a room in Buffalo NY, or nearby.

On another trip somewhere in Kentucky/Tenesee. The interstate was closed and there was a lengthy detour, which would again have seen me arrive well after dark. So I cancelled the booking and found a room where I was, still hours south of where I had planned to be.

I've never booked anything since - not on my trips; not at home!

Lifey

[Mark Sedenquist]

I don't usually like booking lodging ahead of time on road trips if I can help it. I remember one time I was in western North Dakota at Teddy Roosevelt National Park and had foolishly booked a room in Fargo that night. I should have followed my own advice and waited to book because I was forced to travel 6 hours late in the day across the entire state when I wasn't ready. On the flip side I was in Amarillo and was going to book in Albuquerque but this time I held off. I was smart to do so as I arrived around 2pm (far earlier than I expected) and since I didn't need to spend time in that area, I kept driving another 4 hours until I reached the Wigwam in Holbrook, AZ which in turn helped me now have a couple hours to hike in Petrified Forest National Park the next morning.

An alternative point of view (from Lifey's above)

If you are traveling ANYWHERE in the rural American west, in the summer, on a weekday -- there is an extremely good chance that you will not be able to find lodging if you haven't booked ahead. The reason? Swimming and youth soccer leagues. In recent months, I have been in motels in Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado where I was just about the only non-swimming-baseball-soccer league guest.

Bigger cities don't have this issue as much, but smaller cities (less than 20,000 residents ) and you will find that all of the nicest motels will be booked.

That said, when possible, I don't pre-book.

Mark

[landmariner]

If you have not booked flights yet, then you might want to consider Dallas or Houston. And restrict yourself largely to Texas, visit San Antonio, enjoy the beaches and warm water along the Texas coast. Dallas would be most central and is a major airport (American Airlines has tie-ins with British Airlines if that is a plus factor). Dallas is a major AA hub. Try not to connect through Atlanta or Chicago.

Oklahoma and Arkansas are within reasonable reach of Dallas. Hard to suggest places to go without knowing your special interests. Houston obviously has the Space Center. Austin is quite the happening city these days.

A long time ago National Car Rental was my go-to car rental, but I have rented with them for two decades now. I very seldon rent with Hertz or Avis anymore. My rental company of choice now is usually Alamo -- rent the MidSize class and you usually can select any vehicle in their Mid Size section which can include SUVs and MiniVans and other vehicles in the Mid to Full size class.

[Ram4]

An alternative point of view (from Lifey's above)

If you are traveling ANYWHERE in the rural American west, in the summer, on a weekday -- there is an extremely good chance that you will not be able to find lodging if you haven't booked ahead. The reason? Swimming and youth soccer leagues. In recent months, I have been in motels in Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado where I was just about the only non-swimming-baseball-soccer league guest.

Bigger cities don't have this issue as much, but smaller cities (less than 20,000 residents ) and you will find that all of the nicest motels will be booked.

That said, when possible, I don't pre-book.

Mark

Thanks for your thoughts Lifey and Mark.

Yeah, it seems the road warriors prefer to book while we are on the road - but we certainly have fallen victim to sold-out surprises. My rule of thumb seems to be if I am using points and have free rooms I will tend to book ahead (but not always). But I also have a "live life in the moment attitude and tell the crazy adventure stories later" mentality so if I am out in the middle of the rural west and can't find nice room or have to drive 100 miles further at midnight so be it. Either way I win. That hotel I wanted to get in Amarillo was sold out by the time I tried to book with points the same day. Fine, I avoided a sold out, probably packed with loud kids hotel. I ended up at very acceptable motel that I never would have known about otherwise. No thanks to you Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari! Just kidding... I would have loved to have stayed there as I drove past it but they were already sold out and I completely expected that.

Mark - I can always stay last minute at The Clown Motel in Tonopah can't I? lol

[stuarta]

The hotels booked and happy with the time, just a case of which way to go between those points.