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Visit The Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smoky Mountains NP, Nashville, Memphis, Natchez, New Orleans, Florida Panhandle, Savannah, Charleston & Atlanta.
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Start and finish in Atlanta, Nashville or New Orleans, this circular Ultimate Deep South road trip will immerse you in the Deep South’s absorbing music, food and history. You’ll self-drive through six welcoming Deep South states – home to Blues, BBQ, bourbon, and much more. Spend three leisurely weeks enjoying friendly southern hospitality in the Deep South’s charming and musical cities. This road trip route also contains some outstanding natural beauty along the way too, making it a perfect mix of experiences.
Key road trip highlights:
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We’ll suggest properties to match your preferred budget, be it low-cost, mid-range or high-end luxury that you’re looking for. We can also mix it up so you’ll experience a range of standards and experiences along your road trip.
All of our American road trips can be tailored to meet your requirements. Do you have more or less than 21 days for your road trip? No problem, we can bolt on extra nights to allow more time to explore or shorten the number of destinations as required.
Collect your rental car at Atlanta Airport and head northeast on the short drive to Atlanta’s answer to Central Park. Stone Mountain Park is the most scenic introduction to the area; it offers pleasant green spaces and a massive quartz monzonite dome. Tomorrow, you’ll start your Ultimate Deep South road trip with a cruise around America’s most visited National Park – the Great Smoky Mountains.
Our route will guide you to the southernmost entrance of the world-famous Blue Ridge Parkway. Cruise up this super scenic road to find Asheville, which has 17 farmers’ markets and a local restaurant scene that takes full advantage of the seasonal produce sold there. Don’t miss Asheville’s fantastic microbreweries either, there are so many to choose from.
A full day to enjoy Asheville’s lively scene and tourist attractions. The North Carolina Arboretum and the astounding Biltmore Estate are well worth visiting. Venture further south of town to witness the beautiful views from Chimney Rock, which is approximately 25 miles from downtown Asheville.
Enjoy driving the Blue Ridge Parkway’s southernmost section for a second time on your drive to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Here, you’ll find ridge upon ridge of panoramic forest, which straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee. The Smokies is world-renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains, and the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture.
This is America’s most visited National Park, so a second day to explore the area is essential. Look out for the wonderful wildlife that roams freely here, including black bears, bobcats and elk. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an awesome place to visit at any time of year, but during the autumn, the trees put on a spectacular show of colour for hikers and drivers to relish.
Today, you’ll leave the Appalachian Mountains and head west to ‘Music City’, Nashville, Tennessee. En route, you may want to visit Dollywood Theme Park, which is named after its proprietor and local legend, Dolly Parton. Once you reach Nashville, Country music will take centre stage for the next two days. If you want longer here or anywhere else along the route, just let us know when you request your quote.
Nashville is the home of country music, and proud of it. Nashville boasts about its musical heritage at every opportunity, including the newly built Country Music Hall of Fame. However, it’s not all about Country – there is a rich blues history here, and singer-songwriters from every genre enjoy playing the bars in this town. Tonight, for the complete tourist experience, head down to lively Broadway and stop by a honky tonk or two for a one-of-a-kind night on the tiles.
Two routes are available today as you move from Nashville to Memphis; your detailed Road Trip Pack will, of course, tell you all the details on both options. Interstate 40 will get you to Memphis in the shortest amount of time. However, fans of Elvis, Native Indian history and scenic driving may prefer to get an early start and cruise along the delightful Natchez Trace Parkway to Tupleo, the birthplace of The King. You’ll then pass Graceland on your way into Downtown Memphis.
Second only to The White House, Elvis Presley’s Graceland is arguably the most iconic home in all of America. Memphis has plenty more to offer, including the legendary Sun Studios and the moving National Civil Rights Museum. Arguably, Memphis is the Barbecue Capital of America, so make sure you try a rib joint before you leave town. Anyone looking for more live music should head to Beale Street.
Your detailed Road Trip Pack will include multiple route options to help you choose the best way for you to move from musical Memphis to historic Natchez. Natchez lies upon a bluff above the Mississippi River, with former Plantation Homes dotted throughout this grand town with a dark history. Depending on your arrival time in Natchez, try to include a visit to Emerald Mound and Grand Village to learn more about the area’s rich Native American heritage. Finish the day off with a drink at Under-the-Hill Saloon, one of the oldest establishments in the region. Yesteryear customers of the bar were often cut-throats and prostitutes as the Saloon is located in Natchez Under-the-Hill, a former booming port where slave-picked cotton was loaded onto paddle-wheelers and shipped to textile mills.
Follow the Great River Road south to ‘The Big Easy’ – New Orleans. Built on the mouth of the Mississippi River, this historic city has seen a lot of changes in the last 10 years or so, with regeneration work bringing out the best of its character. Halfway along the day’s relatively short drive, you’ll pass by Oak Alley Plantation (pictured). If you only visit one plantation during your visit, then we recommend this one above all others.
Built on the mouth of the Mississippi, New Orleans is the home of jazz, the blues, voodoo and the colourful craziness of Mardi Gras. The French Quarter offers remarkable charm and is a great place to lose the car and take a walking tour along Bourbon Street, Jackson Square and more.
The “Panhandle” area in the northwest of Florida lays claim to many of the world’s finest beaches along its 95-mile coastline. Many of the area’s beaches are protected, and commercial activities are restricted. Head to the National Seashore area (pictured) for the most pristine sands and turquoise waters.
You’ve seen and done so much over the last two thrilling weeks, from partying in Nashville, Memphis and New Orleans to hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains. So, spend the next day or two just relaxing on the unspoilt beaches that line the entire Florida Panhandle.
Cruise east along scenic US-98, which skirts the beautiful beaches of the Florida Panhandle, all the way to the university town of Tallahassee. The following day, you’ll leave the warm waters of the Gulf Coast as you make your way over to the east coast and the Atlantic Ocean.
A big drive awaits today as you swap the Gulf Coast for the shores of the Atlantic. Your meticulous Road Trip Pack will show you how to find the most scenic routes, like the lovely Highway-17, which sits between Jacksonville and Savannah. A genuine southern welcome will await you in Savannah at the end of the day’s drive.
Savannah is a beautiful and culturally rich city with elegant townhouses, antebellum mansions, green public squares, pristine tidal freshwater marshes, and mammoth oak trees dressed in spanish moss. It is a great city to walk around in the warm sun that is usually found here, no matter the time of year.
Next up is charming Charleston, which lies two hours to the north. This is one of our team’s favourite cities in the US. Will you prefer Savannah or Charleston we wonder? Only time will tell, and you must let us know.
Charleston is steeped in Colonial and Civil War history, and it remains a perfectly preserved and friendly southern belle of a city. Visitors fall in love with its grace, charm and historical significance, which is usually enjoyed in the warmth of the South Carolina climate.
Finish off any unfinished sightseeing in Charleston before getting back in the car for one last long drive, which heads west via Augusta back to the tree-lined streets of Atlanta.
Atlanta is a thriving city that has exploded in size over the last two decades. Major visitor attractions include the World of Coca-Cola, Piedmont Park and the gigantic Georgia Aquarium. Beyond the big-ticket downtown attractions, you’ll find a constellation of excellent restaurants and iconic African-American history, including the resting place of Martin Luther King Jr. Tomorrow, you’ll fly back home to the UK with a thousand and one memories from this Ultimate Deep South road trip.
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You’ll find answers to most of your questions right here. If you still need assistance, Feel free to get in touch, and we’ll be sure to get back to you promptly!
Not a problem. If you are lucky enough to have extra time to explore more places or add more rest days, then just let us know and we’ll adjust your trip to match your preferred timescale.
We strongly advise that you purchase travel insurance for your holiday to cover you against medical expenses, theft and other financial costs. Should you need to cancel before travelling, some insurance policies may pay out for any loss of funds that have been paid to us and which cannot be refunded under our cancellation policy.
Many of our trips have a different end destination than the starting point, so this is not a problem. Please note a fee sometimes applies for one-way rentals between other regions or states, which will be paid to the supplier directly when collecting the vehicle. We’ll endeavour to inform you of this charge within your quote.
No, far from it. We work with a range of properties from 3* to 5*, so we can adapt the trip to match most budgets. We have access to rooms in more than 800 hotels, motels, lodges and B&Bs across North America.
The minimum age to rent a car is 21 in the United States or Canada, although, in addition, any drivers under 25 years of age will generally incur a surcharge.
Please use the form below to request a quote from our team. Fields marked with an * are mandatory. Please note that we currently only serve customers based in the UK & The EU.
Not quite what you’re looking for? Get in touch to discuss your Bespoke Road Trip plans, or check out these similar road trip itineraries…
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