Road Trip Suggestions

Hi. We’re planning a road trip for next month (November). We’re likely to rent a car and go one way, either starting or finishing in Texas (Austin or San Antonio) and Central New Jersey, flying the other way. There is no must-do agenda – this is purely to see and do things we have not done. Just the two of us, no kids. We’re flexible on length up up to a point (2-3 weeks tops). Goal is not to spend all day most days driving but to do either moderate driving with lots of stops and activities along the way or bursts of longer driving then stops for a longer while.

We want to take a route that doesn’t go along the Eastern seaboard (which we have done before) but instead through states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky and Louisiana. Likely venturing through or near San Antonio, Austin, Houston, New Orleans, Memphis, Nashville, Louisville, Cincinnati, Columbus, Pittsburgh, etc. But it doesn’t matter if the places we stay or stop to do things are in these cities or in other places along the way. We’re somewhat flexible on the route but definitely want to hit the Texas, New Orleans, Nashville along the way.

Looking for suggestions on places to see, things to do, places to stay or eat, etc. We enjoy hikes, biking (but will not bring our own), sightseeing and unique experiences (zip-lining, dune buggying, etc.). Wouldn’t want to miss the super famous stuff along the way, but hope to do less famous stuff too. We are not foodies so while we’d like to eat at nice places we are not adventurous with food and it is not a major goal of the experience. We like staying at nice places. Don’t mind chain 3-stars or equivalents in some places, but generally not looking for bargains.

Hoping to crowdsource some great ideas. Thanks!

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Some Ohio suggestions.
Hocking Hills area https://www.hockinghills.com/

Columbus: stay in German Village (quaint, brick streets, beautiful brick unique homes, visit The Book Loft German Village & Brewery District | Shops, Dining & Drinks) or Short North (nearer to OSU, busy, shops, food, hotels, North Market) Visit Franklin Park Conservatory.

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Cleveland - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Asheville - Biltmore
Nashville
St. Louis

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PA:
Ricketts Glen state park if you like a waterfall hike - it’s off I-80, if you’re taking that route across the state. Free admission, can be a moderately intense hike if you do the whole thing, which has a couple of dozen amazingly scenic waterfalls, but you can also stop and see a few right off the road with minimal walking.

Pittsburgh: do the Duquesne Incline at dusk or evening! The Strip has Pamela’s Diner, a great place for very good breakfasts. Also a Penzey’s Spices store. Great place for noodling around cool shops.

New Orleans: Garden District - just get on the trolley and ride to the end to see all the amazing homes. Magazine Street has fun shops and coffee places. Atchafalaya is a great restaurant with a jazz brunch. Tipitina’s is my favorite place for music. Cafe DuMonde has a City Park location that’s not as crowded.

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We went to Nashville fairly recently, and we did the Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman auditorium, and the Country Music museum. We paid to do tours of the first 2 and thought they were worth it. We also went to several bars/restaurants to listen to music.

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Look up wanderlog.com
It’ll give you a lot of suggestions depending on the route you choose. Great for rJoad trips especially.

Just returned from Chatanooga TN. We were at a airbnb downtown and had a great time. All the restaurants we visited had great food and a fun atmosphere. We hiked, kayaked, and ate a lot of good food.

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You sound like how I like to travel – some activity and good but not necessarily fine dining.

I have way too many ideas! In the Austin-SA area there is Enchanted Rock for a nice hike, and it is a short drive from Fredericksburg, which is a fun town with lots of places to eat and drink. This sounds right up your alley.

In the SA area, there are mission walks and the Riverwalk and Mi Tierra is a great SA institution with awesome pan dulce in the mercado.

Austin has great biking/hiking/kayaking/SUPing right in the middle of the city on Town Lake (locals call it that though the name was changed to Lady Bird Lake against her wishes). You can rent anything you need. The trail is 10 miles around the lake, but there are more trails nearby. For food in Austin, I’d do BBQ if you did Mexican in SA. Franklin’s is famous, but the line is long. Salt Lick in Driftwood is a vibe with good BBQ and wonderful blackberry cobbler. You take your own beer while sitting outside waiting for your table, and on weekends there’s live music under the trees. Lovely. Or do Valentina’s, a great food truck in South Austin. Plenty of great BBQ places in and near Austin. You could look at Lockhart or Elgin for a place out of town.

Houston is more international than the other cities in Texas. When there, I love Mediterranean food. Specifically, Cafe Lili. YUM. Or Fadi’s.

When road-tripping through Texas, you have to stop at a Buc-ee’s. So much to see and eat and cheap gas and clean bathrooms. You’ll pass several of them while making the Houston to San Antonio/Austin drive. Good job leaving Dallas out of your itinerary, lol.

In Nashville, there are so many wonderful places. The normal stuff to do is great – the Ryman, Grand Old Opry, drinking on Broadway. One newish attraction in the music museum category is the National Museum of African American Music. Ds2 and I had so much fun!!! One thing on the road is a tour of the Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg, about an hour/90 minutes outside of town. I’ve done it twice! I love JD and learned so much. For a nice hike in town, try Percy Warner Park, which has the highest point in Nashville. Varying lengths of hikes. Foliage should be beautiful then. I love Butcher and Bee and first had it on a walking food tour that you might like. I did Walk Eat Nashville, the East Nashville tour. You learn some history, get some exercise and have some great food.

Feel free to PM me for more info. I could go on and on! Well, I already have, huh?

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Blue Ridge Parkway? Love the Smokies and Gatlinburg area.

US 30 through PA? AKA Lincoln Highway.

New River Gorge Bridge in WV.

Stop at a Buc-ees.

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Having grown up in Memphis, I would recommend a route through there, on the way between Nashville and New Orleans. There’s quite a bit to see and do–Beale Street, the Civil Rights museum, Graceland, and, of course, the Mississippi River, where it’s always fun to take a riverboat ride. Also, I know you said you’re not a foodie, but Memphis barbecue is really yummy and not to be missed. My favorites are Corky’s, the Bar-B-Q shop and Central BBQ but there are many more. Another favorite casual restaurant there is Soul Fish Cafe, where there is yummy fried catfish and other southern soul food favorites.

If you decide not to go to Memphis, an alternate route that goes from Nashville down through Mississippi is along the Natchez Trace, which is very scenic and has lots of history associated with it. The city of Natchez has lots of antebellum mansions that are interesting to visit.

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If you are traveling from Columbus to Cincinnati and want something free to see go to the National Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton. It is an amazing museum, costs nothing and while you won’t be able to see anywhere close to all of it you can pick some highlights and it costs you nothing. Staying on the free to see theme. While going through Nashville stop at Centennial Park and see the full sized replica of the Parthenon. It really is amazing. If your going to New Orleans I’d skip Memphis and as another person mentions go down the Natchez Trace Parkway. On your way south from Natchez stop and see an Antebellum home or two. In New Orleans go to the Mardi Gras Museum and just experience it and of course the food. Gumbo, Etouffee, and Jambalaya are all excellent. Heading west from there my experience dwindles. We did a drive out fly back trip about 18 years ago and it was a blast.

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Following! If anyone wants to include wacky roadside attractions on @citivas 's route, I’m all ears. I’ll bookmark this thread and see what you all come up with.

My idea is to see all those wacky “Biggests”: Biggest Pencil is apparently in Indiana, biggest ball of twine is in Kansas. But I’d love to see crazy stuff anywhere.

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Then you must put Australia on your bucket list.
https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/travel/travel-destinations/2017/09/a-list-of-australias-big-things/

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I just looked. I guess the Parthenon is now $10 to visit as it serves as a museum as well. Still well worth it.

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Lol. On our recent trip we hit Buc-ees in GA. That cost us a fun hour. Not sure how a gas station is a tourist stop but it is. I kept threatening to make us go back on the return trip. Gotta see it at least once!

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it’s a mandatory stop on the trip to Bama.
their brisket is not to be sneezed at.

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This road trip is a warm up for Oz/NZ, hoping next (our Spring, their Fall)! Might do our Winter but its crowded, warm and more expensive then.

Oooh, where you headed? I was born there, but haven’t been back in 20 years.

And the BEAVER NUGGETS!!!

I like the salted caramel best

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No idea. That’s the next trip to plan after this one.

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My husband is a huge fan of their kolaches.

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