Posted: 5/10/21 | may 10th, 2021
If there’s one thing that I’ve learned in all my travels around America, it’s that the us is more like a collection of small countries than one cohesive cultural unit. The lifestyle, language, and norms of each region differ vastly from one another. and even within states, there are vast differences.
The region that surprised me the most was “the South,” defined as the states that were part of the Confederacy, from the Mason-Dixon line to the Mississippi River and down to the Gulf of Mexico. (Texas was part of the Confederacy, too, but it’s generally not considered part of the “Old South,” because, well, it’s Texas and it’s its own beast!)
Growing up as a northerner, I always kind of looked down on the region as “backwards,” but after a few trips around the area, I found that my perceptions about the region were wrong.
I grew to love my time exploring that part of the country. Sure, the South has its problems, but it has a lot more diversity, history, and natural beauty than my preconceived prejudices had allowed.
I don’t think it should be overlooked.
And since domestic travel is our best option during these COVID times, I thought I’d share my ideas for an fantastic road trip around “the Deep South.”
The South is so big you can’t do it in just three weeks, but you can do what, for this post, I call “the Deep South”: Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, and Tennessee (which isn’t actually part of the Deep South, but hey, it rounds out the route!).
This region has a ton of parks, lakes, rivers, historical sites, and other interesting places to see. You’d need more than three weeks to properly see it but the route below gives you an overview:
Note: There are many, many, many potential routes you can take through this region. This three-week version is just some highlights I like. tailor the route to your needs as you please!
Days 1–3: new Orleans
New Orleans is a unique blend of cultures (African, French, Caribbean, Latin, etc.), which has created one of the most eclectic American cities. It’s filled with tales of ghosts and vampires, fantastic architecture, incredible food, and some of the best music in the world. Bourbon street is always bursting with tourists, Frenchmen street is full of jazz, and there are historic buildings to admire and entertaining tours to indulge in. You can easily spend an entire week here and not get bored.
But we only have a few days, so here are some ideas to help you get started:
Party on Bourbon street – This probably goes without saying, but do check out Bourbon Street. Sure, it’s touristy, but it’s also exciting and home to lots of buskers, live music, and parades. It’s the beating heart of the city.
Wander the garden district and French Quarter – These are two of the most popular and historic districts. spend some time strolling around, taking in the mansions and old French buildings (either self-guided or with Take Walks, which organizes fun and insightful tours around town).
Visit the national world war II museum – This is the largest museum dedicated to the war in the united states — and it’s one of the best museums in the world. Its use of audio, video, artifacts, and personal stories ties the history of the war together in incredible detail. Listening to firsthand accounts makes it all feel that much more intimate and impactful.
Go on a voodoo or ghost tour – NOLA has something of a creepy past, and the best way to learn about it is to take a voodoo or ghost tour. You’ll get to check out cemeteries, explore haunted buildings, and hear all sorts of unsettling anecdotes and ghostly tales.
Listen to live music on Frenchmen street – take in some live music (any night of the week) on this energetic street, the second most popular after Bourbon Street. It has lots of places to listen to blues and jazz; my favorite is the spotted Cat.
For more things to see and do in NOLA, check out this detailed itinerary.
New Orleans is also an fantastic foodie city. some of my favorite places to indulge at are: Lily’s Café, Bearcat, Welt’s Deli, killer PoBoys, jewel of the South, Acme Oysters, and Willa Jean.
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HI new Orleans – This is one of the best hostels in the world and my favorite in new Orleans.
Auberge NOLA – This hostel hosts nightly parties and events, so it’s super easy to meet people.
India house Backpackers Hostel – another wild party hostel, with a swimming pool and live music venue.
Days 4–7: Mississippi & Alabama Gulf Coast
Leave new Orleans, and head east to the Gulf shores of Mississippi and Alabama.
Start with a check out to ocean Springs, Mississippi. It’s a small town with gorgeous white-sand beaches and lots of outdoor activities (such as fishing, stand-up paddleboarding, canoeing, and kayaking). The downtown has lots of little shops and galleries as well.
Next, head to Mobile, Alabama. check out Fort Condé (built by the French in 1723) andtake a tour of the USS Alabama (a world war II vessel docked in Battleship Memorial Park). Make sure to also check out the carnival museum (dedicated to Mardi Gras) to learn more about the parade and its cultural significance.
From here, cruise toward Gulf Shores, Alabama, where you’ll find miles of beaches and gorgeous subtropical weather as you soak in the views of the Gulf of Mexico. There are also lots of hotels, resorts, and casinos if you feel like splurging. It’s tacky but fun.
Nearby, you’ll also find Gulf state Park, which spans 6,500 acres and offers beaches, hiking trails, fishing, golf, zip-lining, and sand dunes you can climb (admission is $9 USD).
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There aren’t any hostels in this region, so your best bet is Airbnb or using Booking.com to find a low-cost motel (or hotel if you feel like splurging!)
Days 8–9: Birmingham
Swing north and, on your way to Birmingham, stop in Montgomery to check out the Rosa Parks library and Museum, as well as the legacy Museum, both of which shed light on the racial injustices of America’s past and present.
Then spend two nights in Birmingham. It grew to prominence as an industrial hub, relying mostly on nonunionized immigrant workers to undercut production in the northern US. In the 1950s and ’60s, it became a focus for the civil rights movement, and it was here, in 1962, where Dr. King wrote the famous “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.”
Here are few things to see and do while in Birmingham:
Learn at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute – opened in 1992, this museum highlights the struggles of the civil rights movement in the 1950s and ’60s. It sheds important light on how the movement impacted the region and changed the direction of the entire country — and the world.
Explore the Pepper place Saturday Market – This farmers’ market is a terrific place to pick up local foods and artisan souvenirs. There’s also typically live music, cooking demonstrations, and other activities on weekends.
Visit the southern museum of flight – This aviation museum has over a hundred airplanes, as well models, engines, artwork, and photographs. The museum even has a Wright Flyer, one of the first planes developed by the Wright brothers, as well as some experimental prototypes that never took off (pun intended). It’s a terrific place to check out with kids especially.
Go hiking or biking – Spanning over a thousand acres, Ruffner mountain Reserve (a mountain range once mined for iron ore) has all sorts of short hikes. most are under two miles and range in difficulty from easy to hard. If you’d rather mountain-bike, check out Oak mountain Park nearby, which has 50 miles of biking trails.
See the Birmingham Botanical gardens – For a place to relax and go for a walk, head to the Botanical Gardens. It has over 12,000 plants, 25 different gardens, dozens of sculptures, and several miles of walking paths. best of all, it’s free!
For a list of other important civil rights sites in the region, check out the Civil Rights Trail. It’s a comprehensive database of such sites around the entire country and has tons of valuable information and resources.
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There aren’t any hostels in Birmingham, so use Airbnb or Booking.com to find your cheapest options.
Days 10–12: Nashville
Continuing north, our next stop is Nashville. located just three hours from Birmingham, it boasts a world-class music scene, plenty of incredible restaurants you can indulge at, numerous cocktail bars, lots of parks, and plenty of history.
Here are some things to see and do in Nashville:
Visit the Tennessee state museum – opened in 2018, this museum goes into terrific detail about the state’s history. It has exhibitions on first Peoples, natural history, the American Revolution, and the Civil War.
Enjoy live music at the Grand Ole Opry – opened in 1925, this is the most famous country music venue in the world. regular live performances, TV broadcasts, and radio shows are held here. Tickets for live performances start at $45 USD per person.
Visit the country music Hall of fame and museum – With over 2.5 million items (including records, instruments, photographs, etc.), the de facto home of this brand of American music is one of the biggest museums anywhere dedicated to the genre.
See the Parthenon – built in 1897, this is a full-scale replica of the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. It was built to celebrate the city’s hundredth anniversary and was chosen because Nashville is called “the Athens of the South” (due to its focus on higher education).
Listen to music on Broadway – If you’re still craving live music, head to Broadway, the city’s main thoroughfare, where you’ll find all kinds of bars and live music venues. best of all, there’s usually no cover, so you can bar-hop and really enjoy as much music as you want.
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Music City Hostel – A social backpacker hostel with lots of relaxing outdoor common areas (including a patio and BBQ).
Downtown City Hostel – Comfy, clean, en met veel gemeenschappelijke ruimte. De sociale sfeer maakt het gemakkelijk om andere reizigers te ontmoeten.
Dag 13: Franklin
Omdat het op slechts 25 minuten buiten Nashville ligt, gaan de meeste mensen ervan uit dat Franklin gewoon een andere buitenwijk is. Dat is het niet – verre van, eigenlijk! Franklin barst van charme en heerlijk eten en drinken in de kleine stad (het is waar ik mijn favoriete bourbon, HC Clark) ontdekte). De stad is vol geschiedenis (er was hier een grote strijd tussen burgeroorlog), een historische hoofdstraat en enkele echt heerlijke bars en restaurants.
Om eerlijk te zijn, had ik niet veel verwacht toen ik voor het eerst op bezoek was, maar Franklin heeft echt overbeleverd. Als je een foodie of een fan bent van livemuziek, is een stop hier een must!
Hier zijn een paar dingen te zien en te doen terwijl je hier bent:
Woon het Pilgrimage Music Festival bij-Dit enorme jaarlijkse festival brengt veel muzikanten van wereldklasse naar Franklin. Het combineert big-name bands met charme in de kleine stad. Mis het niet!
Verken de Master & Makers Trail – Dit toeristische pad brengt u naar de brouwerijen, wijnhuizen en distilleerderijen van de regio. Je zult de beste proeven die Franklin te bieden heeft en een beetje leert over hoe elk drankje wordt gemaakt.
Meer informatie over de burgeroorlog – De Slag om Franklin werd hier gevochten in 1864. Bekijk het Museum van de Burgeroorlog om meer te leren (je kunt zelfs nog steeds een oud gebouw bekijken met originele Civil War Bullet -gaten!).
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Omdat Franklin vrij klein is, is Airbnb hier uw beste optie.
Dagen 14–16: Memphis
Vandaag gaan we naar Memphis, dat slechts drie uur verwijderd is. Het is weer een historische stad, een grote stop op de route van de Cotton-Trade van Mississippi, en nu het huis van bluesmuziek en ongelooflijke BBQ. Verlaat echter vroeg, dus onderweg kun je stoppen bij het Civil War Memorial voor de Slag om Shiloh, en door een kleine stad Tennessee snijden.
Hier zijn een paar dingen te zien en te doen terwijl je hier bent:
Bezoek het National Civil Rights Museum – gehuisvest in het voormalige motel waar Martin Luther King Jr. werd vermoord, onderzoekt dit museum de burgerrechtenbeweging van de 17e eeuw tot vandaag, haar strijd en de impact die het op het land had. Het is krachtig en aangrijpend en een van de beste musea in het land. Mis het niet!
Tour Sun Studios – Dit is de studio waar Elvis zijn start kreeg. Je kunt een rondleiding maken en leren over de oorsprong van de koning en hoe zijn bescheiden wortels uiteindelijk hebben geleid tot meer dan een miljard records verkocht. Veel andere beroemde muzikanten hebben hier ook opgenomen, zoals Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash en Carl Perkins.
Wander Beale Street – bekend als ‘Amerika’s meest iconische straat’, hier vind je Memphis’s beste livemuziek. Er zijn talloze bars die live optredens organiseren, evenals straatbuskers.
Geniet van het Rock ‘N ’Soul Museum – gelegen aan de iconische Beale Street, dit museum belicht de pioniers en bijdragen van blues-, rock- en soulmuzikanten van de jaren 1930 tot de jaren 1970. Er zijn kostuums en opnames van enkele van de beroemdste soulmuzikanten, interactieve media en tentoonstellingen over beroemde artiesten uit Memphis.
Zie Graceland – Graceland, het huis van Elvis Presley, ligt op een paar mijl ten zuiden van de stad. Zelfs als je geen diehard Elvis -fan bent, is het de moeite waard om te bekijken om te zien hoe impactvol zijn leven en muziek is geweest. Je zult allerlei lookalikes en fans zien, terwijl je ook leert over zijn leven en bijdragen aan de muziekindustrie.
Memphis is ook een andere geweldige foodie -stad (zie hier een patroon?). Enkele van mijn favoriete plekken om te eten zijn: Gus ‘wereldberoemde gefrituurde kip, centrale BBQ, Loflin Yard, Bounty on Broad en de Rendezvous (een heerlijke BBQ -plek).
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Hostel Memphis – Met gratis ontbijt, een gedeelde keuken en veel gewone ruimte, heeft dit hostel alles wat je nodig hebt!
Dag 17: Oxford
Oxford, Mississippi, ligt op iets meer dan een uur van Memphis en zorgt voor een aangename plek om een dag door te brengen met genieten van smal