USA trip - would you change anything???

[TomAllenWife]

Big birthday next year, always wanted to go to Nashville.

So we're planning a bit of a trip of the following

Austin - because someone I sat next to on a plane said it was the home of live music!!!
I also would like to have 2 nites on a ranch, maybe ride

New Orleans - French quarter, jazz steamboat & swamp boat tour

Nashville - bars, party, music

Boston & cape Cod - bit of city then some relaxation after crazy days

Toronto for niagra falls then home

I'd love opinions from people who have been to any of these, whether it's worth it? Any changes or suggestions?

Thank you

Austin is great. Stubbs is good for music. There is so much to do, you won't be bored. Fredericksburg is lovely and San Antonio.
Yes, Buc ee's is worth a visit!

Nashville, through the Appalachians to Dollywood, on to Asheville, NC/Grandfather Mountain and then on to the coast - Wilmington/Charleston and then down to Savannah is a lovely trip.

If you go to Toronto I strongly recommend hiring a car & going to the Macmichael gallery of Canadian Art - fabulous.

Niagra Falls is impressive but v touristy & not much else there. It wouldn't be high on my list of places to visit.

I would probably abandon the north east parts and perhaps add San Antonio and Memphis (Graceland) to your trip.

And Memphis

I'd avoid all of those places in July and August - all terrifically humid

I'm not bothered about Memphis or Graceland

Ditto too much art / architecture / museum stuff

Would it be better to start in vegas then? Do Grand Canyon then New Orleans & Nashville?

I wouldn't miss Memphis out. It's a fun place - lots of live music in bars. Sun Studios are great. But Graceland is fabulous- not tacky, actually v moving. Be a shame to miss it if you are round there, stay at the Peabody in Memphis.

Bandera is just outside Austin and has lots of dude ranches - most cowboy place in USA apparently.

You'll be knackered. We did similar last time because we had to visit family all over - Boston, Washington DC and Seattle (we wussed out at going to Chicago and Florida to visit the rest).

I feel like you are taking the piss now by throwing Las Vegas onto the list. Why not add Denali and Honolulu while you are at it? They are all in America!

I’ve done both New England and Southern States and in the time frame you’re looking at, pick one! You’re missing out by not driving, US road trips are great and a big part of the culture. The US is set up for drivers, even in the bigger cities. You’re not going to be drinking all day surely?! You can drive somewhere, stay a few nights, then go off somewhere else. You can be more flexible, you don’t want to spend all your time hanging around airports. There are things you’ll only be able to see if you drive.

Someone mentioned Asheville as an add on. Much of the town along with western NC in general, was hammered by hurricane Helene They are desperate for tourists but I'd do some research before heading that way.

Your itinerary sounds exhausting to me. I'll echo others in suggesting that you pick just one region. BTW, Texas, Vegas and New Orleans are hellish in summer, weatherwise.

The cities you're suggesting have terrible transit quite honestly. What you do is drive the longer stretches and use Ubers for getting back after dinner. You wouldn't be drinking all day en route from place to place anyhow. Map out a doable driving route. That also lets you see places in between and do trips further frim the city centre eg from Austin to the Hill Country. It's really the best way to do the USA for a trip longer than a single city trip or outside the Boston to DC corridor.

The Peabody has a duck parade. Bizarre. There were only a few ducks though. Disappointing. Worth going if you're there anyway though.

You're going to struggle in the cities without a car! Most US cities are still car focussed and public transport won't really get you around. The reason people take 3-3.5 weeks on a US road trip is to drive in between places and take your time and enjoy the smalls places- Tennessee in particular has some fab ones.

If you both enjoy drinking, Ubers back from your nights out would work. We generally don't drive everyday on a US roadtrip but we do use the car if that makes sense? So we would use the car to get around the city we are staying- you could replace this part with uber- and stay in each place 4/5 nights- but then we have proper "drive" days moving to our next destination with a cool lunch stop etc- these are what you will miss out on being sat in an airport.

But agree with the poster that said it's a bit like going to Europe and choosing Paris, Greece and Norway as your destinations. Whereas there is a load of super fun stuff in the deep South- a Texas- Tennessee roadtrip sounds amazing if you ask me!

Boston and Cape Cod is definitely a trip all of its own.
I think you are massively underestimating the distances between each one combined with the fact that public transport is shit. You get a greyhound bus from one place to another the bus drops you in the middle nowhere with no onward transport options.
I love road trips in the US stopping off at funny little places. There are even in some areas dedicated tourist road that have beautiful views Blue ridge Parkway is stunning.

Toronto is boring and Niagara Falls isn't worth it. Sack it off and leave from Boston.

But agree with PP that 2-3 hour flights will take up whole days.

My colleagues did a 2 week road trip last year driving from Nashville to New Orleans. They had a great time.

We visited some of the southern US states this summer. You definitely need a car to see places properly. We stayed a few days at each of the main cities . We spent 3 weeks.
We started in Atlanta - went via Chattanooga and Lynchburg to Nashville. Then went over to Memphis and meandered down to New Orleans. We went over to Houston and then down to San Antonio (highlight of the trip). We then went up to Austin and finally to Fort Worth.
There is so much to do in each place and on route, we had to make a comprehensive list of what we wanted to do in each.

I don't know if it's a bonkers plan. You've looked into transport times? So long as you're realistic, i.e. days of flights will be just about packing up, flying, dinner and getting to the next hotel then I think yours is a fine, fast paced, trip. Some folks like a busy pace!

This sounds great, can you give any tips or what you loved seeing
Why was San Antonio so good?

Just spoken to DP
He really wanted to do Boston and I really want to do Nashville
So trying to decide whether to get a car and do south
Then fly north and have a week in Boston / Cape

I've been to the Grand Canyon and Niagra Falls. In my opinion, Niagra falls is not worth a trip all of its own. Impressive, yes, but takes 30 minutes to look at it and then the town itself is quite touristy.
Since you will be nearer the Grand Canyon, I suggest go there. The scale of it is unbelievable. There are lots of tours of villages/history etc We took a small plane ride over it many years ago and if I could I would definitely do it again.

Over 3.5 weeks the original plan is quite doable. Also there's consistent themes running thru them all about what you like & would most enjoy. I am sure you'll have a fantastic trip.

Boston has A LOT of history & a vibrant arts scene. I would fit in super well with your other interests. It's also one of the most walkable American cities. Niagara falls are nice, if you know you would really like them, then go.

I do not understand MNer obsession with the GCanyon. Almost no MNer visits it right as well, they just go look at it (WTF, you can look at it from your sofa).

-Says she who has hiked down & out of the Canyon twice, which is obviously the only proper way to visit.

Absolutely don't miss Memphis!