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

You could do a big road trip starting in Atlanta, then Nashville, Memphis, Vicksburg, New Orleans, Lafayette, Houston, San Antonio and finishing in Austin.

You’re still looking at big distances though - up to 250 miles between points, so if you’re wanting to take in all those places that would be a good 3 weeks.

San Antonio is well worth a stop - the River Walk, the Alamo, the missions, caverns etc. Texas hill country is best in the late spring / early summer when the wildflowers are out and you can pootle through the German towns and sample the local beers.

I’d definitely do the north east as a separate trip.

That's a pretty crazy itinerary for three weeks, but fine, if that's what you want to do. However, you can't do it without hiring cars for at least some of it. The city bits you could do without a car, certainly Boston and the French Quarter of New Orleans you could, but visiting a ranch, Niagara Falls and Cape Cod? You'll need a car, for sure for those bits.

Also, doing swamp tours and things like that - if you've already researched it all and know you won't need a car - okay - but Americans tend to drive everywhere and the assumption is usually that you will arrive places by car. Many towns and cities in the US don't even have pavements! The older the city the more walking friendly it is, which is why I say you'll be okay in Boston and New Orleans, but if you're planning to leave the downtown area of a city you'll need a car.

Fly London to Nashville – 3 nights
Fly to Austin – 3 nights
Drive to Ranch – 2 nights
Fly to New Orleans – 3 nights
Fly to Boston – 3 nights
Drive to Cape Cod – 3 nights
Drive back to Boston then fly to Toronto with day trip to Niagara Falls – 4 nights
Fly home from Toronto

So yes, doable. But you’re going to be doing six flights in three weeks.

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.

Agree with this. Niagara is amazing but once you've seen it and done the boat trip it's like being at Blackpool. If you're flying into Toronto you should be doing some of the city and the CN Tower too. It's also a long drive from the city to Niagara, a good 2 hours in peak traffic.
Also remember if you are doing Canada you'll need an ETA as well as your US esta.

Just to add, you can do the Falls from the American side in New York, you don't actually have to go into Canada. Same boat trip etc.

We did Boston and Cape Cod this summer. You'll need a car for the Cape for sure. You can Uber if you want a drink in the evenings.

I’d definitely ditch Toronto & Niagra Falls.

Boston & the Cape definitely doable in a week or a bit less and it’s a nice short flight home from Boston so could be a good end to the trip. You’ll definitely need a car for the Cape.