Southern USA Road Trip Route and Recommendations - Fab Everyday (2024)

The Fab Fam just took another successful road trip! This was a Southern USA road trip, taking us from Texas through the southern states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, then looping back through the southeast through Georgia, Tennessee, and Arkansas before making our way back home to Texas. Overall on our south USA road trip we covered eight states, about 3,000 miles, and 46 hours of drive time over the course of nine days. I am pleased to say that the whole family did great, and our southern US road trip was one of our most memorable trips to date. Check out my tried-and-true tips for having the best, low-stress family road trip (including lots of car activities for toddlers and young kids), and pin today’s post for roadside attractions and things to do on a southeast road trip.

Last week I shared our driving playlist for the southern states road trip journey. Today I am sharing our itinerary and reviews of the sight-seeing and food stops we made along the way.

The Fab Fam hitting the road!

Drive to Lafayette (6 hrs.)

We had the chance to see my granddaddy in Houston on our way from Central Texas to Lafayette during the first leg of our road trip

You haven’t had a po-boy until you’ve had one in the heart of Cajun Country. One of the best I have had to this day is at Olde Tyme Grocery in Lafayette near the U-La-La campus.

Drive to New Orleans (2 hrs.)

• Check-in to hotel: Hilton Garden Inn New Orleans French Quarter/CBD (821 Gravier Street, New Orleans, LA 70130)‏
• Misc. sight-seeing opportunities: Jackson Square, Mississippi River, cemetery, Voodoo Museum, French Market, etc. (for more detailed reviews and tips for a trip to NOLA, click here and here)
• Dinner: Mr. B’s Bistro (201 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70130)
  • Recommendations: BBQ shrimp(see my review of Mr. B’s in this post)

New Orleans

• Breakfast: Café Du Monde (800 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116) – Note: cash only
  • Recommendations: Beignets and chicory coffee (see my review of Café Du Monde in this post)

Drive to Mobile (2 hrs.)

• Visit USS Alabama Battleship (2703 Battleship Pkwy, Mobile, AL 36603)

The USS Alabama battleship is docked in Mobile at a Memorial Park decked out with WWII military vehicles

The boys could barely contain themselves when we arrived at the Memorial Park

Self-guided tour options help you navigate the battleship, from the highest to the lowest points of the ship. Be prepared for lots of stairs!

My oldest felt compelled to say the Pledge of Allegiance to this flag displayed below deck

Myfavorite things to seewere the living, cooking, and dining areas on the ship, which could accommodate a large amount of men

The boys had fun role-playing in the corridors and in the ship’s brig

The battleship and park were so much fun for the whole family to visit. We’d recommend it for sure!

• Lunch: The Hungry Owl (7899 Cottage Hill Rd, Mobile, AL 36695)
  • Recommendations: Seafood pizza, gator cakes

Drive to Summerdale (30 min.)

• Visit Gator Alley Farm (19500 Co Rd 71, Summerdale, AL 36580) – Note: Alligator feedings at 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, 4:00 pm

Alligator Alley is a farm and sanctuary for rescued “nuisance alligators”

The gators ranged from tiny to huge! Little gators lived in pools with other gators in their age range, and the bigger gators lived in the farm’s swamps.

I recommend purchasing some of the alligator chow so that you can feed the gators. The boys absolutely loved tossing the chow to the gators.

Alligator Alley offers “encounters” where you can safely hold an alligator. Even with his mouth banded shut, this feisty little guy still spooked the kids! G was very proud of himself for being brave and facing this fear.

The swamp at the farm was very picturesque… though it was crazy to think of all the large predators living in the water just below you!

Drive to Marianna (2.5 hrs.)

• Dinner: Beef O’Brady’s (4944 Malloy Plaza, Marianna, FL 32448)
  • Recommendations: Burgers, wings, nachos, craft beers

Loaded nachos and garlic wings at Beef O’Brady’s

Drive to Tallahassee (1 hr.)

• Check-in to hotel:Hampton Inn Tallahassee-Central (2979 Apalachee Parkway, Tallahassee, FL 32301)

Tallahassee

• Breakfast: CanopyRoad Café (1913 N Monroe St, Tallahassee, FL 32303)
  • Recommendations: Breakfast skillets, sweet potato pancakes
• Drive around FSU campus

The hubs is a huge college football fan, so we took the opportunity to see a few college campuses during our road trip. He couldn’t resist putting his horns up at Florida State!

Drive to Lloyd (30 min.)

• Visit Johnny Donutseed roadside attraction (2804 Gamble Rd, Monticello, FL 32344)

The kids and I love to seek out unique roadside attractions during our road trips. This is “Johnny Donutseed” in Lloyd, Florida

Drive to Gainesville (2 hrs.)

• Planned lunch: Satchel’s Pizza (1800 NE 23rd Ave, Gainesville, FL 32609) –Note: Cash only
  • Recommendations: Eat in the van
• Actual lunch (Satchel’s was closed):Crane Ramen (16 SW 1st Ave, Gainesville, FL 32601)

You can always count on there being some good ramen near a college campus, and Crane Ramen (near the University of Florida) was no exception

The boys slurped their ramen up in record time, savoring every bite

• Visit University of Florida campus

Statue of Albert and Alberta Gator at UF

• Visit Florida Museum of Natural History (3215 Hull Rd, Gainesville, FL 32611) –General Admission is free!

This museum is such a gem! The kids loved it before they even got inside!

A mammoth skeleton greets you in the foyer of the museum

Before you get into the main exhibits, there is a room of hands-on exploration that was incredibly engaging for the kids. We had fun doing this 3D puzzle together.

The museum also showcased historical and cultural information about the native peoples of the region

Drive to Santos (1 hr.)

• Visit concrete monoliths roadside attraction (park at Sheriff’s South Multi District Office, Ocala, FL 34480). The remnants of supports for a bridge that would have crossed a never-built cross-Florida barge canal stand over-grown in the woods. More on this project from the 1930’s can be found in this article.

The abandoned bridge support stands tall among the trees and Spanish moss in Santos, FL

Drive to Orlando (1 hr.)

• Check-in to hotel:DoubleTree by Hilton Universal Orlando (5780
  Major Blvd, Orlando, FL 32819)
• Dinner: NYPD Pizza (9900 Universal Blvd #100, Orlando, FL 32819)
  • Recommendations: Sicilian pizza

Orlando

• Visit LEGOLAND Florida (1 LEGOLAND Way, Winter Haven, FL 33884)

Everything is awesome!

The kids really loved the Lego Movie 4D experience…

A preview of our upcoming safari… Lego style!

Orlando

• Swimming and enjoying the hotel amenities

Drive to Jacksonville (2.25 hrs.)

• Dinner: Beach Road Chicken Dinners (4132 Atlantic Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32207)
  • Recommendations: Southern fried chicken

Beach Road Chicken Dinners is legit! S ate his bodyweight in fried chicken and gravy. The chicken was great, but it was the side dishes and gravy that won me over!

Drive to Savannah (2.25 hrs.)

• Spend the night with friends

Savannah

• St. Patty’s Day Parade. We happened to be in Savannah for St. Patrick’s Day this year (more on that in this blog post). For more Savannah tips and recommendations, click here for my previous posts on a long weekend in Savannah and a DIY walking ghost tour in Savannah.

My boys reunited with friends to celebrate Savannah-style!

The boys got to walk in the parade with our friends’ family

The Fab Fam!

• Dinner: Green Truck Pub (2430 Habersham St, Savannah, GA 31401)

  • Recommendations: El Jefe burger

The El Jefe burger is topped with black bean and corn salsa, avocado and jalapenos

• Go out for drinks on the Riverwalk

Drive to Atlanta (3.75 hrs.)

• Lunch: The Varsity (61 North Avenue NW, Atlanta, GA 30308)
  • Recommendations: Chili dog, onion rings, frosted orange drink
• Drive around Georgia Tech campus
• Visit College Football Hall of Fame (250 Marietta St, Atlanta, GA 30313)
• Visit Georgia Aquarium (225 Baker St NW, Atlanta, GA 30313)

While the hubs went to the College Football Hall of Fame, I decided to walk the boys over to the Georgia Aquarium. This aquarium was so epic, I barely have words to describe its awesomeness!

The quality of the exhibits and variety of animals were fantastic, but what was so cool was how interactive and immersive the exhibits felt. The boys and I felt like we were right in the penguin habitat or on the ocean floor.

Yes, that is a whale shark! At an aquarium!

Hands-on educational opportunities could be found throughout the aquarium

DidI mention they had dolphins? At the aquarium.

• Drive by Margaret Mitchell House (990 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30309)

Drive to Chattanooga (2 hrs.)

• Visit Incline Railway at Lookout Mountain (3917 St. Elmo Avenue, Chattanooga, TN 37409
• Visit Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel (1400 Market St, Chattanooga, TN 37402)
  • Recommendations: If you are there around a meal time, eat pizza in the Silver Diner dining car

Pardon me boys, is that the Chattanooga Choo Choo?

Drive to Nashville (2 hrs.)

• Dinner: Mas Tacos Por Favor (732 Mcferrin Ave, Nashville, TN 37206) – Note: Cash only
  • Recommendations: Unique taco combinations, soups
• Check-in to hotel:Hampton Inn Nashville/Vanderbilt (1919
  West End Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203)
• Misc. sight-seeing (Honky Tonk Row, Country Music Hall of Fame, Ryman Auditorium, etc. For more reviews and recommendations for Nashville,see this post)

Drive to Memphis (3 hrs.)

• Drive by Graceland (3734 Elvis Presley Blvd, Memphis, TN 38116)
• Lunch: Interstate Barbecue (2265 S 3rd St, Memphis, TN 38109)
  • Recommendations: BBQ pork sandwich, ribs, BBQ spaghetti

We had to have some Memphis-style BBQ!

S licking his chops while waiting to dig into his BBQ spaghetti

The hubs ordered the ribs

I had to try their famous pork sandwich. Spoiler alert: it was delicious.

• Visit Beale St.
• Visit National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel (450 Mulberry St, Memphis, TN 38103)

Everyone should visit the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel given the chance. Powerful, moving, devastating. Yet also hopeful, as a celebration of themovement Dr. King and so many others stood (and still stand) for.

This art piece in the foyer was very moving. It depicts the uphill struggle of the African American, but also shows man lifting and pulling up fellow man.

Drive to Little Rock (2 hrs.)

• Dinner: Cotham’s Mercantile (5301 AR-161, Scott, AR 72142)
  • Recommendations: Hubcap burger, onion rings, fried green tomatoes, fried pie

It doesn’t look like much from the outside, but this is a dive that’s worth the stop!

The famous hubcab burger (with my husband’s hand next to it for size comparison) and fried green tomatoes

Drive to Arkadelphia (1.25 hrs.)

• Check-in to hotel:Hampton Inn Arkadelphia (108
  Malvern Road, Arkadelphia, AR 71923)

Arkadelphia

• Breakfast: The Honeycomb Restaurant and Bakery (705 Main St, Arkadelphia, AR 71923
  • Recommendations: Desserts

Drive to Texarkana state line (1.25 hrs.)

• Half-n-Half Post Office photo opp (500 Wood St., Texarkana, AR)

We love a good photo opp

Drive to Fouke (20 min.)

• Visit Fouke/Boggy Creek Monster (Bigfoot of the South) roadside attraction at Fouke Monster Mart(104 US-71, Fouke, AR 71837). Click here to learn more about this local legend.

• Photo opp at tripoint monument (near Magnolia Club House, 22300 LA-1, Rodessa, LA 71069)

We got to stand on the tri-point of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas

Return home (5.5 hrs.)

The boys did so well, and we all enjoyed the trip!

We saw so many state license plates on the drive! Though this is one of the activities from the boys’ road trip activity folders, my husband and I enjoy this game more than anyone. It became a mission by the end of the trip!

Until next time, safe travels!

More family road trip resources and itineraries

Interested in planning more family road trip itineraries? Check out these resources.

• Big Sur Coastal Drive Stops
• Route 66 road trip itinerary with stops that inspired Disney Cars Radiator Springs
• Road Trip from Austin to New Orleans
• Family Road Trip from Texas to California
• Southern U.S. Road Trip Driving Playlist
• Route and Recommendations for a Road Trip Through the U.S. Southwest
• Itinerary and Recommendations for a Family Road Trip from Texas to Washington, DC
• Route and recommendations for planning the ultimate Midwest baseball road trip
• Connecting with my family and personal history in the U.K. with Kia
• One-Day Road Trip Through Wales – Seeking Ancient Ruins, Dragons, and Castles
• The Ultimate UK Road Trip Itinerary – Driving Around England, Scotland, and Wales with the Family
• Family Road Trip Packing List
• Tips for having the best, low-stress family road trip (including lots of car activities for toddlers and young kids)
• Super Easy DIY Hanging Organizer for Your Next Family Road Trip
• DIY road trip activities folder for toddlers and young kids