Hey guys, My brother and I are planning a trip again at the end of February and the start of March for around 3 weeks. Unlike my last trip where I bunkered down in Downtown Houston to see as many Rockets games as possible - we're intending to hire a car and drive around the South. We have no intention of going to do tourist things or see big tourist attractions - we both love the South and want to visit random small towns and things of the sort. There's a very, very rough guideline at the moment of flying into Houston for either the game against the Spurs on Feb 27th or the Pels game on March 2 - and if I can convince my brother - see the Rockets game in Atlanta later in March. If something like that were to happen we'd be driving across Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and Georgia. Any ideas for those states? If any of you have suggestions about the South in general not just specifically on that route you'd think I'd drive to Atalanta - would love to hear it.
You should hang out in New Orleans for a while. Very walkable city. Bars stay open all night. You can drink in public. Its very diverse, and there's a ton of good food. Probably my favorite city in the States (albeit I haven't traveled to the north).
If I recall, Downtown Sniper, you are Aussie right? Bourbon Street in new Orleans will remind you a bit of King's Cross in Sydney. New Orleans is a great city to see, but you may also want to visit the Hill Country in central Texas and check out some of the Caverns or visit Fredricksburg.
In Houston: San Jacinto Monument (taller than the Washington Monument) On the way to New Orleans: Oak Alley Plantation In Pensacola: National Aviation Museum (Pictures never do this place justice) Georgia : Okefenokee Swamp
eat bbq in texas http://www.tmbbq.com/central-texas-bbq-road-trips/ <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MQRiWZOvRg8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Kv1sV6th-s0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
I drove by on a Tuesday morning around 10AM. There were three dude bro looking guys waiting already. I need to go on a weekday and eat.
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Check out Selma. Driving there will give you both a flavor of where the Deep South is today and what it was during the Civil Rights Era. I can't think of another small town bridge so steeped in meaning. Oxford is a cool stop with Faulkner's home and Ole Miss. Good eats and stuff there. I also like the Vicksburg Battlefield. There's also the NASA facility in Huntsville, AL. And of course, there is The Blues. Ask locals for good out-of-the-way spots for Blues. Nothing like hanging out in some old shack of a place listening to an old Blues guy riff all night. Great stuff.
Consider stopping through Mississippi - some great spots there. Jackson is a surprisingly nice / scenic city if you stay in the nice spots. Clarksdale, home of the blues, is great for a stopover during the evening - several great blues joints, good southern food. And close by Clarksdale is Tunica, which is southern mecca if you're into gambling. Alabama has some excellent state parks and natural beauty, particularly close to the Georgia state line. Atlanta...you can spend days in Atlanta. The beltline is recently constructed and would be great to walk around. Stone Mountain would be a nice little hike for a view.
The Tail of the Dragon Tail of the Dragon at Deals Gap with 318 curves in 11 miles, is America’s number one motorcycle and sports car road. http://tailofthedragon.com/