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2 OT? Gulf area (AL, MS, AR, LA) vacation. NonFL snowbirding

A

atlarge54

Member
Planning to travel south this March (2nd Wk, hope spring break has subsided) into the southern part of the US and don't know much about what to do or see. Don't care too much for crowds and beaches are of little interest. Will be driving a car and like to do scenic two lane roads once we get a distance from home. Leaving from N IN and plan to be gone under two weeks. I would consider doing a bit of fishing in the Gulf (charter). A little FL panhandle might be acceptable.

We are a mid 60's SS couple and have little to no interest in FL. Growing older and the winters get colder (hungry wood boiler) might want to investigate a small modest place to spend some winter time in the coming years. Any areas that we should investigate?

Sorry for the OT-----but there is just too much knowledge and wisdom on this site to pass up.

Thanks in advance.
 
I can tell you one stretch of scenic road down through there. Go up on top of Lookout Mountain on the south side of Chattanooga and take Lookout Mountain Parkway all the way down to Gadsden Alabama. It's a nice drive. Stop off at Desoto Falls near Mentone and Noccalula Falls on the north side of Gadsden.
 
Well, if you can make it over Texas way...

Palo Duro Canyon in the panhandle.

The "Hill Country", Fredricksburg, Johnson City and the Johnson Ranch, "3 Sisters" drive, many caves and
caverns.

San Antonio, Alamo, River Walk, lots of history, historic hotels.

Corpus Christi, tour the Lexington aircraft carrier, make your way along the coast to Galveston. Fishing
along the way, lots of "lesser tourist" locations along the way.

Near Galveston, San Jacento battleground, San Jacento Monument, Battleship Texas.

Miles and miles of backroads, I take them every chance I get!

Avoid chain restaurants, fast food, Dallas, and Houston!
 
I second the trip to Lookout Mt.
And Ruby Falls is breathtaking. Jack Daniels Distillery also is a great stop.
Richard in NW SC
 
Steve I have done the Palo Duro twice . To me that is one off the most under rated natural places around. Never hear much about it but sure is a nice day trip.
 
Huntsville AL the rocket museum where the Saturn rockets were built to put us on the moon some retired guys that tested roccket engines give lots of
interesting info. Nice area to drive Enjoy youur trip
 
we spend the winter in Florida panhandle[4th year] at Gulf pines KOA Milton FL.18 miles east of Pensacola right on I10 and 18 miles from Navarre and the gulf. not a bad place to spend winter [just cold this year ]things to see and do is mostly Military but they are interesting .people are just so slow that is why they live in Florida if they were in Wisconsin they would freeze to death . look up Fort Pickens and Fort Barrancas very interesting
 
If you like fishing try Weiss Lake at Centre, Alabama. Its crappie capital of the world. Golf we have the Robert Trent Jones golf trail. Birmingham has a decent zoo.
 
A day or two in Natchez looking at the antebellum mansions is definitely worth it. A couple of them are preserved (not restored) from the way they were before the Civil War.
 
I agree do Pensacola Museum and the USS Alabama well worth the time








i agree ote="atlarge54"](reply to post at 15:22:29 01/07/18) [/quote]
 
(quoted from post at 17:26:10 01/07/18) A day or two in Natchez looking at the antebellum mansions is definitely worth it. A couple of them are preserved (not restored) from the way they were before the Civil War.
Click to expand...

If you do choose to see Natchez and would like to see a good sized old plantation, up the river a ways is Oak Alley on the west side of the river right off the levee.
 
If you like a two lane road with a 50 MPH speed limit and 'nothing' but pine trees with very few amenities, it's great drive ;-)
 
Tonight HeeHaw presents New Bethel in NW Al.
Home of yours truly. Elevation 714 feet above
sea level, population 630. SAALUTE. Be sure
and visit Cane Creek Nature Preserve.
 
Actually Natchez Trace would be a very good choice.
Forget the mileage but several hundred miles,
limited access, two lane, 50 mph speed limit,
no commercial traffic. No eating or gas places
on the trace but numerous small towns adjacent
to trace. Start near Nashville by eating at
the Loveless Cafe and end at Natchez,Ms.
 
Very quiet ,non tourist beach,but
great charter fishing. Mexico
Beach FL. East of Panama City
Beach. We go there because not
many folks do! Jack Daniel's is a
neat tour on way down. Naval air
museum in Pensacola is good too.
 
I'm spending the winter in sw arizona. My first time snowbirding but right now, i'd call this heaven. never freezes. never lock my doors, farming area,
decent prices and outdoor swimming everyday! Wellton AZ
 
My brother in law goes fishing there every year. He's invited me to go along,but I can't ever get away that long the time of year they go.
 
Start in Nashville and come down the Natchez Trace to Natchez Ms.
Then follow the river road from Natchez Ms to New Orleans stopping and visiting the old Plantations along the way.
Take a 3 hour ride on the Natchez Steamboat out of New Orleans and visit the French quarter. Since you are coming past Feb 13th and mardi gras will be over it will be quieter.
Go on down to the mouth of the river to Venice La and go on a fishing charter. Our La fishing rules are more lax than other states in the area.
 
If you are anywhere near NW Ark, Crystal Bridges museum in Bentonville, Ark is worth a visit. World class architecture and art right there in
hillbilly country.
 
SE La. between Houma and New Orleans. Charter inland or off shore fishing for speckled
trout,redfish and many other salt water fish.do it yourself fishing,crabbing,shrimping.springtime
there's at least one festival every weekend! Numerous antebellum homes.french quarter and
aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans etc.,etc.
 
If you're interested in the Civil War, you have a number of battlefields to choose from: Shiloh, Port Hudson, Vicksburg, Chickamauga,
Lookout Mountain, Franklin, to name a few.
 
Agreed. Made this trip several times & enjoy it greatly. Once you get off the Trace, there are little stores & restaurants that serve mainly locals, so no chain or big box stores.
 
We love AZ too, our 5th winter in Apache Junction.
a253172.jpg
 
Don't know of much to see, but the southern valley area of Texas (Brownsville) is kinda nice in the winter with all the citrus groves and nice warm climate.








Don't know too much about what to see or do, but the valley area of southern Texas (Brownsville) has nice citrus groves and there is deep sea fishing in the gulf and Padre Island is in the area also. But... haven't been there since the 1960's.
 
For you, going anywhere east of Nashville on your way to to north Gulf coast will be out of your way.
It will likely be a one night stay on the road there and back. Unless you really push it and only travel interstates.
So now your two week trip is costing you four to six days just to get there and back home.

If you two are quite sociable, look at long term snowbirding in Gulf Shores and/or Orange Beach, AL. They really cater to the snowbirds more so than other towns within 100 miles.
Something to do socially everyday of the week if you so choose.

And the temps will not be all that great in first half of March.
Might be in the 60's if your lucky.

Lived in Pensacola, FL 16 years
Parents snowbirded in Gulf Shores 20 years.
 
Live 50 mi west of Nashville and here is MY take on the Trace to the south.. The most boring 2 lane road ever, Back side of everything pine trees and guard rails. Goes around towns. You will have to get off to see anything. Lots of two lane roads going south in Tennessee and Alabama have more old farms, homes and views.. Just my take,and I have been around this are now 74 years.
 
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