I'm Canadian. I want to experience the food and natural environment of the Southern States, so I wanted to see a lot of marshes and swamps and other things the South is known for, especially in Louisiana and Georgia.I'm looking at this map, wondering if there's more areas I should drift more towards, different routes I should take for sights to see I don't want to do much more driving than this though, I was hoping for closer to 50 hours and we're pushing 60 right now.planning to go in February/March and start with New York, then drive down to Mardi Gras and back. Want to take maybe two weeks.would love some input from people who live there or have traveled there
>>2688837I travel for work regularly from PA to Atlanta and down to Florida, and have lived in Detroit. For Detroit food you should either check out a hood spot, like getting the lemon pepper pickerel and some honey garlic wings at Manhattan fish and chicken off Mack Ave, or the middle eastern food that's the best in America at Sheeba which is Yemeni food - get the lamb haneeth and the $1 giant tandoor bread. In Cincinnati you MUST stop at Jungle Jims, it's the biggest grocery store in the world and will blow your mind. Load up on insane globql snacks and sodas and explore that behemoths of a store. Also check out BRU burger, which is one of the best burgers I have ever had. If you have time stop at Huber's Orchard and Winery and take a whiskey or wine tasting tour and stop by their farmers market, it's well worth the detour from Louisville. Speaking of Louisville, stop by Momma's Mustard, Pickles & BBQ for good bbq or Shack in the Back BBQ specifically only for the Turkey ribs and white lightning sauce. While you are in Philly check out either Reading terminal market for a cheese steak and some amish pretzels OR John's Roast Pork for a authentic cheesesteak. Don't get it with cheese whiz that shit's for tourist, cheesesteaks have white cheese on them whether that's white american or provolone. Make sure to stop in DC and check out the Smithsonian museums. In Atlanta Shoya Izakaya is a fantastic japanese bar spot. In New Orleans the Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar is the oldest bar in america and it's worth checking out. My favorite Cajun spot shut down but Oceana Grill will do in a pinch. Make sure to check out Biscuit love in Franklin or Nashville. In Nashville stop by the 3 story bar with a different live band every floor.I'm sure there is more I'm missing but that's what I can think of at the moment.
>>2688837You need to go from Nashville to Memphis and then down the Mississippi Delta through Vicksburg and Natchez to New Orleans. Unfortunately, many great Delta restaurants have been closing since Covid. But you can still catch the last few remaining that people like Bourdain and Sonny have visited. You are basically bypassing the best the Mississippi has to offer
If you drive through Maryland, do yourself a favor and try Scrapple sandwich and fried chicken from a Royal Farms Gas Station.If you come to Virginia, you need to check out Busch Gardens/Water county. Personally, I think it wipes the floor with Six Flags. Williamsburg has some good restaurants as well. Go further south and you'll end up in Hampton Roads. I would say avoid Portsmouth and Newport News like the plague. You can tour a actual battleship in Norfolk. Virginia Beach is a little pricey, but it has the better beaches in the area. From there, I would recommend going to OBX (Outer Banks) in North Carolina. Then I would drive to Charleston, SC and get some real Gulla (African/Southern food fusion) food. Then make your way to Savannah, Georgia for Saint Patrick's Day. Everyone is pretty chill on St. Paddy's day.
>>2688847thanks for the food recommendations, and I forgot about the Smithsonian, I'll have to do that. Also definitely have to look into that Nashville bar.>>2688859Thanks, turns out driving through Memphis only adds an hour, and I'll actually get to see Mississippi.>>2688861adding Royal Farms to my list of must visit gas stations, right after Buc-ee'salso touring a battleship sounds amazingthanks for the advices friends
>>2688902If you do visit memphis you MUST try some of the famous BBQ spots like Marlowe's Ribs & Restaurant which is right by Graceland, so you can see all the Elvis cosplayers and shit like that. I've heard Leonard's Pit Barbecue is also good but have never been. Make sure to also check out the bass pro shops pyramid, which is the 9th largest pyramid in the world right there in Memphis TN.Royal farms chicken really is great, but it's no buccees.
>>2688952Oh I forgot to mention in either of these post, but in northern florida check out some of the blue springs. Swimming may be a bit cold in March/February but they are some really fun parts of the south and since that's part of why you're going it's definitely worth the trip.
>>2688952Don't forget to hit up WaWa and get a Hoagie and recharger beverage
>>2688859im going second Natchez. it was the only city in Mississippi that the Union Army didnt burn to the ground inbthe civil war due to the unique architecture. The presbyterian church (right behind the synegogue) has a huge photo gallery from a local photographer, and it is free to visit. This and Charleston are examples of the old south.
Lived in Philly/Most Major NC Cities/Georgia/Frequent Florida.Try Cookout if you see it. I liken it to the In N Out of the South. I get a big double cheddar style tray, with a beef quesadilla, and wisconsin cheddar bites. I get a banana pudding milkshake as well. My favorite BBQ in The Carolinas:http://www.country-bbq.com/(more traditional sweet sauce BBQ)Second if you pass through raleigh:https://oletimebarbecue.com/menu(the breakfast cheddar biscuits are good, this place is better if you want vinegar based/ carolina BBQ).Raleigh has the best korean fried chicken I've ever had, with fobs from korea agreeing. Soo cafe. The Soga (onions garlic) is amazing. Charlotte sucks ass, you can pass it without missing anything.Atlanta has a lot of great Asian food if you're interested in that I can name some things off. The OG Chick Fil A Dwarf house is there too. My buddy lives in Marietta, I can ask for some american food recommendations if you wish.
>>2689265>>2688902Baltimore has some great crab cakes. I lived there too for about a year.South Carolina, the parts you're going through, are not worth a stop outside of gas and maybe Cookout if you pass one. Supposedly Greenville is a "foodie city" now. I've heard of chefs going there due to incentives and low cost but I couldn't vouch for it.
>>2689038i'm from hattiesburg, and i'm thirding natchezhttps://natchezpilgrimage.com/if you can make it for the spring home tours, do. otherwise, definitely still do the tours of homes that are open year round. walk along the natchez bluff trail along the mississippi. go visit emerald mound. stop at the tiny cemeteries on the side of the roads. admire the spanish moss. interesting graves in the city cemetery, and the national cemetery is nice too (i like cemeteries, if you can't tell)everyone always used to say to eat at cock of the walk, but i was unimpressed, and it seems they recently failed a health inspection, so don't do that.honestly, it seems counter-intuitive, but mississippi has a thriving tamale culture. i'm not joking. tamales in the delta are unlike what you've ever had before. try them. then, down in pascagoula, my family has a tamale lady that they get their tamales from. if you don't try mississippi tamales elsewhere, maybe give fat mama's tamales a try, at least as a break from all of the southern food you'll be eating. fuck i love tamales
>>2688837Pretty good. I suggest going to Houston from New Orleans, then up to Dallas, then onto Memphis.....then continue. That will cover the Southt. East Texas
>>2689564As someone who lived in many parts of Texas you can skip Houston. It's just one giant blob of traffic and ghetto and not in the appealing punk Detroit way. The only bright spot is the Turkey leg hut and even that is ghetto as fuck with people trying to sell you public parking spaces for $15. Dallas/fort worth is alright especially if you hit a show around Deep Ellum but I don't feel is worth the detour from OP's inital plan.
>>2688837I've travelled a lot in the USA, the south is the worst region to go to/through, the whole western leg of your trip is gonna be complete ass. Do yourself a favor and go through the northeast only, and then Appalachia, both the routes you picked are just a buncha nothin, only good parts of the south are Western NC and Florida, and New Orleans I GUESS but only kinda. The midwest too, Ohio, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, buncha nothing.
>>2688902There are several 3+ story bars on lower Broadway in downtown Nashville. If you like the bar scene hit it up pretty much any evening. I don't know anything about Biscuit Love but I wouldn't want to miss hot chicken in Nashville. Hattie B's used to be my favorite but they've slipped lately. Prince's might be the place to go now. But you can get it many places.The Smoke Pit in the Charlotte area is the best BBQ I've ever had. They have 4 locations and at least one of them should be somewhat on the way for you.The Vortex in Atlanta is a fun spot with good burgers.I've been to New Orleans once. It's fine. Great seafood the couple of places I went. I saw a 10-15 ft gator dead on the side of the interstate.
>>2689569I agree, but it's the first major stop coming from the east. I avoid Houston like the plague. It's a massive shithole. Dallas is just like Houston, but Fort Worth is actually decent.
>>2689591Not sure what part of east Texas you're from but check out the wings at CowBurners BBQ & Taproom if you're ever in Mineola.
>>2689572This is the type of faggot who won’t turn off the interstate into a small town with a classic Americana Main Street city center and check out local places.Every county in Mississippi has a “county seat” that looks just like picrel. They films a lot of movies there. And there is no better food in all of the USA than in the Great State of Mississippihttps://youtu.be/wvg0bDW9xMg
>>2688837Why the hell would you visit the United States? It's unstable.
>>2689854only the “left coasts” run by marxist democrats are unstable. The parts of American that these Looney Toons call “flyover country” are still doing just fine and are safe and quiet. Places sith pokice who get away with being intolerant and touch on crime. Places where judges juries still bury criminals under the jail.
>marxistsholy fuck i hate americans
>>2689910No worries. We don’t care.
