Best holiday destinations

[EpsomWolf]

Anyone done Graceland? It’s a big birthday for the wife next year and I know Elvis (himself, more than Graceland itself specifically) has had a bucket list appeal, so am looking at putting a surprise trip together. I know Mississippi, and also New Orleans would be really fun and could be factored in to make a really special, adventurous (road?) trip, but it seems there are so many variations and it’s difficult to know where to start.

Booking a straight Elvis/Graceland trip online would be the easiest option but doesn’t exactly show the sort of effort and personalisation that would be appropriate. We do like to get stuck in, enjoy a good night out and a party, and embrace all opportunities, so am open to all suggestions from anyone who’s been to Graceland or that part of the world in general?

 

[Tony Towner]

I went last year. It's very well done, the house itself is a bit meh, you can't go upstairs and it's smaller than you'd imagine, but the museum pieces on the other side of the road are very good. It's a 4 hour or so trip all told. You should go to Sun Studios in Memphis too,.its a bit Triggers broom but still worthwhile, as is the MLK museum at the Lorraine Motel and a night on Beale Street.

We had a whale of a time and did
Atlanta
Chatanooga
Nashville
Memphis
Vicksberg
Montgomery
Hilton Head Island

I'd have liked to have gone to New Orleans, but chose a few days on the beach at the end instead.

I know Kenny went a year or 2 beforehand with a different itinerary.

 

[EpsomWolf]

Thank you.

My son happens to be going to the wedding of a Uni mate in Charlotte next week, flying into Atlanta and doing a bit of a road trip taking in a NASCAR event in Nashville, and doing a bit of in-with-the-natives line dancing and that sort of thing. I quite fancy some of that but mustn’t get distracted as have to keep focussed on what ticks the wife’s boxes (so-to-speak). I know his stay in Asheville has been wiped out as the Airbnb is now no more than a pile of rubble after the recent tornado and floods but that’s another story….

I think your recommendations are along the right lines. Can I ask, did you piece it together yourself with hire cars and pre-booked accommodation etc or use a company to put it all together for you?

 

[Squeak]

If you are heading to Atlanta, take in the Martin Luther King museum and surrounding area. It is free and very revealing about the time when America started to come to its senses as far as race was concerned. Still took many decades after but that was a starting point.

New Orleans is an absolute dump with a few good restaurants. My wife enjoys it but I find it unsavory and a place I'd rather avoid. Following the river you will come across Whitney Plantation, which tells the story from a slaves point of view and Oak Alley Plantation. An overnight stay there is very enjoyable. Both are very worth while if you decide to head south from Graceland.

As regards Graceland, if you have the opportunity, go now. You just never know what is around the corner and rumours are that the family are struggling to make ends meet.

 

[Tony Towner]

Thank you.

My son happens to be going to the wedding of a Uni mate in Charlotte next week, flying into Atlanta and doing a bit of a road trip taking in a NASCAR event in Nashville, and doing a bit of in-with-the-natives line dancing and that sort of thing. I quite fancy some of that but mustn’t get distracted as have to keep focussed on what ticks the wife’s boxes (so-to-speak). I know his stay in Asheville has been wiped out as the Airbnb is now no more than a pile of rubble after the recent tornado and floods but that’s another story….

I think your recommendations are along the right lines. Can I ask, did you piece it together yourself with hire cars and pre-booked accommodation etc or use a company to put it all together for you?

I booked it all myself. Return flight to Atanta, then booked the accommodation through AirB&B or Booking.com. Car rented at the airport, it's cheaper than pre booking, but comes with the obvious risk. We did actually pre book, but they wanted us to wait for 2 hours so cancelled and went elsewhere- 2nd or 3rd biggest airport in the US, so loads of options.

Some of the entertainment Grand Ole Opry, Graceland, Coca Cola tour (don't bother), Nashville gig (Culture Club) we booked before we left. Others like the MLK stuff in both Atlanta and Memphis, Sun Studios, JD distillery tour, Country Music Hall of Fame, Vicksberg Civil War site, Stone Mountain (impressive carving, questionable ethically), Jimmy Carter Presidential Library we turned up and paid on the day (or on the case of Jimmy didn't, we found out after the 45 minute walk from the MLK museum that he doesn’t work on Mondays, lazy bastard).

I think we did about 2k miles across the fortnight with 4 or 5 hour drives some days, so you need to be sure that you can handle that, although if you don't do the SC bit at the end then that cuts out 2 of the biggest.

 

[Kenny]

I went last year. It's very well done, the house itself is a bit meh, you can't go upstairs and it's smaller than you'd imagine, but the museum pieces on the other side of the road are very good. It's a 4 hour or so trip all told. You should go to Sun Studios in Memphis too,.its a bit Triggers broom but still worthwhile, as is the MLK museum at the Lorraine Motel and a night on Beale Street.

We had a whale of a time and did
Atlanta
Chatanooga
Nashville
Memphis
Vicksberg
Montgomery
Hilton Head Island

I'd have liked to have gone to New Orleans, but chose a few days on the beach at the end instead.

I know Kenny went a year or 2 beforehand with a different itinerary.

Atlanta, Athens, Taledega, Brilliant, New Albany, Tupelo, Memphis West Memphis, Nutbush, Paris (even saw the Eifel Tower), Nashville, Lynchburg & Chatanooga.

Other places we visited but can't remember right now.
Agree on Sun Studios, the guy doing the tour knew his shit. Beale Street was a great experience but on the whole found Memphis to be a bit off, parts of it didn't feel safe at night and was worried on the 1st night but the free tram from town straight to our hotel ($1 to use in the day) helped cut that out.
Go watch the baseball at the Stadium not far from Beale...$20 a ticket with a all you can eat Hot Dog and Mac n Cheese buffet thrown in.

Athens was an REM fan boi trip. Genuinely will never get over doing that even if most of the REM related things are gone but visit Weaver D's for a very local eating experience (also the best Fried Chicken ever made).

Lynchburg for the obvious distillery tour but go eat at Mary Bobos. Former guest house Mr D used to use.
You sit at a table with other people, which I thought I would hate but you are joined by a local volunteer and our "guest" was part of the JD family and gave us a brilliant talk on on the history of Jack and Lynchburg.

Could write a book on that trip and bore you all to death even more. Genuinely one of the best holidays i have done.and driving that circle and visiting random towns as well as planned ones was epic.

Came with the bonus that it was booked but Covid happened and as we just kept rebooking the flights, the airline were happy to keep my money to such a degree the final rebooking 1st class seats were cheaper than the original, so we travelled that way.

 

[Tony Towner]

Nutbush and the Tina Turner museum, boy she deserves better . Like one of those comedy places you see online.

 

[Kenny]

Nutbush and the Tina Turner museum, boy she deserves better . Like one of those comedy places you see online.

Well Nutbush is exactly as she describes it i guess.

 

[Kenny]

Paris, TN...its like really being in actual Paris....honest.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Made by the same bloke who did the Spinal Tap Stonehenge set?

 

[Squeak]

I booked it all myself. Return flight to Atanta, then booked the accommodation through AirB&B or Booking.com. Car rented at the airport, it's cheaper than pre booking, but comes with the obvious risk. We did actually pre book, but they wanted us to wait for 2 hours so cancelled and went elsewhere- 2nd or 3rd biggest airport in the US, so loads of options.

Some of the entertainment Grand Ole Opry, Graceland, Coca Cola tour (don't bother), Nashville gig (Culture Club) we booked before we left. Others like the MLK stuff in both Atlanta and Memphis, Sun Studios, JD distillery tour, Country Music Hall of Fame, Vicksberg Civil War site, Stone Mountain (impressive carving, questionable ethically), Jimmy Carter Presidential Library we turned up and paid on the day (or on the case of Jimmy didn't, we found out after the 45 minute walk from the MLK museum that he doesn’t work on Mondays, lazy bastard).

I think we did about 2k miles across the fortnight with 4 or 5 hour drives some days, so you need to be sure that you can handle that, although if you don't do the SC bit at the end then that cuts out 2 of the biggest.

Yeah, booking yourself is really easy as all you have to do now is proper research on the interwebs and you'll always find something you fancy. America is really easy to find good places and reasonably wallet friendly although AirBNB owners do take the piss with cleaning fees. Even the AirBNB fee is a piss take nowadays, far removed from how the site was originally set up. Anyway, easy to find reasonable accommodation or you can even rent a camper van if that floats your boat.

A word on Stone Mountain... always take the gondola (tram) up that bloody thing. Once you get to the top, it is impressive and on a clear day you can see Downtown Atlanta skyline pretty easily. I usually walk down but that can be a work out and you need to be in reasonable shape to tackle it. The big issue is where the exit is when you do that as it leaves you about a mile walk back to the car park where you got on at the Visitor Center. It's the same if you park there and walk up and take the tram back... and heaven help you if you do. It is a serious climb.

Good advice on the driving. I limit myself to around 3 hours a day now. It's supposed to be a holiday! If you get up early in the morning, then no problem doing a bit more but if you like a lie in, then I wouldn't be driving too much. With some thought and care you can see a lot.

 

[Kenny]

Good advice on the driving. I limit myself to around 3 hours a day now. It's supposed to be a holiday! If you get up early in the morning, then no problem doing a bit more but if you like a lie in, then I wouldn't be driving too much. With some thought and care you can see a lot

The drives between our main bases were longer than 3 hours but just made a day of it.

Some planned stops but then some random ones. Making a diversion because I wanted to see the town called Brilliant for example.
Nothing really there bar everything being classed as being ace 'Brilliant Town Hall" "Brilliant Church of God" so full of themselves...

 

[Squeak]

The drives between our main bases were longer than 3 hours but just made a day of it.

Some planned stops but then some random ones. Making a diversion because I wanted to see the town called Brilliant for example.
Nothing really there bar everything being classed as being ace 'Brilliant Town Hall" "Brilliant Church of God" so full of themselves...

That's fine if you plan for it but just need to be aware that road trips can be exhausting. One such example is if you drive from Vegas to Grand Canyon. It is a long drive and if you are heading back to Vegas, you will spend a long time in your car that day. GC is impossible to take in for 3 or 4 hours IMO. Just so vast and so amazing.

Not been to Brilliant...but sounds quirky! Will look it up for the future. Cheers!

 

[Tony Towner]

When we did TGC, we drove from Vegas via the Hoover Dam and stayed the night there, 24 years ago so probably much more expensive now and drove to Phoenix the next day.

 

[Kenny]

The locals

 

[Kenny]

When we did TGC, we drove from Vegas via the Hoover Dam and stayed the night there, 24 years ago so probably much more expensive now and drove to Phoenix the next day.

Did LA to Vegas, taking in what's left of the original 66.

Drove to the Dam and stopped in Boulder. Lovely town and enjoyed a few drinks in a craft bar with some biker gang!

Did the proper tourist thing for the GC and went via helicopter

 

[Squeak]

Did LA to Vegas, taking in what's left of the original 66.

Drove to the Dam and stopped in Boulder. Lovely town and enjoyed a few drinks in a craft bar with some biker gang!

Did the proper tourist thing for the GC and went via helicopter

Great way to see it. I want to do that but my wife is still scarred by the light plane she took over GC with her sister on a previous trip. But honestly, that is a fabulous way to see it. I'm envious.

 

[pavlosmacwolf]

Anyone done Graceland? It’s a big birthday for the wife next year and I know Elvis (himself, more than Graceland itself specifically) has had a bucket list appeal, so am looking at putting a surprise trip together. I know Mississippi, and also New Orleans would be really fun and could be factored in to make a really special, adventurous (road?) trip, but it seems there are so many variations and it’s difficult to know where to start.

Booking a straight Elvis/Graceland trip online would be the easiest option but doesn’t exactly show the sort of effort and personalisation that would be appropriate. We do like to get stuck in, enjoy a good night out and a party, and embrace all opportunities, so am open to all suggestions from anyone who’s been to Graceland or that part of the world in general?

If you get to memphis, find "Blues Alley" one night. Live blues music, some great artists, and the best barbecue ribs i ever tasted in my life.

 

[pavlosmacwolf]

Found g

Anyone done Graceland? It’s a big birthday for the wife next year and I know Elvis (himself, more than Graceland itself specifically) has had a bucket list appeal, so am looking at putting a surprise trip together. I know Mississippi, and also New Orleans would be really fun and could be factored in to make a really special, adventurous (road?) trip, but it seems there are so many variations and it’s difficult to know where to start.

Booking a straight Elvis/Graceland trip online would be the easiest option but doesn’t exactly show the sort of effort and personalisation that would be appropriate. We do like to get stuck in, enjoy a good night out and a party, and embrace all opportunities, so am open to all suggestions from anyone who’s been to Graceland or that part of the world in general?

Found graceland a bit meh! But!!!! Outside there are old guys who will sit you down in a comfy chair and tell you elvis stories, brilliant!

 

[EpsomWolf]

Thanks for the input on this guys, much appreciated.

I did wonder if doing this properly, as in taking the opportunity while in that neck of the woods to get around, explore and do it justice would see it morph into a too time-consuming and lengthy road-trip adventure. You guys pretty much confirmed that’s the only way to go and while that itself would be a fantastic trip, upon reflection is probably not ideal for this occasion and best done over a period of 2 or 3 weeks and planned in conjunction with the boss. One for the future though so will no doubt return to the comments and recommendations in due course, just has to be parked for now.

I think 4 or 5 days somewhere nice/unusual/fun built around a visit to a place or event where the subject was of personal interest to the good lady would probably be the best option this time. Something along the lines of a show on Broadway, or perhaps an opera or ballet somewhere that felt special too.

Bit of head scratching going on. Some people are just really good at organising that sort of stuff…. but despite great willingness I’m just not one of them!