douglasb

A mate is getting married in Chicago so we are going to the wedding. We decided that while we're in the States we'd like to visit New Orleans so have hired a car and will be heading down there after the wedding. Obviously, the route takes in Memphis and Nashville, so I'd just like to ask anyone who has experience of the areas and the likely route, "What are the things worth seeing/visiting on the route South?"

We have 4 days in Chicago, but the other 12 days are completely flexible. I want to visit Sun Studios in Memphis and we have to do Graceland while we're in the area. Nashville demands a visit to the Grand Ole Opry. New Orleans has to involve a riverboat trip.

Any other "insider knowledge" of things to do and see along the way, detours we should make from the obvious route, times we should spend in particular areas, etc., etc., will be very welcome.

(Any suggestions such as "Don't go to New Orleans - go to Las Vegas" will not be welcome as the flights are booked! We arrive in Chicago at a set time. We fly from New Orleans to Chicago at a set time. We fly back from Chicago at a set time. We will be driving from Chicago to New Orleans. I'm not interested in "Forget New Orleans. You should go to Florida m8" suggestions.)

Miles

I visited New Orleans in the summer of 2003 for a weekend whilst I was working in Houston. The general advice is to stay in the French Quarter - we stayed just outside the French Quarter and it was a bit dodgy to be honest.

Bourbon Street is as fun as it's made out to be, but hunt out the back street bars - some of the main bars on the street are a little anodyne. I was impressed at being served free beer in the main casino on Canal Street at 3.30am! I'd recommend taking the tram tour to get a feeling of the city.