Visit NYC, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Shenandoah NP, Skyline Drive, Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smoky Mountains NP, Nashville, Tupelo, Memphis, Natchez & New Orleans.
Wow! Three weeks exploring some of the USA’s greatest cities and prettiest roads from NYC to New Orleans. You’ll admire scenic drives and visit two of the most visited National Park in the US, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and enjoy a southern music city tour with stops in Nashville, Tupelo & Memphis along the way. The Big Apple to The Big Easy is an epic adventure for any lover of American road trips.
Key road trip highlights:
Share this trip
We’ll suggest properties to match your preferred budget, be it low-cost, mid-range or high-end luxury that you’re looking for. We can also mix it up so you’ll experience a range of standards and experiences along your road trip.
All of our American road trips can be tailored to meet your requirements. Do you have more or less than 21 days for your road trip? No problem, we can bolt on extra nights to allow more time to explore or shorten the number of destinations as required.
Enjoy four unforgettable days exploring arguably the world’s premier city. An epicentre for the arts and America’s dining, theatre and shopping capital – New York City wears many crowns. Suppose you still have the energy after your flight and you arrive early enough. In that case, we recommend you start your adventure with an open-top bus tour of the city. This will help you familiarise yourself with the Big Apple’s layout and tick off many of its famous sights. Your Road Trip Pack will be full of recommendations of where to eat and what to see and do during your stay.
Potential highlights today include shopping on 5th Avenue, Grand Central Station, the New York Public Library, Bryant Park, Times Square, Broadway and the Rockefeller Centre – just make sure you leave time to visit either the Top of The Rock or The Empire State Building as the sunsets, to witness the city’s lights come alive across the Big Apple.
A third day to explore New York, go downtown to the business district or the uber-cool neighbourhoods like Greenwich or Soho. Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty can be visited by catching a boat from Battery Park on the southern tip of Manhattan. The Financial District is also located downtown and is anchored by Wall St, home to the New York Stock Exchange, and the National September 11 Memorial and Museum.
Manhattan’s Central Park offers a break from the pace of city life, watch joggers and dog walkers stretch their legs amongst more than 800 acres of well-maintained lawns, boating ponds and even a castle and a zoo. While in uptown Manhattan, you can visit the world-renowned Natural History Museum on the Upper West Side, or if art is more your thing, head to the Upper East Side’s Met and Guggenheim Museums.
Start your road trip by heading south to the “Birthplace of America”, Philadelphia. Known as Philly to locals, you’ll have two nights to get familiar with the capital of Pennsylvania. In the evening, you may want to take a riverside stroll and head to Race Street Pier for incredible sunset and nighttime views of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge.
Any visit to Philadelphia will only be complete by consuming an authentic and delicious ‘Philly Cheese Steak’ sandwich. You can enjoy these guilty pleasures in the foodie heaven that is Reading Market and at establishments all over the city. To burn off those calories, recreate the famous scene from the film ‘Rocky’ by climbing the 72 steps outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art (pictured).
Your detailed Road Trip Pack will be the perfect companion to explore Washington, DC and all the other destinations along this route. You may want to begin by taking a self-guided tour of some of Washington’s iconic buildings. The White House, Capitol Hill and the Lincoln Memorial are just some of the key buildings that can be visited. Arlington lies across the Potomac River, a must-see for history and military enthusiasts.
You may want to dip into some of the famous Smithsonian Museums today, and there are many to choose from. The most famous, the Air & Space Museum and the Museum of Natural History, are on the National Mall, in the city’s heart. Best of all, they’re free to visit. Our favourite is the Newseum, which has impressive artefacts chronicling how ‘news’ has changed over the last 100 years.
Front Royal marks the start of the legendary Skyline Drive, which cuts through the heart of Shenandoah National Park. Stunning surroundings, abundant wildlife and a 35mph speed limit, mean you’ll easily spend the day meandering this 105-mile leg of your journey. Why not pull into one of the scenic lay-bys and stretch your legs on one of the many trails.
The best way to explore the Blue Ridge Mountains area is to drive Skyline Drive through the middle of Shenandoah National Park and then the famous Blue Ridge Parkway down towards Great Smoky Mountain National Park. These are two of America’s truly great roads, making the most of the stunning mountain views with the famous blue haze.
The world-famous Blue Ridge Parkway and Appalachian Trail roll across this picturesque mountain region. As you cruise south, you’ll witness outstanding scenery around every corner. Old-time mountain music can be heard regularly, and wineries and craft breweries offer tastings in small towns and on mountain slopes.
Our route will continue south along the Blue Ridge Parkway to Asheville, North Carolina. Some of today’s drive’s primary points of interest will include Lynn Cove, Grandfather Mountain and Linville Falls. Asheville has numerous farmers’ markets to try, and the restaurant scene takes advantage of the seasonal produce sold there.
You’ll complete the Blue Ridge Parkway on your way to Great Smoky Mountains National Park today. You’ll find ridge upon ridge of forest, which straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee. The Smokies is world-renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains, and the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture.
Great Smoky Mountains is America’s most visited National Park, so a second day to scour its gorgeous landscape for wildlife is essential. Look out for furry residents roaming the region; these include black bears, bobcats, racoons and elk. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a fantastic place to visit at any time of year; however, during autumn, the trees put on a dazzling show of colour for hikers and drivers to absorb.
Nashville is the home of Country Music, and it’s so very proud of it. Music City boasts about its musical heritage at every turn, no more so than in the fantastic Country Music Hall of Fame. It’s not all about country music, though, this fast-growing city also has a rich blues history, along with singers and songwriters from every other musical genre who call ‘Music City’ their home.
Enjoy a full day in Nashville. Head to the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge (colloquially known in Nashville as the ‘Pedestrian Bridge’), which spans the Cumberland River. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better view of the expanding Nashville skyline anywhere. Tonight, for the complete tourist experience, head down to lively Broadway and stop by a honky tonk or two for a one-of-a-kind night on the town.
Continue west through Tennessee to find Memphis. Second only to The White House, Elvis Presley’s Graceland is arguably the most iconic home in America. Memphis has plenty more to offer visitors, including the legendary Sun Studios and the moving National Civil Rights Museum. Your detailed Road Trip Pack will show you the full range of places to visit during your stay in Memphis.
Spend a second day visiting the sights of Memphis and enjoying the delicious soul food on offer. Memphis is arguably the Barbecue Capital of America, so if you’re not a vegetarian, make sure you try a rib joint or two whilst in town. Lastly, Beale Street is an amazing place to socialise with locals and other visitors from around the US and beyond.
Natchez lies on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River, with former plantation homes and a few small towns, which gave birth to “The Blues,” dotted along this route through the Mississippi Delta. Depending on your arrival time in Natchez, try to include a visit to Emerald Mound and Grand Village to learn more about the area’s rich Native American heritage.
Follow the Great River Road south to New Orleans, or ‘The Big Easy’ as it’s also known. Along the way, Oak Alley Plantation is a must-visit for anyone interested in the region’s dark history. After arriving at your New Orleans hotel, which sits at the mouth of the mighty Mississippi River, you can step out into the lively French Quarter, which will be waiting to offer you dinner, drinks, and a grand finale in a unique style that only “The Big Easy” can offer.
New Orleans is a vibrant, sultry city. This will be your final full day to explore New Orleans’ must-see attractions. Take a ride on a Streetcar, taste a sugary beignet and enjoy a stroll around the Garden District. Whether you call it NOLA, The Big Easy or just plain old New Orleans, we’re confident this vibrant city will stay with you for many years.
Share this trip
You’ll find answers to most of your questions right here. If you still need assistance, Feel free to get in touch, and we’ll be sure to get back to you promptly!
Not a problem. If you are lucky enough to have extra time to explore more places or add more rest days, then just let us know and we’ll adjust your trip to match your preferred timescale.
We strongly advise that you purchase travel insurance for your holiday to cover you against medical expenses, theft and other financial costs. Should you need to cancel before travelling, some insurance policies may pay out for any loss of funds that have been paid to us and which cannot be refunded under our cancellation policy.
Many of our trips have a different end destination than the starting point, so this is not a problem. Please note a fee sometimes applies for one-way rentals between other regions or states, which will be paid to the supplier directly when collecting the vehicle. We’ll endeavour to inform you of this charge within your quote.
No, far from it. We work with a range of properties from 3* to 5*, so we can adapt the trip to match most budgets. We have access to rooms in more than 800 hotels, motels, lodges and B&Bs across North America.
The minimum age to rent a car is 21 in the United States or Canada, although, in addition, any drivers under 25 years of age will generally incur a surcharge.
Please use the form below to request a quote from our team. Fields marked with an * are mandatory. Please note that we currently only serve customers based in the UK & The EU.
Not quite what you’re looking for? Get in touch to discuss your Bespoke Road Trip plans, or check out these similar road trip itineraries…
ARTCo customers can be confident that we only work with the very best service providers, such as Virgin Atlantic, British Airways and Alamo. Any payments made to us are fully protected via the government’s ATOL scheme (Flight packages) or Financial Failure Insurance (Non-Flight Packages).
