1

The south encompasses a lot of territory - you need to be a little more specific as to what your interests are and what your budget will be before folks can provide resonable suggestions.

2

What are your interests? History? Art? Music? Food? Hikes? Bikes? Shopping? Night clubs? Strip clubs? Remember, we don't know you, and what we like may be what you hate.

"Ranches" are not a southern thing. You'll need to head west to find one.

3

I think a map is needed. It's possible that what you think of as "south" is actually what we think of as the southwestern U.S.. Read those 2 linked articles and you'll get a better idea as to whether you want to visit both regions or only one.

4

It’s hard to know what to recommend without knowing more about you and your interests.

For me (and this is just a personal choice) I’d rent a car and start in the western part of Virginia, not West Virginia but the western part of Virginia. I'd consider camping, and drive either toward Nashville or Atlanta and then hang a right and head west. (The west is not the south)

I’d consider New Orleans a must.

I’d skip the dude ranch thing (money) but would pay good money to hunt nutria in Louisiana or hunt wild hogs in Texas plus a horse-tour in either place.

I would try to leave some time/opportunity to meet a special person in a "honky tonk" in Texas or in bar in New Orleans, but I wouldn't hang the success or failure of the whole trip on it.

That's just me. that's how i'd do it.

Edited by: LongIslandBob

5

Oh frustration when you write a nice long response, and it doesn't post! This is going to be the blunt version! :)

Speaking on behalf of three different girls we would like:
Fun, music, dancing - a honky tonk sounds amazing, food, beautiful scenery, culture, historical milestones, bit of exposure to bible belt (not wholly consumed though!), looking at things like Nutria's, but not shooting them! Personally I would love to see a space launch...it would be an absolute dream.

Starting in Washington to Memphis, to Nashville, to New Orleans, to Houston, to Dallas is 31 hours. This is a lot of driving for two weeks. Happy to miss out areas where it would be dull vast expanses. We work for an airline, so flights on American carriers are fairly cheap for us, so planes are not out of the question.

Is Savannah worth the trek out there?

We can fly into or out of Washington, Dallas FW, Atlanta, Houston directly from London.

Thanks for your help on this!

6

I would start in DC and head to Asheville, then over the Blue Ridge Parkway, or down to Virginia, Williamsburg and Charleston is a must, one the best dining/drinking areas on the coast for low country cuisine, then head to Nashville and down to New Orleans...forget Texas, IMO.

7

I've never been to Savannah (or anwhere in Georgia)

If time and driving are issues I'd be tempted to take the western route, make tennessee a destination and skip GA altogether, but I've never been to Georgia so that might be bad advice.

If I did take the eastern route i would definitely visit a beach or two. There is an island off Georgia (i think it's called Cumberland) that's never been developed. It's never had more than a handful of houses on it. It's said to be a natural paradise. Not much dancing there I imagine, but I think it's an interesting point.

In western Va the drive is so beautiful (skyline drive and blue ridge parkway) people take vacations just for the purpose of driving there. There are lots of local caves, waterfalls etc. so t's not all driving. As solohobo points out the eastern part of VA has a lot of interesting history sites etc..

If you're going to fly over something fly over Alabama. It's not a bad place, especially if you want to laugh dance and relax, but well, that's the one I'd flyover.

8

Try this rough route.
It's similar to #6, but has a bit less driving.
Oh, and xAtlanta is really just to start it off. I wouldn't spend much time there.