greetings- I'm planning a road trip from New Orleans to Minneapolis this July. I know it's not the ideal time to be in the deep south but I really have no option due to work schedule. I would like to know from anyone who has traveled in Louisiana or Mississippi in July or from anyone who lives there, just how bad is the weather? We will be in an air conditioned car but we also like to hike and do outdoor activities. Is this doable? I have heard that summer rains can cool things down and that prices are lower during this time of year. I've also heard that the heat and humidity is nothing that a cold beer can't take care of. My wife and I have been in hot humid weather before. So please share your thoughts or any ideas as what we can see on this trip. Thanks in advance.
Where are you coming from? The heat is intense but it’s not worse than lots of tropical destinations.
Around 30 degrees plus humidity.
We live in Los Angeles. We plan to start in New Orleans and drive north. Hopefully it will become cooler as we get closer to Minnesota.
Given that it gets hot in the valleys around LA in the summer and even more so in tghe desert, One wonders why you're so hung up on the heat. As for the humidity, that's what air conditioning is for. People do live in tehse places, so somehow, people manage.
It's unclear why you want to make this trip and what you want to do. This isn't a hiking destination and the usual tourist spots have air conditioning.
Okay so it’s going to mostly be 80s with humidity. You’ll sweat a lot and it won’t evaporate as much as in California. Frankly in summer it’ll be hot all the way to Minnesota. You might lose like 5 degeees in average temp. That said as noted above you probably aren’t going to be outside doing immense physical activity for long periods of time.
Good Point! The summer heat in LA is mostly dry desert heat. We don't usually get the humid weather typical to other parts of the country. Why do we want to do this trip? I was originally looking into a Mississippi river cruise from New Orleans to Memphis. The costs are way over my head. Even though we've done a couple ocean cruises, rivers cruises cost much more. The idea occurred to me that there must be a way to drive along the river and see the same sights. That's how I discovered the great river road. I realize that the perspective is different being in a car, but I assume that there are places along the way where at least you can take a boat ride on the river to get a feel for it. Reading about the GRR is intriguing. We love history (I am a retired history teacher) and we love music and we love to try different kinds of food. I know there's no hiking (maybe a little- very limited). We are ready for a change of scenery and we look forward to doing something different from the kinds of trips we've taken before. Neither of us have ever been to any on the 10 states on this trip either. So that's why we want to do this trip.
The idea occurred to me that there must be a way to drive along the river and see the same sights.
Not really. The Mississippi isn't like most other rivers in North America, or the world, for that matter. It twists arounds in such a loopy fashion that trying to drive along the river is a fools errand. Where roads exist, the view of the river is frequently blocked by levees. In fact, in some places there is a contest going on between the east and west located landowners along the Mississippi to see who can construct the highest levees. The loser eventually gets flooded out.
If you go someplace like Vicksburg, you can drive along the Mississippi for a while, easily enough.
Yes I heard about the levees. Still it's a 2500 mile drive and there should be plenty of river views. Are you suggesting that the week long river cruise is worth it? Believe me if I had that kind of money I'd love to do it
Having grown up in St Louis, which is the confluence of the Mississippi & Missouri rivers, this area is a gorgeous stretch of rIver life, high bluffs, bald eagles, riverboats, lodges, state parks, and car ferries, even some wine country.
The Great River Road starts in Alton Illinois, just outside North ST Louis suburbs Rt 365. The old victorian homes on the bluffs above the river in historic Alton worth a nice 20 minute drive.
From here you head north to Pere Marquette Lodge, and have a nice meal, or even stay a night. Great hiking, and a cool old river trading town below, Elsahs Landing. Just north of here, you can take a ferry across the River at Hardin, and then you are back in St Charles county, a western suburb of St Louis. St Charles old historic downtown river front is also very nice to explore. If you wanted to head south from there, take 94 West, and head to wine country, a great drive along the Missouri river to Hermann, where there are multiple wineries.
For going to Minneapolis, you could head north from Pere Marquette to towards Hannibal Mo, this all farming land, then cross back over the river ( os stay there a night), then then head to Davenport IA, then up the the River Road which gets nice again at Savannah, and is gorgeous to Galena IL, then up to Prairie de Chien, then to La Crosse WI, and then up to Minneapolis.
Coming from the south and Memphis to St Louis, a must is the old french settlement of St Genevieve MO, as well as consider visiting the Shawnee National Forest for some great hiking to the east in southern IL....
Everything south of Cairo is el boro...
I have taken a motorcycle and a sports car many times between St Louis, Hermann, Hannibal, Savannah, Gelena, La Crosse areas....
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