Me and the wife will be leaving the Philadelphia, PA area 3rd week of May 2011 and heading to New Orleans, LA to spend a few days with the grand kids. We will be going south via Nashville, TN and the Natchez Trace Parkway. Coming back via Cherokee, NC and the Blue Ridge Parkway/Skyline Drive. Estmated 3000 miles and 15 days. Any tips on what to see, where to eat and sleep? We will be riding an 08 Ultra.

 

Loveless Cafe just before you get on the North Entrance to the Natchez Trace outside of Nashville, TN. Awesome breakfast and some of the best biscuits in South. Might even see a C&W Star, they've been know to sample the cusine from time to time. Franklin, TN is also a great place to visit before hitting the Trace. http://www.lovelesscafe.com/

 

http://www.cherohala.org/

http://www.tailofthedragon.com/

www.motorcycleroads.com

BTW...the food at the "Loveless" is outstanding not just for breakfast but pretty much the whole menu.

 

If your going to come down the Natchez Trace I'd recommend something a little different once you get to Natchez. Most folks will jump on highway 71 and head for Baton Rouge. Instead of that cross the Mississippi river bridge into Louisiana. That's Vidalia LA. Almost as soon as you come off the bridge you'll take a left that will take you through an old neighborhood. Think it's LA 131. That'll turn into LA 15. Look at Google Maps and you'll see what I'm talking about. The road(s) will follow the Mississippi and can take you all the way to Baton Rouge. Good road with not much traffic. If you go that way when you get to Livonia, LA stop at Not your Mama's Café. Good food and it's right on LA 190.

 

You will not have any issues finding great places to eat once you get to New Orleans, are you staying with your relatives? Do you plan to be there during the week or on the weekend? Some hotels in the French quarter are about $50 a night during the week and jump up to $160 on the weekends. There's so much to do and see you would need more than a couple of days in the Big Easy.