Our latest road trip took us through the states of KENTUCKY, ALABAMA, FLORIDA, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, ARKANSAS, and MISSOURI! Here’s our detailed itinerary that we used to travel and discover more of the USA.
Our goal is to reach all 50 states before my oldest son graduates high school. We are on a mission! After our road trip to South Dakota and Maine, we decided to head South! We ventured during my son’s spring break last year. This road trip was full of history, experiences, and many many miles.
Table of Contents
Family Road Trip Itinerary from Ohio To Florida
Day 1 – Ohio to Alabama
This first day was to be our longest day of driving. In our experience, this is necessary when you are the most rested at the start of the trip. Here are a few highlights of where we visited.
Swopes Car Museum (Free) – I found this randomly on a map when looking for places around Lincoln’s birthplace. It was the perfect halfway spot from Ohio to Alabama. If you’re an antique car lover, it is a wonderful museum that I highly recommend stopping at!
Lincoln Birthplace (Free) – This was a must-see for us and did not disappoint. It is a great stop to stretch your legs and experience history. You can tour the entire area in less than one hour.
Day 2 – Alabama
US Space and Rocket Center – We spent most of one day visiting this museum. We enjoyed it. It has an area specifically geared toward kids, but the large space shuttle was the highlight for us.
Dreamland BBQ – My husband, having grown up in Tennessee, thoroughly enjoys visiting different BBQ places. This was a wonderful place to eat dinner.
Old Town Historic District (Huntsville, AL) – This was a highlight for me as a lover of old homes. This was a collection of historic homes that have all been impeccably maintained and restored.
Day 3 – 5 – Pensacola, FL
Our most extended stay was in Pensacola. We have found that in the middle of a week-long visit, having a few nights to stay in one place and decompress is essential with the kids. We found a house with a pool and settled in. Here are a few of our favorite places we visited while there.
Gulf Shores National Seashore – This beach is lovely. There is no commercial development, just a beautiful white sandy beach in its natural form. You do pay a fee to park for the week, which was free for use since my youngest son was in 4th grade.
Fort Pickens – This was a historical place for us to visit. Forts seem to be pretty cool to the kids. It’s also a beautiful area to explore. The highlight was watching the Blue Angels do their training while we were at Fort Pickens. It is a great place to watch!
Blue Angels – We were not able to visit the Blue Angel museum because of current restrictions. While annoyed with restrictions, we made the most of it by watching them from Fort Pickens. Look up their practice schedule if you are in the area!
Day 6 – Louisana
Cafe Du Monde – We went. We can say we went there. We saw a bit of downtown New Orleans. I never need to go back.
WWII Museum: In contrast, this museum was by far the best I have ever been to. I wish we had had two days to visit. This is a must-see in the United States. It was impactful and brilliantly organized. We felt completely submerged in the experience. My kids already enjoy history, but this highlighted a time of history that I was glad they could learn more about.
Day 7 – Mississippi
Windsor Ruins – I visited the ruins in the early 2000s on my way to living in Texas. I enjoyed this stop – and that is what it is. It’s a little detour that gives you a view of the grandeur of the plantations of the 1800s.
Vicksburg – After visiting Gettysburg, Vicksburg was on our list. I prefer Gettysburg, but Vicksburg was also very interesting to visit.
Day 8 – Tennessee
National Civil Rights Museum – The kids visited this museum with my husband while my parents and I ventured to Graceland. They found it to be a great museum!
Graceland – This museum is very expensive. I went with my parents, and I enjoyed it. That said, we did not take the kids because of the cost. And with the cost, they didn’t care about learning about Elvis. However, I enjoyed this museum if you were an Elvis fan or simply interested.
Day 9 – Arkansas and Missouri
Lambert’s Cafe – We visited Lambert’s for dinner as we stayed nearby. It was such a unique and fun restaurant! We would go back if we passed through the area again! Get there early, as it is a popular spot!
Gateway Arch – I love it! Such a unique place to visit. We also took the Mississippi River boat ride and enjoyed it as well. If you go, watch the video of its construction first. It helps you to appreciate the incredible talent and intelligence of the men who built the gateway arch.
We drove home from Missouri, stopping overnight in Illinois. The picture above is where Lincoln first served in political office in Vandalia, Illinois. You could say our road trip came full circle!
Lots of history was again experienced during this road trip, and while we can’t see it all, we thoroughly enjoyed this latest adventure!
Comments & Reviews
Always enjoy your travel posts. Sounds like a fun trip. You gave us several ideas of places to go on our next vacation. And I felt the same as you about New Orleans. Spent a few hours there walking around French Quarter and have no desire to return.