Orlando to Houston Road Trip Guide

After saying goodbye to the bright city lights of Orlando, you might like to start off with a short hop to Jacksonville so that you can get the feel for the way your van performs and a taste for the open road. If you get an early start you can be in Jacksonville in just over two hours; a great time to grab a quick breakfast. Head for the Riverside/Avondale district, recently voted one of the top ten neighborhoods in the country.

There is a bit of everything here. Oak lined streets draped in Spanish moss, eclectic shops, historic houses, and a distinctly bohemian atmosphere. You will be spoiled for choice as far as restaurants and coffee shops are concerned, so have a bite then take an hour or two to explore the area on foot or even hire a bike to cover more mileage. Don’t dawdle though, you still have to get down the road to Tallahassee.

Despite its name, the water in this park is really a clear, tea-brown color, dyed by the local tannins. The park is an outdoor lover’s dream and a completely different environment from the one which you will have experienced at Tallahassee. Variety is one of the beauties of self-contained road travel.

The park is home to 30 campsites, most of them small. Blackwater River is a site that caters to just 15 RVs at a time, so book in advance. Situated beneath long-leaved pine trees, from there you are only a short walk to the Juniper Lake nature trail. In the park itself, there are also plenty of other delightful hiking trails. If you are lucky you might spot white-tailed deer, turkeys or bobcats. You are almost bound to see birdlife, some of which is on the endangered species list.

Another really peaceful way to experience this wilderness oasis is to hire a canoe or kayak and then just drift peacefully or picnic on one of the river's thirty beaches.

The Big Easy needs no introduction. Park your rig and dive into the French Quarter's jazz clubs, beignets at Café Du Monde, and evening strolls down Bourbon Street. Beyond the party, explore the Garden District's historic mansions and sample authentic Creole cuisine in the Warehouse District.

Pontchartrain Landing Campground sits lakeside just minutes from downtown with resort-style amenities. Bayou Segnette Campground offers a more rustic state park experience south of the city. For convenience and full hookups, New Orleans KOA in River Ridge provides easy city access with shuttle service.

Our Miami to New Orleans road trip guide offers more Louisiana exploration ideas.

New Orleans is famed for its southern cuisine and dishes such as jambalaya, red beans and rice, and gumbo. One restaurant that has become an institution in the city is Willie Mae's. It first opened its doors in 1957 when it was a combination bar, hairdresser and beauty parlor. When the beauty parlor closed, that left room for a restaurant. As there was already a hungry clientele in the bar, the transformation seemed a logical one.

In 2005, the restaurant was thrown into the spotlight when it won the prestigious James Beard Award for Southern Food. This newly acquired fame was not enough to stop Hurricane Katrina, however, and she badly damaged Willie Mae’s in 2007.

Once restored, the restaurant soon started attracting attention again, and both the Travel Channel and Food Networks did features on the restaurant and declared it the home of the best-fried chicken in America.

Just over one hundred and thirty miles of easy cruising from New Orleans will bring you to Lafayette. This city is often referred to as the heart of Cajun country and in 2014 was voted the happiest city in America. The whole area is RV friendly but you might like to head for Bayou Wilderness Resort.

Lafayette itself offers much to do with, of course, a strong emphasis on southern cuisine and music. Each year they hold the second biggest mardi gras in the country. There is the Arcadian village which is a reconstruction of an original Cajun village demonstrating what life used to be like in the 1800s. Here there is a museum and a blacksmith shop that demonstrates how integral the blacksmith was to village life.

In Lafayette itself, Saint Johns’s Cathedral is an impressive church to visit. While there, don’t forget to check out the big oak tree which is thought to be over five hundred years old.

Pristine white sand and turquoise waters welcome you to Florida's Emerald Coast. Fort Pickens, a Civil War-era fortress, sits on Santa Rosa Island, offering both history and stunning beach access. The Pensacola area combines military heritage with laid-back beach vibes.

For overnight stays, Fort Pickens Campground puts you steps from the beach with 200 sites offering electric and water hookups. The Pensacola Beach RV Resort on Santa Rosa Sound delivers upscale amenities, including a heated pool and boat launch. Or try Big Lagoon State Park for a more rustic waterfront experience.

This historic barrier island blends Victorian architecture with beach resort vibes. Stroll the Seawall, tour Moody Mansion, and catch fresh Gulf shrimp at waterfront restaurants. Galveston Island State Park protects 2,000 acres of coastal prairie and beaches.

Camp right on the water at Galveston Island State Park's beachfront sites, or upgrade to Jamaica Beach RV Resort for resort amenities. Bayou Bend RV Resort and Kemah RV Resort offer mainland options near Houston. Check out Galveston RV rentals for island-based rigs.

Your destination city brings world-class museums, NASA's Space Center Houston, and a thriving culinary scene. The Museum District clusters 19 institutions within walkable distance, while the Buffalo Bayou Park system offers 160 acres of urban green space.

Houston Leisure RV Resort on the city's east side provides full hookups and easy freeway access. Woodland Lakes RV Park in The Woodlands suburb offers a peaceful retreat with urban convenience. For more Houston-area camping, browse Houston RV rentals and parks.