Orlando to Nashville Road Trip Guide

Your destination in Nashville is famous for its live music and entertainment. Music lovers will want to waste no time heading down to the Honky Tonk Highway, located on Lower Broadway. This entertainment district is lined with restaurants, bars, and live music venues. A Honky Tonk establishment is one that contains at least one stage, and is open all day, every day!

Drink and dance anytime between opening at 10 AM, and closing at 3 AM. More good news: there is no cover charge, so you can wander in and out of the numerous Honky Tonks along the strip at will. Many popular artists got their start at the Honky Tonk bars on Honky Tonk Highway, so the artist you see today on the small stage could be gracing the big stage in a few months, or a few years!

During the day, the bars here are not as packed, and bars have multiple levels so if the street level is too crowded, you can always check out the upper floors. Be sure to wear closed-toed shoes, or exhibit some new flashy cowboy boots picked up in a local Nashville shop, so your toes don't get stepped on while heading out on the dance floor for a whirl!

Once you arrive in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on your way to Nashville, you will have the opportunity to take a cruise down the beautiful Tennessee River, that runs through this city. Riverboat cruises of varying length can be booked online at Southern Belle Cruises.

The 450-passenger “Belle” offers lunch, sunset, dinner, moonlight, and sightseeing cruises along the river. Sunset and dinner cruises offer music and dancing nightly. During the fall season, sightseeing cruises down the Tennessee River are especially colorful, or you can enjoy a fireworks cruise, and view a spectacular light display from the deck of the riverboat. Want to explore the Historic Chickamauga Lock System? There's a cruise for that too. Sightseeing cruises on open-air decks come complete with live narration. Leave your RV at the local Chattanooga KOA, or state parks surrounding the city and discover the Tennessee River sights and sounds on a romantic river run of an informative daylight trip.

While passing through Atlanta, don't miss the opportunity to visit the birthplace of Martin Luther King Junior. The National Historic Site covers 35 acres and is available free of charge to visitors. Landmarks, facilities, and monuments allow you to follow the life and accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and gain a better understanding of the struggles he faced.

Start at the home where MLK was born and lived until he was 12, wander around the International World Peace Rose Garden, and see the “Behold” monument. At the Ebenezer Baptist Church, you can listen to MLK's sermons and speeches, and view exhibits outlining the history of the church and a video with Dr. King’s sister, discussing her personal experiences with her family and the church.

Visit the King Center to discover inspirational materials and exhibits that outline Dr. King's radical non-violent ministry and writings, then stop at the Eternal Flame, at Dr. and Mrs. King's tomb. Be sure to complete your visit at the International Civil Rights “Walk of Fame” where the actual shoe prints of civil rights activists are preserved.

RVers can stay at High Falls State Park in the Atlanta region, where lake and riverfront RV campsites with hookups and amenities are available.

About three and a half hours drive north from Orlando, you will reach Tifton, Georgia. Camping with excellent amenities is available here at the Tifton KOA, or at nearby state parks. Visitors passing through or staying overnight in Tifton should not miss the Georgia Museum of Agriculture and Historic Village to experience what farm life was like in the 19th century in this area of Georgia.

This historic park has 35 structures on a 95-acre site. The buildings have been carefully restored, and costumed guides situated at the exhibits demonstrate day to day activities typical of agricultural life in the 1800s, share pertinent facts, and relate the history of the region. There's even a train at the park. Climb aboard the Vulcan Iron Works Steam Locomotive, which is the only one of its kind operating in Georgia, and tour the village from the open air passenger car.

You can stroll up Main Street, and on a hot Georgia day, stop in to the drugstore for a cooling root beer float! Please note that the village is closed for the month of August. While staying in Tifton, be sure to check out the boutique shops, antique stores, live music venues, arboretum, and art gallery!

Before leaving Orlando, make sure you check out Universal Orlando Resort where you will find not just one, but three exciting theme parks, that will let you get behind the scenes of your favorite films and shows. The three theme parks include Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay, a fun-filled water park. Universal Orlando specializes in attractions that feature characters from your favorite movies, TV, and pop culture.

Thrill-seekers will love the exciting rides and activities, and you can relax later in the day at the Universal City Walk where entertainment, shopping, and dining opportunities are available onsite. Whether you are a fan of Harry Potter or Spiderman, want to battle a dragon, or face down some evil villains, you will find all kinds of unique experiences at Orlando Universal Resort! A great place for kids, or just kids at heart! Take in the on-site shows, rides, and special events at this world-class theme park!