This was my detailed itinerary from this summer's road trip starting from Austin (or Dallas) to Charlotte going through Arkansas and Tennessee...then on the way back we went a little further South through the Southern states...
Gas Formula: ____ miles divided by 12= ______ X $3= $Total
Friday, July 9-Sat. July 10 Dallas
10:00 am Leave Austin
Lunch: Packed Sandwiches
Dinner: Ci Ci's Pizza, $5 Buffet
Check in at: Hampton Inn and Suites, Greenville, Texas 3001 Kari Lane, Greenville Texas 75402
Time to Hotel Stop: 4 Hours
Total Mileage: 230 miles $60 in gas
Sat July 10-Sun, July 11 Little Rock, AR (visit Crater of Diamonds on Way to Little Rock) $7 Adults, $4 (Age 6-12) Pool $5.50(42"+) $3.75<42"
Leave hotel around 8:30 am
Total Time: 3 hours 30 min
Total Mileage: 200 miles $50
Arrive at Crater of Diamonds around noon, stay until 5 pm Cost $26 Total
Lunch: Packed
Dinner: Sonic Drivethru Estimate $35
Check in at: Hampton Inn Suites West Little Rock around 7:30 pm
Total Time: 2 hours
Total Mileage: 100 miles $25
Sunday, July 11-Monday, July 12 Chatanooga, TN (will go to The Lost Sea in Sweetwater on the 12th, then drive on to Asheville)
Leave hotel around 8:00 am
Arrive at Holiday Inn around 5:00pm
Lunch: Packed
Dinner: Cracker Barrell (Use $5 off $20 coupon waiting at restaurant) $50
Check in at: Holiday Inn Express and Suites Lookout Mountain *DO NOT STAY HERE*
Total Time: 8 hours
Total Mileage: 500 miles $125
Monday, July 12-Wednesday, July 14 Asheville (We will visit Biltmore Estate on the 13th and the Mineral Museum in Hendersonville on the 14th)
July12 Leave Chatanooga Hotel at 9:00 am, drive to Sweetwater for the Lost Sea
Total Time: 1 hours 30 min
Total Mileage: 80 miles $20
Arrive at The Lost Sea around 11:00 am, stay until 3pm Cost $55 (Bring Coupon)
Lunch: Packed
Check in at: Hampton Inn Asheville Tunnel Road around 6:00 pm
Dinner: Chili's in Asheville Estimate $50
Total Time: 3 hours
Total Mileage: 170 miles $45
July13 Visit Biltmore Estate $85 (with 25% off coupons)
Lunch: Order from Old School Subs and Salads and they will deliver it to us in the Biltmore Estate. $60
Dinner: Order pizza from pizzahut.com use coupon code HM for $10 pizza/delivered to hotel $30
July14 Leave by 8:30 am and go to Lake Lure
Boat Ride loads at 10:00 am-11:00 am: $52
Lunch: Go to Subway, one mile east on 74 $30
Play at Lake Beach until 4 or 5 ish: $32
Dinner: Golden Corral in Shelby, one hour away $50
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Mileage: 45 miles $12
July 15 (Thursday) in Charlotte
Visit the Gold Mining Place
Cost of Admission: Free $2 per pan for mining...$25 (each child doing 3 pans)
Time: 45 minutes
Total Mileage: 45 miles $12
July 16th (Friday) Charlotte
Visit Hezekiah Place
Admission $21
July 17th (Saturday)
Visit July 17 Civil War Reenactment Relive the battle between North and South as soldiers reenact the American Civil War. The Sample family who lived at Latta from 1853 to 1922 had four boys who fought and survived the war. Visitors can walk through the soldier camps, shop with period sutlers, tour the plantation house and grounds, and watch the main battle at 2:00pm each day. Admission is $7 per person, ages 5 and under free. Total $35
Lunch: Pack a Lunch
Time Travel: 45 minutes
Mileage: 40 miles $10
July 25 (Sunday) Leave for Lagrange, Georgia, wake up early and head to Calloway Gardens for the next day
10:00 am Leave Charlotte
Lunch: Packed Sandwiches
Dinner: KFC $25 with coupons
Check in at: Country Inn and Suites, Lagrange, Georgia
Time to Hotel Stop: 5 Hours 30 minutes
Total Mileage: 320 miles $80 in gas
July 26th (Monday) LaGrange-Calloway Gardens-Auburn
9:00 am Head to Calloway Gardens
Lunch: Packed
10:00- 3:00 Calloway Gardens Cost (Michael is 12...$45)
10:30 birds of prey show
Noon: Lunch by butterfly garden, then do that
2:00: Go to beach for swimming until 5:00 pm
Dinner: Eat fast food Budget $35
Then drive an hour to Auburn Hotel
Total Mileage 65 miles $17
7:00 ish: Check in at Hampton Inn and Suites Opelika I85, Auburn, Alabama
July 27th (Tuesday) Auburn-Jackson, MS
Head out by 10:00, arrive in jackson aroun 4:00pm
Lunch: Fast Food, $20 budget
Dinner: Order pizza by pool. Pizza Hut $10 pizza $4 for drink and breadsticks...$17 total
Check into Country Inn and Suites, Jackson, NE
Time:5 hours 30 minutes
Mileage: 300 $75
July 28th (Wednesday) Jackson- Shreveport
Check out around 10:00
Go to the Mississippi agriculture and forestry Museum Cost $15
Leave by 3:00 pm and head to Shreveport by 5:30pm
Lunch Budget: $20
Dinner: $25
*FIND A DIFFERENT HOTEL OTHER THAN HOLIDAY INN-MINDEN*
Travel Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Mileage 146 miles $40
July 29th (Thursday) through July 31st (Saturday) Dallas
Travel time from Shreveport to Waxahachie: 4 hours
mileage: 250 $65
July 31st Waxahachie to Austin
Travel Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Mileage: 150 miles $40
