Recommendations for south coast USA road trip

It looks like I'm going to be spending a few weeks driving from Miami FL to Monterrey Mexico, starting in early September. The route will look something like this.



I've done this trip a couple of times before but have always been a bit pressed for time, which thankfully won't be an issue on this occasion. Last time, the only place I stopped in for any proper length of time was New Orleans, which I'd like to visit again. Other than that though, I'm not really sure what to do. Places such as Mobile and Tallahassee didn't seem that interesting when I went through them a few years ago, so I was thinking of passing through some of the national forests and beaches on the way back instead.

I'm happy to go a few hours off route but don't want to add huge amounts of driving time to the trip as it's quite a long way already.

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Yes, I'm aware of the hurricane risk but there's not much I can do as I can't change the dates much. I'd assume as I get further towards Alabama / Louisiana the hurricane risk should reduce?

I’m going to completely ignore what you’ve said and suggest adding Savannah to the route.

I drove the length of the I-10 earlier this year. I stopped in Fredericksburg TX, Galveston TX, a friends house in rural Mississippi and Panama City Beach. Fredericksburg is the only one of the 3 places I chose that I’d revisit, in fact I’d highly recommend visiting it.

I share your love of New Orleans. I’d add Austin, Fredericksburg and San Antonio into the route and maybe Big Bend NP. Load it up with Texas and avoid spending too much time in hurricane country outside the necessary stops.

Savannah is a great little city with a lot of history. It’s really pleasant to walk around for a couple of days, the bar and restaurant scene is really good and the surrounding parts of Georgia are quite pretty. To me the city feels like someone mated Boston with New Orleans.

Drop by Dauphin Island , Alabama. I used to work there, at the Sea Lab (back in my marine microbiology days).. Its basically a sand bar with houses on stilts. Very laid back, unspoilt sand dune-type beaches, cheap fresh fish eats in the little local restaurants. There is the Sea Lab to visit, plus a Civil War fort, and an Indian mound. Also an Alligator reserve. Sometimes the gators are seen in the surf.

In summer, its full of Rednecks sport fishing (the local fish rodeo is in July), but out of season, its quiet. Its nothing like Gulf Shores.



There are some small motels on the island, cheap to stay at. The Gulf Breeze Motel has been around forever, about $100 a night, pretty much on the beach.