traveljunkee

Hi All -

I had the opportunity to visit most major North American cities via business travel, but my wife has seen barely any! So I was thinking I could plan a road trip in 2024 and knock some areas off, and want to know if I'm missing any substantial detail (perhaps some logistic I am overlooking).

Driving longer distances is no issue, but may be sleeping in the SUV to be more flexible / cost efficient. Duration of 1-month including return, but it's flexible.

Anyone have experience and advice in this? It might be interesting to move south-westward toward TX, eastward to FL, then loop back upward through GA, etc.

One motivating factor is trying unique, locally-renown foods. We already pit-stopped in Chicago for deep dish, for instance. Gumbo in New Orleans is still on my list!

tomfuller

Hello and welcome to Fodors! As you may have guessed, the road trip forum does not get many visits. Are you really sure you want to bring your SUV into the US and try to sleep in it?
My thoughts which might not be what you want are: Take the Amtrak Maple Leaf from Toronto to Rochester New York. Spend a few hours in Rochester (Strong Toy Museum and the Eastman House are good).
Take the evening Lake Shore Limited overnight to Chicago. Spend a few hours in Chicago and see what you didn't see.
The "City of New Orleans" leaves Chicago Union Station every night at 8PM. Take it overnight to Memphis TN. The station in Memphis is across Main Street from the Arcade restaurant which was an Elvis hangout.
Spend 24 hours in Memphis and get back on the "CONO" to New Orleans. Spend at least 2 days in New Orleans. There is a huge variety of food options in NOL. The Amtrak station/bus station is next door to football stadium. At least once ride a streetcar in New Orleans.
Leave New Orleans on the three times weekly Amtrak Sunset Limited to Houston or maybe San Antonio.. Spend at least a day in a Texas city before returning to New Orleans. The Amtrak Crescent leaves New Orleans early in the morning enroute to Atlanta.. Spend a day or two in Atlanta before taking the Crescent to Washington DC. It is unfortunate that there is no Amtrak connection since Katrina from New Orleans to Florida. From Washington you can get on one of several trains to Florida.
From your choice of cities in Florida you can head back north to Baltimore, Philadelphia or New York. From New York (Penn station) you can get on the Maple Leaf all the way back to Toronto.
For more varied answers, post your questions on the US forum which is much more active.