{"id":400,"date":"2018-07-08T15:41:28","date_gmt":"2018-07-08T15:41:28","guid":{"rendered":"\/magazine\/?p=400"},"modified":"2020-07-30T10:14:30","modified_gmt":"2020-07-30T10:14:30","slug":"only-by-car-road-trip-from-atlanta-to-nashville","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sixt.co.uk\/magazine\/tips\/only-by-car-road-trip-from-atlanta-to-nashville\/","title":{"rendered":"Only by Car: Road Trip from Atlanta to Nashville"},"content":{"rendered":"

Not many people think of doing a road trip from Atlanta to Nashville. In fact, the\u00a0southeastern\u00a0region of the United States, aka, the South, is\u00a0often overlooked when it comes to road trip routes. Most people would probably skip this region entirely in favor of the beaches of Florida or charms of New Orleans. But that would be a mistake. What the\u00a0Deep\u00a0South offers is distinct cultures, interesting landscapes, and delicious food that will reward the curious traveler.<\/p>\n

You will need a car to see this area, and if you are flying in, you will need a hire car. Our chosen road trip from\u00a0Atlanta<\/strong>, where you can find three\u00a0Sixt car hire locations<\/a>, travels in a loop to\u00a0Nashville<\/strong>\u00a0and back. The driving time, depending on the route, is a bit more than 6 hours. A round trip is doable in a four-day weekend, depending on how many stops you would like to make and how many people are sharing driving duties. And of course, you will likely want to spend at least two days in some of the locations like\u00a0Nashville with its diverse music scene and delicious food.\u00a0A Sixt location is conveniently located at the\u00a0Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, meaning you can fly in and hit the road in no time.<\/p>\n

Here, our Atlanta to Nashville road trip goes through\u00a0Georgia<\/strong>\u00a0to\u00a0Alabama<\/strong>, then up to\u00a0Tennessee<\/strong>. Parts of the drive involve hilly or mountainous areas, so an\u00a0SUV rental might be a better idea than an economy or compact model if you are planning to do outdoor activities. Now all you have to do is pick up your car rental and start driving!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

A view of Atlanta from Piedmont Park<\/p>\n

STOP 1: ATLANTA<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The\u00a0capital of Georgia\u00a0has been the site of multiple historical moments. Important\u00a0parts\u00a0of\u00a0the Civil War took place here, as portrayed in the iconic \u201cAtlanta burning\u201d scene in the 1939 movie\u00a0\u201cGone\u00a0With\u00a0the Wind\u201d. It was also a key part of the civil rights movement and the site of the\u00a0Olympic\u00a0Games.<\/p>\n

Atlanta was mostly burned down\u00a0during\u00a0the Civil War and since then reconstructed. It\u2019s the centre of the New South cultural movement and has experienced a renaissance of sorts in recent years, producing several stars in the hip-hop and rap world\u00a0and becoming the setting of TV shows and home to large corporations. You can get a big city vibe here, but also get a taste of genteel southern charm with historical buildings and houses. And since you are on a road trip, there are many sights to see and you can easily\u00a0do it all in a\u00a0day or two in your rental car.<\/p>\n

WHAT TO DO<\/b><\/h3>\n
    \n
  • Visit Martin Luther King Jr.\u2019s childhood home and the original\u00a0Ebeneezer\u00a0Baptist Church where he was a pastor,\u00a0both\u00a0part of the\u00a0Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park.<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • Tour the\u00a0World of Coca-Cola<\/strong>\u00a0and learn about the history of the soft drink behemoth whose headquarters\u00a0are located in\u00a0Atlanta.<\/li>\n
  • Eat some\u00a0barbeque. Or some\u00a0Southern-style biscuits. Or some fried chicken. Basically, you should come to Atlanta hungry and not worry too much about calories.<\/li>\n
  • Park your car and stroll through the\u00a0Centennial Olympic Park<\/strong>, site of the\u00a01996 games. Entrance to the park is free, but you will likely need to pay for parking.<\/li>\n
  • Drive to the outskirts of Atlanta to\u00a0Stone Mountain<\/strong>\u00a0and the park around it. There is a nature garden\u00a0and\u00a0a cable car ride to the top of the mountain.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    To get to your next stop, take I-85 S from the airport toward\u00a0Montgomery<\/strong>, a drive that will take you just over 2 hours.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    An aerial view of Montgomery, Alabama<\/p>\n

    STOP 2: MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Before you get to\u00a0Alabama\u2019s capital city, you will drive through the\u00a0Tuskegee National Forest<\/strong>, and then the town of\u00a0Tuskegee<\/strong>, best known for\u00a0being the home of\u00a0important figures in\u00a0African-American history, and a university founded by a former slave.<\/p>\n

    After Tuskegee,\u00a0 you drive on to Montgomery, a quaint riverfront city that is also\u00a0the birthplace of the civil rights movement. There\u00a0are\u00a0many\u00a0historical\u00a0sights to see, but\u00a0the city is also home to revitalized districts with new businesses and hip restaurants and bars.<\/p>\n

    WHAT TO DO IN MONTGOMERY<\/strong><\/h3>\n
      \n
    • Learn about the Montgomery Bus Boycott and other events from the civil rights movement at the\u00a0Rosa Parks Museum<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Civil Rights Memorial Centre<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
    • Drive to Riverfront Park and take a riverboat ride.<\/li>\n
    • Take a picture with a statue of country music star Hank Williams.<\/li>\n
    • Visit the\u00a0Dexter Avenue Baptist Church<\/strong>\u00a0where Martin Luther King Jr. was a pastor. He planned the Montgomery Bus Boycott there in his basement office.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Once you\u2019ve seen all there is to see in Montgomery, it\u2019s an easy 1.5-hour drive on I-65 N toward your next destination in Alabama,\u00a0Birmingham<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

      \"\"<\/p>\n

      Buildings in downtown Birmingham, Alabama<\/p>\n

      STOP 3: BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA<\/strong><\/h2>\n

      Our next stop is in\u00a0the \u201cMagic City\u201d,\u00a0Birmingham, the largest city in Alabama. There are several\u00a0civil rights landmarks here, as well as several hiking and nature options and museums. Or you can just soak up the vibe of a former industrial city that\u2019s undergoing a revitalization and is still an important business centre for the region. A lot of our stops here are on the edge of the city, but you can comfortably see everything with your rent a car.<\/p>\n

      WHAT TO DO IN BIRMINGHAM<\/strong><\/h3>\n
        \n
      • Drive to the outskirts of Birmingham to\u00a0Red Mountain Park<\/b>\u00a0that bills itself as\u00a0\u201cthe Central Park of the South\u201d. The 1,500-acre park, once the site of an ore mine, has trails and zip lines. Sitting atop Red Mountain and looming over Birmingham is the Vulcan statue. This giant rendering of the Roman god of fire is the largest cast iron statue in the world.<\/li>\n
      • More history of the civil rights movement can be found at the\u00a0Birmingham Civil Rights Institute<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
      • Park your car and walk a couple of blocks to the\u00a0Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame<\/strong>. This theater and museum explains Alabama\u2019s place in the history of jazz music.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Continue on I-65 N for about 2 hours and 40 minutes into Tennessee to our small town break in\u00a0Franklin<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

        A country scene in Tennessee<\/p>\n

        STOP 4: FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE<\/strong><\/h2>\n

        Here we take a bit of a break from cities for a smaller Southern town. Franklin is about 20 miles from Nashville but much slower paced. Park your hired car\u00a0close\u00a0to the quaint main street area where there are boutiques and restaurants. Then drive around and look at the Victorian houses. Franklin is perhaps most famous for being the site of the Battle of Franklin in 1864 during the Civil War. The\u00a0Carter House<\/strong>\u00a0and the\u00a0Carnton Plantation<\/strong>\u00a0are both remnants of that battle and contain original furniture and a cemetery. Mostly, Franklin is worth a little jaunt off of I-65 to slow down and drive around with the windows open or the top down while getting a taste of the real South.<\/p>\n

        Point your rent a car north once again on I-65 and in 30 minutes you will get to the music mecca,\u00a0Nashville<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

        Seeing live music in Nashville is a must-do<\/p>\n

        STOP 5: NASHVILLE<\/strong><\/h2>\n

        Known since the 1950s as \u201cMusic City U.S.A.\u201d, Nashville is still where some musicians go to make their dreams come true. And while the music scene is a big draw in this capital of Tennessee, there is much more to see and do here. There are a surprising number of outdoorsy things to do in the Nashville area due to its location on the Cumberland River and close to mountains.<\/p>\n

        Just visiting all of the music venues and museums in Nashville could take a day or two. We recommend parking in a garage if you are planning to visit multiple spots on Music Row or other dense areas downtown. Otherwise, there is metered street parking for more short-term stops.<\/p>\n

        WHAT TO DO IN NASHVILLE<\/strong><\/h3>\n
          \n
        • Visit the\u00a0Musicians Hall of Fame<\/strong>\u00a0in the basement of the Municipal Auditorium. Here you\u2019ll find instruments and exhibitions from a wide range of musicians including Garth Brooks and Jimi Hendrix.<\/li>\n
        • Country music venues and museums are probably the most popular attractions in Nashville. Learn about the Man in Black at the\u00a0Johnny Cash Museum<\/strong>\u00a0or a wider overview at the\u00a0Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum<\/strong>. If you plan ahead, you can see a show at the renowned\u00a0Ryman Auditorium<\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0Grand Ole Opry<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
        • Go to the Parthenon. That\u2019s right, Nashville has a full-scale replica of this Greek structure, due to being known as the \u201cAthens of the South.\u201d You can find this in Centennial Park by driving west from downtown.<\/li>\n
        • Eat some hot chicken. This local specialty has spread across the nation, with Kentucky Fried Chicken even getting into the game, but you should try it here. The fried chicken involves a lot of cayenne pepper, so be sure to use the spongy white bread that you get with your order to calm the fire in your mouth.<\/li>\n
        • If you have time, it\u2019s worth a drive east from downtown Nashville to\u00a0The Hermitage<\/strong>, the former home of the seventh U.S. President Andrew Jackson. The mansion and plantation grounds are good for learning some presidential history and getting a break from the city.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          From Nashville, we head back toward Atlanta on I-24 E through Tennessee for a 2-hour drive to\u00a0Chattanooga<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

          \"\"<\/p>\n

          A view of Chattanooga from the Appalachian Mountains<\/p>\n

          STOP 6: CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE<\/strong><\/h2>\n

          Besides being a fun word to say,\u00a0Chattanooga<\/strong>\u00a0is a city in a beautiful setting at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains. You\u2019ll find a lot of outdoor-focused activities here, which might be welcome towards the end of a road trip.\u00a0Because of the city\u2019s setting on the Tennessee River, you don\u2019t even need to leave the city limits to spend some peaceful time outside along the water.<\/p>\n

          WHAT TO DO IN CHATTANOOGA<\/strong><\/h3>\n
            \n
          • Relax at\u00a0Ross\u2019s Landing<\/strong>, an urban park along the river. While it\u2019s now an outdoor oasis, it\u2019s on the site of where the Cherokee nation once lived.<\/li>\n
          • Drive to\u00a0Ruby Falls<\/strong>, just to the southwest of downtown Chattanooga. The underground waterfall is 145 feet tall and lies within a cavern inside Lookout Mountain.<\/li>\n
          • Lookout Mountain<\/strong>\u00a0itself is worth a visit, either because of its hiking trails or its history as the site of a famous Civil War battle. And if you\u2019re not afraid of heights, a ride on the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway up the side of the mountain gets you to historical sites and trails.<\/li>\n
          • Still want more of the outdoors? Drive further out to\u00a0Rock City<\/strong>, which is popular due to its panoramic views of seven states.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            After Chattanooga, you\u2019re in the home stretch of this Atlanta to Nashville road trip. Sit back and enjoy the scenic views from the comfort of your rental car as you drive south on I-75 back to Atlanta for about 118 miles, which takes roughly 2 hours. When you get back to Atlanta, it\u2019s easy to return your vehicle to Sixt at the airport. Or give into temptation and extend your reservation to enjoy the South a little bit longer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            Not many people think of doing a road trip from Atlanta to Nashville. In fact, the\u00a0southeastern\u00a0region of the United States, aka, the South, is\u00a0often overlooked when it comes to road trip routes. Most people would probably skip this region entirely in favor of the beaches of Florida or charms of New Orleans. But that would…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":401,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[38,34],"class_list":{"0":"post-400","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tips","8":"tag-road-trip","9":"tag-usa","10":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\nOnly by Car: Road Trip from Atlanta to Nashville - Sixt Car Hire Magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sixt.co.uk\/magazine\/tips\/only-by-car-road-trip-from-atlanta-to-nashville\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Only by Car: Road Trip from Atlanta to Nashville - Sixt Car Hire Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Not many people think of doing a road trip from Atlanta to Nashville. 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