What things would you all recommend to see on the way back from Florida to Wisconsin? Wife planned a trip for us (two kids 4 and 2) to Panama City. We are stopping in Nashville on the way down for the day. Three days in Panama Beach, then we have a few days to spare on the way home to explore. Looking for fun suggestions or places any of you might recommend to visit while we are in the “south”!


Thanks in advance!

I have never done it but the Georgia Aquarium looks fantastic

I went straight through Georgia on a trip to Florida years ago, stopping only for gas. Have always wanted to go back to Georgia and check it out. Thats what I'd do!

Since your spending a day in Nashville, The Hermitage (Andrew Jackson's plantation home) and the Belle Meade plantation would be interesting.

Mammoth Cave in Kentucky is just northeast of Nashville, just a little farther yet northeast the Bourbon Distilleries, and Federal Hill, (My Old Kentucky Home mansion)
also Abraham Lincoln's birthplace and family farm, etc.

Visit one of the natural springs there around PC.

Do your best to avoid Chicago!!

Chris

Opryland Hotel in Nashville is a good stop - it's huge and has several indoor gardens, an indoor water park, shopping,etc. It takes about an hour or two to walk thru the different wings and is a good place to stretch your legs and see actual green plants and flowers in the middle of winter. There's a riverboat docked there that does short cruises up the Cumberland River. The hotel is right off Briley Pkwy as you come thru town. If you go there drive around to the Opry Mills Mall side and you can park in the mall parking lot and walk in for free. Park in the hotel parking lot and you'll pay $20.
Broadway and Music Row is where all the country music stuff is but I never go down there anymore - seen it.

I have family just outside of Panama City - still a lot of construction going on in PCB from the last hurricane and traffic gets pretty hectic as they were widening the main drag when we were down there last fall. Capt. Anderson's is one of the better restaurants and there is a marina right there with plenty of fishing charters. St Andrews State Park is across the inlet and is a more quiet place to hang out if you want to get away from the spring break crowd. It costs $6 or so to get in for the day and has beaches, a long rock jetty that's good for mackerel fishing and a short pier that has some good fishing as well.

For me it is unfortunate that you are stopping only for a day at Nashville on the way down. I have been there twice and for me tours of Studio B, Johnny Cash museum and th country music museums were enjoyable and educational stops. Studio B is a short tour but just great music and discussions about who recorded there.

Bryce

I would recommend you go to Tyson steel building products museum in Doerun Georgia. James Tyson it was a tremendous amount of mounted animals from all over the world. I have friends that came to Panama City two years ago and they stop by and said Tysons museum was the best thing that ever saw. It is full mounts of hippopotamuses giraffes elk where do you deer lions. Too many to name. The kids could go right up to him and touch him. It is approximately 25 miles off the 75. Open 8 to 5 Monday through Friday. I was a contractor for them for 10 years. It is very nice facility. Literally one of a kind.Probably better than going to the zoo. At least any zoo I’ve ever seen. It is free.

Thanks you for all the suggestions so far! Some sound right up my alley!


Here’s a question. Anyone ever taken a swamp tour on a fan boat somewhere in any of those southern states? Wife found a video online of one and it looks fun.

I hear you on the briefness in Nashville. I would like to go back for a week some year without the kids.

Swing over to Lookout Mountain, the kids will enjoy Rock City and the Inlcine RR at Chattanooga, and you can take a drive through the battle field at Chickamauga, and walk to the battle field at the top of the incline, if you are interested in that, just don't waste your time on Ruby Falls! The drive along Little River Canyon and the falls are nice too.

As previously mentioned, Georgia aquarium is fantastic.

I have taken one in Florida it was really neat. Maybe a little much for a
2 year old but if kid is close to 3 it wouldn’t be so bad.

If you are cutting over and coming down I75 and have time to spend, the Cincinnati Zoo, Krohn Conservatory, Jungle Jim's, Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal and Mammoth Cave are all worth going to in my opinion. It might be worth spending one day in Cincinnati.

Keith

He turns 3 in June. I think the little stinker could handle it. We leave this Friday already.

There is a restaurant off of 79 that’s called boon docks that’s real good and there is a air boat place right beside it . Well at least it was there last time we was there , but the hurricane might of got it . It was right on the water.

My wife is part of the horticulture crew at the hotel, primarily the indoor water park. I would recommend at least stopping at the hotel to stretch your legs and walk through the gardens. It’s a beautiful place as they put in a ton of effort to keep the gardens in shape. There’s also plenty of things to do within a few minutes drive of there. I’d second mammoth cave as well

Wait till you see Atlanta lol

On that note, what’s the best way to see what states recognize Wisconsin’s concealed carry?