Holiday Overview
New Orleans to Austin (or vice versa)
Take a journey with a difference across the southern USA. This rich journey can easily be themed to wards music, culture, history, wildlife or food, or perhaps combine a little bit of all of them for an amazing trip through Louisiana and Texas. New Orleans needs little introduction, famed for its party atmosphere, jazz and Cajun cuisine. Baton Rouge is Louisiana’s capital housing 300 years of history. Lafayette is at the heart of Louisiana’s Cajun & Creole country and is also known as the “Happiest City in America”. Lake Charles offers untouched marshlands filled with birds and wildlife along the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road, alongside excellent dining, shopping and entertainment at its resort casino hotels. The space centre at Houston is only one of its attractions, it’s a town where southern hospitality rubs shoulders with urban chic. Austin has its own inimitable vibe, a fantastic live music venue and one of Texas’s exciting foodie hubs.
Start New Orleans, Finish Austin (or vice versa)
States visited: Louisiana, Texas
A Southern Trail Road Trip includes:
- Return flights from the UK
- Compact Car with Gold Cover - Unlimited mileage, Full tank of fuel, 3 additional drivers, Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), $1 million liability coverage, Zero excess in the USA
- 3 nights accommodation in New Orleans
- 1 night accommodation in Baton Rouge
- 1 night accommodation in Lafayette
- 2 nights accommodation in Lake Charles
- 1 night accommodation in Houston
- 2 nights accommodation in Austin
- French Quarter Walking Tour
- Oak Alley Plantation Tour
Day 1 - Arrive New Orleans
Arrive New Orleans, the crown jewel of Louisiana, check into your chosen hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure.
Featured accommodation
Holiday Inn French Quarter-Chateau LeMoyne
Day 2 - New Orleans
Let your own 'local expert' unravel the mysteries of one of America's oldest and most unique living neighborhoods on a French Quarter Walking Tour.
Featured accommodation
Holiday Inn French Quarter-Chateau LeMoyne
Day 3 - New Orleans
Take a tour to Oak Alley Plantation, built in 1839. You'll experience a bygone era in one of the Souths most beautiful settings. Marvel at the unbelievable quarter-mile long alley of 28 magnificent Oak trees, each over 250 years old, and view the Majestic Cypress Trees in Louisianas swamps bordering the Mississippi River. Your guided tour will reveal the fascinating stories of the home and its history.
Featured accommodation
Holiday Inn French Quarter-Chateau LeMoyne
Day 4 - New Orleans to Baton Rouge
Today head east to Baton Rouge, the capital of Louisiana to visit the famous 'Louisiana State University' and the 'Rural Life Museum', recounting the daily life of the early 19th century. If shopping is on your list head over to the Mall of Louisiana before dining and retiring for the night.
Featured accommodation
Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center
Day 5 - Baton Rouge to Lafayette
This morning head to Lafayette, to learn about the Acadians “Cajuns” and Creole cultures at Vermilionville before heading south to New Iberia to visit the only place on earth where TABASCO® is grown and bottled. Overnight in Lafayette.
Featured accommodation
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Lafayette
Day 6 - Lafayette to Lake Charles
Head east towards Lake Charles, Louisiana and the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road, with a stop for a tour and tasting at Bayou Rum, Louisiana grown and produced rum distillery with an amazing gift shop, along the way. One of only designated 43 All-American Roads in the entire United States, the Creole Nature Trail is a journey into an untamed wilderness. Right from the vehicle you will see alligators, multiple birds and waterfowl (over 400 species spotted each year) and other marsh wildlife…all in their natural habitat. Several over water boardwalks also provide opportunities where you can stretch your legs and as well as get up close and personal with your nature.
Featured accommodation
Golden Nugget Lake Charles Hotel & Casino
Day 7 - Lake Charles
Today, experience the largest Mardi Gras costume collection display in the world at the Mardi Gras Museum of Imperial Calcasieu. Then check out the Historic Charpentier District, 40-blocks of turn-of-the-century buildings built by carpenter architects. Next up, check out great local craft beers at Crying Eagle Brewing. Grab a bite to eat in the Beer Garden or at one of numerous other local restaurants.
Featured accommodation
Golden Nugget Lake Charles Hotel & Casino
Day 8 - Lake Charles to Houston
Start early and head to Space Center Houston, an amazing museum full of space artifacts and interactive exhibits. It’s the Texas gateway to NASA Johnson Space Center. Lunch at Kemah Boardwalk on your way out. It is home to fabulous waterfront restaurants, charming retail stores, and amusement rides. Spend the rest of the day at lesisure in Houston.
Featured accommodation
Hotel Derek
Day 9 - Houston to Austin
Continue toward Austin, Texas. Make sure you stop at Hruska’s in Ellinger, TX on the way for amazing local bakery items. Check into your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure.
Featured accommodation
Hotel Indigo Austin
Day 10 - Austin
Spend a full day exploring Austin, the self-proclaimed live music capital of the world. With more than 250 venues and a vibrant arts and gastronomic scene, you are sure to find something to your taste.
Featured accommodation
Hotel Indigo Austin
Day 11 - Return to the UK
Enjoy time at leisure in Austin before dropping you car at the airport and catching your homeward flight.
Holiday Inn French Quarter-Chateau LeMoyne
The Holiday Inn French Quarter-Chateau LeMoyne, offering the best location near Jackson Square and Bourbon Street, makes us the ideal hotel for exploring New Orleans by walking or street car.
Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center
This riverfront hotel is next to the Shaw Center and River Center Convention Center, and less than five minutes from the Capitol. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the hotel reopened in 2006.as the only downtown hotel with a pool. Enjoy sweeping river views from the sundeck, take in a morning run on the Levee Bike Path, or work out in the hotel's fully equipped fitness center.
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Lafayette
Experience authentic southern hospitality the moment you arrive at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Lafayette with a signature, warm chocolate chip cookie at check-in. Set on the banks of the Vermilion River, this striking hotel is just minutes from downtown.
Golden Nugget Lake Charles Hotel & Casino,
Perched on a picturesque curve of the Lake Charles shore, Golden Nugget Lake Charles is an escape like no other. Choose your perfect accommodations from 1,100 luxurious guest rooms and suites featuring stunning views and a generous serving of genuine Louisiana hospitality. Fill your stay with world-class casino games, destination restaurants, and boundless entertainment, shopping and nightlife options.
Hotel Derek
Situated in the heart of Uptown Houston. Hotel Derek offers travellers chic and luxurious hotel accommodations and is located across from the Houston Galleria Shopping center in the River Oaks District. Accommodations range from stylish guestrooms to luxurious terrace and penthouse suites boasting stunning views of the galleria and downtown skyline.
Hotel Indigo Austin
Centrally located in the Red River District of downtown Austin, the Hotel Indigo offers a spirited getaway for your visit to this amplified city. Surrounded by neon lights and soulful sounds, the welcoming hotel provides a sense of community regardless of how far away you may be from home.
Image Gallery
New Orleans
Lake Charles
Austin Texas
Oak Alley Plantation
Houston Space Center
Austin
Lake Charles
Lafayette
Downtown Houston
Baton Rouge
Lake Charles
USA Holiday Stopovers
Why not add in the 'Land of Fire and Ice' - Iceland -on your way to your holiday in the USA. We have put together a great stopover in Iceland for 2 or 3 nights which includes accommodation and the Golden Circle Trip which includes visits to the Gullfoss Waterfall, the geo thermal area of Geysir and Thingvellir National Park.
If you are travelling to the west coast of America, why not add a couple of nights stay in New York which includes accommodation and tickets for the 'Top of the Rock' observation platform for an iconic view of the city skyline. This can be done either on your way out or on the way back.
Alternative Holidays That May Interest You
Below you will find a small selection of 2024, 2025 holidays that may interest you. Remember, we tailor-make each holiday to your exact needs, so please call us on 0800 270 0069 and let one of our Holiday experts design the perfect trip for you
Blues & Booze USA Road Trip
- Chicago
- Indianapolis
- Louisville
- Nashville
- Memphis
- Vicksburg
- New Orleans
- Visit 4 giants of the US music scene
- Kentucky Bourbon Trail
- Visit historic Plantations and Battlefield sites
12 Nights from £3255pp
Talkin' Texan Self Drive Holiday
- Dallas
- Austin
- Fredericksburg
- Bandera
- San Antonio
- Corpus Christi
- Houston
- Iconic Texan Cities
- Working Cattle Ranch
- The Alamo
12 Nights from £3459pp
A Southern Trail Road Trip
- New Orleans
- Baton Rouge
- Lafayette
- Lake Charles
- Houston
- Austin
- Vibrant New Orleans
- Abundant nature in lake Charles
- Cajun & Creole cuisine and culture
- Austin's live music and foodie scenes
10 Nights from £2305pp
Great Lakes Inn-Sider Self Drive Holiday
- Chicago
- Door County
- Middleton
- Winona
- Minneapolis
- Bayfield
- Marquette
- Mackinac Island
- Saugatuck
- Exciting Chicago
- The Great Lakes
12 Nights from £3015pp
Route 66 Fly Drive Holiday
- Chicago
- St Louis
- Springfield
- Oklahoma City
- Amarillo
- Albuquerque
- Holbrook
- Williams
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- An epic journey across the USA
- Visit 8 States
- See the awesome Grand Canyon
- Hit the bright lights of Las Vegas
15 Nights from £3020pp
Explore Kentucky
- Newport, KT
- Lexington
- Bowling Green
- Paducah
- Owensboro
- Louisville
- Steamboat Cruise along the Ohio River
- Learn about the history of Bluegrass Music
- Visit the National Corvette Museum
7 Nights from £1965pp