New York to Houston Road Trip Itinerary

New York City is one of the greatest & most iconic cities in the world, filled with skyscrapers such Empire State Building, one world trade center and the Rockefeller centre!

In addition, to it being a melting pot for culture, from Chinatown to Little Italy.

As the hub of the east coast its the ideal launching pad for some epic road trips! Especially an Epic Road trip to Houston, Texas!

"Houston we don't a have problem!" Houston is the largest city in Texas & the south with its motto being "the city without limits" it has alot to offer!

Houston Texas road trip. Source: Getty Images

To help plan your road trip I have outlined an a Full Road Trip Itinerary & Interactive map for three multiple driving routes, which members of the Town&Tourist community have tried!

This road trip will take you through some on the greatest driving roads in the USA,

Driving via Nashville (route 3 below)  ,Blue Ridge Parkway will offer  smooth roads, sweeping curves and exquisite natural beauty as a backdrop!

There is also highway 61, which is the well know blues highway!

So start your engines & roll the windows down and lets go!

How long does a road trip take between New York & Houston?

A road trip direct between New York & Houston would cover 1,627 miles and take approximately 24 hours!

This route is via I-81 S and I-59 S.

Of course this is without stop offs, which is dam near impossible even with multiple drivers (even the car needs a break sometimes!)

Blue Ridge Parkway Travel Guide Itinerary

How many days should you budget for the road trip?

The best way of planning how many days you should budget for your road trip, is to think of the number of miles you wish to cover per day on average comfortably.

This is obviously dependent on the number of drivers and you also need to take into account rest days where you don’t drive at all.

For example, with 1,627 miles between New York & New Orleans.

Covering an average of 165 Miles per day the trip would take you 10 days!

Blue Ridge Parkway Blowing Rock North Carolina Travel Guide

Of course some days you can drive, 200 miles and others zero as long as the average is still 165 miles per day.

As we spent a few nights in places where we didn’t drive at all, we planned our road trip to cover 14 days.

Which meant it was a comfortable journey with many stops and minimal driving per day!

Of course you could do it in much less or more depending upon your situation.

For more tips on planning an epic road trip check out: How to Plan a 6 month Road Trip: USA

Road Trip Map (New York to Houston)

Dive into our Interactive map below!

In the map below i have outlined three driving Routes:

• Route 1 Via Philadelphia, Atlanta and New Orleans
• Route 2 via Savannah, Charleston
• Route 3: Via Blue Ridge, Nashville, Memphis (Blues Highway)

(The Routes are very similar for the first leg to Charleston, NC. Full Itinerary below)

User guide: Use the +/- buttons to zoom in and out of the attractions.

Top Tip: Many visitors choose to share the post on Facebook to inspire friends and help plan their road trip.

Hit the link below to share!

Road Trip Itinerary (New York to Dallas)

In the map above I have outlined three driving routes for this epic road trip:

(I have highlighted the common part of the routes in orange)

Route 1 Via Philadelphia:

1. New York City
2. Atlantic City – Optional
3. Philadelphia
4. Baltimore
5. Washington D.C
6. Raleigh, NC
7. Charlotte, SC
8. Blue Ridge Parkway
9. Atlanta, GA
10. Mississippi
11. New Orleans, LA
12. Houston, TX

Route 2: Via Savannah, Charleston:

1. New York City
2. Atlantic City – Optional
3. Philadelphia
4. Baltimore
5. Washington D.C
6. Raleigh, NC
7. Charleston, SC
8. Savannah, GA
9. Jacksonville, FL
10. New Orleans, LA
11. Houston, TX

Route 3: Via Blue Ridge, Nashville, Memphis (Blues Highway)

1. New York City
2. Atlantic City – Optional
3. Philadelphia
4. Baltimore
5. Washington D.C
6. Raleigh, NC
7. Charlotte, SC
8. Blue Ridge Parkway
9. Nashville, TN
10. Memphis, TN
11. Blues Highway
12. Houston, TX

Road Trip Highlights:

Savannah, GA – Route 2

Savannah is the oldest city in Georgia and one of the original 13 colonies. This quaint city is filled with cobblestoned streets, manicured parks and horse drawn carriages.

Due to its age, Savannah is a history buffs dream with a variety of Civil war & Revolutionary sites making it a popular place to visit.

A Road Trip Savannah Georgia from New York has some memorable drives through oak tree tunnels! Source: getty

In the centre of Savannah you will find the stunning Gothic-Revival Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist.

My favorite thing to do here was to drive through Oak tree lane, a breath taking Instagrammable road!

It actually made our list: 25 Most Epic Driving Roads in the U.S.A: Road Trip Ideas!

For more on Savannah and Charleston check out: Atlanta to Charleston Road Trip: Via Savannah

Memphis, TN – Route 3

This is the ultimate place to learn about the history of Blues, Soul and Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Check out the famous Sun Studio, where Elvis Presley, B.B King and Johnny Cash all recorded albums.

Other popular attractions include Graceland Mansion, Elvis Home and final resting place. See Celebrity Graves Road Trip: U.S.A.

Memphis, Tennessee

In addition to the Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, Blues Hall of Fame and Stax Museum of American Soul Music.

For the full Itinerary on Nashville, Memphis and Blues highway check out Nashville to New Orleans Road Trip: Blues Highway 61

and this post Jazz, Blues & Rock n Roll Rail Vacation

Where to Stay in Memphis?

If you plan on staying in downtown Memphis I recommended:

La Quinta Inn & Suites – A superb hotel in Downtown Memphis.

There is an indoor swimming pool, free parking on site and free WiFi throughout the hotel.

SpringHill Suites – SpringHill Suites is another favorite with an outdoor swimming pool and a sun terrace.

The rooms are studio style with a refrigerator and a microwave for preparing basic meals.

There are tea and coffee-making facilities in every room. They also allow guests to use their gym and business center.

If you are a Graceland Fan, then you should definitely stay at: The Guest House at Graceland –

A fantastic hotel which is just a five-minute walk from the gates of the Graceland Mansion.

There are two restaurants in-house and an outdoor swimming pool.

Insider Tip:

Each evening be sure to tuck into the complimentary peanut butter & jelly bar.

graceland house, Former home of Elvis Presley

For more info see our, Celebrity Graves Road Trip: U.S.A

New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans is a city with soul, history and great locals who really go out of there way to make sure your have a fantastic time.

From the Garden District and Jazz clubs to the bustling Bourbon Street.

After the rebuild from Hurricane Katrina the city has been injected with a new lease of life with the people more optimistic and welcoming than ever.

One of my wives favorite things to do here was the Evening Jazz boat cruise with dinner. This was a perfect excuse to freshen up after that long road trip!

• Evening Jazz Cruise
• Bayous 2 Hour Swamp/boat Tour
• High Speed Airboat Ride (This is great for groups of friends!)
• New Orleans Day Cruise – Steamboat Natchez

For something a little difference the Hurricane Katrina tour is a real eye opener to what went on in the great city.

Mardi Gras:

If You a traveling here in late February (25th) you may get to experience the world renowned Mardi Gras Festival and Parade! For more info see: 12 Epic Parades in the U.S.A

Mardi Gras New Orleans

Where to Eat in New Orleans?

Top foods you must try in New Orleans include:

• Muffaletta sandwich from Central Grocery Co.
• Jumbalaya from Remoulade in the French Quarter.
• Beignets and a Cafe au Lait at Cafe du Monde.
• Lobster PoBoy from GW Fins
• Turtle Soup from Commander’s Palace.

Other foods to try here include: Deep Fried Soft Shell Crab and Raw Oysters.

New Orleans Road trip with Bus USA/Public Transport Road Trip USA

Where to Stay in New Orleans?

I suggest staying in Louisiana for a minimum of three nights to really experience what the place has to offer! I recommended

Hotel Monteleone – French Quarter

Family-owned and operated since 1886, the historic Hotel Monteleone is one of the most famous in New Orleans.

Its luxury rooms were favored by writers like Truman Capote. Tennessee Williams, and William Faulkner.

A highlight of the hotel is the Carousel Bar which offers classic cocktails and musical entertainment,

Royal Frenchmen Hotel – By water (Trendy Neighborhood!)

A renovated Creole townhouse which has everything you need, from cozy, well-appointed rooms with a vintage vibe to a great hotel bar serving craft cocktails.

There is a tranquil courtyard and opulent lobby lounge for guests. You also located very close to the action on Frenchmen.

Insider Tip:

When you arrive ask if you can have a room with a balcony overlooking the street, to really take in the New Orleans Atmosphere.

Houston, Texas

"Houston we have a problem" the world famous line which symbolizes Houston as the home of space exploration!

Houston has around 2.3 million residents, making it the largest city in Texas and in the South! Larger than its neighbors Dallas and Austin ,

Houston's motto is "the city without limits".

Houston, Texas is a Spectacular place, especially with firework displays like these!

Check out: Best Firework Displays in the USA: Where to watch??

Things to do in Houston:

1. Visit the Space Center Houston

As you might have guest Space Center Houston is one of the most popular attractions!

In addition, to the visitor's center for the Johnson Space Center with exhibits on many aspects of the NASA space program.

Space-Center-Houston-Road-Trip with public transport USA!

2. Photograph the San Jacinto Monument

History buffs should check out the  San Jacinto Monument & Museum which commemorates the battle for Texas independence.

San Jacinto Monument. Source: shutterstock

3. Explore the USS Texas

This battleship was included in our list of 15 Epic Maritime Museums: USA Navy!

Other things to do include visiting Houston Zoo, Houston Museum of Natural Science & the downtown aquarium!

Insider Tip:

To save money on your next visit to Houston, I recommended purchasing a Houston CityPass which allows you access to the cities main attractions!

Houston City pass

Where to eat?

Here are the most iconic dishes to try in Houston and where to try them!

• Try Breakfast tacos at Laredo Taqueria.
• Kolache at The Original Kolache Shoppe.
• Chicken-fried steak, at Frank's Americana Revival.
• Chile con queso at Beaver's Ice House.
• Viet-Cajun crawfish. Cajun Kitchen.

Chicken-fried steak, at Frank's Americana Revival.

Where to stay?

For our full list of recommended Hotels in Houston, at the best prices Follow the link HERE

5 Essential Road Trip Tips:

(You HAVE to know before planning!)

5. Book Your Hotels in Advance!

To avoid having to drive around looking for hotels when your tired (My wife hates this!)

& to get the best prices, Check out our: How to find the Best Hotel Deals??

Marriot AC Honeymoon Hotel San Juan Puerto Rico

4. Get the Best deal on Car Rental

For some vital tips to know before renting a car & to get the best deals check out, Ultimate Car Rental Travel Hacks!

car rental travel hacks

3. Need an RV?

If you fancy an RV adventure, you have to check RV Share

It’s an RV share platform, like airbnb where you can rent someones RV at a fraction of cost compared to normal!

Bring your RV to Tiden Park.

2. Bring a Great Travel Camera!

Want to capture those vacation memories? For friends, Facebook or even Instagram!

A phone just doesn’t compare with a high quality travel camera, they are well worth the investment!

Check out our Recommended Travel Photography Gear

Make sure you are equip with some great Photography Gear!

1. Need Help Planning!?

Do you find planning a trip time consuming and stressful?

An organised tour or vacation could be a great option for you!

They organize Flights, Hotels, Car Rental, Activities and much more!

With expert local travel knowledge & bespoke vacation planning you can’t go wrong.

Check out our reviews here: Which are the Best travel Tours?

Orlando Tours

Insider Tip: Carry on your drive to Austin my favorite city in the south!