> I'm an outdoor kinda guy
> Denver for what it offered

First of all, you'll have to clear up some confusion on my part. If, as you say, you're an "outdoor" guy, why aren't you going to those parts of the U.S. that that have the BEST places to experience the outdoors? Namely, the national parks of the west? Am I correct to think that what Denver "offered" wasn't what you are really looking for?

I just spent five days in Atlanta, and had a thoroughly good time, but I would NOT recommend it for outdoor activities. There are a dozen (if not a score of) national parks that offer more for outdoor types than does the area around Atlanta.

If you can clear what you mean by "outdoor kinda guy," we can give you more useful information.

Also, it would help a LOT if you let us know (1) what time of the year are your planned travels, (2) are you traveling with anyone, and (3) what is your travel style (high end luxury, rustic simplicity, bare-bones place to hang your hat, or something in between)?

In addition to Paul's questions - what about these three places put them on your list, other than their geography? Are you trying to experience the South, and if so, what do you think of when you think of the South? When you say Louisiana, do you mean New Orleans?

I'd probably spend 2-3 days in Atlanta myself, though you could find things to fill more time depending on what your interests are. There have been a few trip reports posted here in the last several months - you can do a search for those and see what others have done. The trip reports are the threads with the notebook beside the title.

Your post makes no sense. If you want to go to three states close together you could cross from Virginia to New Jersey through Maryland and Delaware in a three-hour drive.

"Outdoors kind of guy" speaks of hiking or skiing the Western mountain states (which stretch from New Mexico to Idaho and every one in between especially Colorado and Wyoming) and parts of Appalachia (northern Georgia, western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, southwestern Virginia) and the Northeast from the lake regions of NY, to the Green Mountains or sailing on the Maine coast or boating in Florida or California. Definitely doesn't make one think "Alabama" or "Louisiana" unless (1) you're going beach bumming on the Gulf Coast or riding around the swamps or (2) you're just going hunting and fishing, which you can do but detouring out of your way to do it in Alabama or Louisiana seems daft.

I forgot to mention, I sprained my ACL (both knees) so I'm staying away from extreme outdoors stuff for another few months. However, I can do "light" stuff with my knees In the meantime, I want to travel and see some of the states. I chose the three states above because they are relatively close to one another, but other than that, I had no specific motivation to see them, other than the fact that I haven't been there.

I will fly state to state, not drive.

1) Hunting/Fishing - would love to do
2) North Carolina and and West TN keep coming up. Perhaps I should add those to the trip or replace the other states?
3) I'm traveling alone
4) I plan to stay in a decent hotel where ever I go
5) I'm not sure what time of year - i'm open to suggestions

If you're going to fly state to state, why worry about picking states that are close together? I'd just go where you want to go.

North Carolina has a lot to see, depending on whether you're interested in mountains (Smokies and Asheville), beach (Outer Banks or Wilmington), and/or seeing things in between (Raleigh/Durham or Charlotte). West Tennessee is, except for Memphis, flat, unattractive and largely rural. Are you thinking of the mountains in East Tennessee, or are people telling you to go to Memphis?

If you're into outdoors and open to states other than the original three, but still want to stay in the South, I'd head to the Smokies.

If you're going to fly state to state, why worry about picking states that are close together? I'd just go where you want to go.

North Carolina has a lot to see, depending on whether you're interested in mountains (Smokies and Asheville), beach (Outer Banks or Wilmington), and/or seeing things in between (Raleigh/Durham or Charlotte). West Tennessee is, except for Memphis, flat, unattractive and largely rural. Are you thinking of the mountains in East Tennessee, or are people telling you to go to Memphis?

If you're into outdoors and open to states other than the original three, but still want to stay in the South (which you seem to be focusing on), I'd head to the Smokies.

Flying to the individual states isn't going to save you anytime and will be more expensive. After you get to the airport early, go through security, wait on your plane, fly to the destination, claim your luggage and get a rental car you could have driven to the next state on your list.

You will need a rental car. The south is known for many wonderful things. Public transporation is not one of them.If you do want to be outdoors. You certainly need a car. Public transport is limited to central metro areas. Consider flying to ATL and drive west to New Orleans and fly home from there.

Sorry about the double posting - I got an error the first time, refreshed the page and it wasn't there, so posted again!

Jent, how can I message you on this site?

Everyone, do you think I should start a new thread to put a new list of cities together? The ones I choose were simply "southern" and I thought it would be fun to travel. But if theres little to do, maybe I need to start from scratch?

Fodor's doesn't have a private message function like many other sites do.

I'd make a list of places you want to go, regardless of geography, and then put a trip together (yes, probably starting another thread). Geography can make a lot of sense sometimes, but other times it's just as easy to get to somewhere two states away - for example, Chicago Midway is a hub for Southwest Airlines, so you can get to many places fairly quickly from Chicago.

palmettoprincess is absolutely right about needing a car in the South, though. You can get away without one in some cities (the poster bachslunch has some trip reports about using the bus in places like Memphis), but it takes much more research and usually more time, and you're limited to cities. Seeing the Smokies without a car would be nearly impossible unless you were hiking the whole way.

I will have a car, and driving is not a problem. I am just wondering if the cities i've selected will not be a good fit.

This may not be very responsive to your post, but you could drive from Atlanta to the northwest area of Florida or southern Alabama, stopping at the civil rights sites along the way, and then do some deep sea fishing in Destin or Pensacola or Gulf Shores, then drive along the coast to New Orleans. There is book by Jim Carrier, Traveler's Guide to the Civil Rights Movement, which provides much information if you wanted to make that sort of a theme. Then because you are an outdoors guy, the deep sea fishing should be right up your alley.

How do people normally plan trips when they know nothing?? There's so many suggestions. Do any of the more well-traveled individuals here have a service for payment I can use for one-on-one consulting/planning?

The best way I know of to plan a trip when I know nothing (and everyone starts from scratch) is to:

--get hold of a couple good guidebooks. I find Frommer's, Fodor's, and Let's Go especially useful. Websites that list attractions for various cities can also be helpful, and looking through forums like this one can also provide good info. Study them with an eye towards the kinds of things you like to do (museums, historic houses, outdoor activities, shopping, eating) and rough out an itinerary. I also explore things like public transportation, as this is an important part of my travel experience.

--if you want feedback, post your itinerary or questions of various kinds in a forum like this. We normally do out best around here to help, and if you've done some homework ahead of time, that's especially useful. I haven't always gotten good advice this way, but at the very worst, it confirms that I'm thinking things through about right. And I've gotten very good suggestions and pointers from forums like this, such as info on the CAF Architectural Cruises and the Peabody Ducks and some eateries I hadn't considered.

I actually enjoy doing this kind of research and pre-planning, though it's not everyone's favorite thing to do. But it's the best way I know how.

The thing is that you have to have a general idea of where you want to go, and no one else can make that decision for you. For example, the national parks in the West are much different than the Smokies, so you'd have to narrow down which you'd like better. I look at pictures on Flickr, read trip reports here, that kind of thing. If you know you want to go somewhere in the South, look through a guidebook and see what jumps out at you. Lots of libraries have these so you don't have to buy all of them. These might get you started.

http://www.fodors.com/guidebooks/9781400005246/
http://www.fodors.com/guidebooks/9780307480583/

Once you have an idea of how long your trip will be, how much you want to spend, and 2-3 places you definitely want to include, people here can be very helpful with the details.

It sounds as though you're not from the US? You can do some deep sea fishing in various places (Florida, as someone up thread mentioned, and I know South Carolina has places for the same). But hunting and fishing require licenses in many states, and the rules differ by state. Not being a hunter or fisherwoman myself I can't provide much more in the way of details, but if that's a priority I might start by looking into where and when you'd be able to do that. That would narrow down your states and time frame.

Thank you. I am from the US.

The thing is, I have all the time in the world right now, and expenses are not an issue. I simply am unsure of where to even start now in planning the trip. I hate to sound lazy, but I prefer to hire a consultant or someone with a lot of travel experience to help me out.

Hunting, fishing, light outdoorsy stuff.
Close to each other.
Hmmmmmm...

If you can somehow find it within yourself to NOT kill the animals that you find, then the national parks along the Appalachians may be just what you want. Great Smoky Mountains, Blue Ridge Parkway, and Shenandoah; all have pretty nice outdoor scenery, fishing (you have to pay for a state license), and lots of wildlife -- you just can't attempt to kill them. Stalk, yes; shoot with a camera, yes; kill, no.

Two nice things about all of them:
1) You can have as much outdoor adventure as you desire -- from looking at bears from the inside of your car to two weeks in the back country.
2) You have a wide variety of lodging choices within and near each of these places.

Start at Washington DC, drive to Shenandoah, then continue south along the BR Parkway, and end up at the GSM. Or start at Atlanta, drive north to Chattanooga and Knoxville, and then do this south to north.

Note that all of them have their attractions between April and October, although the early and the late seasons have a chance for nasty weather.

Check out the pages for each of these sites, and see if they would have what you are looking for.

DC seems like a far drive from Atlanta? Is anyone willing to give me some private guidance?

Please don't fly or drive from DC. Take the Amtrak Crescent from DC to Atlanta. Rent a car in Atlanta to go to Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Return the car to Atlanta and fly home from Hartsfield unless you really liked the train trip.
Have you been to the panhandle of Florida? It is a bit different from Orlando or the Atlantic coastal cities?

Tom, I haven't been to those places, specifically Panhandle of Florida. I would go to those places tomorrow but what am I doing when I arrive? Do most travelers just wing it and look around?

There are many things to do and see in Atlanta including the Jimmy Carter Library http://www.archives.gov/presidential-libraries/visit/carter.html
The CNN Center, Coca-Cola etc.
From Atlanta head south and go through Plains, to see where Jimmy Carter grew up. From there head to Tallahassee Florida.
Head west on I-10 and over to the Gulf coast from Pensacola all the way through Mobile Alabama, Biloxi Mississippi to New Orleans. On the way back to Atlanta you will go northeast from Mobile through Montgomery.
There are several other threads about what to see in New Orleans.