Dallas to Miami: Self-Launched Deep South & Florida Road Trip

Start in Dallas. Skip the coach leg and fly Southwest or Spirit from Dallas Love Field (DAL) to Memphis (MEM) — roughly 1h 40m and usually £45–75 one-way booked 3–6 weeks ahead. Alternatively, take the Amtrak Texas Eagle overnight toward Memphis (long, ~£70–100, but scenic) or a Greyhound coach (~13h, £45–60). Check into a downtown Memphis hostel or budget motel near Beale Street. In the afternoon, ride-share out to Little Rock High School if you're routing via I-40 (otherwise skip), then spend the evening wandering Beale Street, catching free live blues and grabbing BBQ.

🚌One-way flight DAL–MEM ~£45–75, or Greyhound/FlixBus ~£45–60

🛏Budget motel or hostel dorm near downtown/Beale Street (e.g. hostel dorm ~£22–28, budget motel double ~£45–60)

• →Beale Street evening stroll and live blues bars
• →Memphis BBQ dinner (Central BBQ or Cozy Corner)
• →Optional: Little Rock High School visit if overlanding via I-40

Self-book the Elvis trifecta. Buy Sun Studio tickets directly (~£14) or via GetYourGuide for the guided 45-minute studio tour, then head out to Graceland (~£22–28 for the mansion tour, book direct at graceland.com to avoid marketplace mark-ups). In the afternoon, visit the Stax Museum of American Soul Music or the Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum (~£10–12). Finish with fried chicken or tamales on South Main. Note Memphis has limited public transport to Graceland — use the MATA bus #42 or a rideshare (~£12).

🚌MATA bus and rideshares (~£10–15 total)

🛏Same downtown Memphis budget motel/hostel dorm

• →Sun Studio guided tour (~£14)
• →Graceland mansion tour (~£24)
• →Stax Museum or Rock 'n' Soul Museum (~£11)

Take the Amtrak City of New Orleans south from Memphis to New Orleans (~8h 45m, £40–60 booked in advance) — a much more comfortable and sociable option than the bus. Arrive in the late afternoon, check into a hostel or budget guesthouse in the Marigny or Garden District (cheaper than the French Quarter). Do your own orientation walk through the French Quarter and Jackson Square at dusk, then eat gumbo or a po'boy. Skip the included group dinner and join a small-group food tour instead if you want structure, but a self-led crawl of French Quarter resto-bars is fine.

🚌Amtrak City of New Orleans ~£40–60

🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in Marigny/CBD (~£25–35)

• →Self-guided French Quarter and Jackson Square orientation
• →Gumbo or po'boy dinner
• →Optional Bourbon Street live music

Beignets and coffee at Café du Monde (~£6). Book an airboat swamp tour via GetYourGuide or directly with Airboat Adventures (~£45–55 including transfers) — this is the standout experience in the area and worth the spend. In the evening, walk Frenchmen Street for free-live jazz and funk at venues like The Spotted Cat (usually a small cover, £3–5). Optional: New Orleans Museum of Art in City Park (~£12) or a City Park stroll.

🚌Streetcar day pass (~£3) plus tour transfers

🛏Same New Orleans hostel/guesthouse

• →Airboat swamp adventure (~£50)
• →Frenchmen Street jazz bars
• →Café du Monde beignets
• →Optional NOMA or City Park

This is the trickiest leg of the route — Contiki covers it by coach, but independently you'll need a combination. Best option: Greyhound/FlixBus New Orleans to Tallahassee or Panama City (~8–9h, £45–60), then a local rideshare or shuttle to the beach strip. Alternatively look at a cheap one-way Allegiant flight from New Orleans (MSY) if you can flex dates. Once there, check into a budget beach motel and spend the late afternoon swimming and watching the sunset over the Gulf.

🚌Greyhound/FlixBus ~£45–60 plus local rideshare ~£15

🛏Budget beach motel or hostel near the strip (~£40–55 per room, £20–28 sharing)

• →Panama City Beach swimming and sunset
• →Beachside seafood dinner

Morning beach time and a swim, then take a Greyhound or FlixBus from Panama City to Orlando (~7–8h, £35–50). Arrive in the evening and check into a budget hotel or hostel near International Drive or Kissimmee (cheaper than on-park resorts). Pick up groceries for breakfasts — this saves serious money over 2 days. Use the evening to plan tomorrow's park day and pre-buy tickets online.

🚌Greyhound/FlixBus ~£35–50 plus Lynx bus/rideshare ~£10

🛏Budget hotel or hostel near International Drive/Kissimmee (~£35–50 per room, £18–25 sharing)

• →Morning beach swim
• →Budget grocery shop
• →Evening trip planning on I-Drive

Full theme-park day. Buy Universal Studios Florida tickets in advance via Klook or GetYourGuide — 1-day base tickets typically run £90–115 depending on date (book in low season for the best rate). Take the Lynx bus #21 or #37 or a rideshare to the resort (~£5–10), rather than paying for the Contiki one-way transfer. Ride the classics — Revenge of the Mummy, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, Men in Black — and eat counter-service rather than table-service to keep costs down.

🚌Lynx bus or rideshare to Universal (~£5–10)

🛏Same Orlando budget hotel/hostel

• →Universal Studios Florida full day (~£95–110 via Klook/GetYourGuide)

Take the Brightline high-speed train from Orlando to Miami (~3h 30m, £35–55 booked in advance) — fast, comfortable and far better than the coach. Or Amtrak Silver Meteor (~6h, £35–50) or FlixBus (~4h 30m, £20–30) for a cheaper option. Check into a budget hotel or hostel in South Beach or Little Havana, then eat your own Cuban dinner — Versailles in Little Havana or a local ventanita for a cubano sandwich and croquetas (~£12–15), rather than the included group dinner.

🚌Brightline train Orlando–Miami ~£35–55

🛏Budget hotel or hostel in South Beach/Little Havana (~£35–55 per room, £20–30 sharing)

• →Brightline train journey
• →Self-guided Cuban food crawl in Little Havana
• →South Beach evening walk

Explore Miami on your own schedule. Morning bike ride or walk down South Beach and the Art Deco Historic District (rent a Citi Bike ~£8/hour or £25/day). Take a GetYourGuide food walking tour of Little Havana (~£55–65 including tastings) or self-crawl the cigar shops, ventanitas and Domino Park. Optional: the Thriller Miami speedboat from Bayside Marketplace (~£40–50, book direct). Evening drinks on Ocean Drive or in Wynwood for cheaper nightlife.

🚌Miami Metromover (free), Metrobus day pass (~£4), plus rideshares

🛏Same Miami budget hotel/hostel

• →South Beach and Art Deco walk/bike ride (~£10–25)
• →Little Havana food tour (~£55) or self-guided crawl
• →Optional Thriller speedboat (~£45)
• →Wynwood or Ocean Drive evening

Final breakfast at a Cuban bakery, last stroll on South Beach, then make your way to Miami International Airport (MIA) by Metrorail (~£2) or rideshare (~£20). If you're heading back to Europe, ride-share or train to MIA for your international flight home — not included in the cost estimate.

🚌Metrorail to MIA ~£2, or rideshare ~£20

🛏Checkout (no overnight)

• →Cuban bakery breakfast
• →Final South Beach stroll