Southern States of the U.S.

[Loughers]

Myself and some mates are flying into Atlanta, then travelling by car to New Orleans through Alabama and Mississippi (hoping to see the "real" south), and then along the coast from there to Houston.  Any places that are must see/to be avoided?

[screenexile]

I wouldn't put any decorations on the car...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq-kK7GEb7M

[thewobbler]

Savannah is great, and not too far from Atlanta - although in the wrong direction for you.

I liked a place called Pensacola, but it was a long time ago and I'm not sure why. New Orleans was amazing, nothing like anywhere else in America (much more European), but that was before half of it got washed away.

Go to Six Flags theme park in Atlanta, it's far better than Universal or Disney. Atlanta is a bit rough after that.

You could take in a number of big universities on the way. I'd suggest these for drinking towns. American unis will be starting back in the next fortnight. If you can catch a big football game, like Auburn playing at home, you really should. It's not quite the NFL, but it's some day out.

Avoid Mobil. Me and me mate went to a mall there and were the only white folks in it. I'm not being racist here, it is just a little intimidating, that's all.

[JBM on the 21]

If you are in to history, there is a lot to see there.  Teh place is dripping with it. I did that trip a few yerars ago. One of my favourite parts  of the US.
In Atlanta, you have the MLK musuem and the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library. Mississippi is a beautiful state. A lot to do there. I drove south from Memphis to New Orleans - drive down along the river - go to Clarksdale - home of the blues.
Maybe Oxford Mississippi - a lot of references there to the Civil Rights in the 60s. Also  you should go to the Military Park in Vicksburg - a beatuiful location on a bluff overlooking the Mississppi River- there was one of the most important battles of the Civil War. Carry on down to New Orleans, passing through Fort Gibson - its a town that was deemed 'too beautiful to burn' durign the Civil War by the Yankees. Also you have a lot of the Antebelluem house (huge pre Civil War houses (liek the house in Gone with the Wind)
In Montgomory , AL, you could go to see the Rosa Parks museum, and the State Capitol.

[JBM on the 21]

If you get a chance, you should definitely try to see a college football game. The season will start a few weeks from now.
College football is huge in the south. Try to see a game at LSU (Lousiania State in Shreeveport - they play in Death Valley - can fit over 100k into it.

[FL/MAYO]

Have to agree with Wobbler, catch a college game in the south, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Florida, LSU, Auburn and the big one would be Alabama, all these colleges would not be to far out of your way.
The only advise I would give is to try and avoid heated discussions on politics and religion when in the South it is very conservative. Southerners are very friendly and helpful more laid back than in the rest of the states.