Things to do — Texas & South

In New Orleans over 4 days: French Quarter — Jackson Square, 1789 Saint Louis Cathedral (free), Cabildo (former Spanish city hall, museum $8), Presbytère (museum $8), French Market (since 1791, market and restaurants), Café du Monde (beignets and chicory coffee 24/7, 1862, 30-60 min queue but essential), Royal Street (art galleries, antiques, street music), Bourbon Street (evening, bars, daiquiris to-go, crazy vibe — do at least once but don't confine yourself there), Pat O'Brien's Hurricane (iconic cocktail). Frenchmen Street (the real authentic jazz away from Bourbon — Spotted Cat Music Club, The Maison, Snug Harbor — no cover charge, 1-2 mandatory drinks $15-25). Garden District — Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 (free but guided tour recommended $20-30), Magazine Street (boutiques, restaurants), antebellum mansions (Anne Rice lived there). St Charles Streetcar (1835, world's oldest streetcar line, $1.25, round-trip stroll 1h30 from Quarter to Carrollton and back). Excursions: plantations Oak Alley (45 min, $28, 300 m oak alley, slavery heritage explained) or Whitney Plantation (1h, $25, first US plantation told from the slaves' perspective), bayou tours (alligators in marshes, $35-70 half day), Mississippi cruise steamboat Natchez ($35-55, 2h, live jazz). Cuisine: Commander's Palace (upscale creole, brunch $50 jazz 25 cents martini), Brennan's (creole, Bananas Foster invented here), Cochon (modern Cajun, charcuterie), Coop's Place (authentic Cajun jambalaya cheap), Domilise's (po'boys), Mother's (po'boys), Galatoire's (1905 creole, dress code). Mardi Gras (February-March by Easter): parades, beads, masks, world-unique vibe.

In Austin over 3-4 days: Live music — 6th Street (200 m live music bars), Red River Street (alternative rock), South Congress Avenue (mythical Continental Club), Rainey Street (terraces), East Austin (White Horse, Hotel Vegas). Franklin Barbecue (4-6h queue from 8am for 11am opening, brisket considered world's best, $35-50/person — the ultimate BBQ experience). Alternatives: La Barbecue, Terry Black's, Stiles Switch BBQ. Texas State Capitol (1888, free, largest state Capitol, taller than Washington Capitol). Lady Bird Lake (paddle, kayak $30-50/2h), Zilker Park (350 hectares, Barton Springs Pool year-round 21°C $5, ACL Festival early October). South Congress (SoCo) (vintage boutiques, restaurants, Hotel San José, I love you so much mural signature photo). Cathedral of Junk (astonishing recycled art cathedral). Excursions: Texas Hill Country (1h west, Fredericksburg German town, Becker vineyards, Dripping Springs spirits distilleries Tito's Vodka), Hamilton Pool (45 min west, cascade in natural cave, mandatory booking), Krause Springs (1h west, natural springs), Enchanted Rock (1h30 west, 130 m granite dome, hike), Schlitterbahn (1h south, largest US water park, summer).

In San Antonio over 2 nights: Alamo (free, 1h, historic heart of 1836 Texas independence, David Crockett, Jim Bowie died here), River Walk (free stroll, $13 35-min cruise, terrace restaurants), La Villita (restored historic village), Pearl District (converted former brewery, restaurants, Hotel Emma boutique $350-500/night), San José, Concepción, San Juan, Espada Missions (UNESCO 2015, free, 9 km Mission Trail by bike or car), San Fernando Cathedral (1731-1750, oldest active US cathedral, free light show Friday-Saturday-Sunday evening). Cuisine: authentic Tex-Mex at Mi Tierra (24/7, mariachis), La Gloria (Pearl District, tacos), The Cove (restaurant + laundromat + concerts).

In Houston over 1-2 days: NASA Johnson Space Center (35 min SE, $30, 4-6h visit — Atlantis shuttle 1981-2011, Saturn V rocket 110 m, historic Mission Control where all manned missions 1965-1992 were directed including Apollo 11, 13 and space shuttle, emblematic experience — Houston, We've Had a Problem), Museum of Fine Arts (free Thursday, $19 other days), Menil Collection (free, eclectic private collection), Space Center Houston (including NASA tour), Buffalo Bayou Park (bike, kayak), Discovery Green downtown, Rothko Chapel (free, modern art meditation).

For Memphis + Nashville extension: Memphis (12h drive from NOLA, 1h15 flight $100-200) — Graceland (Elvis Presley 1957-1977 residence, $47 visit — Elvis grave, Jungle Room, gold records, automobiles, private jets), Beale Street (live blues, B.B. King's Blues Club, ribs restaurants), Sun Studio ($15, 1950 studio where Elvis recorded That's All Right in 1954, U2 Rattle and Hum, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash), National Civil Rights Museum ($18, former Lorraine motel where MLK was assassinated in 1968, exceptional), Stax Museum (Otis Redding, soul). Nashville (3h30 drive from Memphis) — Country Music Hall of Fame ($28), Grand Ole Opry ($50-100 live show, Saturday night, since 1925, world's longest radio show), Honky Tonk Highway (Broadway, 6 blocks live country bars), Ryman Auditorium (mother of Grand Ole Opry 1892-1974, $25 visit), Bluebird Cafe (intimate singer-songwriter, essential booking, seen in Nashville series), Hatch Show Print (letterpress workshop since 1879, free).