This past summer, I decided to take my very own road trip in my Range Rover — my first big solo road trip in my “newish” car. I love road trips, but I don’t often get to take them by myself, so this one felt extra special.
I was traveling to Nashville for a girls’ weekend, meeting up with a friend in the city, which meant I needed to find my own way there. When I mapped it out, I saw Nashville was only about an 11-hour drive from Rochester, New York. When I lived in Nashville and would travel back to Pennsylvania to visit family, that drive was usually 13 hours or more and always felt awful. So I figured… if I could survive that, I could definitely handle this.
The entire drive was basically highway, which made it super easy. I decided ahead of time that I was going to find stops every two to three hours to break it up, stretch, and walk around. It was July, so hiking trails, waterfronts, and outdoor stops were at the top of my list.
If you’re planning a New York to Tennessee road trip, here’s exactly where I stopped — and where I’d recommend stopping if you want to make the drive way more enjoyable.
🚗 The drive down: Rochester, NY to Nashville, TN
I took the New York State Thruway so I could head west into Ohio for the easiest and most direct route.
I didn’t stop in Buffalo, but depending on where you’re driving from, this could be a good first stop. Buffalo has tons of breakfast spots and places to stretch your legs. I left around 6am, so I wasn’t ready to stop yet when I passed through.
My original plan was to stop at Presque Isle State Park in Pennsylvania to get out and walk. It looked like such a beautiful spot right off the highway. But honestly, it was raining when I got close, so I kept driving. And that’s one of my biggest road trip tips: if you feel motivated to keep driving, do it… because that motivation comes and goes quickly.
Cleveland, Ohio – Voinovich Bicentennial Park
I usually always just drive straight through Cleveland, but this time I decided to stop — and I’m so glad I did.
I stopped at Voinovich Bicentennial Park for a quick walk and to see the Cleveland sign. It was absolutely beautiful. You can see the water, the skyline, and some really cool old ships. It was the perfect first “real” stop to reset my brain and get moving.
I grabbed a quick bite to eat and a hot latte at Bites Café which was right near the Cleveland sign, then headed back out. This area was so easy to access from the highway, it took maybe 2 minutes to find parking from the time I took the exit. You can’t ask for anything easier than that!
Columbus, Ohio – North Market
Since my Cleveland stop was pretty quick, I wanted a real lunch stop and somewhere fun to walk around. I chose North Market in Columbus, and I’d never been there before either.
It ended up being a great decision. The market is super easy to get to from the highway, with plenty of affordable, easy parking. I walked around, checked out the vendors, grabbed a couple of little souvenirs, and ate at an amazing dumpling spot, Momo Ghar, that I was excited to see had been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives with Guy Fieri. So worth it. I still think about those dumplings!
This was one of my favorite stops of the entire drive.
Louisville, Kentucky – Big Four Bridge
I drove for a while after Columbus because I felt good and didn’t need to stop. My next planned stop was the Big Four Bridge in Louisville, Kentucky.
There’s free parking and it’s another really easy stop right off the highway. I honestly couldn’t believe I didn’t know this bridge was here. What a sight. There are walking trails and sidewalks underneath with beautiful views of the bridge and the river.
I kept my stop pretty short, about 20–30 minutes, just enough to walk around and stretch. I didn’t walk the actual bridge, but you absolutely can. It’s a pedestrian-only bridge and takes you all the way across the river for even better views. There was also a public restroom where I parked, which is always a huge win on a long road trip.
After Louisville, I was mostly gunning it to get to Nashville around 7pm. Thanks to the time change, you gain an hour, which worked out perfectly. I stopped for an early dinner at Panera shortly after Louisville, nothing exciting, and made it into Nashville right around 7pm.
🚗 The drive back: Nashville, TN to Rochester, NY
On the way back, I didn’t stop as much because traffic was horrendous and I really wanted to get home. But there were a few notable stops that are worth sharing if you’re doing this drive in either direction.
Once again, I left around 6am. I knew I’d lose an hour going back into the NY timezone, and my goal was to be home by 9pm.
Elizabethtown, Kentucky – Vibe Coffee Shop
My first stop was for breakfast and a latte. I love trying little local coffee shops, and this town was absolutely adorable.
I stopped in Elizabethtown, Kentucky at Vibe Coffee Shop. I walked around the town square a bit, and parking was super easy and free nearby. It was such a nice, calm way to start a very long drive day.
Cleveland Heights, Ohio – Forest Hill Park
I mostly stopped for gas after that until I reached Ohio, where I stopped at Forest Hill Park in Cleveland Heights.
This was the perfect place to get out and take a longer walk. It was clean, peaceful, and had really well-maintained restrooms, which truly means everything on a road trip.
After that, I grabbed dinner at what is now one of my new favorite chains: Piada Italian Street Food. I ordered a chicken alfredo sub and a cannoli on the side and… oh my gosh. I could not believe what I was tasting. AMAZING!!!
After that stop, it was straight home. I pulled into Rochester right around 9pm — right on target.
An 11-hour drive sounds intimidating, but breaking it up with intentional, fun stops made this road trip genuinely enjoyable. Instead of just trying to “get there,” it felt like part of the trip.
If you’re driving from upstate or western New York to Nashville (or anywhere in Tennessee), I can’t recommend this route enough. With a few good stops, some coffee, and a good playlist, it’s a really beautiful drive.
If you’re planning this road trip and want ideas on how I personally make long drives easier and more fun, I’ll be sharing that in another post too. In the meantime, check out our FREE Road Trip Essentials Printable Checklist.
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