Likely roadtrip soon from Orlando to New Orleans...anything interesting?

[NE2]

MY GIRLFRIEND and I plan to take a roadtrip soon to New Orleans. Is there anything interesting along the way, particularly in the way of old alignments or other infrastructure? I know about the old brick SR 1 in the Florida Panhandle.

[froggie]

Surprised you'd be one to ask....

But that said, still some driveable old US 90 alignments between Moss Point, MS and Grand Bay, AL.  Not sure if the alignment on the Alabama side is still driveable, but on the Mississippi side, there's Old Stage Rd south of I-10 and Independence Rd north of I-10 near Exit 75.

There's also Old Spanish Trail between Gautier and Ocean Springs.

The old Rigolets Bridge on US 90 is long gone, but the Chef Menteur and Pearl River bridges (old drawbridges) are still intact and in use.

[Max Rockatansky]

There are some good ones that come to mind off the top of my head.  First; go see Cedar Key off of FL 24 since there is a pretty good chance it's not too far off your main route.  It's a really cool old lumber port from the late 1800s and has a ton of older buildings, the original town is actually a ghost town across the main island.

Check out Florida 50 east of Ridge Manor to Clermont.  There is a section of old highway in the Withlacoochee state forest that's kind of neat to see.  If you follow FL 50 east out of Ridge Manor you'll cut slightly south on Richloam/Clay Sink Road which will take you to an old community called Richloam.  From Richloam you can follow old 50 for a couple miles east on Riverland Road before having to turn around.  There SHOULD be an old bridge over the Little Withlacoochee River but I could never find it.  On the east side of the River the old 50 alignment continues as County Route 757 back to modern 50 in Sumter County.  If you head a couple miles south on FL 471 there is an old abandoned Army Airfield on the east side of the road, not much to see but you can tell it was a WWII runway.  East of Tarrytown you'll find County Route 772 running from Linden to Mabel which is the older alignment of the highway.  Linden is worth a look since it's basically a ghost town as it stands today. 

If you are looking for the older 50 alignment around Orlando there are some options as well.  Cut north on County Route 565A and CR 561A from FL 50 in Groveland to follow the older highway.  This will take you around Lake Minneola to the city of Minneola itself and US 27.  Follow US 27 to Washington/Old 50 and continue east all the way to FL 438 in Oakland.  Follow FL 438 in Oakland to Ocoee where you will follow Bluford Avenue south to Old Winter Garden Road/CR 526.  Old Winter Garden Road becomes Washington in the city of Orlando and FL 50 would have cut north on Orange Avenue.  There are couple old alignments east of downtown called Old Cheney Highway that there...but aren't really worth going out of your way for.

Speaking of Orange Avenue that would be the original alignment of US 17/92 from Colonial Drive all the way to downtown Kissimmee, this would be the pre US 441 era. 

Also if you are already aware of the old brick alignment of the Dixie Highway north of Bunnell and Espanola you'll like the Old Tampa Highway in Loughman.  Basically there is an unpaved section of old US 17/92 on the Polk/Osceola County line that is still used to this day.  There is even a really neat 1930s "Welcome to Polk County" market on the road side to see.  I attached a Google Maps location for you, it's basically just slightly past Disney World if you are heading that way.

https://www.google.com/maps/@28.2582242,-81.5490662,3a,75y,150.15h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sIiglo79uqawnOvAGZewwbw!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DIiglo79uqawnOvAGZewwbw%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D153.18806%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

There is a ton of other stuff in western panhandle FLorida that comes to mind, most of it is rail or ghost town though if you are interested.

Edit:  And I just realized that you were heading FROM ORLANDO to New Orleans and not the reverse.  Just swap around what I said in regards to FL 50 westerly and Cedar Key still applies.     There is some good stuff to see out in Citrus County and US 19 north.  Tracking where US 19 used to run before the current alignment was paved is kind of all over the place. 

[Rothman]

MY GIRLFRIEND and I plan to take a roadtrip soon to New Orleans. Is there anything interesting along the way, particularly in the way of old alignments or other infrastructure? I know about the old brick SR 1 in the Florida Panhandle.

A Big Mac does not count as a girlfriend.

[freebrickproductions]

IIRC, there's an old colored shield in Pannama City, FL. I know the admin who lives in Florida posted a picture of it on Facebook (sorry, I'm bad with names).

Also, there's a bit of old US 98 that's still drivable/walkable near Port St. Joe, FL. Here's a thread about it I made a while back:
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=12863.0

[NE2]

Froggie: thanks. Do any of those feel like old main roads, or are do they have a more suburban two-lane feel? Old Stage Road looks like it could be interesting. Any idea about Old Pascagoula Road on the Alabama side? Old Lower Bay Road east of Pearlington?

Thanks Max, but I've been in the Orlando area for 15+ years. I've seen almost all of what you listed (I was unable to find the old Little Withlacoochee bridge from the east end). Cedar Key is too far out of the way (we're sticking mostly to I-10).

Rothman:

[Rothman]

Rothman:

WIN!

[Mapmikey]

Froggie: thanks. Do any of those feel like old main roads, or are do they have a more suburban two-lane feel? Old Stage Road looks like it could be interesting. Any idea about Old Pascagoula Road on the Alabama side? Old Lower Bay Road east of Pearlington?

Thanks Max, but I've been in the Orlando area for 15+ years. I've seen almost all of what you listed (I was unable to find the old Little Withlacoochee bridge from the east end). Cedar Key is too far out of the way (we're sticking mostly to I-10).

Rothman:

If you are looking for scenic a couple places: US 90 from Biloxi to Bay St Louis which is right along the white sand beach with old trees across the highway.  Also US 90 from Downtown Mobile westward has multiple canopies of live oak trees.

I don't know this area that well but I liked US 90 into Louisiana with the older bridges.  The US 11 bridge over the lake was rehabbed.  Lake Pontchartrain Causeway was neat if you haven't done it and the bridge ramp stubs are still there from when you could do a U-turn in the middle of the lake (no way to actually stop and explore).

Mike

[Alex]

There are several things from old alignments to some abandoned bridges, keys shields, colored shields, etc. Really depends upon how much variation you want to add to your route and if you plan on more of US 90 or US 98 across the Panhandle and likewise US 19/98 vs US 27 to the Big Bend area. There are also a few current projects that might be of interest in Okaloosa and Walton.

Same for Mobile/Baldwin, but the old stuff is less prevalent and outside of the suburban sprawl.

[froggie]

Froggie: thanks. Do any of those feel like old main roads, or are do they have a more suburban two-lane feel? Old Stage Road looks like it could be interesting. Any idea about Old Pascagoula Road on the Alabama side? Old Lower Bay Road east of Pearlington?

A long time ago, Old Stage Rd had some old-school concrete.  Not sure if it's been asphalted over by Jackson County or not.

To my knowledge, (Old) Lower Bay Rd has never been part of the state highway system.

[NE2]

Another question: are there any downtowns with cute local shops along the way?

[realjd]

if you're into history, Fort Pickens is really cool. Same with the great Naval Air Museum at Pensacola NAS. If you end up at the naval air museum there's a lighthouse and another fort on base that you'll have access to.

[jwolfer]

US 90 where it crosses the Apalachicola River at Chattahoochee has an old bridge/alignment just to the north . back in 1993 you could walk on old bridge

[Alex]

US 90 where it crosses the Apalachicola River at Chattahoochee has an old bridge/alignment just to the north . back in 1993 you could walk on old bridge

Was going to mention that one. I stopped and checked it out in 2006. Probably need to revisit it.

There is another bridge remnant for US 90 up at Chattahoochee across the Apalachicola River.

[Brian556]

Quote from Matt Rockatansky:

There are some good ones that come to mind off the top of my head.  First; go see Cedar Key off of FL 24 since there is a pretty good chance it's not too far off your main route.  It's a really cool old lumber port from the late 1800s and has a ton of older buildings, the original town is actually a ghost town across the main island.

Check out Florida 50 east of Ridge Manor to Clermont.  There is a section of old highway in the Withlacoochee state forest that's kind of neat to see.  If you follow FL 50 east out of Ridge Manor you'll cut slightly south on Richloam/Clay Sink Road which will take you to an old community called Richloam.  From Richloam you can follow old 50 for a couple miles east on Riverland Road before having to turn around.  There SHOULD be an old bridge over the Little Withlacoochee River but I could never find it.  On the east side of the River the old 50 alignment continues as County Route 757 back to modern 50 in Sumter County.  If you head a couple miles south on FL 471 there is an old abandoned Army Airfield on the east side of the road, not much to see but you can tell it was a WWII runway.  East of Tarrytown you'll find County Route 772 running from Linden to Mabel which is the older alignment of the highway.  Linden is worth a look since it's basically a ghost town as it stands today. 

If you are looking for the older 50 alignment around Orlando there are some options as well.  Cut north on County Route 565A and CR 561A from FL 50 in Groveland to follow the older highway.  This will take you around Lake Minneola to the city of Minneola itself and US 27.  Follow US 27 to Washington/Old 50 and continue east all the way to FL 438 in Oakland.  Follow FL 438 in Oakland to Ocoee where you will follow Bluford Avenue south to Old Winter Garden Road/CR 526.  Old Winter Garden Road becomes Washington in the city of Orlando and FL 50 would have cut north on Orange Avenue.  There are couple old alignments east of downtown called Old Cheney Highway that there...but aren't really worth going out of your way for.

Speaking of Orange Avenue that would be the original alignment of US 17/92 from Colonial Drive all the way to downtown Kissimmee, this would be the pre US 441 era. 

Also if you are already aware of the old brick alignment of the Dixie Highway north of Bunnell and Espanola you'll like the Old Tampa Highway in Loughman.  Basically there is an unpaved section of old US 17/92 on the Polk/Osceola County line that is still used to this day.  There is even a really neat 1930s "Welcome to Polk County" market on the road side to see.  I attached a Google Maps location for you, it's basically just slightly past Disney World if you are heading that way.

You probably did not realize this, but you are preaching to the choir lol. NE2 is an expert on Orlando area highway history. When he saw this, he probably started singing Selena Gomez's "Tell Me Something I Don't Know"!

[NE2]

Is LA 47-Seabrook Bridge-Lakeshore Drive-Pontchartrain Boulevard a good scenic entrance to NO?

[Alex]

Is LA 47-Seabrook Bridge-Lakeshore Drive-Pontchartrain Boulevard a good scenic entrance to NO?

Nothing really to see along LA 47 north (west) through to the Seabrook Bridge due to the levy. Lou and I took Leon C. Simon Drive west from there, so I cannot comment on the Lakeshore Drive part of the route.

[brownpelican]

Is LA 47-Seabrook Bridge-Lakeshore Drive-Pontchartrain Boulevard a good scenic entrance to NO?

Lakeshore Drive should be open. You'll get good views of Lake Pontchartrain and the UNO campus. Pontchartrain Blvd. goes thorough a neighborhood til you get to I-10/610.

[NE2]

Thanks for the advice, but we decided not to go for various reasons. Instead we're doing daytrips around Florida. Yesterday we went to Pinellas County and saw (among other non-road things) the old bridge abutment at John's Pass (ignore my constipated look):

[US 41]

You probably did not realize this, but you are preaching to the choir lol. NE2 is an expert on Orlando area highway history. When he saw this, he probably started singing Selena Gomez's "Tell Me Something I Don't Know"!

I'm surprised you know that song. I am shamelessly a big Selena Gomez fan. BTW how many inches are in a mile?

[Max Rockatansky]

Quote from Matt Rockatansky:

There are some good ones that come to mind off the top of my head.  First; go see Cedar Key off of FL 24 since there is a pretty good chance it's not too far off your main route.  It's a really cool old lumber port from the late 1800s and has a ton of older buildings, the original town is actually a ghost town across the main island.

Check out Florida 50 east of Ridge Manor to Clermont.  There is a section of old highway in the Withlacoochee state forest that's kind of neat to see.  If you follow FL 50 east out of Ridge Manor you'll cut slightly south on Richloam/Clay Sink Road which will take you to an old community called Richloam.  From Richloam you can follow old 50 for a couple miles east on Riverland Road before having to turn around.  There SHOULD be an old bridge over the Little Withlacoochee River but I could never find it.  On the east side of the River the old 50 alignment continues as County Route 757 back to modern 50 in Sumter County.  If you head a couple miles south on FL 471 there is an old abandoned Army Airfield on the east side of the road, not much to see but you can tell it was a WWII runway.  East of Tarrytown you'll find County Route 772 running from Linden to Mabel which is the older alignment of the highway.  Linden is worth a look since it's basically a ghost town as it stands today. 

If you are looking for the older 50 alignment around Orlando there are some options as well.  Cut north on County Route 565A and CR 561A from FL 50 in Groveland to follow the older highway.  This will take you around Lake Minneola to the city of Minneola itself and US 27.  Follow US 27 to Washington/Old 50 and continue east all the way to FL 438 in Oakland.  Follow FL 438 in Oakland to Ocoee where you will follow Bluford Avenue south to Old Winter Garden Road/CR 526.  Old Winter Garden Road becomes Washington in the city of Orlando and FL 50 would have cut north on Orange Avenue.  There are couple old alignments east of downtown called Old Cheney Highway that there...but aren't really worth going out of your way for.

Speaking of Orange Avenue that would be the original alignment of US 17/92 from Colonial Drive all the way to downtown Kissimmee, this would be the pre US 441 era. 

Also if you are already aware of the old brick alignment of the Dixie Highway north of Bunnell and Espanola you'll like the Old Tampa Highway in Loughman.  Basically there is an unpaved section of old US 17/92 on the Polk/Osceola County line that is still used to this day.  There is even a really neat 1930s "Welcome to Polk County" market on the road side to see.  I attached a Google Maps location for you, it's basically just slightly past Disney World if you are heading that way.

You probably did not realize this, but you are preaching to the choir lol. NE2 is an expert on Orlando area highway history. When he saw this, he probably started singing Selena Gomez's "Tell Me Something I Don't Know"!

Yeah the thing that threw me off in the original post was that I saw U.S. 1 for whatever reason instead of SR 1 which led me to thing it was a reverse oriented trip from New Orleans to Orlando.  The irony is that there is another brick highway out by Bunnell that was part of the Dixie Highway within earshot of U.S. 1 while the one the OP was referring too is out by Milton somewhere on U.S. 90.  At least I realized after the post but it was way too late to save myself some typing.  Long time Floridian myself in my time, I haven't talked about some of those highways in ages. 

[Brian556]

Quote from US 41:

I'm surprised you know that song. I am shamelessly a big Selena Gomez fan. BTW how many inches are in a mile?

Give me a second to check in my pants.

Anyway, yeah, I like Selena Gomez's music.

[Gnutella]

Don't eat anything until you get to Alabama. When you get there, eat at Lambert's Cafe in Foley, home of "throwed rolls." It has great Southern-style food, and the best fried chicken I've ever had. Lambert's Cafe is located on AL 59, south of U.S. 98 on the south end of Foley, next to the Tanger Outlets, and not far from Foley High School. Be sure to buy some souvenirs when you're there too.

[roadman65]

US 90 where it crosses the Apalachicola River at Chattahoochee has an old bridge/alignment just to the north . back in 1993 you could walk on old bridge

You can now see US 319 marked as begin and end that was never before. 

Also in Pensacola you have the infamous 3 Mile Bridge with the old US 98 as a fishing pier. 


The NAS of course has the museum which has old vintage Navy planes and classic stuff.

Do not forget the Beignets  when you get to New Orleans.  In fact Cafe Du Monde is the best place for them, and of course the St. Charles Avenue Trolley Line in the Big Easy is a must.

Oh and the newly widened Huey P. Long Bridge as its now six wide lanes instead of the four 11 foot wide lanes of old.