Southern

The Southern US region covers a diverse area, from the rugged beauty of the Southern Appalachian Mountains to the wetlands of the Florida Everglades to the Mississippi Delta. The South is ideal for road trips and weekend getaways.

Southern cuisine is reason enough to visit the South, but you’ve also got soothing white sand beaches from Gulf Shores, Alabama, along the Gulf Coast to Florida and up the East Coast to the barrier-island beaches of North Carolina.

The unique culture of South Louisiana has drawn me back again and again, with visits to Lafayette, Lake Charles, New Orleans, and dozens of small towns in between these cities.

For a scenic road trip in the South, my favorite is the Blue Ridge Parkway. The roadway meanders from Waynesboro, Virginia, for 469 miles through the Blue Ridge Mountains to Asheville, North Carolina. October is peak season for fall colors along the Blue Ridge Parkway, but it’s a gorgeous drive in the spring and summer too.

Take your time exploring the unique culture, cuisine, and gorgeous landscapes of the South, from the Gulf Coast to the Appalachians.