The southeast pace is much slower than anywhere in the country. The people of the South like to enjoy life, relax, and take their time. As time slows to a crawl, it’s the perfect backdrop for family vacations: families can stop rushing from place to place, being connected online, and trying to cram too much into a trip. Instead, the southeast states are about enjoying time together by simply being together in beautiful destinations. Ready to love your time together?
As the saying goes Down South, “In the South, there are no strangers, just friends we haven’t met yet.” With so much welcome everywhere you go, it ranks high on the list of reasons to travel across the southeast.
Enjoy the calm and emerald green waters along the Gulf Coast in Alabama, Florida’s Panhandle, Mississippi and Louisiana, where the white sand is so soft, it squeaks beneath your feet. Or, ride the waves of the Atlantic along the coast of Virginia, North and South Carolina, and the Golden Isles along the coast of Georgia.
The Appalachian Mountain trail begins in Georgia and runs through the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, and the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, providing ample hiking trails and fantastic vistas for visitors.
Southern charm oozes out of the large cities of the south, making them feel like small towns, even when they are as large as Atlanta, Nashville or New Orleans.
Dixieland is the home of country music, and you’ll find music festivals, honky tonks and more across the south, especially in Nashville, aka “Music City.”
The last of the 13 original colonies offers historical getaways to its cities such as Savannah and Atlanta; mountain explorations in the North Georgia Mountains, the base of the Appalachians; and extremely beautiful islands along its touch of coastline above Florida. Southern charm is in full force here. Enjoy the slow pace of the sticky, hot south, complete with trees draped heavily in moss around cobbled-paved squares wit a stop in Savannah. Just outside of the city are the “Golden Isles,” Georgia’s barrier islands along its small, but significant coast.
The state of North Carolina is so diverse that outdoor-loving families will find happiness hiking and even skiing in its mountains near Asheville, surfing and water sports along the 200-mile-long barrier islands of the Outer Banks. These banks are small but pack a punch for family vacations. Sand-strewn streets and miles of protected national land where wild horses swim and roam, this is the place families turn to for week-long-plus vacations in large homes facing the sea – simplicity at its finest. More than you would expect from this state!
For a taste of Creole, New Orleans is the place. Situated along the Mighty Mississippi, the sounds of jazz pours onto the streets of this French-inspired town and unique town. Feeling almost like you’ve left the country, a visit to N’Orleans and the swamps of Louisiana will create life-long memories.
South Carolina’s main draw for vacationers is its miles of coastline with sprawling beaches and island getaways complete with resorts and vacation home rentals. For a glimpse at what the south was like 100 years ago, visit Charleston, where historical buildings stand and residents are tried and true to their roots. Plus, the seafood served up at the award-winning restaurants are worthy of multiple feasts. Then there is Hilton Head. This sleepy neck of the woods along South Carolina’s coast is surrounded by marsh, moss and golf courses, while filled with families biking, kayaking and romping on the beach. Keep your eyes peeled for the dolphins playing nearby; they are everywhere!
Tennessee is perfect for the history buffs, music lovers and nature enthusiasts. So pretty much everyone! Start with a tour of Nashville for a true taste of country flair. Then head out to the Great Smoky Mountains for the a picturesque hike. In between, make sure you take the kids to Pigeon Forge for an amusement park they will never forget!
The “Historic Triangle” of Greater Williamsburg, Virginia, is steeped with history dating back to 1607 with the first English colony in nearby Jamestown. Colonial Williamsburg is a reproduction of how the capital of the colony of Virginia looked in the 18th century, and Yorktown is where America won its freedom in the last major battle of the Revolutionary War. The Shenandoah Valley and its outdoor playground, the expansive beaches near Virginia Beach, and Washington, D.C.’s neighboring Alexandria provide vastly different spectrums of the state.
These country roads were made for driving, and that’s just what you’ll do when visiting the wide region of the southeast. If staying along a beach, most coastal towns are bike and golf cart friendly, and you can leave your car parked. Cities are drivable, although traffic at rush hour is notorious around various cities.
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