Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I wasn't recommending Charlotte except for the airport being centrally located for the eastern SE. Someone wanting to visit a mid-large city could find stuff to do. But not at the beginning of the trip. I expect they need time to get used to driving on the wrong side of the road.
It really depends on how much time you have and what you want to see, but since you mentioned the Carolinas, I second the idea of focusing on the Charleston and Asheville areas and using them as bases for activities. Plus, they're both great towns, set up for tourism and sightseeing. In Charleston, you could experience what is by far one of the most historic cities in the country, in addition to local beaches and lowcountry attractions/cuisine. And in Asheville, you could experience eclectic mountain culture and drive one of the most scenic roads in the country- the Blue Ridge Parkway- over to Great Smoky Mountains NP. The cities have far different feels, but are only a four hours drive apart.
As the poster mentioned above, Charlotte is centrally located and has the most flights (outside Atlanta, which is doable but a little further out of the way), but Asheville, Charleston, Columbia SC, and Greenville SC all have easy connecting flights to major hubs and are not out of the way. And in the case of Charleston, not all that small of an airport and it may not be all that expensive to fly into....
I am from England and I have always wanted to visit southern USA, but there are so many areas that i am a bit confused to be honest. I would like to visit South and North Carolina, Alabama and Geogia, but apart from those, I'm not sure where else i would like to visit. Texas is obviously very well known; one of the most known states in the U.S; however i've heard it's quite plain and dull, though not sure if true.
Also, there are other states i would like to see, such as Louisiana and Kentucky, but i would be hard pushed to travel to every state and experience everything. I would say that out of all of them, i would like to visit both North & South Carolina as they look really beautiful. I basically want some information and opinions on which areas of southern USA are the best areas to visit overall.
OP, I am so glad to hear that you are interested in what I consider one of the very best regions to visit in the US! And it's often overlooked by foreign travelers -perhaps because it's overshadowed by "big" attractions outside the region.
Anyway, I've lived in Louisiana, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, and Texas, and of course I've visited every southern state I haven't lived in over and over again, so I can tell you without a moment's hesitation that there is PLENTY of interesting stuff to do in the South!
I like North and South Carolina for many reasons - like Virginia and Maryland, they offer plenty of beautiful scenery with mountains on one side and ocean on the other, and lovely towns and farmland and gently rolling terrain between the two extremes. Each state has some gorgeous cities as well - and lots of history throughout, especially if you are interested in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars.
Also, these Atlantic seaboard states offer some of the best southern seafood cuisine out there! (Rivaled by the Gulf Coast, especially Louisiana - more on that later!)
Personally, though Texas is my home, it's my SECOND favorite state - because Virginia is my favorite state of all. I always encourage people to visit the "Historic Triangle" of Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown if they go to Virginia. Then you're also right there at Virginia Beach, and it's got a great boardwalk. From there you could venture in whatever direction you want to go - west to the Shenandoah Valley, or south to North Carolina's hauntingly beautiful Outer Banks and down to Charleston and Savannah for some truly Southern gentility and charm!
But if you want a more expansive view that includes more than the Atlantic seaboard (and there is sooooo much more!), you could drive down through the Smoky Mountains in Virginia, into North Carolina and Cade's Cove and Cherokee (beautiful area) and then through Knoxville and into Nashville, Tennessee, which is a really fun city to visit! If you're so inclined, you could drive on through to Memphis, and check out Beale Street (home of the American blues and some of the best BBQ you can imagine) and Elvis Presley's Graceland, which is like a step back in time to the late sixties or early seventies. I was very pleasantly surprised at how interesting Graceland is, and I am not even a big Elvis fan. If your budget allows, stay at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis - that's a vacation even if you don't step outside the doors!
Or, you could go west to east. You could fly into Dallas and check out Fort Worth (another of our hidden jewels). I LOVE ME SOME FORT WORTH. If you want a taste of the cowboy, mixed with southern charm, Fort Worth offers this - as well as great museums and a really pleasant and walkable downtown area (as well as very walkable Stockyards). Fort Worth is considered by many to be the cut off point between the south and the west.
Then drive on down through Waxahachie and on down to Austin and San Antonio. Yes, you will get a taste of "flat Texas" and the interstate and suburban sprawl, but at least you can say you saw it, right? Texas is a HUGE state - it's nearly three times as large as the UK if that gives you some idea - so it's got a great variety of terrain. It's not at all "all flat" and certainly not "all desert" as so many people think. But the stretch of interstate between DFW and Austin is a bit daunting - but it's only a three hour drive so you'll be OK. Anyway, when you get to Austin and San Antonio (about an hour apart) you will see why that drive was worth it.
Austin is funky, lively, friendly, and has great bars, great hotels, a terrific street scene, and a fabulous live music scene. And you would be hard pressed to find better food than is offered in Austin and San Antonio. That area also has a very large German and Czech presence. San Antonio has the Riverwalk and of course the Alamo, as well as a fascinating Tex Mex and Hispanic culture. You will see lots of Mexican influence, mixed just right with Southern friendliness and hospitality. And finally, the Hill Country just outside these huge metro areas is gorgeous and filled with quaint towns and wineries.
Then you can drive east through Deep East Texas and on to New Orleans. Wow, if you want to see the South, you really need to work New Orleans into your itinerary. The city is simply fascinating and the food is unbelievable. Art, music, sports (New Orleans Saints fans are a breed all their own - WHODAT NATION, BABY!), beautiful architecture, interesting history, impromptu parades and "second lines" - festivals, street artists, voodoo, you name it it's there.
If you go that route, you could also check out Biloxi, Mississippi and Gulfport, and then drive on to Mobile, Alabama, which is a beautiful and quintessentially southern town that many people often overlook. This particular sort of vacation wouldn't be packed with spectacular sights, but would instead be a great way to mosey along inconspicuously, strike up casual conversations in local dives, and get to know the southern people along the way.
That's my favorite part of the south - the people.
There are so many other places to go and things to do - I've only mentioned a few of my favorites.
Let us know if you do "come south!" Many of us on this forum would love to hear of your adventures and we'd also love to give you pointers if you need them!
I've lived in Texas and never considered it Southern, except for the LA transplants in Houston. Texas is Southwestern.
I wouldn't waste time in Texas. The Alamo is tiny and so is the riverwalk. It will take you about 1 hr at the most to see both. Austin has bats that fly out in the evening and bars. That is about it. Visit Louisiana and the Old South instead.
OP, I am so glad to hear that you are interested in what I consider one of the very best regions to visit in the US! And it's often overlooked by foreign travelers -perhaps because it's overshadowed by "big" attractions outside the region.
Anyway, I've lived in Louisiana, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, and Texas, and of course I've visited every southern state I haven't lived in over and over again, so I can tell you without a moment's hesitation that there is PLENTY of interesting stuff to do in the South!
I like North and South Carolina for many reasons - like Virginia and Maryland, they offer plenty of beautiful scenery with mountains on one side and ocean on the other, and lovely towns and farmland and gently rolling terrain between the two extremes. Each state has some gorgeous cities as well - and lots of history throughout, especially if you are interested in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars.
Also, these Atlantic seaboard states offer some of the best southern seafood cuisine out there! (Rivaled by the Gulf Coast, especially Louisiana - more on that later!)
Personally, though Texas is my home, it's my SECOND favorite state - because Virginia is my favorite state of all. I always encourage people to visit the "Historic Triangle" of Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown if they go to Virginia. Then you're also right there at Virginia Beach, and it's got a great boardwalk. From there you could venture in whatever direction you want to go - west to the Shenandoah Valley, or south to North Carolina's hauntingly beautiful Outer Banks and down to Charleston and Savannah for some truly Southern gentility and charm!
But if you want a more expansive view that includes more than the Atlantic seaboard (and there is sooooo much more!), you could drive down through the Smoky Mountains in Virginia, into North Carolina and Cade's Cove and Cherokee (beautiful area) and then through Knoxville and into Nashville, Tennessee, which is a really fun city to visit! If you're so inclined, you could drive on through to Memphis, and check out Beale Street (home of the American blues and some of the best BBQ you can imagine) and Elvis Presley's Graceland, which is like a step back in time to the late sixties or early seventies. I was very pleasantly surprised at how interesting Graceland is, and I am not even a big Elvis fan. If your budget allows, stay at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis - that's a vacation even if you don't step outside the doors!
Or, you could go west to east. You could fly into Dallas and check out Fort Worth (another of our hidden jewels). I LOVE ME SOME FORT WORTH. If you want a taste of the cowboy, mixed with southern charm, Fort Worth offers this - as well as great museums and a really pleasant and walkable downtown area (as well as very walkable Stockyards). Fort Worth is considered by many to be the cut off point between the south and the west.
Then drive on down through Waxahachie and on down to Austin and San Antonio. Yes, you will get a taste of "flat Texas" and the interstate and suburban sprawl, but at least you can say you saw it, right? Texas is a HUGE state - it's nearly three times as large as the UK if that gives you some idea - so it's got a great variety of terrain. It's not at all "all flat" and certainly not "all desert" as so many people think. But the stretch of interstate between DFW and Austin is a bit daunting - but it's only a three hour drive so you'll be OK. Anyway, when you get to Austin and San Antonio (about an hour apart) you will see why that drive was worth it.
Austin is funky, lively, friendly, and has great bars, great hotels, a terrific street scene, and a fabulous live music scene. And you would be hard pressed to find better food than is offered in Austin and San Antonio. That area also has a very large German and Czech presence. San Antonio has the Riverwalk and of course the Alamo, as well as a fascinating Tex Mex and Hispanic culture. You will see lots of Mexican influence, mixed just right with Southern friendliness and hospitality. And finally, the Hill Country just outside these huge metro areas is gorgeous and filled with quaint towns and wineries.
Then you can drive east through Deep East Texas and on to New Orleans. Wow, if you want to see the South, you really need to work New Orleans into your itinerary. The city is simply fascinating and the food is unbelievable. Art, music, sports (New Orleans Saints fans are a breed all their own - WHODAT NATION, BABY!), beautiful architecture, interesting history, impromptu parades and "second lines" - festivals, street artists, voodoo, you name it it's there.
If you go that route, you could also check out Biloxi, Mississippi and Gulfport, and then drive on to Mobile, Alabama, which is a beautiful and quintessentially southern town that many people often overlook. This particular sort of vacation wouldn't be packed with spectacular sights, but would instead be a great way to mosey along inconspicuously, strike up casual conversations in local dives, and get to know the southern people along the way.
That's my favorite part of the south - the people.
There are so many other places to go and things to do - I've only mentioned a few of my favorites.
Let us know if you do "come south!" Many of us on this forum would love to hear of your adventures and we'd also love to give you pointers if you need them!
You're in for a treat.
This. Texas is a great southern destination, particularly if you want to be among a more international population; i would say take a look around Houston. DFW has alot going for it as well...and i second your love of Virginia. Its definitely one of my favorite southern states outside of Texas...the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the Great Smokey Mountains in Tennessee / North Carolina, really are a scenic treasure...Arkansas is actually very beautiful as well around the Quachita Mountains....
Last edited by soletaire; 11-22-2014 at 11:24 AM..
I've lived in Texas and never considered it Southern, except for the LA transplants in Houston. Texas is Southwestern.
I wouldn't waste time in Texas. The Alamo is tiny and so is the riverwalk. It will take you about 1 hr at the most to see both. Austin has bats that fly out in the evening and bars. That is about it. Visit Louisiana and the Old South instead.
This topic has been beaten to death on this forum -"Is Texas a southern state?"
It IS a southern state, geographically as well as historically. It's also a huge state. West Texas doesn't "feel" very southern, and south Texas has a lot of Hispanic influence that's not typically southern, but east Texas (about half of the huge state) definitely feels and looks and "tastes" southern.
If you think that all there is to Texas is the Alamo and the riverwalk and a few bats in Austin to go along with the bars, then you really know next to nothing about this state. Either educate yourself, come back for a more comprehensive visit, or at the very least quit trying to act as if you're a source of accurate information on the state.
The "real" South is the Deep South: Alabama, Mississippi, the two Carolinas, Georgia, Louisiana, Tennessee, Arkansas, and east Texas (the western part of Texas is really "the Southwest" in culture and climate). To these states, one has to add others less "Deep" but still culturally southern: Virginia, Kentucky, West Virginia, and southern Missouri.
South Florida (all of Florida south of Gainesville, the state's big university town) is not "the South," but foreign tourists love to visit and see the beaches, Miami, the Florida Keys, and Orlando's theme parks.
The Deep South is the weirdest region in the US, which is why it's so charming. It's possibly the most beautiful natural environment in the US (yes, I'm counting the American West, the natural parks, and the Pacific Coast, which are spectacular but no more so than the South). Historic southern cities that are must-visits -- at least one of the following: New Orleans, Charleston, Savannah, Asheville, Mobile. Larger urban centers that are less southern in culture, due to so many transplants from outside the region, but still full of things to do: Atlanta, Miami, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Nashville, Austin (though Austin is more "southwestern" than "southern" IMO).
Everyone must do three things while in the Deep South: (1) see the countryside, somewhere; (2) visit one historic city and also one urban center, and (3) EAT. Authentic Southern cooking is America's tastiest and best regional cuisine, and the southern country breakfast -- eggs, bacon or sausage, savory biscuit rolls, corn grits, hash browns -- is among the most pleasing in the world. Southern desserts are knock-outs: pecan pie, coconut cream pie, peach cobbler, Carolina trifles, etc. Many Europeans I've met avoid the South (it's off the beaten track, they say, or they've heard it's racist and backward), but I think they're making a big mistake.
This. Texas is a great southern destination, particularly if you want to be among a more international population; i would say take a look around Houston. DFW has alot going for it as well...and i second your love of Virginia. Its definitely one of my favorite southern states outside of Texas...the Blue Rigde Mountains, and the Great Smokey Mountains in Tennessee / North Carolina, really are a scenic treasure...Arkansas is actually very beautiful as well around the Quachita Mountains....
I forgot to mention Arkansas and the beautiful, gentle Ouachita Mountains! Thanks for the reminder and for the nice post.
Also, Houston and Galveston ARE interesting destinations and as you said, Houston definitely has an international flair (and dining/entertainment scene) that is very impressive.
The "real" South is the Deep South: Alabama, Mississippi, the two Carolinas, Georgia, Louisiana, Tennessee, Arkansas, and east Texas (the western part of Texas is really "the Southwest" in culture and climate). To those, one has to add other southern states less "Deep" but still culturally southern: Virginia, Kentucky, West Virginia.
South Florida (all of Florida south of Gainesville, the state's big university town) is not "the South," but foreign tourists love to visit there to see the beaches, Miami, the Florida Keys, and Orlando's theme parks.
The South is the weirdest region in the US, which is why it's so charming. It's possibly the most beautiful natural environment in the US (yes, I'm counting the American West, the natural parks, and the Pacific Coast, which are spectacular but no more so than the South). Historic southern cities that are must-visits -- at least one of the following: New Orleans, Charleston, Savannah, Asheville, Mobile. Larger urban centers that are less southern in culture, due to so many transplants from outside the region, but still full of things to doe: Atlanta, Miami, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Nashville, Austin (though Austin is more "southwestern" than "southern" IMO).
Everyone should do three things while in the Deep South: (1) see the countryside, somewhere; (2) visit one historic city and also one urban center, and (3) EAT. Authentic Southern cooking is America's tastiest and most diverse regional cuisine, and the southern country breakfast -- eggs, bacon or sausage, savory biscuit rolls, corn grits, hash browns -- is among the most pleasing. Southern desserts are knock-outs: pecan pie, coconut cream pie, peach cobbler, Carolina trifles, etc. Many Europeans I've met avoid the South (it's off the beaten track or else they've heard it's racist and backward), but I think they're making a big mistake.
Great post! OP, take every line of this to heart!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Texas is a HUGE state - it's nearly three times as large as the UK if that gives you some idea - so it's got a great variety of terrain. It's not at all "all flat" and certainly not "all desert" as so many people think. But the stretch of interstate between DFW and Austin is a bit daunting - but it's only a three hour drive so you'll be OK. 
Anyway, when you get to Austin and San Antonio (about an hour apart) you will see why that drive was worth it.
