The South
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The American South is defined by its history, music, food, and a distinctive sense of place and identity that sets it apart from the rest of the country. Bounded roughly by the Mason-Dixon Line in the north and the Mexican border in the southwest, the South encompasses states from Virginia and the Carolinas through Georgia and Florida along the Atlantic coast, across the Gulf states of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. The region was shaped profoundly by the plantation economy, the Civil War, the long shadow of segregation and the Civil Rights Movement, and the Scots-Irish and African American cultural traditions that fused to create the South's musical and culinary heritage.
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Best things to do in The South
New Orleans Mardi Gras
The greatest celebration in North America — Mardi Gras parade season runs from early January to Fat Tuesday (the day before Lent), building to the final weekend of parades and the raucous street celebrations of Bourbon Street and Frenchmen Street. Book accommodation at least a year in advance.
American Music Trail
The Mississippi Delta — birthplace of the blues — runs from Memphis south through Clarksdale, Greenwood, and Natchez. Follow US-61 (the 'Blues Highway') south from Memphis, stopping at Crossroads in Clarksdale (where Robert Johnson supposedly sold his soul to the Devil), the Delta Blues Museum, and then down to New Orleans for jazz.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
America's most visited national park straddles the Tennessee-North Carolina border — 800 square miles of ancient Appalachian Mountains, old-growth forest, and abundant wildlife (including the highest density of black bears in the Eastern US). Free admission (the only major national park with no entrance fee).
Cities in The South
Explore destinations in this region
New Orleans
South
No American city has a more distinctive identity than New Orleans — a subtropical port city where French, Spanish, African, and Caribbean cultures fused over three centuries into something wholly unique. The jazz-soaked streets of the French Quarter, the massive oaks of the Garden District, the gumbo and beignets and po'boys, and an unmatched capacity for celebration make NOLA one of the most unforgettable destinations in the entire country.
Las Vegas
South
Rising impossibly from the Mojave Desert, Las Vegas is the world's most audacious entertainment city — a neon-lit fantasy of colossal casinos, jaw-dropping shows, celebrity chef restaurants, and an anything-goes spirit that has made it America's most visited tourist destination. Beyond the glittering Strip, the city is also a gateway to some of the American Southwest's most spectacular natural landscapes.
Best Time to Visit
Recommended Period
March to May, September to November — Spring and fall offer the most comfortable temperatures throughout the South. Summers are brutally hot and humid everywhere except at altitude in the mountains. Gulf beaches are excellent October-May when temperatures are pleasant and crowds are manageable. Hurricane season (June-November) affects the Gulf and Atlantic coasts.
Food & Specialties
Southern food is one of America's great regional cuisines — a deeply satisfying tradition rooted in African American cooking that has become the country's most beloved comfort food.
Barbecue — each Southern state has its own BBQ tradition: Memphis ribs with dry rub, Texas brisket with post oak smoke, Carolina pulled pork with vinegar sauce, Kansas City with thick molasses sauce
Gumbo — Louisiana's complex seafood and sausage stew with a dark roux and the Cajun 'holy trinity' of onions, celery, and bell pepper
Southern fried chicken — buttermilk-marinated, flour-coated, and fried in cast iron; Nashville hot chicken adds a cayenne-heavy spice paste
Biscuits and gravy — fluffy Southern biscuits with pork sausage cream gravy, the quintessential hearty Southern breakfast
Shrimp and grits — originally a coastal Carolinas breakfast, now a Southern restaurant staple: Gulf shrimp with butter, garlic, and bacon over stone-ground corn grits
Sweet tea — the house wine of the South, served at every meal in enormous plastic cups with unlimited refills
Getting There
How to reach The South
By Air
Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL) is the world's busiest airport and the South's main hub. Major airports also at Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Miami (MIA), Houston (IAH), Nashville (BNA), Charlotte (CLT), and New Orleans (MSY).
By Train
Amtrak's Crescent connects New York to New Orleans via Washington D.C., Charlotte, Atlanta, and Birmingham. The City of New Orleans runs Chicago to New Orleans. The Sunset Limited connects New Orleans to Los Angeles. The Silver Meteor connects New York to Miami.
By Bus
Greyhound provides extensive coverage. FlixBus and Megabus serve major Southern cities.
Getting Around
The South is car country — vast distances between cities and rural attractions require a vehicle. I-10 runs the full length of the Gulf Coast from Jacksonville to Los Angeles. US-61 (Blues Highway) follows the Mississippi River. I-95 runs the Atlantic Coast through the Carolinas and Georgia. Nashville, Atlanta, and Houston have public transit but most Southern cities are primarily auto-dependent.
Accommodation
Where to stay in The South
Budget
Budget motels throughout the South $50-90/night. Hostel options are limited outside major cities and beach resort towns.
Mid-Range
Mid-range hotels in major cities $120-250/night. Historic B&Bs in Savannah and Charleston $180-300/night.
Luxury
Luxury hotels and historic plantation resorts $300-1,000+/night. Beachfront properties in Gulf Coast resort towns can exceed $500/night in summer.
Safety
The South is generally safe for tourists. Some urban areas (parts of Memphis, Baltimore, Birmingham) have higher crime rates in specific neighborhoods. Hurricane season (June-November) is a real risk along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts — monitor forecasts carefully June through October. Extreme heat and humidity in summer can be dangerous — stay hydrated and limit midday outdoor exposure.
Travel Tips
Insider advice for The South
- 1Southern hospitality is not a cliché — strangers genuinely make conversation, service staff call you 'honey' and 'sugar,' and people hold doors and wave from their porches.
- 2Sweet tea is the default iced tea in the South — specify 'unsweet' if you don't want the heavily sugared version.
- 3The best BBQ in the country is often at nondescript roadside joints that sell out early — get there by noon.
- 4Mardi Gras accommodation in New Orleans must be booked a year ahead — hotels charge 5-10x normal rates during parade season.
- 5The Gulf of Mexico's water is warm and clear (unlike the Atlantic) — Destin, Florida and Gulf Shores, Alabama have some of the finest beach water in the country.
- 6Always carry cash in rural areas and at farmers markets — many small-town Southern businesses are cash only.