Atlanta Magazine

The creative Cajun has called Lafayette, Louisiana, home since birth and finds inspiration in “the very weird, very diverse” culture of the city; so much so that she opened her brick-and-mortar gift shop, Cocodrie Collective, downtown in 2023. “There’s a big mashup of backgrounds and customs,” she says. “We like to joke that we’re all a bunch of mutts.” Here are her recommendations for exploring Lafayette like a local.

Tour a 301-acre living history museum, meet expert craftspeople, savor artisanal cheeses, and immerse yourself in authentic colonial life.

Around the South, you’ll find plenty of breweries offering such opportunities. Among them are the destination breweries: extra-special, can’t-miss spots worth planning a trip around. Not only do they serve excellent beer with knowledgeable service to match, they also pour on amenities such as colorful gardens, hiking trails, local art, and memorable meals in picturesque settings. So, round up some thirsty friends and head to these notable Southern breweries—with so much to offer, they are attractions unto themselves.

The South has long gone to the “coon dogs”—in a good way. This branch of scent hounds descended from English foxhounds first brought to the American colonies in the 17th and 18th centuries and remains popular today.

Wakefield-Scearce Galleries Shelbyville, Kentucky Gingerly placed English antiques seem as though they were meant to be displayed in this sprawling, 30,000-square-foot space that was once the circa 1825 Science Hill School for Girls. The building itself...

Northeast Arkansas is a land dominated—geographically, economically, and culturally—by the Mississippi River, which courses along its eastern border. Travelers across the tabletop-flat fields spreading to the horizon in all directions—and today planted with soybeans, corn, and rice—will discover stories tied to the farming of cotton at sites from the Southern Tenant Farmers Museum to the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home, as well as the company town of Wilson, which has been reborn as an upscale resort destination.

Plus: Kentucky favorites from Chef Sara Bradley of Freight House and the milestone anniversary of a beloved coastal cocktail.