Tag: Dana Ford

Many a song has been written about Tennessee. Countless artists have dedicated their work to her beauty, drawing inspiration from her mountains and waterways. And now, the Volunteer State can claim another love letter of sorts—a luxury hotel called the Tennessean that honors its birthplace at every turn.

You feel the life there. It touches all your senses. Every little bit of land is living; it’s got movement. The sounds you hear are sounds you don’t hear anywhere else on the planet.

"Mobile’s Carnival is approachable. It’s very family-friendly. Also, the parade floats and costume designs change each year. That’s something special."

The historical heft of Thistletop Inn strikes me right at the door. Seemingly every bit of this building has a backstory.

There’s a street in Montgomery that locals say is one of the most historic in America. A large fountain sits at the western end, the site of the city’s once-booming slave market. At the eastern end is the Alabama State Capitol, where Jefferson Davis was sworn in as president of the Confederacy. In between is Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. served as pastor in the late 1950s.

Long before a mouse named Mickey showed up in central Florida, the South was dotted with roadside attractions and family-owned amusements. Rock formations, natural springs, botanical gardens, and menageries of animals were the mainstays of vacation fun.

The Sazerac is the official cocktail of New Orleans. Most of its ingredients, like Herbsaint and Peychaud’s bitters, were either invented in this city or find a home here.

Everything about this bed and breakfast screams cool—from its location, East Nashville, to the complimentary Belle Meade bourbon it offers at check-in.

There I stood on stage, palms sweating, sheet music in front of me. I'd spent a long weekend studying songwriting, and the days of practicing and planning had come down to this.

Expert trail designer Morgan Sommerville weighs in on the best spots to hike in the Southern Appalachians.