Tag: Southbound

Perhaps it was, as Jonathan Swift once wrote, a bold man who first ate an oyster, but it wasn’t a hard sell for me to join Four Seasons New Orleans’s new Oysters Take Flight experience. On this bright, balmy morning, I set out from the 34-story hotel overlooking the Mississippi River for Southern Seaplane airport in nearby Belle Chasse.

"Before I had worked a bunch in Georgia, I was filming for Table 19, which we shot at the Ritz-Carlton on Lake Oconee. At the time, I didn’t know there was much lake culture in Georgia, and I thought, this place is beautiful."

If you’re not careful, a visit to Oxford might land you in the “Velvet Ditch.” Incorporated in 1837, the small college town with its bustling historic square earned the nickname in the 1950s after locals noticed a pattern: People came to Oxford (often for class at the University of Mississippi, aka Ole Miss), got comfortable, and never left.

Set in the rolling hills of Goshen, Kentucky, Hermitage Farm is a historic property and inn that raises champion thoroughbreds and celebrates the area’s agricultural legacy with bourbon tastings and farm-to-table dining. At the property’s Barn8 restaurant, bartender and Kentucky native Zack Staten uses craft bourbons in seasonal cocktails like the Bourbon, Beets, Battlestar Galactica, a fall menu favorite.

When Gilded Age glitterati traveled south to escape the Northeast winters in the late 19th century, they brought an indulgent lifestyle and a penchant for equestrian pursuits. Aiken, South Carolina, became known as a winter colony for wealthy sojourners—and a training ground for their racehorses.

Founded in 1778, the iconic Greenbrier resort is no stranger to famous guests. Captains of industry, professional athletes, even American presidents have dropped their bags in front of the massive, Georgian-style hotel. But even if a guest’s name isn’t of the household variety, lead doorman Dale Mann won’t forget it.

Outdoor adventure, boutique shopping, and an exciting restaurant scene draw visitors to this North Georgia mountain town.

The 70-room Virginia property opened its newest restaurant this spring and recently completed a $3.6 million ecosystem restoration project.

Off-road excursions, high-speed races, and all manner of joy rides await across the South—buckle up and burn some rubber.

A writer recalls a childhood trip to Wakulla Springs, Florida—and the freedom that came with diving into prehistoric waters.