Tag: Southbound

High yield and hardy, okra thrives in the unrelenting heat of the South’s summer months. Thought to have been introduced to Louisiana from West Africa during the early 18th century by enslaved Africans, the plant’s resilience and diverse uses made it integral to the region’s foodways.

The 70-mile stretch of the Great River Road running alongside the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans is one of the most storied sections on the 3,000-mile course of America’s longest national scenic byway. The area (sometimes called the German Coast, as it was settled by German immigrants in the 1700s) is more widely known as the Sugar Coast, a nod to the extensive sugar industry that flourished along the shores of the river in the 1800s (and remains an important part of Louisiana’s economy today).

Within minutes of stepping into Orlando’s My Beer Spa, I’m sporting a waffle-weave cotton robe and holding a cold pint of blonde ale. Down the hall, my husband and I step into a darkened room, soft lights glowing gold like the drink in my hand. Classical music and the hum from the bubbling Jacuzzi tubs float in the warm air. As harried, overcommitted, working parents of a spirited toddler, it was everything we could hope for on a Friday afternoon.

Discover a “circus chic” resort, mountaintop treehouse suites, stellar stargazing cabins, and outstanding stays that earned a Michelin Key.

Now I visit Atlanta about three times a year because my partner, my brother, and a lot of my friends live there. I love the drag scene! It’s growing so much. I think that’s because the film industry is booming in Atlanta, so there are a lot of transplants from Los Angeles and New York City. But this is not Southern pageant drag: These drag queens are doing live music and stand-up comedy.

Since opening in 1905, Louisville’s Seelbach Hilton has been a gathering spot for everyone from the cultured elite to gangsters, including Al Capone, who frequented the property during its Prohibition speakeasy heyday (allegedly coming and going through underground tunnels). If stepping inside the ornate lobby feels a bit like walking into a novel, there’s good reason: The site helped inspire F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 work The Great Gatsby, a bragging right Louisville will celebrate with a series of centennial events this spring.

From a Cantonese chophouse in Florida to Gordon Ramsay’s newest kitchen in North Carolina—here’s what’s fresh on the Southern food scene.

A decade ago, downtown Lynchburg was on the ropes. Empty storefronts lined the historic streets, and its 19th-century infrastructure had started to crumble. But after millions in investment, the city has a new vibe and swagger. Retail stores fill former warehouses, a restored grand hotel welcomes guests, and a network of riverside trails draws hikers, bikers, and picnickers.

In September 2019, Justin and Hailey Bieber were married in a lavish ceremony at the Somerset Chapel at Montage Palmetto Bluff. If their recent social media posts are any indication, that union is up and down—but the site where they said their vows is solid. An easy, four-hour drive from Atlanta (and 35 minutes from the Savannah airport), the Forbes Five Star property in the South Carolina Lowcountry oozes Southern charm. Here are five reasons why Southerners should visit—and, perhaps, the Biebers should consider a marriage-reparation trip.

In the decades since that camping trip to Lake James, I’ve spent nights in deserts and rainforests. I’ve swam with sharks on the Great Barrier Reef, watched wildebeest migrate through the Serengeti. I’ve seen the Northern Lights. I’ve ridden schooners and boats of all kinds. A myriad of influences led me to those places and experiences. But when I try to trace my love of outdoor travel back to its origins, my memory often lands on that lakeside beach.