Tag: Southern Exposure

For more than 30 years, the arrival of spring in Orlando has been heralded with an explosion of flowers, color, and trademark Disney magic. A topiary of Figment, the brightly hued dragon that serves as a park mascot, welcomes visitors to the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, taking place March 4 through June 1.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, gristmills were plentiful in West Virginia, where they played an important role supporting growing farming communities. By the 1950s, milling had largely ended due to new technology, and in 1976, Glade Creek Grist Mill was built at Babcock State Park as a historic attraction through a state initiative.

The thunderous roar of fighter jets is nothing unusual in Pensacola, Florida, known as the “Cradle of Aviation.” Founded in 1914, Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola was the first of its kind in the United States, marking the beginning of formal schooling for aviators.

In 1845, John Moore and his sons were mining for lead in the Ozark Mountains when they happened upon a cave filled with stunning ancient mineral formations. Their discovery became known as Moore’s Cave and legend has it that it was used by moonshiners in the late 1800s due to its secluded location and year-round temperature of 64 degrees.

Moss-draped bald cypress and water tupelo trees emerge from the mirror-like water, casting ethereal shadows on its surface. Considered one of Louisiana’s most photogenic natural wonders, Lake Martin is the focal point of Cypress Island Preserve, a Nature Conservancy holding in St. Martin Parish.

In 1766—a decade before America’s founding—Captain Thomas Bullitt built the Homestead, an 18-room Shenandoah Valley retreat where visitors could “take the waters.” Holding the title of America’s oldest resort, this Hot Springs, Virginia, grande dame hotel has been in operation for more than 250 years.

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.

In New Smyrna Beach, Florida, not a day goes by that you won’t see surfers heading out to the beach, longboards in tow. A jetty and three sandbars off the coast provide dependable breakers, especially when the breeze kicks up the waves and the swell direction is just right.

An important gathering place for more than 10,000 years, Great Falls Park is an 800-acre wonder along the banks of the Potomac River in McLean, Virginia. Today, this adventure-seeker’s destination is a National Park Service site with recreational offerings as varied as the terrain.

The year-round preserve and botanical garden in Avery Island, Louisiana, is home to ”Bird City,” a refuge for snowy egrets and other wading birds.